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Gardening for Amateurs 



tion, and, as many of the substances adver- 

 tised can be used during the growing 

 season, they are extremely handy whenever 

 a gardener finds that his crops are being 

 attacked. Attention must be paid to the 

 details of tillage, for sour and badly manured 

 soils are direct encouragements of most 

 pests and diseases. 



GENERAL REMARKS AND RECIPES 



The ever-new rule that " prevention is 

 better than cure " applies strongly in gar- 

 dening work against pests. Simple methods 

 carried out at the first appearance of 

 trouble often eradicate what might have 

 proved a virulent and destructive enemy, 

 and even the application of preventives 

 to healthy plants immune from disease is 

 justified in so far as it prevents trouble 

 appearing. We all know how rapidly in- 

 fection can be carried from plant to plant, 

 and the value of active and immediate 

 efforts should be apparent to all ; prepared- 

 ness for war is a guarantee of peace. A 

 brief perusal of a good horticultural cata- 

 logue will show the large number of sub- 

 stances which can be had in concentrated 

 form, ready for use against various insects 

 and fungoid pests. The amateur cannot 

 do better than obtain some of these and 

 use them as directed ; a good all-round 

 substance, like Abol, is of the greatest value, 

 and can be used freely for most pests. 

 Other remedies can be made up cheaply and 

 easily at home. 



Fungicides. Liver of sulphur or potas- 

 sium sulphide solution is made by dissolv- 

 ing 1 oz. of the substance in 2 to 3 gallons 

 of soft water. If the water be soapy it 

 serves as an insecticide at the same time. 

 Bordeaux Mixture is a compound of lime 

 and sulphate of copper. Make some lime 

 water in the usual way by dissolving a 

 handful of good quicklime in 10 gallons of 

 water. Take 1 oz. of pure copper sulphate 

 and dissolve it in a cupful of boiling water. 

 Pour this blue solution into 1 gallon of the 

 lime water slowly and with constant stirring, 

 then spray the mixture on the foliage ; it 

 does not keep well. If it is desired to have 

 the mixture more dilute, add water to the 

 gallon of lime water before mixing it with 

 the copper sulphate solution. Ammoniacal 



copper carbonate solution is employed by 

 gardeners who dislike the white, starchy 

 film left behind by Bordeaux Mixture. To 

 make this fungicide, get 1 oz. of copper car- 

 bonate and stir it into 3 gallons of water ; 

 now add sufficient household ammonia to 

 obtain a deep blue, clear solution, smelling 

 of ammonia. For spraying of fruit trees 

 there are two washes. Calcium sulphide, or 

 the lime and sulphur wash, is the easier to 

 make. One pound of quicklime is placed 

 in a tub, with sufficient water to make it 

 into a cream ; 1 Ib. of fine sulphur is then 

 added and well stirred in. A great heat is 

 developed, and when this begins to go down 

 some 5 gallons of water are added and the 

 mixture again stirred. The substance is 

 strained through a fine sieve when cold 

 and stored in tight jars, or used immediately. 

 No scorching will result from its use in 

 summer, so it has the merit of being suit- 

 able for either winter or summer use. The 

 caustic winter wash is made up as follows : 

 Ib. soft soap is dissolved in water which 

 has been brought to the boil, and the solu- 

 tion made up to 1 gallon ; to this gallon of 

 paraffin oil is added, and the mixture churned 

 up into a creamy emulsion (this is best 

 done by squirting it from a syringe into the 

 pail). This mixture or emulsion is then 

 poured into 9 gallons of water in which 2 Ib. 

 of caustic soda has been previously dissolved. 

 Protect the hands and face while using it. 



Insecticides. The fungicides have 

 greater or less insecticidal power, and the 

 last two mentioned, in particular, will 

 clear off all pests from the trees. Quassia 

 insecticide is simply made. One pound of 

 quassia chips are boiled for a few hours in 

 1 gallon of water ; the bitter liquid is then 

 poured into some 5 to 10 gallons of water to 

 which 1 Ib. of soft soap (or 1 Ib. of hard 

 soap dissolved in a little hot water) has 

 been added. Quassia extracts and pastes 

 can now be had. A little soft soap churned 

 up in tepid water is an excellent cure for 

 greenfly. To make paraffin emulsion, place 

 a small crystal of washing soda and 1 tea- 

 spoonful of soft soap in 1 gallon of water ; 

 stir these up, then add 1 teaspoonful of 

 paraffin oil ; draw the liquid up in the 

 syringe and squirt it back into the pail until 

 a grey emulsion is formed. The Paris 



