CLOVERSET FLOWER FARM, KANSAS CITY 
5 
IMPORTANCE OF HUMUS 
No matter which of the various methods 
we select for increasing or maintaining 
the fertility of our soil, we find that humus 
plays a very important part. It performs 
many functions in the soil which are abso¬ 
lutely essential to healthy plant growth. 
It influences the action of the soil towards 
heat, light, penetration of roots in the soil 
and the ability of the soil to absorb and 
hold water. In fact, it directly controls, to 
a large extent, the four essentials to plant 
growth, water, nitrogen, phosphoric acid 
and potash, and any soil in which these 
elements are in perfect balance, is perfect 
soil for plant growth. 
An analysis of soil, taken from the worn 
out farms of the eastern states, as com¬ 
pared to the fertile soil around Kansas City 
shows very little difference except in the 
amount of humus contained, which proves 
that with the addition of humus, the east¬ 
ern soil aforementioned, would produce 
crops comparable to those of our own 
locality. 
Nothing you can add to the soil will sup¬ 
ply so much humus and organic matter 
and nothing else will hold so much mois¬ 
ture and hold it as long as plently of good, 
rotted cow manure or Coo Mist as we call 
it here at Cloverset. It adds not only a 
great deal of natural plant food, but in ad¬ 
dition it has a beneficial action in the soil 
which dissolves and makes available and 
useful, a lot of natural fertility that is out 
of condition to be absorbed by the plant. 
Absence of humus makes any soil dead 
and hard to work. 
Cow manure is God's greatest gift to 
plants. It is most effective when fresh, but 
on account of the objectionable work of 
handling it fresh, we handle it in its dry 
and’ shredded condition. Cow manure pro¬ 
vides, in addition to the chemical elements 
needed for plant growth, viz. nitrogen, 
phosphorus and potash, the most important 
of all the essential elements, which is 
humus and humus alone is the only im¬ 
portant element absent in all commercial 
fertilizers. 
PRICES 
Coo Mist or shredded Cow Manure is 
packed in 2 bushel bags. Price, per bag—■ 
75 cents. 5 bags for $3.00. 
SUMMER CARE OF YOUR ROSE BED 
In order to be successful with your Roses, 
a few important instructions will have to 
be followed and unless they are followed, 
your Rose bed will probably be. a failure 
and your money will be wasted. 
We invite you to visit us with your Rose 
troubles and it will always be a pleasure 
to us to help you. 
The instructions as given for summer 
care are very simple and do not entail a 
great deal of labor, but they do mean so 
much to the success of your Roses that 
they should not be neglected. 
SPRAYING 
Roses are subject to three general types 
of pests and diseases. First the fungus 
diseases; second, the sucking insects; and 
third, the leaf eating insects. 
The most serious and most important 
are the fungus diseases. Black Spot and 
Mildew. In Black Spot, the leaf first turns 
yellow, followed by a black spot in the 
center and then dropping of the infected 
leaf. This spreads very rapidly and, if left 
unchecked, will soon defoliate the entire 
bush and bed. Black Spot is hard to cure 
but, if caught in time, may be controlled 
by the regular application of Clotracide. 
Clotracide is a preparation of copper 
which, mixed with water and sprayed on 
the plant, forms a protective covering over 
the leaf surface and helps to prevent the 
growth of Black Spot. Black Spot will not 
kill the Rose plant, but by defoliating the 
plant all chances of further blooming is 
stopped until another new set of foliage 
can develop. Black Spot is a disease for 
which no positive cure has ever been 
found. 1935 was the worst year we have 
ever known for Black Spot. We think it 
was the cold, rainy spring, which caused 
it to become so firmly established that it 
was nearly impossible during the summer 
to control. This condition existed all over 
the entire United States. 
Mildew, as the name describes, is caused 
by cold nights and occasionally affects 
Hybrid Tea Roses. The consistent use of 
Clotracide will help to prevent it. 
The sucking insects, or green lice, ap¬ 
pear in the early spring in great numbers 
and must be controlled by a contact spray. 
To 1 gallon of Clotracide solution, add 1 
tablespoonful Black Leaf 40 or 4 table- 
spoonsful Clotragard and spray thoroughly. 
Green lice appear in early spring for only 
