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GARDEN MACAZINE 

 READERS' SERVICE 



Help in need! Ask this department to answer your specific 

 problem. Replies of general interest only are printed here 



September, 1915 



Well Water 



I have a very good spring at the bottom of the hill 

 where I wish to build a house. There is an extensive 

 flower bed on this hill more than 200 feet long, in which 

 many fertilizers are used. This spring seems to be 

 partially fed at least from a source above the body of 

 water trickling from under the hill. Is there danger 

 in using this water for drinking purposes; and if so, can 

 the well be so built, other than by a driven well, to make 

 it safe for use? — A. R. C, Maine. 

 — We are unable to advise you as to the safety of your 

 well without knowing more of the local geological 

 formations. It is possible that your spring is supplied 

 from such a depth that there is little or no seepage from 

 the garden. The reverse may be true and we would 

 advise you to take this matter up with the State Chem- 

 ist at Augusta, who may be able to visit your property 

 or advise you. 



Late Planting of Annual Crops 



What annual crops can be planted in the autumn and 

 protected during the winter, in order to get earlier 

 maturity in the spring? — E. B. C, Mass. 

 — As far north as Massachusetts there are very few 

 annual vegetable crops that can safely and profitably 

 be planted in the fall and protected over winter. Prob- 

 ably spinach and corn salad are the only ones so treated 

 to any considerable extent, although cabbage is occa- 

 sionally planted in the late fall, small heads being 

 lifted and stored in a coldframe over winter and set 

 out again the following spring, when they will mature 

 considerably earlier than if started in a hotbed in the 

 usual manner. 



Coal Ashes 



When coal ashes are suggested for lightening the soil, 

 should hard or soft coal ashes be used? — H. L., Iowa. 

 — It does not really matter whether the ashes are 

 from hard or soft coal. There is more or less sulphur 

 in any ash, but in well-burned ash most of the volatile 

 matter has been driven off. The amount of phosphoric 

 acid and potash in coal ashes is very small, and therefore 

 they have little value as a fertilizer. Soft-coal ashes 

 contain more potash than those from hard coal, but it 

 is held in such a firm combination as to be of but 

 little value to the soil. 



Keeping Paper White Narcissus 



How are the bulbs of Paper White narcissus treated 

 after they have bloomed? — E. C. P., Pennsylvania. 

 — Bulbs which have been grown in water cannot be 

 kept for another season of bloom, but those which have 

 been grown in pots can be saved for another year. Allow 

 the plants to grow on until the foliage matures, and 

 as the bulbs ripen the tops will gradually die down. 

 Clean the bulbs from soil when thoroughly ripe and 

 store in an absolutely frost-proof place. 



Aucuba Japonica 



Is Aucuba japonica hardy at Philadelphia, planted 

 along a porch, easterly exposure and with protection? 

 Does it require a semi-shaded situation? — J. P. H., 

 Penna. 



— Aucuba japonica might possibly live in a sheltered 

 place near Philadelphia. It does best in semi-shaded, 

 moist places. . It is hardy in the South but in the North 

 it is grown in cool houses. It will stand five or six 

 degrees of frost, if grown in a pit. 



Lilac not Blooming 



I have a 6-foot purple lilac, planted about ten feet 

 from the porch. It has been in its present situation 

 for three years, has never been pruned, is full of foli- 

 age but does not bloom. What is the trouble with it? 

 — H. P. J., Penna. 



— Three years is not sufficient time for a lilac to reach 

 flowering size. If it is kept growing well it should be 

 blooming in due time. If you can tell us more about 

 the lilac we might possibly be able to suggest some 

 remedy to bring about the desired end. 



Currant Plant Louse or Aphis 



What is it that causes a discoloration on currant 

 bush leaves, and how can further damage be prevented? 

 — F. A., 111. 



— Your currant bush is infested with what is known as 

 the currant plant louse or aphis. The time to destroy 

 this pest is when they just begin to appear and before 

 they become numerous and the leaves are badly curled. 

 This may be done with the 10 per cent, mixture of 

 kerosene or a strong solution of whale oil soap. The 

 work of destruction may be made more certain by 

 picking off the leaves that are most curled. 



Crimson Ramblers not Thriving 



I have a Crimson Rambler rose that covers the' entire 

 south side of a large porch. It comes up in the spring 

 vigorously, grows well, looks healthy until about 

 blooming time, the blooms come out partly, turn pale 

 and drop off. This year the foliage next to the porch 

 turned brown and wilted and looked as though a fire 

 had scorched the leaves. Can you suggest a remedy? 

 — W. W. M., Missouri. 



— From your description we can only suggest that the 

 cause of the trouble with the Rambler rose is due to the 

 fact that it suffers from lack of water at the roots. 

 This is very often the case with roses planted near the 

 foundations of houses. Try abundant watering. 



Kelp as Mulch 



What is your opinion of kelp as it is washed up on the 

 beach as a mulch to plants or trees? Has it any special 

 value as a fertilizer when decayed? — R. C, Maine. 

 — If Kelp is not too fresh (that is, if it does not contain 

 too much salt), it makes an excellent mulch for trees 

 and shrubs. The Bureau of Soils, Department of 

 Agriculture, Washington, D. C, reports as a result of 

 several experiments and analyses that dried kelp is as 

 effective a potash fertilizer as the salts potassium 

 sulphate or potassium chloride. Of course, excessive 

 amounts should not be used since the material decays 

 rather slowly and the presence of too large a quantity 

 in the soil is liable to result in an undesirable acid 

 condition. Probably an excellent way to utilize all 

 sorts of seaweed would be to compost with manure and 

 possibly some acid phosphate. We would suggest 

 that you write to the State Experiment Station at 

 Orono for the latest information on the subject. 



The Marshall and Gandy Strawberries 



Two years ago I planted some Marshall and Gandy 

 strawberry plants, which were marked perfect in the 

 catalogue. Since then I have read that strawberry 

 plants bear pistillate and staminate blossoms and in 

 planting one kind there should be some of the other 

 planted with them. How is one to know the difference 

 in the plants? — L. F., Penna. 



— Both the Marshall and Gandy varieties of strawberry 

 are perfect as listed in catalogues, that is, they are 

 bi-sexual and are self-pollinating. The former variety 

 is, however, much stronger in this respect than the 

 latter which makes it very desirable that a few plants 

 of another variety be interplanted with Gandy. One 

 of the best for this purpose is Senator Dunlap and we 

 would advise your getting a few plants of this kind for 

 this purpose. It is quite possible that you will get a 

 crop next year from both types but the above procedure 

 will bring about better results. Plants can be told 

 apart only by examining the flowers. Those of the 

 perfect group show both pistils and stamens. The 

 pistillate or imperfect type show only the pistils or 

 female organs. 



Grass for Poultry Yards 



What is the best combination of grass seed to plant 

 in a chicken yard? — T. S., New Jersey. 

 — A combination of clover, rape, oats and peas will 

 make a good cover for a chicken run; Sow the clover, 

 rape and oats in equal parts and use only a small 

 quantity of peas. Sow the rape, oats and peas in drills 



about two feet apart, and broadcast the clover seed. 

 Make the drills east and west; later on, this will give 

 the chickens a little shelter. Do not put the chickens 

 on the run until after the growth has had time to get 

 a fairly good start. 



Grass Under Pine Trees 



We have a shady walk about 150 feet long, bordered 

 partly on two sides with large pines. The grass 

 formerly grew well, but has now become bare and 

 mangy and no amount of grass seed or care has been 

 able to restore it. How can it be made attractive and 

 tidy?— L. K., New York. 



— You do not tell us how far apart the pines are, which, 

 of course, has a considerable bearing on the problem, 

 nor are we told the size and spread of the trees. We 

 fear, however, that the trouble is an incurable one. • In 

 all probability the pines are so big that they shade the 

 soil and also take the moisture from it so that the grass 

 put in does not have a chance to compete with the trees. 

 The only possible remedy, provided that the roots do 

 not occupy the space, is to dig and cultivate the soil 

 and get it into as good condition for making a perfect 

 seed bed as if for a new lawn and starting again. A 

 lawn mixture containing a good proportion of perennial 

 rye should give you quick results. 



Wire Worms 



Every winter and spring I find the roots of perennials 

 and shrubs full of little flesh-colored worms, and often 

 a brownish-blackish one much larger coiled into a ring 

 nearby. Worm eradicators bring up many large earth 

 worms and will kill the root-eating pest if applied direct 

 to it, but I fear it will kill the plants if it is applied too 

 strong. What else can I use to kill ;the worms? Is 

 Scotch soot effective? I do not need it as a fertilizer. — 

 F. D. H, New Jersey. 



— Your description, although indefinite, leads us to 

 suspect that your ground is infested with wire worms. 

 These eat vegetation and are usually brought into the 

 ground with manure. Use a dressing of gas lime on the 

 ground or pieces of hollowed carrot or other succulent 

 root crops as traps. Then take them up and destroy 

 any worms found in them. Soot will also be very 

 effective. If the worms are earthworms they are an 

 indication that the soil lacks drainage and humus. The 

 remedy in these cases is to add some lightening matter 

 to the soil and provide drainage. Good deep cultiva- 

 tion and the turning of the soil over with a spade at 

 least a foot in depth each season or whenever the ground 

 is bare of a crop and turning in lime and decayed 

 vegetable matter will gradually reduce the number of 

 earth worms present. Arsenic will not poison the 

 worms unless you can actually poison the bait which it 

 is intended they should eat. 



Apples for all Year 



I want to plant an apple orchard in Connecticut; what 

 varieties shall I use? — G. H. L., Connecticut. 

 — For early apples, plant Benoni, Bough, Chenango, 

 Early Harvest, Early Joe, Garden Royal, Golden Sweet, 

 Jefferies, Maiden Blush, Porter, Red Astrachan, 

 Williams, Yellow Transparent. Mid-season varieties: 

 Dyer, Fall Pippin, Fameuse, Gravenstein, Mother, 

 Oldenburg, Rambo, Tompkins King, Wealthy. Late: 

 Rhode Island Greening, Bailey, Baldwin, Esopus, 

 Grimes, Hubbardson, Jacob Sweet, Jonathan, Mcin- 

 tosh, Northern Spy, Tolman, Wagner, Yellow Bell- 

 flower, Sutton. 



Clover Seed 



How much clover seed can be raised to the acre? — 

 W.W.D., Arkansas. 



— An average yield of clover seed is one to two bushels 

 per acre, although five to six bushels are sometimes 

 obtained. The second crop of clover is the one that is 

 used for seed, because the first-crop heads are seldom 

 well filled out . For seed purposes the clover should 

 be cut when the heads or blossoms are well browned 

 or ripened. 



