298 



THE GARDEN AND FIELD. 



December, 1913 



the rice when prepared for food as 

 the North American Indians prepare 

 it, as a breakfast cereal. In a bulle- 

 tin of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture it is stated that the 

 available supply of wild rice now sells 

 at from two to three times the price 

 of ordinary white rice. The seeds 

 will not keep in a dry state, as most 

 seeds do; they must be transported 

 in water, in wet moss, or in mud, or 

 e\'en in ice. Apart from the value 

 of the Canadian wild rice as an 

 ornamental plant, suitable for plant- 

 ing in a water garden or a mud flat, 

 it is well worth introducing from an 

 economic standpoint. — Australasian. 



♦ 



Mealy Bug. 



Mealy bugs is one of the most trou- 

 blesome pests the gardener has to deal 

 with. This insect, which multiplies rap- 

 idly, can easily be identified by its pinky 

 red body which is covered with a white 

 mealy powder. Once mealy bug obtains 

 a firm footing in a green house nothing 

 but the strongest and most persistent 

 measures will eradicate it as it moves 

 about rather freely; therefore prompt 

 remedies must be applied as soon as it is 

 discovered. 



To clean plants badly infested they 

 must be either washed or syringed with 

 a strong but safe insecticide. A good 

 and effectual insecticide can be easily 

 made up as follows : Dissolve lb. of 

 soft soap and lb. Gishurst Compound 

 in three gallons of boiling water and add 

 a wineglassful of paraffin mixing the 

 whole thoroughly with the syringe while 

 hot and allowing it to become cold be- 

 fore using. Large plants badly infest- 

 ed should be well syringed with the 

 mixture, first laying them on a sheet of 

 corrugated iron and placing a tub at one 

 end for the insecticide to run ofif into. 

 The mixture can then be used over 

 again. Another effective and economi- 

 cal method of applying the insecticide 

 to small plants is to place the solution 

 in a tub taking the plant in the hands, 

 being careful t<j cover the soil with one 



WANTED TO SELL 



mCUBATOES AND BROODERS, 

 Simplex, Awarded firat price (lilvar 

 msdal) Adelaide Exhibition, 1910. 

 Agent for Cort'i Patent Cooler-aafa, 

 a boon in sunimer. Sand for price 

 lirt.— D. LANYON, Manufacturer, 4< 

 Nortli T«rraoe, K«it Town. 6-12. 



hand as much as possible to prevent it 

 falling out into the receptable. Dip the 

 foliage several times wetting every por- 

 tion thoroughly and afterwards place 

 the plants on their sides to drain. Where 

 the attack is but slight there is nothing 

 more effective than methylated spirits. 

 A camel hair brush should be dipped in 

 the spirit and the insects lightly touched 

 with it. Every one that comes in con- 

 tact with the spirit will be destroyed. 

 I liave never found methylated spirits 

 to injure the tenderest foliage. Mealy 

 bug frequently hides in cracks, crevices, 

 and such like places, therefore where 

 houses are badly infested all woodwork 

 should be scrubbed with the above sol- 

 ution and the walls treated with lime 

 and paraffin, afterwards stopping all 

 cracks in the woodwork with putty. — 

 "The Gardening World." 



# — 



Fern Balls. 



It is a great pity that there, are not 

 more good specimens of the fern ball 

 seen in our homes, for as an orna- 

 mental addition to a room it is very 

 desirable, if well grown. 



When first purchased they should 

 be thoroughly soaked and then hung 

 in the light. When growth has 

 started they should be regularly 

 treated, every two weeks, to a bath 

 of manure water. They should 

 never be allowed to become dry. 

 While the manure water seems to be 

 an essential in the treatment of fern 

 balls, in using it there is a liability of 

 being obliged, speedily, to make a 

 quick choice between your fern ball 

 and your family. The manure water 

 will start the ball growing, but it will 

 also start a wave of disapproval that 

 will be quite convincing. However, 

 if you care for a fern ball you must 

 contrive to treat it as above sug- 

 gested. 



Fern balls may be used as table 

 centre pieces. Holes are bored in 

 them with a pencil and cut flowers 

 inserted. Using them alternately 

 keeps them in good condition and 

 keeps on hand an ever-ready table 

 decoration. When the foliage has 

 l)egun to wither the ball should be 

 stored so that it will not become dried 

 out. Burying it in the ground for a 

 few weeks before starting it into 

 growth will materially benefit it and 

 assist its start. It would be well to 

 watch the string that binds the moss 

 as it is liable to rot out. A little, at- 

 tention to this detail will prolong the 

 life and usefulness of the fern ball. 



Watering. 



The fact that "circumstances alter 

 cases" is especially applicable to all gar- 

 dening matters, and the following hints 

 on watering may prove useful, as much 

 injury is done to plants both by over- 

 watering and under-watering. It is well 

 to remember that families of plants 

 have their individual peculiarities in 

 very much the same way as human be- 

 ings, "so that while copious water 

 makes some plants thrive, it will cause 

 others to decay, and here it is that some 

 knowledge of the native habitat of the 

 plants becomes most useful. Gardeners 

 will learn by observation how much 

 water is necessary to their plants, and 

 will know by the appearance of the soil 

 when it is required. A general rule 

 is that if the surface feels dusty to the 

 finger-tips it is over-d^y; if it sticks to 

 one's fingers it is too wet; but if there 

 is a feeling of moisture without any of 

 the soil adhering, it is just right. 



It will be found that plants thrive 

 by watering at one time rather 

 than at other times, and by far the best 

 time to give it is either early in the 

 morning or late in the afternoon, but 

 never when the sun is most powerful, as 

 at middle-day. In using a hose or water- 

 ing pot care must be taken to let the 

 water fall gently and not dashed 

 against the roots of the plants, although 

 it is advisable to refresh the foliage by 

 an occasional watering, which serves to 

 cleanse it from dirt and insects. 



Another important rule to remember 

 when wateririg is that the ground must 

 Ijc thoroughly soaked; give enough to 

 penetrate to the lowest root, for there is 

 nothing so harmful to plants as a mere 

 sprinkling. To conserve the moisture 

 in the soil, pulverise the surface to a 

 depth of two inches after watering, as 

 in this way plants get the full benefit 

 of the earth's chemical properties, and 

 their vitality is increased. 



NATURAL GUANO 



From Indian Ocean now landing ex 

 " Hebe." AnalyBia Nitrogen \ per, 

 cent ; Citrate soluble Phosphate of 

 Lime 13.11 per cent.; Insoluble Phos- 

 phate of Lime 50.25 per cent. Price 

 70/- per ton delivered to rail, or free 

 on board at Port Adelaide. 



Samples on application. 



ARTHUR H. HASELL, 

 Lipaon Street, 

 POET ADELAIDE. 



