QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 135 



scales. Roots, a term so frequently used in agriculture, indicate those 

 solid fleshy portions of plants ■which grow partly in and partly out of 

 ground, as beets, turnips, or carrots. The out-of-ground and underground 

 portions of beets have somewhat distinct characteristics. Nitrogenous 

 materials are more concentrated in the underground parts, while sugar is 

 found mostly in the above-ground portions. 



838. Q. Why do the flowers of some garden vegetables retain their Retention of 

 freshness so much longer than others? Freshness. 



A. Some plants pollenize much easier than others, and nature seems to 

 give a physical strength to certain flowers to retain their freshness while 

 awaiting pollination. It has been observed that quick-withering flowers 

 retain their freshness for unusual periods if not pollenized, seemingly 

 awaiting the event for which they were created, but as soon as the pollen 

 grains touch the pistils the flowers immediately lose their freshness. 



839. Q. In the case of turnip seed, is new crop better than old crop? Turnip Seed. 

 A. If the old crop is not older than one year and was well harvested 



and since well kept, it is as good as new — in fact better, as it will sprout 

 more uniformly, being more susceptible to a slight degree of moisture. 

 New crop turnip with some persons seems to have a charm, but it comes 

 in late, seldom ready before the lOlh of July, and what is gained in vital- 

 ity is lost by delay in planting. Of course two-thirds of what turnip 

 seed is sold as new crop is old crop ; not always of the preceding year, 

 however, for sometimes it is old enough to vote. 



840. Q. Is there any way besides trapping by which I can rid my farm Moles. 

 of ground moles? 



A. Try injecting into the mole runs, at distances often feet apart, a gill 

 of liquid bisulphide of carbon ; the poisonous fumes may kill the moles or 

 drive them away. Another remedy worth trying is to place small pieces 

 of meat with strychnine upon it in the runs. 



841. Q. Is there any standard weight for a bushel of onion sets ? standard 

 A. No ; and there cannot be, for the reason that sets vary in weight ac- Weight. 



cording to size and density, and they decrease in weight constantly from 

 time of harvest to time of planting, which may be a period of six months. 

 The only fair and just way of selling onion sets is by the bushel, and they 

 should be sold by a stroke bushel, for that measure is the same every- 

 where, a heaped or rounded bushel varying more or less according to the 

 spirit of the measurer. 



842. Q. What is the Irish shamrock ? Shamrock 

 A. It is the White Dutch clover, common everywhere. WhiteClover. 



843. Q. A friend in Brazil sent me some watermelon seeds from fruit „ 



-L • T-. Foreign 



said to be the best m Rio, but upon trial I find them little better than seed. 



pumpkins? 



A. Just the experience of every one. The writer has repeatedly got 

 the best of sorts of all seeds from South America, and they seldom prove 

 of any value in Pennsylvania because of the change in climatic con- 

 ditions. 



