62 



BIGGLE GARDEN BOOK 



HINTS 



Never spray strawberries, etc., when the}- are in blossom. 



Fungicides are not cures, but preventives. Therefore, 

 such spraying should begin early in the season. 



Poultry: Harriet says that hens do not belong in all the 

 garden, nor all the garden in the hens. Either fence in the 

 garden or the biddies. 



Ants: These do no real harm in the garden; when 

 found on plants or trees they are after lice. Ant nests in 

 lawns or walks may be destroyed with hot water, bisulphide 

 of carbon, or kerosene. 



Earthworms or angleworms : As a rule these well-known 

 wrigglers do good rather than harm. They loosen and 

 aerate the soil. Applications of lime will drive them away 

 if they prove to be a nuisance in any special instance. 



Rabbits, groundhogs, etc. : In some localities, bunny is 

 a decided menace to the garden. He likes a nibble of this 

 or that, and he's always hungry. The same applies to ]\Ir. 

 Groundhog and some other animals. A good preventive is 

 a wire-netting fence, with the lower part sunk a foot be- 

 neath the soil; another is a good dog, or a gun. Ground- 

 hogs can be killed by putting bisulphide of carbon in their 

 burrows and stopping up the entrances. 



Bisulphide of carbon: This is used to kill maggots, etc., 

 in the soil, weevils in beans and peas, etc. It comes in 

 liquid form and may be had of druggists. When exposed 

 to the air it cjuickly vaporizes into a poisonous and explo- 

 sive gas which is heavier than air and which will destro}- 

 all insect or animal life. Its various uses are mentioned in 

 several places in this book. Caution: Do not inhale much 

 of the vapor, and allow no lights near. 'Tis a safe and 

 useful remedy only when properly used. 



■ Snails: I have never, myself, had any trouble w^ith 

 these, but in some places they are said to be a pest. 

 T. Greiner in his How to Make the Garden Pa}^ gives the 

 following remedy: "Set traps by scattering pieces of orange 

 peel over the ground. Snails are so fond of this delicacj^ that 

 they will remain clinging to the peel rather than go back 

 to "their hiding places at break of day. Examine the traps 

 every morning, and destroy the marauders." With the aid 

 of a lantern they can often be found and killed at night. 



