1914 . 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
81 7 
Ruralisms 
Hardy Climbing Rose ; Sowbugs. 
ILL you tell me the best climbing 
rose, taking in consideration a foli¬ 
age that will withstand insects and 
disease, also hardiness to endure the Win¬ 
ters of Central New York? I wish to cover 
a trellis which is a part of the ornamental 
work on a garage I am building, and it 
is desirable to have one that will not 
need spraying, and if there is such a rose, 
one that is hardy enough to withstand 
the Winters without laying down. 2. I 
am greatly troubled in my garden, es¬ 
pecially in the hotbeds and cold frames, 
with sowbugs or wood lice and snails, 
eating the young seedlings as fast as they 
appear above the ground. I have tried 
stopping them with potatoes cut in two 
and hollowed out and laid among the 
seedlings, but with small results. If you 
know of any way to destroy them I 
should like to know of it. c. L. K. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 
1. It is hard to call any one the “best 
climbing rose”; there are so many worthy 
ones. In this ease, however, where liar-, 
diness, vigor and free growth are de¬ 
sired, we can suggest two—Dorothy 
Perkins, and the Japanese Memorial 
rose, Rosa Wiehuraiana. The first 
named is very hardy and robust, and 
produces an enormous profusion of dou¬ 
ble bright pink flowers, while Wichura- 
iana has single white flowers followed 
by an abundance of red heps; the foliage 
is persistent until late in the season, tak¬ 
ing on a bronzy tint. Wiehuraiana can 
be trained nicely over a trellis or arch, 
but in nature it loves to trail on the 
ground, where it roots freely, a habit 
which makes it very useful on rocky 
slopes. Of the two roses named, Doro¬ 
thy Perkins is of course the more showy 
in flowers, while Wiehuraiana has a lit¬ 
tle the more resistant foliage. Any rose, 
especially against a building, may at 
times suffer from mildew, but the Mem¬ 
orial rose is less liable to this than any 
other we know. Rose-hopper attacks 
may call for spraying, at times, but no 
rose is exempt from this. 
2. A florist’s cure for sowbugs is one 
part of Paris green to five parts of sugar. 
Mix thoroughly and then run it from 
a cone of stiff brown paper, having a 
small hole in the bottom, along the boards 
edging greenhouse benches. In the case 
of frames it would be wise to lay strips 
of wood in the beds, and run the poison 
along these. A florist says he has an oc¬ 
casional wholesale poisoning of these lit¬ 
tle crustaceans in his greenhouse, averag¬ 
ing about six sowbugs to every square 
inch of bench. Snail preventives are to 
scatter bits of camphor-gum about the 
plants, to strew a line of salt about the 
edges of the beds, and to dust lime about 
the plants. Toads and turtles are help¬ 
ful pets to get rid of these marauders. 
Lime Sulphur for Poison Ivy. 
I HAVE always been poisoned very 
easily with poison ivy. I have been 
on fire with it from head to foot, and once 
my arms were swollen with it so that I 
could not raise my right hand to my 
face. In those days I tried every “cure” 
that I ever heard of, but all to no pur¬ 
pose, as I had just to wear it out and 
it generally took the whole season to do 
it. This year I got poisoned on the arm 
with it. I had made some lime-sulphur 
solution for spraying, and tried this on 
it; just coated the poison twice a day 
for two days (four applications), and 
the poison was “dead as a door nail.” 
This remedy may not work on all but it 
is the only thing that I ever tried that 
did any good. C. W. D. 
West Virginia. 
R. N.-Y.—This is a new one. Lime- 
sulphur has been used for all sorts of 
things from dipping sheep to cleaning 
the cellar. When used with arsenate of 
lead it is about as near to being a “cure 
all” for trees as has yet been produced. 
Now, if it will relieve poison ivy, it be¬ 
comes a benefactor indeed. 
Pickle-wormg on Cantaloupe. 
AN you tell what will prevent the de¬ 
struction of my cantaloupes? For 
the last two or three years they 
have been infested with a worm light in 
color and from three-quarters to one inch 
long. Apparently this worm enters the 
cantaloupes and muskmelons just in the 
same manner the Codling-moth enters 
the apple. I cannot see how he enters the 
melons, but he makes a hole on coming 
out. Some of the melons do not show 
any signs of this worm until they are 
cut, then it is found to have been there 
and the melon is not fit to use. 
Gunston, Va. w. s. F. 
The “worm” is the larva of the Eudi- 
optis liyalinata, a moth of a white color 
with a dark border on the outer edges 
of the front wings and part of the rear 
wings. The larvse are somewhat over an 
inch long and are commonly known as 
“pickle worms,” as they attack cucum¬ 
bers as well as melons. Powdered white 
hellebore has been used for them success¬ 
fully, but it is far less trouble to use 
arsenate of lead, one pound in 30 gal¬ 
lons of water, with some corn syrup to 
make it stick better. The insect is far 
more troublesome South than in the 
North, and in many parts of the South 
forbids the growing of melons unless 
kept down by arsenical spraying. The 
spraying will be more use if the poison 
is mixed with Bordeaux mixture, two 
pounds of lead arsenate to 30 gallons of 
the Bordeaux, and thus the leaf rust and 
blight of the foliage can be prevented 
while preventing the worms. The spray¬ 
ing must be begun early, for the worm 
enters the partially grown melons, and 
when the moths are seen flying around it 
is time to go to work. w. F. massey. 
Killing Weeds With Arsenate of Soda. 
T HE Hawaii Agricultural Experiment 
Station at Honolulu, under the 
charge of E. V. Wilcox, issues a 
bulletin on this subject. Experiments 
have been made with a number of weed¬ 
killing chemicals, but the best results 
were secured from this arsenite, which 
is usually prepared by boiling together 
common white arsenic and washing soda 
or sal soda. Theoretically these chemi¬ 
cals combine in such a proportion that 
if about lVst pound of soda be used for 
each pound of white arsenic, the proper 
combination will take "place to render all 
of the arsenic soluble by the formation of 
arsenite of soda. In practice a consider¬ 
ably larger proportion of soda has been 
used, up to four pounds per pound of 
white arsenic. It seems unnecessary, 
however, to use more than two pounds 
of soda per pound of white arsenic. In 
preparing arsenite of soda good results 
have been obtained from boiling a mix¬ 
ture of one pound white arsenic and 
two pounds sal soda per gallon of water 
for from 15 to 20 minutes. The exact 
length of time to continue the _ boiling 
can not be stated beforehand with any 
certainty but the boiling should be con¬ 
tinued until the solution becomes clear. 
The clearing of the solution indicates 
that the proper chemical combination has 
taken place. In Australia, where arsen¬ 
ite of soda has been widely used for kill¬ 
ing weeds, the common practice is to 
buy the arsenite of soda as such on the 
market, but in the spraying thus far 
done in Hawaii with arsenite of soda, 
it has been prepared by boiling white 
arsenic and sal soda as just described. 
The stock solution obtained by boiling 
together the sal soda and white arsenic 
is to be diluted before spraying with 15 
to 24 parts of water, depending on the 
hardiness of the weeds to be destroyed. 
In Massachusetts it proved effective when 
used at the rate of one part to 66 parts 
of water. In Hawaii, the formula call¬ 
ing for two pounds crystal sal soda, one 
pound arsenic, boiled until clear in one 
gallon of water, and then diluted with 
24 gallons of water, was applied at the 
rate of about 100 gallons to the acre. It 
is usually applied with a knapsack 
sprayer. 
In spraying with arsenite of soda it 
should be remembered that the effect is 
produced by contact with the aerial por¬ 
tions of the plant. The spray should be 
applied in the form of a fine mist so as 
merely to cover the surface of the leaves 
and the stems. Care should be exercised 
not to drench the plants, since no more 
effect would be thus obtained, and the 
risk would be run of introducing too 
much arsenic into the soil. It should, 
of course, be remembered that the arsen¬ 
ite is poisonous and stock auimals should 
not be allowed to browse upon sprayed 
vegetation until after sufficient rain has 
fallen to wash off what may remain on 
the foliage. As a rule the effect of the 
spray begins to be manifested within a 
few hours in the withering and browning 
in the leaves of sprayed plants. They 
are thus rendered unpalatable as feed 
for animals. The spray must remain in 
contact with the foliage for at least two 
hours, in order to have the desired effect. 
In applying arsenite, therefore, a clear 
day should be chosen, or at least one in 
which it is not likely to rain soon after 
the application of the spray. 
Hellebore for Crow Poison. 
M ANY years since, an old farmer said. 
“Soak your corn in hellebore 
water. The crows would not touch 
it, and it would send the corn right up, 
green and strong, was worth a load of 
manure to the acre.” I have tried it for 
60 years and have never known it to fail. 
One of my fields is bounded on two sides 
by Spruce Glen, where thousands of 
crows roost in the Winter, and where 
many breed in Summer. When I plant 
this field with corn, I soak the seed - in 
this water, and after planting never need 
to look at it again, for I know it is safe. 
The crows will sample it in a place or 
two, then leave for some other field, and 
will put a black mark on that piece for 
a Summer. It is called by some, crow 
poison, others, eleva, but its proper name 
is white hellebore, and one of the strong¬ 
est poisons of our climate, though after 
many trials, I never knew a bird killed, 
nor one hurt by eating it. My way has 
been to put it in a large kettle on the 
kitchen stove, until its strength is ex¬ 
hausted. When cool, soak the seed a few 
hours before planting. It can then be 
dried a little so not to clog the planter, 
and the crop is insured. The hellebore 
grows near wet places along small brooks, 
it is often found by the side of skunks 
cabbage, of a much lighter green, runs 
higher, with smaller stalk. A pick is 
best to dig it. as it has many white 
rootlets spreading from a small bulb. If 
you have any seed left after planting, 
do not let the hens have it. My inform¬ 
ant said, after his man had finished his 
piece, he emptied the contents of his 
bag to the hens and every one died. Try 
the hellebore. J. w. Y. 
Meriden, Conn. 
R. N.-Y.—The plant referred to is 
doubtless Veratrum viride, the false helle¬ 
bore or American white hellebore, which 
is similar, by some considered identical, 
with t>he white hellebore of Europe. V. 
album. It is also called devil’s bite, 
duckretter, wolfsbane, bear coi-n, Indian 
uncus, crow poison, and a host of other 
names. It has large plaited stemless 
leaves, and a large loose cluster of yel¬ 
lowish green flowers. It is extremely 
poisonous, some fatalities being reported 
from gathering the young leaves in early 
Spring, in mistake for marsh marigold 
greens. Animals do not relish the plant, 
the flavor being acrid and burning, but 
chickens have been poisoned by the seeds. 
Pruning Cherries. 
In respect to pruning cherries at fruit¬ 
ing, about 40 years ago a Royal Ann 
cherry died, and a number of sprouts 
came up from the stock which proved of 
quite good quality. Many times in pick¬ 
ing we saw off the tops. The second 
year after we cut the tops off we get the 
finest cherries from these sprouts. If 
I were “R” I would try it on one or 
two trees and note insults. As Oregon 
climate is a law unto itself one cannot 
know that it will work in other sections. 
Oregon. s. T. \v. 
Protecting Manure from Flies. 
You advise the use of acid phosphate 
on manure to keep flies away. Will 
Kentucky or Tennessee rock phosphate 
do, or must a more concentrated form be 
used? P. E. H. 
Kentucky. 
No—the ground phosphate rock will 
not serve the purpose as 'well as acid 
phosphate and kainit. Any dry dust 
would help somewhat, but the chemical 
action in the acid phosphate is the im¬ 
portant part of the treatment. 
Pruning Apple Trees. 
I have 200 Winter apple trees, Bald¬ 
win and Northern Spy, nine years old. 
Pruning the young trees in the future, 
what is the best time in the year? Should 
I trim the limbs back the year before to 
make them bear. s. H. 
Armstrong Co., Pa. 
The best time to prune would be about 
June 15 to 20. The effect of pruning at this 
time would be to induce a heavier setting 
of fruit, and to check wood growth. If 
the trees are neglected and need a heavy 
pruning it is best to extend the work 
over two or three years. Fall, Winter 
or Spring pruning has a tendency to 
promote wood growth at the expense of 
annual crops of fruit. k. b. g. 
Auntie felt called upon to chide An¬ 
nie for getting wet so often. One day 
mother and auntie were sitting by the 
dining table talking of Annie’s still being 
out when it was beginning to rain. Just 
then they heard the kitchen door open 
softly. “Who has wet feet now?” called 
auntie. An ominous stillness for the 
space of three seconds, then a gruff voice 
replied : “The iceman.”—Harper’s Maga¬ 
zine. 
. . 
Be Prepared for Him 
Or. Mr. Bug will counteract the effect of all your time and money 
spent on high grade fertilizer, high priced seed, careful preparation 
of soil, planting and ciiltivating. Meet him more than half-way 
with an up-to-date Sprayer and protect against blight in the same 
operation—it’s as likely to get your potatoes as lightning is to strike 
your barn and it is more sure in its destruction. Don’t you believe 
in insurance? 
IRON AGE 
include many sizes and styles of equipment from which 
to choose the one that will best insure your crop against 
loss. Good for tomatoes, cabbage, pickles, cantaloupe 
and other row crops. We have a “Spray" book 
that tolls all about them. Also, a calendar tell¬ 
ing “When, How and What to Spray With.” 
Don't wait until Mr. Bug arrives or you may 
have to adopt poor, slow and costly methods. 
BATEMAN M’F’G CO., Box 102-S, Grenloch, N. J. four or 
___Six 
Rows 
SPRAYERS 
When 
you write 
advertisers mention 
The It. 
N.-Y. aud 
you'll 
get a quick 
reply and a "square 
deal.” 
See guaran- 
tee editorial page. 
: 
• • • 
• • • 
There’s a N EP o n SET Roof ing 
for Every Building 
What protection will your 
roof afford eight, ten or 
fifteen years from now ? 
Most roofings look alike. Many are m ade 
to sell. A few to wear. If you let service 
—not salesmanship—sell you roofing, 
there’s but one choice —NEPONSET 
ROOFING. 
NEPONSET records like these: “One 
NEPONSET Roof ripped up after giving 8 
years of the best kind of service and re- 
laid a second time”; “NEPONSET Paroid 
now giving its 16th year of excellent ser¬ 
vice”; “not a single leak in 13 years,” are 
due to just this—NEPONSET Roofing is 
“slowly made.” This is why it is so slow 
to wear out. Dollar-for-dollar, 
NEponsET 
PAROID ROOFING 
gives best, longest and safest service. 
Surely send for ROOF BOOK—Free. 
BIRD & SON (Eat. 1795), 703 Nepontet Street 
East Walpole, Mass. 
New York Chicago Washington San Francisco 
Canadian Office and Plant: Hamilton, Ont. 
Also makers of Neponset Shingles, Wall 
Board and Building Papers. 
The New GREENWOOD LIME 
and FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER 
TOP FEED-NO RUSTING-NO CLOGGING 
Accurate indicator for 100 to 3.500 lbs. per acre, 
whether material be wet, dry. sticky, lumpy, heavy 
or light. Write for booklet R to 
GREENWOOD MEG. CO., Lawrence. Mass. 
THE STANDARD INOCULATION 
FARmogerM 
High bred nitrogen-gathering bacteria for enriching 
clovers, alfalfa, beans, peas, vetches, and peanuts. 
WRITE FOR FREE INSTR UCTIONS NO. 82 
EARP-THOMAS FARMOGERM CO., Bloomfield, N. J. 
Marriu/nnH Achao Dest Fertilizer in Use. 
nai unuuu AollGb GEORGE STEVENS, Peterbarouoh, Ont. 
monh o°n Hardware, Implements, Engines 
FENCING. Write wants. H. F. LEMMERM ANN, Hillsdale, N,Y. 
The Acre-an-Hour Sifter 
beats every band implement for killing Potato, [ 
Melon Bugs,CabbageWorius, etc. Applies Plaster, ’ 
Lime, etc., mixed with Paris Green or Arsenate of j. — - J 
Lead. Kegulates to cover big or little plants, also BfaT /’TT* :! t sl 
to apply any quantity of any kind of manufac¬ 
tured dry insecticides. Will operate as last as 
desired. Better,easier and faster than anj $5, , 
$10 or $15 spray pump. Insist on your dealer. I 
showing you this wonderlul little implement I 
Prepaid, 7 Sc. Agents wanted. Circulars. 
ACRE-AN-HOUR SIFTER CO., 
Dopl. B, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
Write For Free Book 
How to save money, labor,I 
time. Banish blight, dis-j 
ease and insects from or- , 
chards, etc. Usejj 
Brown’s Auto Spray 
Stvleshown has4gal.ca- I 
pacity—non-clogging Auto l 
Pop Nozzle. 40 other styles 
and sizes—hand and power outfits. 
E. C. Brown Co., 28 Jay Si., Rochester, N.Y. I 
