1912 . 
THE RUKAE NEW-YORKER 
1161 
Ruralisms 
INSECT PLAGUES ON HOUSE PLANTS 
A window garden seems particularly 
inviting to the insect pests attacking 
plants. The plants are usually quite 
close together, so that the invaders can 
get from one to another, and a single 
plant infested at the time of bringing 
indoors soon passes its parasites on to 
others. It is a good plan to wash or 
spray plants before bringing in as a 
preventive measure, even if no infesta¬ 
tion is noticeable. 
Plant Lice.—These minute insects, 
green-fly, black fly or aphides, are very 
annoying and affect a great many 
plants. Pot roses and Chrysanthemums 
are especially subject to their attacks, 
but they collect on a great variety of 
plants. In window gardens dry pyreth- 
rum powder or snuff is efficacious, also 
a spray of kerosene emulsion, tobacco 
water or extract, or pyrethrum (insect 
powder) tea. Fumigation is much used 
in greenhouses, but is not practical in 
the house. To make the insect powder 
decoction use an ounce in two quarts 
of water, sprayed on with an atomizer. 
Always keep pyrethrum powder in a 
tightly closed vessel, as it loses strength 
when exposed to the air. For the to¬ 
bacco decoction, steep the stems in boil¬ 
ing water until a dark colored tea is ob¬ 
tained, one pound of tobacco to the gal¬ 
lon. 
Mealy-bug.—This is a scale-like insect 
protected by a white cottony covering. 
It spreads very rapidly over a wide 
range of plants; in the greenhouse, if 
neglected, it is difficult to eradicate. 
The Coleus is very inviting to mealy¬ 
bugs, and for this reason we dislike the 
plant in a window; it will also spread 
freely in the old-fashioned wax-plant, 
Hoya carnosa. On tender plants it is 
best to remove mealy-bug with a soft 
brush; a good washing in soapsuds is 
excellent in the case of most house 
plants. Whale-oil soap dissolved in hot 
water and so diluted as to obtain one 
pound of soap in six or seven gallons of 
water, is a useful wash to remove 
mealy-bug, but sometimes injures the 
foliage of very tender plants, because 
of free alkali contained in the soap. 
Tobacco water is also effective against 
them. Mealy bugs are troublesome to 
some outdoor crops farther south, but 
they have one useful relation, the cochi¬ 
neal insect. 
Red Spider.—In a dry stove-heated 
room unthrifty plants are often found 
to be infested with a small mite on the 
under side of the leaves, sometimes 
reddish, giving a rusty look to the leaf, 
but often light in color with two darker 
spots. The same pest, the red spider, is 
at times very troublesome on outdoor 
plants, during a dry, hot Summer. Per¬ 
sistent syringing with cold water, ap¬ 
plied to the under side of the leaves, 
will remove them. This requires a 
syringe, as the water cannot be applied 
with enough force from a small sprink¬ 
ler. Dry sulphur or sulphur water ap¬ 
plied to the under side of leaves is also 
Scale.—Several forms of scale are 
troublesome on house plants. One of 
the commonest is a large turtle-like 
form, one of the soft scales, very no¬ 
ticeable on the plant. As this creature 
is protected by its waxy shield, washes 
and sprays are of no avail, unless used 
so strong as to destroy the plant, and 
the best plan is mechanical removal; it 
does not adhere very closely and can be 
rubbed off without hurting the foliage. 
A small stiff brush dipped in strong 
soapsuds is excellent for this work, and 
also for mealy-bug; an old toothbrush 
is a useful tool. If the work is thor¬ 
oughly done there will be no more 
trouble until the pest is introduced with 
new plants. The Boston fern is very 
subject to this scale infestation, and any 
such plant should be looked over care¬ 
fully before being brought indoors. A 
large fern has so much leaf surface 
that it is hard to get all the scales; we 
have seen some so badly infested that 
the only remedy was to cut the plant 
down to the pot, burn the fronds, and 
start over again. A rather slender black 
scale, sometimes very troublesome on 
palms, is also found on house plants; 
it is not so easily scraped off as the 
foregoing, but a bath in tobacco water 
discourages it, and several trade in¬ 
secticides are satisfactory. Where one 
has many house plants (or only a few, 
for that matter) commercial tobacco ex¬ 
tracts, such as the florists use, will be 
found very desirable; they are easy to 
handle and are effective against many 
insect pests. e. t. r. 
Destroying Snails. 
Would you suggest any plan to curb or 
eradicate the slug or soft-shelled snail, 
which infests my garden? They eat holes 
in my strawberries and tomatoes, all 
which touch the earth, sometimes eating 
out all the berry except the skin. 
Sherman, N. Y. G. m. s. 
Lime dusted about the plants will keep 
them away. They may be trapped with 
slices of potato or turnip, or even bits 
of board, under which they will take 
refuge. A recent correspondent said that 
turtles would eat all the snails in a cel¬ 
lar, and a tame turtle would be useful 
on the garden police force. Toads are 
very useful in destroying snails as well 
as other insects; try to encourage them 
in your garden. A gardener in the Chan¬ 
nel Islands, who had suffered much from 
snails, says he has got rid of them by 
keeping a tame hedgehog or porcupine in 
his garden. 
Leaves for Compost. 
I have a large quantity of maple leaves, 
and wish to gather them so as to use them 
for fertilizer next Spring. I have a large 
bin to put them in outdoors. What shall 
I put with them to make them rot? 
Worcester, N. Y, g. v. w. 
You can gather the leaves, pack them 
in a pit or some sheltered place, wet them 
thoroughly and use lime. Then cover with 
a coat of soil. They will rot down during 
the Winter, but it is doubtful if it will 
pay to gather many of the leaves. It is 
hard work to gather them, and they are 
so light that a man can hardly make good 
wages at the job. 
Grape Varieties. —In a recent issue of 
The R. N.-Y. a Missouri writer offers 
warm praise to the Campbell’s Early Grape. 
It may be all right for his particular loca¬ 
tion and market, but for our Eastern con¬ 
ditions. it is absolutely worthless. I am 
much interested in grapes. For a number 
of years I have kept a careful record of 
what each variety has yielded per vine in 
both pounds and crates. Campbell’s has 
always made the poorest showing; always 
been below the profit line. In all I have 
over 9.000 vines. Fortunately only 250 
are Campbell's. Those 250 will come up 
this Winter, and with due deference to 
“the gentleman from Missouri.” they will 
be replaced with Delaware. The question 
of what kind, and what varieties of the 
kind, of fruit to plant is most important. 
A mistake in making this selection is very 
hard to overcome and very costly in the 
outcome. franklin williams, jr. 
Virginia. 
Apples in Central New York. —After 
planting 25,000 trees we are now follow¬ 
ing this plan: The rows of trees are 
planted 34 feet apart, and the trees in 
the row 2G feet apart; this takes 50 trees 
per acre. We plant a row of Greening, 
Spy, Baldwin or McIntosh, and the next 
row would be Wealthy, Oldenburg. Twenty 
Ounce or any other early bearer that does 
not make so much woody growth as the 
first named. When trees crowd we would 
cut out every other one in the rows, and 
not disturb the varieties first planted. Our 
crop this year is by far the best ever har¬ 
vested, both in quantity as well as quality. 
We arc selling fancy $1.50 per bushel, No. 
2 75 cents, No. 3 50 cents, and cannot keep 
up with the orders; are moving 1,000 
bushels per week. grant g. hitchings. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
‘‘square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Thin 
Bits of 
Corn 
Toasted to 
A Delicate 
Light Brown— 
Post 
T oasties 
To be eaten with cream 
and sugar, or served 
with canned fruit poured 
over—either way insures 
a most delicious dish. 
“ The Memory Lingers ” 
Postum Cereal Co., Ltd. 
Battle Creek, Mich. 
Buy It 
DIRECT FROM THE MILL 
Why should you pay agents’ or dealers’ 
profits on your roofing? We will sell it to 
you right from our factory, and you can 
keep the middleman’s profit right in 
your own pocket. 
At the same time, under our guaran¬ 
tee you are sure of getting absolutely the 
highest quality of Galvanized Steel Roof¬ 
ing. Nothing leaves our works which we 
cannot warrant to be equal to out sam¬ 
ples and exactly as represented. 
We Pay the Freight 
and guarantee safe delivery. Don't buy roofing until 
you investigate our proposition. 
Let us show you why it is to your advantage to deal 
with us. Send today for free samples of Galvanized 
Steel, complete roofing book and “freight propaid"pricea. 
The Ohio Galvanizing & Manufacturing Company 
25 Ann St., Niles, Ohio 
He Was Amazed 
7 at LOW COST of 
Edwards 
STEEL 
Shingles 
“In all my life I 
was never so sur- { 
g rised”writes Mr. D. 
lzroth, of Fosters, 
Ohio, “ns I am at my *. 
new Edwards STEEL s 
Shingle barn roof. I 
wouldn’t have be¬ 
lieved it if I hadn't 
seen it with my own 
eyes. Your steel shin¬ 
gles cost lots less than 
wood and they sure 
beat wood shingles . d that .bber roll roofing 
forty miles. The stuff got here l -ood shape, right 
on time and I done the work myself. I’ve got the 
best roof in the township. What a fool I was not 
to get your catalog 4 years ago when I roofed my 
house." 
Factory Prices—All Freight Paid! 
Fire-proof, rot-proof, rust-proof. Guaranteed 
against lightning by $10,(XX) Bond. 
Never need repairs. Out-last three wood-shin¬ 
gle and five composition roofs. Lowest factory 
prices—all freight paid. Put them on yourself. 
Made of Open Hearth Steel, finest quality. Made 
absolutely rust-proof by our world-famous “Tight- 
cote” Process. Come in sheets, 24 inches wide, 5 
to 12 feet long. 
Nothing to do but nail sheets on old roof or 
sheathing. Edwnrds Patented Interlocking De¬ 
vice covers all nails, makes permanent water¬ 
tight joints. 
Makes handsomest, most lasting roof in ex¬ 
istence. Write us. If possible give size of roof 
and we will quote price, delivered to your station. 
Postal brings catalog 1173 and factory prices by 
next mail. 
THE EDWARDS MANUFACTURING CO. 
1123-1173 Lock Street Cincinnati, Ohio 
The World’s Largest Manufacturers 
of Steel Roofing (87) 
$10,000 Backs ^ 
this portable wood saw. Guaranteed 1 year—money 
refunded and freight paid both ways ir unsatisfac¬ 
tory. You can easily earn $10 a day with a 
HERTZLER & ZOOK 
Portable 
Is low as {10 
sawing all kinds of neighbors* lum¬ 
ber. Strictly factory prices—save 
jobber's profits. Operates easily. 
‘J* Stick sits low—saw draws it on im¬ 
mediately machine starts. Only $10 
saw to which ripping table can be 
added. Write for catalogue, sjfr 
BERTZLER & ZOOK CO.. 
Box 3 . Belleville. Pa. . 
Acorns in Your Stables 
25% More Milk 
Self-regulating; no leveling 
tank. Each cow controls own 
supply. Agents wanted. Write 
1 ' for catalogue and prices. 
METAL SHINGLE COMPANY, 
351 Bellevue Ave. Detroit, Mich. 
Patented U. S. and Canada. 
Free Box of Samples 
BOTHERED 
WITH SCALE? 
The oneabsolutc- 
ly sure spray for 
San Jose is 
“Scalecide.” Used 
in the best orchards 
everywhere. En¬ 
dorsed by Experiment Sta¬ 
tions. Will keep your trees 
clean and heal thy and make them 
yield number one fruit. Better 
than lime sulphur. Easy to handle. Will not clog 
or corrode the pump or injure the skin. "Scalecide” 
has no substitute. OUR SERVICE DEPART¬ 
MENT furnishes everything for the orchard. 
Write todayto Department aN” for new book 
—“Pratt's Hand Book for Fruit Growers” 
and “ Scalecide'' the Tree Saver. Both free. 
3. G. PRATT CO., 50 Church Street, New Ycrk City 
GET THE BEST 
A Good Spray Pump earns 
big profits and lasts for years. 
THE ECLIPSE 
is a good pump. As 
practical fruit growers 
1 we were using com¬ 
mon sprayers in our own 
orchards—foundtheir defects 
and invented the Eclipse. Its 
success forced us to manu¬ 
facturing on a large scale. 
You take no chances. We 
have done all the experi¬ 
menting! Large, fully illus¬ 
trated Catalog and Treatise 
on spraying Free. 
MORRILL & MORLEY MFG. CO., Box 5, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
San Jose Scale Killer 
KIL-O-SCALE is the most reliable 
remedy for Scale. Heady for use 
by simply mixing with water. Also 
Lime sulphur and Spraying Out¬ 
fits. Write for catalogue. 
Henry A. Dreer, Philadelphia,Pa. 
TO KILL 
San Jose Scale 
USE 
Bergenport Brand Sulphur 
The best sulphur for Lime Sulphur Solution. 
Combines easily and quickly with lime. Write to 
T. & S. C. WHITE & CO. 
BERGENPORT SULPHUR WORKS 
100 William Street, New York 
Spray 
with 
SAN-U-ZAY 
Scale 
OIL 
In every fruit, section there are hundreds of growers 
^now using SAN-U-ZAY in preference to all other 
dormant tree sprays—because: 
It controls the Scalo perfectly with only one yearly appli¬ 
cation, and all trees become more vigorous and fruitful with 
its continued use. 
It has about double the covering power of Lime-Sulphur, 
which means much less material, labor and expense for the 
work. 
It sprays against the wind without discomfort, does not 
clog nozzles nor corrodo equipment, blends easily with water 
and never separates. 
GET THE FACTS 
regarding the excellent results obtained by spraying 
with “SAN-U-ZAY" by sending a postal to-day to Dept. 
B for our new free book “Better Spraying" which also 
contains other information of vital importance to you. 
Learn also about our “Misty-Make" Sprayers. 
The Gardiner-Johns Company 
210 Livingston Bldg., Rochester, N. Y. 
FREE 3 T°,? a r 
Ends Drudgery of High Lifting; 
Saves 25% of The Draft 
80 Day Test will prove that you can haul 
heavier loads over softest fields with less 
effort if wagons are equipped with low 
EMPIRE STEEL WHEELS 
Writetoday for catalog and particulars of free trial offer 
I EMPIRE MFG. CO. Box 654» Quincy, III 
GUARANTEED FOR 30 YEAR! 
59.84^W r Money back or a new t 
Money back or a new roof if it de- 
PURE V teriorates or rusts out. No painting 
I or repairs required. Our Indemnity Bond pro- 
I tects you. Costs no more than ordinary roof- 
I ing. Write for big illustrated book FREE. 
The American Iron Roofing Co. 
Station I) ELYRIA, OHIO. 
sent to your station charges prepaid. All 
sizes, 2 inches to 20 inches. Delivered 
prices quoted on request. 
THE E. BIGL0W CO., New London, 0. 
Sewing Awl 
Be your own repair man. Myers’ wonderful Sewing 
Awl sews leather, canvas, Bhoes—anything, heavy or 
light. Speedy hand stitching. Saves trips to town. 
Complete repair shop in itself. Mends harness, saddlos, wagon 
covers, blankets, buggy tops, belts, etc. Can't get out of order. 
Original and only awl with diamond point full grooved nccdlo 
to protect the thread. Big money for agents. 
C. A. MYERS COMPANY, 6328 Lexington Avo. t Chicago 
FACTS ABOUT 
THE 
SOUTHEAST 
Farm Lands Average Less Than $17 Per Acre. 
Undeveloped tracts sell from $5 up. Beef, pork, dairying, 
poultry, sheep and horses make big profits. Large returns 
from alfalfa, corn, truck, cotton, apples, fruits and nuts. 
Growers command good local and Northern Markets. 
Mobile & Ohio Railroad or 
Georgia So. & Florida Ry. 
territory offers the finest conditions for farms and homes. 
Plenty of rain, mild winters, enjoyable summers. Promising 
industrial openings everywhere. The Southern Railway has 
nothing to sell; we want Y O U in the Southeast. The 
Southern Field,” state booklets and all facts free. 
;. V. RICHARDS, Land & Industrial Agent, Room 87 Washington, D. C. 
The Southern Railway 
