APPLIANCES FOR GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 165 



or applied as a top dressing to growing crops in the gar- 

 den or field. We are quite sure that any one who uses 

 this preparation of bone and wood ashes, and sees the vig- 

 orous push it gives to garden and other crops, will be 

 likely to continue it. But many farmers near seaports 

 and railroad stations, use coal mainly for fuel, and will 

 have to resort to a hand or horse-mill to use up the waste 

 bones. Small mills are extensively used by poultry-men, 

 for crushing oyster shells as well as- bone, and the ma- 

 chine can be adjusted to break the bone coarsely for hen 

 feed. The oil and gelatine of the bones have an alimen- 

 tary value, and, turned into eggs, pay much better than 

 when used as a fertilizer for the soil. 



CHAPTEK IX. 



APPLIANCES FOR THE GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 

 PAPER PLANT PROTECTOR. 



The most effectual means for protecting young melon 

 and cucumber plants against some of their injurious 



Fig. 193. PATTERN FOB PLANT PBOTECTOB. 



enemies, is to inclose the young vines in bottomless boxes 

 of some kind. Various more or less expensive and elabor- 

 ate forms have been invented and are offered for sale. 

 The principal objection to most of these is their cost. 



