1884 .] 
AMERICA]^ AaRIOELTURlST, 
371 
A Gi'ass that. Promises to be 
Valuable.— S. C. Wakefield, Westmoreland Co., Pa. 
The specimen sent us is the Meadow Fescue (Festuca 
elalior), a species much valued in England as a pasture 
and meadow grass, but which has received very little 
attention in this country, though it is found in most of 
the grass-lands in the older States. The seed of this 
grass is kept by the leading dealers in farm seeds; about 
twentj'-five pounds are sown to the acre. This species 
of fescue succeeds best on moist soils, is very nutri¬ 
tious, and yields a remarkably heavy after-math. 
Value of Asliesi.— Mr. Johnson, Oswego 
Co., N. Y. Wood ashes is a valuable fertilizer, espe¬ 
cially for soils needing potash. Unleached ashes con¬ 
tains seven to ten per cent of potash, and two per cent of 
phosphoric acid. When thoroughly leached, the potash 
is reduced to two percent and less. .All wood ashes 
should bo saved, and, if not used for ley in soap-making, 
apply it to the soil before any rains have waslied 
from it the very soluble salts of potash, which are 
important food elements of all crops. Coal ashes con¬ 
tains but little potash, and its benefits to land are mostly 
mechanical. It loosens up compact, clayey soils. 
Xlie Use of C^ai^alinie as siii. Insec> 
ticide.— Mr. H. P. Moore, a distinguished agricultural 
writer in England, in a recent address to the farmers of 
Frome, upon injurious insects, gave the following upon 
the use of gas lime in preventing tiie attacks of insects: 
“ For nearly all crops a good preventive preparation of 
the land is a dressing of spent gas lime, wliich should be 
put on in the autumn and dug or plowed in. If used 
fresh from the gas works it must be put on when no crop 
is in, but if allowed to stand and lose its causticity, it is 
perfectly harmless. It will kill nearly everything, but 
tlie earth soon destroys its causticity, and then in the 
form of gypsum it is a valuable manure. 
I’ostage Rates Reduced.— One cent 
for eaeh four ounces or fractidn thereof, is now the post¬ 
age rate on newspapers and periodicals of the, second 
class, when sent by mail by other persons than publish¬ 
ers or news agents, postage to lie prepaid by stamps af¬ 
fixed. The postal rates on such publications, tims sent, 
Ims heretofore been one cent for each two ounces, tiie re¬ 
duction being one-half; but it should be observed tliat 
this reduction applies only to publications of the second 
class, which embraces only “newspapers, magazines, 
and other periodicals issued at stated intervals not ex¬ 
ceeding three months, dated and nuinl)ered, having a list 
of legitimate subscribers, and not designed primarily for 
advertising purposes.” 
Xoinatoes anti 'I'oiiiato Seed.—R. 
G. Newton, Dakota Terr., writes us that when the “ Tro¬ 
phy ” first came out, he procured a packet of seeds from 
headquarters, and by care in selecting the fruit and sav¬ 
ing seed, he has tiie “Trophy” in perfection. The 
plants are raised in the usual manner ; when set out, 
they are furnished with stakes four feet high, and 
are trained to a single stem. Each plant gives from three 
to six clusters of fruit, of three to six tomatoes each. 
The largest and smoothest fruits are allowed to ripen 
tlioroughly, and before using for the table, the small 
quantities of seed they contain are scoopod out, mixed 
with water, and allowed to stand a few days; when fer¬ 
mentation takes place, the seeds . are washed clean, 
spread on paper and dried. 
the Potato Reetle to tlic 
hast. —The fecundiiy of the potato beetle is enormous. 
Some insects, that prey upon the farmer’s crops, are 
troublesome for only a few days or weeks, but this pest 
comes as soon as the potato tops are in sight, and, if un¬ 
molested, continues to devour and breed, until the vines 
have ceased to grow. Last year the beetles had abun¬ 
dant feed up to the close of the season. Farmers have 
learned to fight them with Paris Green and London 
Purple through all the early part of their growth, until 
they think the crop is secure. There is too often irtter 
neglect of the crop in August and September, and the 
vines are pulled in harvest quite full of beetles 
and their slugs. Killing them with thumb and finger, or 
picking and burning, seemed to make little impression 
upon them. We do not take any stock in the idea ad¬ 
vanced by lazy farmers, that this pest is to have its day, 
and die out in a few years. Insects, like other creatures, 
follow the feed, and as long as we cultivate potatoes, we 
shall have to fight the beetle. The let-alone policy is 
too expensive to follow. The experience of this season 
should rub the doctrine into our bones, that the cam¬ 
paign lasts the whole summer. Every slug that is left to 
mature makes work for next year. It he is buried in the 
pile of green vines, he still feeds, matures, burrows, and 
rises again, and it is not “ the resurrection of the just,” 
It you would gain the victory over the legions of 
Doryphora, there is J;o be no discharge in your wai fare. 
Chat with Readers. 
Calceolarias do not Flourish.—E. O. Rockland, 
Norfolk Co., Mass. Calceolarias require no speclul treat¬ 
ment, other than to be kept as cool as may be, and to be 
supplied with water In abundance. 
Seeding a Wood liot.—i. A. Joass, Jeflerson Co., N. 
T.—A wood lot kept free from underbrush and used as a 
pasture, may have its turf much Improved by raking and 
burning all brush, and sowing a mixture of Orchard and 
Blue grass seed. 
Fall in Tile Drains.—E. A. MUler, Shiawassee Co., 
Mich.—It Is almost impossible to avoid some variation in 
the grade of tile drains. When a drain changes its grade 
from three inches to two inches fall to the rod, there will be 
no danger of sediment collecting, provided there is abun¬ 
dant flow of water. 
The Name of a Grass.— G. E. Tilley, Queens Co., 
N. T. The grass is Bromus secalinus, the well-known Chess 
or Cheat. You probably will not find the seed at the stores, 
as it is a troublesome weed. Being a rather showy grass, 
attempts have been made to introduce It under other 
names, but without success. While animals will eat it if 
they can get nothing else, they prefer swale hay. 
The Blueberry Fungus.— C. Forkert, Middlesex Co., 
Mass.-The curiosity which you find growing on the blue¬ 
berry branch is due to a minute parasitic plant, that attacks 
the young stem and causes it to assume a very strange 
shape. The microscopic plant thus preying upon the blue¬ 
berry belongs to the same group as the mushroom, toad¬ 
stools, and the various rusts, smuts, and mildews of grains, 
fruits, etc. 
The Blight in Apple Trees.— IF. Arapas, Douglas 
Co., Mich., and others. As nothing positive is known about 
those di^strous visitations to fruit trees, called Blight, no 
remedy iias been found. It will be very severe in a locality, 
and then completely disappear and not be seen again for 
years. To cut away the aflected part, back to sound wood 
that is not discolored, whether it takes much or little, is the 
only advice that can be given. 
Tronhle with Melon Vines.—J. H. Emmond, Bar- 
ford Co., Md., writes us, that the leaves of his canteloupe 
and water-melon vines are drying up, and applications of 
sulphur do no good. The roots of the vines are probably 
attacked by the larvae of the common striped beetle. They 
are whitish “ worms,” a third of an inch long. Pull up the 
wilted plants, and destroy the pest, otherwise the attacked 
vines will soon die, and the enemy escape to breed destruc¬ 
tion the next season. 
About Vines.— J. W. Watson, Polk Co., Neb. Vir¬ 
ginia Creeper (Amyelopsis), Climbing Bittersweet (Celas- 
trus scandens) and Virgin’s Bower (Clematis Virgitiiana), 
are all so common in the Eastern States, that one who 
wished them there, would not have to go far before he found 
an abundance. You can procure the vines at any nursery 
that keeps a general assortment of climbers. They are all 
perennials, and after they are once planted, will increase in 
luxuriance from year to year. 
Trouble with Peach Trees.— G. W. Gerrit, Wil¬ 
mington Co., N. C. From your description there is little 
doubt that tliat dreaded disease, the Yellows, has appeared 
in-yonr orchard. The disease is still under investigation 
by scientific men, and probably the cause may ultimately 
be discovered. In the mean time, as trees badly affected 
will probably not recover, the safer way with these is, to 
dig up and burn them. Both potash salts and lime have 
been suggested as remedies. 
The Wheat Weevil.— J. L. Munda, Monroe Co.,N.. 
Y.—The little pest of your granary is the Wheat Weevil, a 
beetle one-eighth of an inch long. The eggs are deposited 
on the grain after it is placed in the bin, and soon liatching, 
the grub eats its way into the interior of the grains. If the 
granary is badly infested, it may be best to change the place 
of storage. Sulphur fumigation is an effective remedy, but 
must be applied with great care. Tlioroughly clean every 
crack and corner of the granary before another crop of 
grain is stored in it. 
Trouble with Raspberries.— IF. J/ercditli, Erie Co., 
If. Y., writes us: “The tops of the raspberry shoots which 
are to bear next year are cut down for six Inches or more 
in a single day, and the next morning appear as if scalded 
for that distance, the tops being left to wither and decay.” 
....The trouble is evidently due to some insect, there being 
several that attack the canes of the raspberry, and the re¬ 
lated blackberry. If upon examination a borer or grub of 
any kind is found, remove the injured tips of theshoots and 
burn them. This will prevent the increase of the insect. 
Catalpa Seed.— IF. S. Ihomas, Lewis Co., Mo. The 
seeds are ripe when the leaves fall. The pods should be 
gathered, and the seeds kept in them until spring, when 
they are to be sown. Make shallow drills, tlreir distance 
ap^rt being governed by the manner of working, whether 
by cultivator or hand-hoe. Distribute the seed tblnly, cover 
lightly, pressing the soil firmly upon them. When the 
plants are well up, thin to four to six inches apart, and 
keep them free of weeds. They will usually be large 
enough to transplant the following spring. 
Fire-Proof Compound Elastic Paint.—Tt'. S. Var- 
num, Plymouth Co., Iowa, states that a party offers to sell 
the recipe for making a paint with the above name. It is 
composed of Coal Tar,Eosin, Litharge, and his secret in¬ 
gredient which renders the paint fire proof. Trials appa 
rently show the paint incombustible.We are asked, if it 
will be safe to make and use this paint. Paints made of Coal 
Tar, with ground slate and other mineral substances, have 
been patented, and in buying this recipe there is danger of 
infringing upon somebody’s patent. If the recipe Is pur¬ 
chased, it should be with a guarantee against this. 
Seeds of Asli and Box Eltler.— A. Poitesu, Brown 
Co., Neb. The seeds of these trees may be sown either fn 
fall or in spring. If sown in autumn, the soil should be 
covered with straw, to keep the heavy rains from washing 
them out. If not sown until spring, the seeds should be 
mixed with dry sand, and kept in a cool place. From half 
an inch to an inch is deep enough to cover the seeds.B.. 
S. Moore, Vernon Co., Wis., asks when seeds of Box Elder 
are ripe, and how long they will keep after gathering. The 
seeds are ripe in autumn, and should not be kept later than 
next spring. The seeds on some trees are often all abortive; 
only those should be gathered that have a plump embryo or 
“ chit ” at the large end of the “ key.” 
Tlie Sheep Cough and Sneeze.— >/. H. Mack, St. 
Joseph Co., Ind. The symptoms as described, indicate 
“ grub in the head.” The Gad-fly ( (Estrus ovis), lays eggs 
upon the noses of the sheep. The maggots, when hatched, 
make their way up the nostrils, to some of the cavities in 
the head, causing the animals great distress. The grubs live 
upon the mucus they find, and the next spring leave the 
head, and become transformed into flies, which will lay 
more eggs and continue the trouble. Tarring the noses of 
the sheep, with a mixture of tar and grease, is an effective 
remedy. The animals are let out by a narrow opening, and 
each one is touched on the nose with a brush containing the 
tarry mixture. 
Pickling Cucumbers.— A”, if. Smith, Howard Co., 
Neb., and several others, ask us how to “ pickle cucumbers 
by the barrel for market.”_The best barrels are whiskey 
or alcohol barrels holding about forty gallons. Such a bar¬ 
rel requires half a bushel of salt, of the best kind, such as is 
used for dairy purposes. Remove one head of the barrel, 
lay in the cucumbers, sprinkling them with salt. They do 
not need mucli salt until the barrel is half full, after which 
it may be added more freely. When the barrel is full, re¬ 
place the head, liaving it so filled with pickles that some 
pressure is required. Having headed it up tightly, turn the 
barrel on the side, fill it up with water through the bung- 
hole, and bung up securely. Where pickles are sold by count, 
keep an account of the number as the barrels are filled. 
TUe “Cotton” of tUe Cottonwood.— C. H. Carl¬ 
ton, Chicot Co., Ark., sends us specimens of the fruit of the 
Cottonwood, to show the abundant “ cotton ” or down at¬ 
tached to tlie seeds. He asks if this product can be utilized. 
_The Black Poplar of Europe produces a similar down, 
though not so copiously, which has been used as wadding, 
and attempts have been made to manufaeture it into hats 
and paper. The expense of collecting it, and the want of 
strength and elasticity in the fibre, caused the manufactures 
to be given up. Mr. C. states, that while the supply would 
be inexhaustible, the gathering of it Isa problem. A still 
more promising material in appearance, the hairs attached 
to the seeds of the Milkweed (Asciejnasl.has resisted the 
attempts to utilize it. The fibre being perfectly smooth, it 
will not spin orfelt. Could the Cottonwood down be read¬ 
ily gathered, it might, like the down of the Cat-tails (Typha),. 
be used as a non-conductor of heat, to form a material to 
surround boilers, steam pipes, etc. 
Trouble with Squashes.— .Mrs. Bibb, Louisa Co., 
Va., wishes us to tell her how to prevent the vines of the 
Hubbard Squash from dying, after they get so large as to 
run. Mrs. B’s vines are evidently attac ed by the Squash- 
vine Borer, -lEgeria cucurbitce, a near relative of the Peach 
Borer. The perfect insect is a moth with transparent hind- 
wings, while its fore-wings are black. The moth deposits 
her eggs on tlie stem of the vine, near the root; the young 
larva;, as soon as hatched, make their way into the interior 
of the vine, where they feed and grow, and at length kill the 
plant. As to the remedies, it has been suggested that the 
female insect be trapped by means of sticky fiy-paper,. 
placed near the vines, and that they be caught when ob¬ 
served by means of nets. Vines have sometimes been 
saved by finding the hole by which entrance was cfftected.. 
and cutting out the intruder before it has had a cliance to 
do much injury. The insect always lays her eggs near the 
root, and it has been suggested that covering the few lower 
joints of the vine with soii, will ward off the insect. 
Coloriug the Hair.— C. J. Rolf, Adams Co., Ill., asks 
us: “ Is there any way to color hair which was originally 
black-brown, but is now getting sprinkled with white?”’ 
He has heard of dyes, and asks us if they are safe in use.. 
He has also beard that a certain comb, which if used fre¬ 
quently will restore the color of the hair, and asks about 
that.All the hair-dyes of which we have any knowledge, 
whether offered as a liquid or as a powder, consist chiefly of 
lead either as an oxide, or in some other form. The pow¬ 
ders are to be mixed with water and applied to the hair. 
The hair contains sulphur, and the union of this with the 
lead in the dyes, produces a sulphide of lead, which is 
black. But the application of lead in any form to the skin 
is dangerous. The comb above referred to is of lead; its 
constant use will turn the hair black, though with a risk of 
lead poisoning. But why bother with the hair at all ? If 
spots of gray appear, welcome them. Gray hair upon a 
woman, who makes no attempt to conceal it, is often a fea¬ 
ture of beauty. Why should it not be with men ? In using 
hair dye of any kind, one runs the risk of being poisoned. 
It is far better to let the hair assume a uniform gray color, 
than to try to arrest It- Dyed hair deceives no one. 
