52 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



BeanKust. 294. Q. The pods at one end of my bean patch are spotted with red 

 rust ; the greater part of the patch is free from rust. How do you explain 

 this? 



A. Possibly the end where the rust appears is lower, and conse- 

 quently damper, or, perhaps, it is in the shade of trees or other obstruc- 

 tion to free circulation of air. The rust is a fungus. 



Potato im- 295. Q. What is the extent of annual importations of potatoes? 



portations. A. During the year, ending June, 1894, the importations were as 

 follows : 



Belgium 



Germany , , 



Netherlands 



United Kingdom — England 



Scotland , 



Ireland 



Bermuda 



Dominion of Canada — Nova Scotia, New Bruns. 



wick, etc 



Quebec, Ontario, etc 



Mexico 



Cuba 



China 



All other countries 



Bushels. Values, 



51,720 

 41,662 

 28,347 

 295,435 

 ,671,239 

 28,540 

 64,993 



596,799 



188,020 



1,235 



28,084 

 1,187 

 5,317 



3,002,578 



5 16.844 



15,354 



15,607 



117,288 



737,531 



10,872 



109,122 



169,086 



63.353 



1,454 



17,351 



252 



3,080 



$1,277,194 



Conch Grass. 



Japan 

 Clover, 



Alfalfa. 



Peach 

 Yellows. 



296. Q. What is conch grass or quack ? 



A. Agropyrum repens, a nuisance found in nearly all the Northern 

 States, a first-cousin to the crab grass of the South. It forms a dense 

 sod, its far-reaching horizontal roots having short joints, which throw 

 out root fibres and leaf stalks. Its foliage and roots are succulent and 

 nutritious, but it is a pest of the first order. 



297. Q. What is Japan clover ? 



A. Lespedeza striata, introduced about 1850, from China. It is a 

 quick-growing annual, killed by frost. Does best on clay lands, especi- 

 ally on bottoms, where it is a good hay producer. It seeds itself. 



298. Q. What is Alfalfa ? 



A. It is Medicago sativa botanically. Also known as Lucerne and used 

 for cuttting almost entirely, as it is not adapted for pasturage, cattle eat- 

 ing it off the crown. According to soil and location it continues in vigor 

 from three to ten years. It is adapted to dry climates. Overflow kills it. 



299. Q. Can I cure my peach trees, which appear to be afiected with, 

 the yellows, by the application of wood ashes ? 



A. No ; manuring the soil will not stop the spread of the disease . 



