HELPS IN THE GARDEN. 



those crops which are in special need of 

 potash, no noticeable results may be 

 obtained. Further, if mixed with farm- 

 yard manure, they may do more harm 

 than good ; because they tend to liber- 

 ate, as ammonia, the nitrogen of the 

 manure. The crops which are most 



benefitted by wood ashes are the legumes 

 (clover, peas, beans, etc.) corn and 

 potatoes. If we may judge by the 

 amount used by fruit growers, they are 

 fully aware of the value of wood ashes- 

 in the orchard. — R. A. Harcourt, 

 Asst. Chemist O.A.C., Guelph. 



HELPS IN THE GARDEN. 



R. E. S. GOFF, of the N. Y. 

 Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion, read a paper upon " The 

 Farmer's Garden," before a 

 farmers' institute at Lockport, N. Y., in 

 which he said : " In order to grow 

 radishes free from maggots in the roots, 

 I would grow them in a bed of sand, 

 and to prevent the flea-beetles from 

 destroying the foliage, I would place 

 this bed, if possible, upon a bit of sod 

 ground, and surround it with a tight 

 frame of boards at least a foot high. 

 For the green cabbage worm, I have 

 found pyrethrum or Persian insect 

 powder the most satisfactory destroyer. 

 If the powder is of good quality it will 

 bear diluting with twice its bulk of air 

 slaked lime or flour, and if the mixture 

 is allowed to stand a few hours before 

 being applied, it will prove more effec- 

 tual than if put on immediately after 

 mixing. The Woodason bellows is an 



excellent tool for distributing the pow- 

 der. The best time to apply it is on a 

 quiet evening, when the dew has just 

 commenced to fall. 



" For the striped cucumber beetle, 

 prevention is the only method that I 

 have found satisfactory. Cover the hills 

 before the plants come up, with frames 

 made of narrow boards with mosquito 

 netting tacked over the top. 



For the squash vine borer, I find cobs 

 dipped in coal tar and placed among 

 the plants a great benefit, but not a per- 

 fect remedy. The cobs should be 

 placed in the hills about the middle of 

 June, and they should be dipped in the 

 tar again once a month or so, during 

 the season. 



For the currant worm, I have found 

 nothing better than the old remedy, 

 viz. : powdered white hellebore applied 

 either dry, or with water. 



BEGONIAS. 



Flowering varieties like a night tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees, sun and mois- 

 ture. Rex varieties, same temperature 

 at night, no sun, but strong north or 

 east light ; do not spray surface of foli- 

 age, or allow water to drip on it ; keep 

 just moist j add to compost a little sharp 



sand to make open soil. Tuberous va- 

 rieties like sun, or will do with partial 

 sun, about the same temperature, and 

 are cared for in starting, drying off, and 

 in dormant state the same as Achemines. 

 Make good bedders in summer garden. 



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