QUESTION DRA WER. 



drying them indoors, which will be the 

 safest way, and avoid any possibility of 

 mildewing of the seeds, which is im- 

 portant to avoid for all purposes 



In this way, I have saved any quantity 

 of sunflower seeds and had some excel- 

 lent poultry food. 



Anton Simmers, Toronto. 



Pear Crack. 



103T* Sir, — 1 have a Flemish Beauty 

 pear tree which for the last two years has 

 borne little else than pears ci acked almost to 

 the centre. What is the remedy. I saw an 

 account of introducing fluid of sulphur, by 

 boring a hole and inserting the sulphur and 

 plugging over Would this benefit my tree ? 

 J. W. S. Chatham. 



It is strange how much more ready 

 people are to follow out quack nostrums, 

 than to follow out the advice of the 

 scientist. Sulphur could not be taken 

 up into the tree through on augur hole. 

 The cause of the cracks in the pears is 

 no doubt the well-known apple scab, to 

 which the Flemish Beauty is especially 

 liable. It is a fungus which lives 

 through the winter on fallen twigs, 

 leaves, and younger twigs. It attacks 



the young fruit and causes it to drop, 

 or if the attack is on the fruit when 

 grown larger, it often causes it to crack 

 open, exposing it to the attacks of other 

 fungi. The best remedy is frequent 

 spraying with Bordeaux mixture, as 

 directed by this Journal at the proper 

 season. 



Ginseng*. 



10*28. .Sir, — In the last Horticclturist 

 I saw an article on Ginseng. It strikes me 

 I have just the place to grow it, viz., a hard- 

 wood grove (Maple sugar bush), nicely under- 

 brushed. There are no stones and soil is 

 quite gootl and deep. If you have any 

 opinions to offer me upon the subject, where 

 I can get the seeds, will the plant thrive 

 where I propose, and any other practical 

 information you may lie able to supply, I 

 shall be greatly obliged. 



G. H. Fawf.ll. 



Canadians had better buy seed in- 

 stead of plants. It will be cheaper and 

 less risky. It is possible that both 

 plants and seed can be bought of Mr. 

 George Stanton, Summit Station, Onon- 

 dago County, New York. If he cannot 

 meet the wishes of intending buyers, he 

 may know who can. 



D. W. Beadle, Toronto. 



Fire Fanging of Manure is de- 

 structive, and although a well-known oc- 

 currence in manure heaps, some farm- 

 ers do not try to prevent or suppress it. 

 Fire fang is overheating of the manure, 

 due to rapid decomposition, a large pro- 

 portion of the ammonia being liberated 

 and lost. When fire fanging occurs, 

 drive a crowbar into the heap in several 

 places and pour in cold water. A bet- 

 ter plan, some think, is to wet the man- 

 ure and turn the heap over, adding dry 



earth and plaster, placing the coarse 

 portions of the stable manure in the 

 center. Cold water absorbs ammonia 

 and prevents its escape, and unless it is 

 used much of the volatile ammonia will 

 escape while the manure is being 

 handled. The heap should not be kept 

 wet, but slightly damp, which will pro- 

 mote decomposition ; but overheating 

 may always be controlled by cold water. 

 Farm and Home. 



369 



