ers would be disappointed, but thought it 
not wise to withhold so great an acquisition 
from the public on account of so small an 
objection. The truth is one is as much the 
Belle as the other. They are very similar 
in shape, growth of vines, general habits 
and cooking qualities, but vary perceptibly 
in color of the tuber and color of blossom, 
the darkest colored tuber producing the 
whitest blossom. Some have claimed that 
the lightest colored potato out-yields the 
other, and some have claimed that the dark¬ 
er red is the best in cooking quality, but 
we are not sure that these claims are not 
more fancied than real. Those of our pat¬ 
rons who wish may try to separate them 
and make two kinds of potatoes. We have 
not been able to do it though we have tried 
for three or four years. It seems that if 
one kind is carefully selected some hills 
will sport into the other. 
The Walls Orange has a dark purple blos¬ 
som. If any other appears among them 
it is spurious. 
How and when do you plant potato seeds? 
B. W. Foust, Harmansburg, Pa. 
If you will plant and care for potato seeds 
exactly as though they were tomatoes, we 
think you will be tolerably successful. 
You will have to watch the young plants 
pretty closely when first set out or the 
Colorado Potato Beetles will ruin them. 
It takes two or three years to fully establish 
the characteristics of a new variety, or 
rather to determine from its characteristics 
whether it is valuable or not, although if of 
very great value it will show it the first 
year. 
1 see a request in Seed-Time and Harvest for a 
preventive of Bean and Pea Weevils. I will give 
mine. Place the beans in a vessel and pour coal oil 
on them; stir thoroughly, then put them in the sun 
for a few days and you will have no further trouble 
with them. 
I am much pleased with your magazine. 
Mrs. V. A. M., Hampshire, Tenn. 
Sabetha, Kan., Aug. 15, 1882. 
Dear Sir: Tell E. J. Hollister if he will put his 
peas in boiling water just before he plants, he will 
have no weevil in them. Also, sulphur dusted over 
cabbage plants just as they come through the ground 
will protect them from the cabbage flea. It will also 
protect melon and cucumber vines from the striped 
bug. I have used it for the last ten years and it 
never failed with me. I). W. 
Greenville, Ky., June 29, 1882. 
Dear Sir: I had to get all my seed beans from 
northern growers until two years ago. Now, to save 
them, I pour scalding water over them. As soon as 
covered pour it off. The next spring they are just 
as nice as when pulled off the vines. I have tested 
this two years and am going to test it with peas this 
season. As I am an unfortunate cripple and conse¬ 
quently very hard pressed, if this is “worth a hat 
loaded down with gold dollars,” I will accept, thank¬ 
fully, as big a one as you may be willing to fill. 
Respectfully, Thos. D. Baird. 
Summit, Miss., Aug. , 1882. 
I will tell you my remedy for the cabbage worm. 
It is common salt; take the finest salt you have, 
sprinkle it on when the dew is on the cabbage and 
it will kill the worms. With many wishes for the 
success of Seed-Time and Harvest, I remain, 
Yours Truly, Andrew F. Ard. 
Several communications remain in our 
question box to be answered in our next is¬ 
sue, at which time we shall give some re¬ 
ports from some of our customers concern¬ 
ing new vegetables planted this year. 
Cleaning- Carpets. 
In all our own experiments we have 
found nothing so safe and serviceable as 
bran slightly moistened, only very slightly, 
just sufficient to hold the particles together. 
In this case it is not necessary to stop and 
clean the broom every few minutes. Sweep¬ 
ing the carpet after the bran has been 
sprinkled over it not only cleans the carpet 
and gathers all the dirt into the bran, but 
keeps the broom clean at the same time. 
If too much dampened, aside from injur¬ 
ing the carpet, it makes the work harder, 
because the bran becomes very heavy if 
very damp. The bran should be siftep 
evenly over the floor, and then the room 
swept as usual. The bran scours and 
cleanses the whole fabric, very little dust is 
made while sweeping with it, and scarcely 
any settles on furniture, pictures, etc,, 
after the work is accomplished, because 
every particle of dirt, thread, bits of paper, 
or lint is gathered up into the mass of bran 
that is being moved over the floor, and so 
thoroughly incorporated with it that it will 
not be easily separated. Carpets swept in 
this way retain very little dust, as will be 
plainly demonstrated whenever they are 
taken up to be shaken .—Domestic Monthly. 
