1911 . 
THtC RUFLA.I> NEW-YORKRR 
809 
Ruralisms 
PINE TREES ON A LAWN. 
IP. M. D., Brooklyn, N. Y .—I have a lawn 
which does not thrive, owing, I think, to 
the fact that two pine trees are on it and 
the needles fall and seem to do harm. How 
would you go about resurrecting it, and is 
there any way to keep the trees and yet do 
away with this detriment? 
Ans. —Your pine trees may injure the 
lawn in several ways, some of which 
possibly may be avoided. If the trees 
retain their lower branches there may 
be too dense shade for any of the lawn 
grasses. The remedy is to prune away 
the drooping limbs, cutting close to the 
trunks, so the full sunlight can reach 
the base of the trees at some portion of 
the day. If the soil is deeply shaded, 
and it is not desired to sacrifice the 
lower branches, it is useless to expect 
grasses to thrive. Better plant the bare 
spaces with hardy creeping plants toler¬ 
ant of shade, such as the yellow flow¬ 
ered moneywort, Lysimachia nummu- 
laria, or the common periwinkle, Vinca 
minor, which has good green foliage 
and attractive violet-blue flowers. The 
common Japan honeysuckle, Lonicera 
Chinensis, also makes a good soil cover 
in dry shady places, but is rather diffi¬ 
cult to keep within bounds. 
If, however, sufficient sunlight finds 
its way beneath the trees to favor the 
growth of the lawn grasses, they must 
then contend, not only with the dryness 
of the soil and robbery of plant food, 
caused by the tree roots, but with an 
acid condition of the soil resulting from 
the decay of the pine needles. To cor¬ 
rect this the needles should carefully 
be raked together and carried away as 
they fall in early Summer and the fer¬ 
tility restored by working in the soil 
fine ground bone at the rate of about 
five pounds for each square rod and 
nitrate of soda a quarter pound to the 
rod. Potash is best added in the form 
of wood ashes at the rate of one peck 
to the rod, or in sulphate of potash, two 
pounds to the rod. Muriate of potash 
and acid phosphates, such as are gener¬ 
ally found in commercial mixed fer¬ 
tilizers, appear prejudicial to most coni¬ 
ferous trees. I have known pines and 
spruces to be severely checked by even 
moderate applications of ready mixed 
chemicals to the soil beneath. Mulches 
of fresh stable manure in Fall and 
Winter will also go far toward reduc¬ 
ing the soil acidity caused by the de¬ 
cay of the needles and will add much 
soil fertility. If the space beneath the 
trees is very bare it may be well to in¬ 
corporate the fertilizers or manure with 
the soil in early Spring with harrow, 
rake or hoe, and resow with grass seeds, 
using Kentucky Blue and Red-top 
grasses, equal parts of each, at the rate 
of two pounds to the square rod. Sow 
a few handfuls of White clover sepa¬ 
rately after the finer grasses have been 
evenly distributed and cover by the use 
of a fine-toothed steel rake. If the 
situation is decidedly shady, it might be 
well to omit the White clover and add 
to the Kentucky and Red-top grasses 
an equal quantity of Wood meadow- 
grass, Poa nemoralis. This is a near 
relative of Blue grass and has the same 
habit, but thrives especially well in par¬ 
tial shade. Above all things remove 
the pine needles as they fall, for though 
they possess fertilizing value for cer¬ 
tain plants, such as the strawberry, they 
are certainly harmful to the fine-rooted 
grasses. v 
How to Grow Vegetables and Garden 
Herbs, by Allen French. This is a new 
edition of the volume previously issued 
under the title “The Book of Vegetables.” 
It contains 213 pages, including a copious 
index, and is freely illustrated. Pages 1 to 
300 are devoted to a “Planting Table,” 
alphabetically arranged, so that it gives 
easy reference, and there is a useful table 
of seed longevity and ounce values. It is 
an exceedingly useful book and there are 
few gardeners who would not find it a con¬ 
venience for reference. Published bv the 
Macmillan Company, New York; price !?1.75 
net, postage 14 cents additional. 
FLOWERS ABSORBING COLORS. 
E. E. G., New York .—Why will a white 
pteony flower absorb red ink enough through 
the stem to color it a deep pink, while it 
will not absorb black ink at all? 
Ans. —The coloring matter of com¬ 
mercial red writing inks is usually car¬ 
mine, from the cochineal insect, or more 
rarely an aniline dye or even extract of 
logwood. These substances are all 
highly diffusible through the tissues of 
living plants without immediate injury 
to the protoplasm or vital substance of 
the plant cells. Thus a sufficient quan¬ 
tity is usually absorbed to color percepti¬ 
bly petals of soft-stemmed white flowers 
when cut and placed in these inks. The 
same may be said of the green dye used 
to produce green Chrysanthemums, St. 
Patrick’s Day carnations, and other ar¬ 
tificially colored floral freaks. Black 
writing inks, however, depend for their 
color on a combination of gallic acid, 
usually from nutgalls, and a salt of iron. 
The iron is precipitated, and to consid¬ 
erable extent decolorized, by the pro- 
teids in the flower stem, and is thus un¬ 
able to ascend and darken the flowers. 
Black drawing inks frequently have as 
their coloring base pure carbon in a very 
finely divided form. This element in its 
uncombined state will not diffuse 
through plant tissues, and is conse¬ 
quently useless for coloring flowers by 
absorption. Blue ink, if based on ani¬ 
line or indigo dyes, may be used for 
coloring light flowers by stem absorp¬ 
tion, but when based on soluble Prussian 
blue, a compound salt of iron and potas¬ 
sium, is for reasons above given also 
not adapted for the purpose. v. 
The subject of absorbing coloring 
matter by plants is full of interest and 
still obscure. The physicists call it, as 
you know, a matter of “osmotic power,” 
and probably each substance has its 
range of capacity for penetrating films 
of tissue, cell walls, etc. Thus the 
colloids or gums have a low osmotic 
equivalent, while crystalline substances 
are very penetrating. Even among the 
salts like saltpetre and common salt, 
there is a great difference in the ability 
of passing through membranes. Some 
theorists are willing to account for 
this by maintaining that the size of the 
molecule determines the penetrative 
power and when the molecule (as in the 
case of ink?) is larger than the mesh 
of the membrane, it cannot enter; while 
eosin, on the other hand, has a small(?) 
molecule and enters easily. Then there 
is possibly a selective power upon the 
part of the protoplasm that denies en¬ 
trance of some substances and, so-to- 
say, invites others. Some tissues are 
stained by one colored liquid and others 
by other liquids, giving double-staining, 
etc. A methyl-green is a good stain 
for floral parts, and this may serve the 
purpose of black ink in the work of 
photography which you mention. 
New Jersey. byron d. halsted. 
Camphor in Florida. 
J. IT., (No Address ).—Is there any ex¬ 
pectation that camphor tree growing in 
Florida will amount to anything? 
Ans.— Camphor-tree culture in Flor¬ 
ida promises very well. Since Japan, by 
the annexation of Formosa, has monop¬ 
olized about all natural sources of cam¬ 
phor, prospects for its culture elsewhere, 
where climatic conditions are suitable, 
are quite encouraging. The true cam¬ 
phor tree has been given many botani¬ 
cal names, but Laurus camphora appears 
most suitable. It is quite hardy in Put¬ 
nam County, Fla., and with moderate 
fertilization grows exceedingly well in 
the light soils thereabouts. Trees are 
readily grown from seeds and may be 
had in many sizes from Florida nurser¬ 
ies. Tests have shown that camphor of 
very fine quality and in fair quantity 
may be distilled from the twigs and 
young growth of Florida-grown trees, 
but it is important to have the true 
species, as other members of the genus 
do not contain appreciable quantities of 
the drug. Experiments seem to show 
that camphor as a commercial crop will 
best be grown in hedge form, setting 
the young trees about four by 12 feet 
apart. It is hoped to perfect a machine 
for trimming the rows far more eco¬ 
nomically than it can be done by hand. 
There is no question of the cultural suc¬ 
cess of the camphor tree in Florida, and 
other Gulf Coast States, but details of 
handling and extracting the product un¬ 
der conditions of southern labor remain 
to be worked out. 
Overloaded Apple Trees. 
B. C. F., Curwensville, Pa .—Will you 
give a way to reduce an overloaded apple 
crop which absorbs the next year’s crop, 
leaving no apples for the following year? 
Ans. —There is a good and sure way 
to relieve fruit trees that are over¬ 
loaded with fruit, and that is by thin¬ 
ning. This is done as regularly by most 
of the Pacific coast fruit growers as 
their cultivation, spraying, etc. There is 
no other way to relieve the trees and 
prevent injury to them and to the pres¬ 
ent crop as well. And it will pay well 
to thin the fruit and will cost less than 
to leave it all on and spend more time 
taking it off when ripe and caring for 
it when there is a greater rush of work 
than while the fruit is growing. By 
all means thin the fruit as soon as it is 
the size of marbles or a little later. 
Take off more than seems needed at 
the time, for this proves true in almost 
every case. More than half and some¬ 
times over three-fourths should be re¬ 
moved. This is no longer an experi¬ 
ment but a practical success. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
vv nrjW 
wuiu ttuvausers iiii’uiion jlulh 
It. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Breakfast 
A Pleasure 
when you have 
Post 
T oasties 
with cream,, 
A food with snap and 
zest that wakes up the 
appetite. 
Sprinkle crisp Post 
Toasties over a saucer of 
fresh strawberries, add 
some cream and a little 
sugar— 
Appetizing 
Nourishing 
Convenient 
"The Memory Lingers 
Sold by Grocers. 
Postum Cereal Co.. Ltd., 
Battle Creek, Mich. 
» 
DAILY 
OUTPUT 
18,000 
BBLS 
YEARLY 
OUTPUT 
OVER 
6.500.000 
ALPHA 
PORTLAND CEMENT 
is absolutely the best that can be made 
for all farm work. Largely used by 
U. S. Government and in State, Munici¬ 
pal and Railroad work—a reputation of 
20 years behind it. Ask your dealer for 
ALPHA 
Send for Booklet and learn why it is the best. 
ALPHA PORTLAND CEMENT CO., 
ADDRESS 
2 Center Square, EASTON, PA. 
SPRAY 
FRUITS AND 
FIELD CROPS 
f andIdo whitewashing In most effectual, economical, 
rapid waj. Satisfaction guaranteed. BROWN’S 
POWER R Auto-Sprays 
No. 1, shown horo, is Sited with Auto-Pop Nozzlo. 
j does work of 3 ordin.rj sprsyers. Endorsed hr Ex- 
J perfmont Stations and 30o,ooo othsrs. do stylos and 
P Bizos of hand and power Bprayors—also prices 
' ro T . aluabl * spraying guido In our Fres Book. 
Writo postal now. 
THE E. C. BROWN COMPANY 
St., Rochester, N. If. 
YOU Need This Book—It’s FREE 
Every farmer and truck grower needs a copy of 
Herrmann’s 1911 Almanac 
Resides being full of valuable and interesting data for 
fanners and fruit growers, it shows the proper way 
to apply the purest and most efficient Paris Green 
mado — Herrmann's Ui-Grade Pure Paris Green . 
You’ll get the results you expect. Address 
Morris Herrmann & Co., 1% Fifth Ave., New York. 
INOCULATED ALFALFA SOIL 
75 cents por hundred, $10.00 per ton. F. O. B. Ash- 
ville, Pa. Send for PRICE booklet “How to Grow 
Alfalfa.” Dr. H. SOMERVILLE, Chest Springs, 
Cambria County, Pa. 
SECURED OR FEE RETURNED. 
Free Patent book, Selling Guide and 
List of Buyers and Manufacturers of 
Inventions. ADVICE FREE. Send sketch. 
FAI ES, Altys., 548 F. St.,Washington, D. C. 
THE FARMERS’ NATIONAL BANK of Union 
City. Michigan, located at Union City, in the 
State of Michigan, is closing its affairs. All note 
holders and other creditors of the association are 
therefore hereby notified to present the notes and 
other claims for payment. .. UTrE , r r D , 
Dated April 28, 1911. D - D - WELL, Prest. 
USE THE 
L. C. Smith & Bros. 
Typewriter 
and make your busi¬ 
ness letters command 
the attention they 
deserve. Simplest construction, re¬ 
quires no attachments. Easy to 
operate. Ball-Bearing at all im¬ 
portant wearing points. 
Send for free illustrated catalogue. 
L. C. SMITH & BROS. TYPEWRITER CO., 
Syracuse, New York. 
Sure and Sudden 
Death to All Insect Pests 
when you spray with the stick-longest, kill-quickest, safest 
and most economical of all insecticides— 
ELECTRO Arsenate of Lead 
(in Powdered Form) 
It is the only dry Arsenate of Lead in an amorphous (non-crystalline) form, hence 
the only one that mixes instantly with water in such a finely divided state that every 
drop of spray is equally strong in arsenic. It cannot be washed off by rain. Is death 
to insects months after application, yet it is harmless to the newest, tenderest foliage. 
Electro is guaranteed to contain 33 % arsenic oxide, or 50 % more than other brands, 
as proved by Connecticut and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station 
tests. Write us for them. 
If your dealer can’t supply Electro, don’t accept substitutes, but send to 
us for prices and proofs from successful fruit growers. We’ll supply 
Electro in paste form if you prefer it. Use Electro Lime 
Sulphur for San Jose scale and sucking insects. 
THE VREELAND CHEMICAL CO. 
33 Church Street, New York 
