1912. 
THE RXJR..A.I* NEW-YORKER 
627 
Ruralisms 
Milkweeds as Fibre Plants. 
,7. S. P. (No Address). —Michigan papers 
are printing long and startling reports of 
a new milkweed which is to revolutionize 
fibre culture. It is claimed that this milk¬ 
weed produces fibres finer than any silk, 
and worth $500 per ton raw. Is there any¬ 
thing in such stories? 
Ans. —Fibre from the stems of vari¬ 
ous milkweeds or species of Asclepias 
have been used for various purposes, 
such as snares, cordage, and even dress 
material by American Indians, but rare¬ 
ly if they had access to plants better 
adapted for the purpose. Where even 
as poor a fibre plant as the nearly re¬ 
lated dogbane, Apocynum cannabinum, 
could be had the milkweeds do not ap¬ 
pear to have been used. The known 
milkweed fibres have considerable ten¬ 
sile strength, but will not endure tor¬ 
sion or bending sufficiently for prac¬ 
tical use in fabrics. As to the new 
Michigan species, it may be said that 
the locality indicated has been well 
searched by botanists, and there is no 
record of unusual types existing there¬ 
abouts. Some work has been done un¬ 
der the direction of the U. S. Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture with milkweed fi¬ 
bre, but the results are not encourag¬ 
ing as regards its practical utilization. 
V. 
Dorothy Perkins Indoors. 
B. P., Steuben Co., N. Y. —Last year you 
sent me a Dorothy Perkins rose, and I kept 
it in the house. It seems to grow nicely, 
but now it appears to be dying. It never 
has blossomed. Would you tell me what to 
do with it? 
Ans. —You should have planted the 
Dorothy Perkins outside when received; 
although forced by florists as a green¬ 
house plant, especially for the Easter 
trade, we do not recommend it as a 
house plant. We should hardly expect 
a young plant to bloom under the condi¬ 
tions you suggest. As soon as the 
ground is fit to work prepare a place 
for it outside, fitting the ground well, 
as often advised in these columns, but 
as your plant is likely to be rather ten¬ 
der, with soft foliage, do not set it out 
until danger of frost is over. For lack 
of specific details we can only give gen¬ 
eral advice as to the plant; see that 
drainage in the pot is good, that the soil 
is not sour or soggy, that it is not kept 
in a hot, dry place, and that there is 
no leakage of coal gas or other gas, as 
this is extremely detrimental. A little 
bone dust might aid it, or weak liquid 
manure. We hope you can keep it 
alive until safe to put it outside where 
it will reward any care given it. 
Poisonous Properties of Skunk Cabbage. 
J. J. II., Bergen Co., N. J. —Is the com¬ 
mon skunk cabbage a poisonous plant? A 
person who was "dared” to taste it chewed 
a fragment of the tender young leaves, 
ejecting it from the mouth almost imme¬ 
diately, because of the acrid burning taste; 
the results were immediate swelling of lips 
and tongue, accompanied by a severe burn¬ 
ing sensation and much discomfort. None 
of the plant was swallowed, but the un¬ 
pleasant sensations continued for some 
time, suggesting in a milder degree the ef¬ 
fects of the South American "dumb cane” 
(Diefifenbachia) which causes swelling and 
paralysis of tongue and throat. 
Ans. —The skunk cabbage plant con¬ 
tains in all its parts, but especially in 
its seeds and rootstock, an acrid vola¬ 
tile poisonous principle in addition to 
the oily substance causing the offensive 
mephitic odor of the plant. The nature 
of this toxic material is not well known, 
but it is dissipated by heating, and al¬ 
most totally disappears by long keeping. 
Skunk cabbage root has long been used, 
often under the name of Draconitum, 
as an emetic, anti-spasmodic and nar¬ 
cotic. The dose is 10 to 20 grains of 
freshly dried root, as it greatly deteri¬ 
orates with age. The principal diseases 
for which it has been used are asthma, 
chronic bronchitis, hysteria and rheu¬ 
matism, but its actual curative pow¬ 
ers are often denied. Skunk cabbage 
root is still collected for the drug mar¬ 
ket, the usual price received for dry 
root ranging from five to seven cents 
the pound. Though the fresh root and 
leaves are acrid and decidedly poison¬ 
ous, like those of many related Arads, 
long cooking, particularly if preceded 
by parboiling, entirely dissipates the un¬ 
wholesome principles, and they may 
even be used as food without harm. 
V. 
Exporting American Peaches. 
In a recent issue I note an inquiry 
relative to the exporting of peaches. At 
a meeting of the Ontario Fruit Grow¬ 
ers’ Association held in Toronto, Can¬ 
ada, last Fall, two members gave their 
experience in exporting peaches, and it 
was generally understood that the prices 
obtained were well worth the trouble, 
and also that if done upon a larger scale 
expenses could be cut considerably. 
These peaches were picked when well 
colored but firm, carefully double- 
wrapped in soft paper, then packed one 
layer deep in small flats. The peaches 
rested firmly upon a layer of the finest 
and most nearly odorless wood wool that 
could be obtained, and were covered with 
another layer of the same material. 
One shipper had shipped to Montreal by 
express in refrigerator cars, transferred 
there to refrigerator room upon ship for 
England. The other shipper had sent 
them by ordinary express to Montreal 
where they were transferred to refrig¬ 
erator room upon ship for England. All 
lots shipped the past year had been de¬ 
livered in perfect condition and it looked 
as if a profitable export trade in the 
fresh fruit might be developed. 
B. d. v. B. 
Treatment of Christmas Cactus. 
I have a Christinas cactus that has 
bloomed on one side at Christmas time 
and now is in bml for blooming on the 
side that did not bloom; the blooms are 
lovely and a great many of them are twin, 
two on one leaf. I have had it five years 
and the people I got it from says it was 
about 20 years old then. It fills one win¬ 
dow by itself. I wish to rest it this Sum¬ 
mer, as it is too large to handle, and I 
would like to know how to care for it. I 
have been keeping it growing through every 
Summer, but wish to let it rest this Sum¬ 
mer. MRS. o. c. M. 
McDonald, Kan. 
The Christmas cactus (Epiphyllum) re¬ 
quires careful watering at all times, as it 
dislikes soddened soil; during the resting 
period it should only receive just enough 
water to keep the leaves from shriveling. 
As your plant is too large for handling it 
may remain in the house, giving it a light, 
airy place, and watering as indicated above. 
We usually plunge our plants outside dur¬ 
ing the Summer, merely watering when a 
prolonged dry spell makes it necessary, but 
this is a matter of convenience; most 
greenhouse growers keep the plants under 
glass, with abundance of ventilation, all 
Summer. A dry period of rest, followed 
by a blooming period encouraged by mois¬ 
ture and sunlight, always with free air 
circulation, but no frost or chill, are the 
requirements of these beautiful plants, 
which grow luxuriantly on the trees in 
Brazilian forests. Their culture is very 
(Simple, but they resent over-watering, poor 
drainage or close heavy soil. 
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INSECTICIDE MAKERS 
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1 844 
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223 Bushels 
more per acre by 
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GOOD 
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Interstate Chemical Co., 20 Bayview Ave., Jersey,City, N. J. 
