328 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
Notes and Miscellany. 
Killing Ants. 
A recipe for killing ants — the large 
red and black varieties that burrow in 
the ground — is given by W. W. Skinner 
of the Arizona Experiment Station. He 
recommends the application of carbon 
bisulphide immediately after a rain, 
when the ants bring out their food to 
dry it in the sun. A half teacupful or 
more, if the nest is a large one, should 
be poured into the nest at this time. 
The chemical has a peculiarly disagree- 
able odor, is highly inflammable, and 
should not be used near matches or fire. 
The remedy is said to be not applicable 
on a large scale, owing to the cost of the 
chemical, which can be procured at drug- 
gists, but is a sure means of eradicating 
nests of the insects from such places as 
public walks or front doors. 
^ ^ * 
Insect-Proof Roses. 
Rose-bugs and leaf-slugs are so nu- 
merous some years, one is easily dis- 
couraged in out-door rose growing. The 
Japanese Rosa rugosa and the Wichu- 
raiana roses are very much of an en- 
couragement, for thus far they seem to 
have evaded the pests. This may be 
accounted for in the late-blooming char- 
acter, the major part of the rose-bugs 
having completed their destructive work 
and disappeared, and also in the rough 
leaves of the rugosa, and the tough ones 
of the Wichuraiana. The Rosa rugosa, 
both red and white, are being largely 
used, and their value appreciated. The 
others have not yet come in for their 
full share of popularity as arbor vines 
and for trailing over low walls. An 
attractive way to have a few plants is to 
stake them and allow the branches above 
to fall gracefully over. — Meehan’s 
Monthly. 
>K ^ ^ 
Killiog Ground Moles. 
Ground moles, aside from the damage 
they do to growing plants by lifting them 
or disturbing their roots, are rather a 
friend than an enemy. They are rather 
insectivorous, and it is in searching out 
grubs and cut worms that they make 
tunnels. These tunnels are merely 
traps, into which the worms fall and 
are picked up by the mole in his rounds. 
Persistent tramping in of his runs will 
drive him to parts of the garden or lawn 
where he will do no harm. However, 
if he must be killed, it can be easily done. 
Open his tunnel, saturate some waste 
with bisulphide of carbon, put it in the 
hole, and cover with dirt. The fumes 
will penetrate the whole system of tun- 
nels and kill all animal life there. Don’t 
poison grain, he won’t eat it.- — Farm and 
Fireside. 
* * * 
Should Lawn Grass Be Closely Cut ? 
The kinds of grass that are inclined to 
grow in tufts must be kept rather close- 
ly and regularly cut, if the creation of 
bare places is to be avoided. Fine grass 
in lawns exposed to hot suns and in 
light, well-drained soil, if cut exceeding- 
ly short, is likely to suffer. In the av- 
erage case, the knives of the mower 
should be set high, and the lawn kept 
frequently cut. — Meehan’s Monthly. 
Replanting the Adirondacks. 
The State Forest, Fish and Game 
Commission has begun the planting of 
420,000 young trees, consisting of spruce 
and pine, on the land burned over in 
1899 near Clear Water Junction, in the 
Adirondacks. The trees were pur- 
chased of the College of Forestry, lo- 
cated at Axton, which is under the su- 
pervision of Cornell University. This is 
the first attempt of the state at scientific 
forestry, and it will be watched with 
great interest. The work is in charge 
of Colonel William F. Fox, superin- 
tendent of State Forests, and A. Knech- 
tel, of Albany. The land where the ex- 
periment is to be tried is not fit for cul- 
tivation. — Florists’ Exchange. 
* * * 
Spraying Trees in Buffalo. 
City officials of Buffalo, N. Y., are 
taking energetic measures to protect the 
street trees in that city, with especial at- 
tention to the extermination of the tus- 
sock moth. The work is under the di- 
rection of Col. Ward, Commissioner of 
Public Works, and Deputy Street Com- 
missioner Kennedy, who have an appro- 
priation of $1,200 available for the pur- 
pose. They have sprayed all the trees 
in front of school houses and other city 
buildings, and are now treating from 50 
to 75 trees a day on other property. 
Three men and two wagons are kept at 
the work at an expense of $40 a week, 
and good results are expected. People 
who want their trees sprayed have only 
to notify the department to have the 
work done free of charge, and from five 
to a dozen requests are received daily. 
The intention is to get a larger appro- 
priation next year, pursue the work more 
systematically throughout the city, and 
to secure the passage of ordinances plac- 
ing the care and maintenance of the city 
trees under the control of the Depart- 
ment of Public Works. 
Fighting Elm Leaf Beetle. 
The first annual meeting of the Kent 
Improvement Association of East 
Greenwich, R. L, was turned especially 
toward the extermination of the elm- 
leaf beetle. Prof. James M. Southwick, 
curator of the Natural History Museum 
at Roger Williams Park, Providence, 
addressed the society, telling of the hab- 
its of the pest, and advocating the use 
of the kerosene emulsion and arsenate 
of lead preparations for its destruction. 
A. H. Kirkland, of Boston, gave a stere- 
opticon lecture on the same subject, deal- 
ing also with the gypsy moth and other 
tree pests. He said that a spraying out- 
fit suitable for park or village work 
would cost, exclusive of wagon, about 
$65, and the average cost of the work 
would be from 75 cents to one dollar a 
tree. 
* ^ * 
To Plant Station Grounds. 
The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul 
Railway is taking steps to improve the 
grounds of stations along its line. Of- 
ficials of the road recently made a trip 
along the route to inspect the station 
plots, with a view to having them beau- 
tified with appropriate planting. Mrs. 
E. A. McCrea, the landscape gardener, 
has been engaged to plan the work for 
stations in the vicinity of Milwaukee. 
* ^ * 
To Preserve the Adirondacks. 
The Association for the Preservation 
of the Adirondacks has been incorporat- 
ed in New York. It is composed of the 
owners of large private estates, parks, 
and preserves in the Adirondack region, 
and states as its object “the preserva- 
tion of the Adirondack forests, waters, 
game and fish, and the maintenance of 
healthful conditions in the Adirondack 
region.” The following well-known 
men are among the directors of the as- 
sociation ; J. Pierpont Morgan, Wil- 
liam C. Whitney, Alfred G. Vanderbilt, 
William G. Rockefeller, Whitelaw Reid, 
Lieutenant Governor Woodruff, and 
Henry Phipps, of Pittsburg. 
if: ^ 
Sa^d Gardens in Boston. 
The Committee on Playgrounds of the 
Massachusetts Emergency and Hygiene 
Association, Boston, Mass., is raising 
funds for the establishment of a number 
of sand-gardens for the children during 
the present season. It is hoped to open 
ten school yards, and provide them with 
simple toys, books and other materials, 
under the guidance of competent lead- 
ers. 
