
The new bug fighters are big news. 
Insecticides like the miracle-working 
D.D.T. have revolutionized gardening. 
But they bring new problems too, be- 
cause they destroy one insect while 
favoring As a result, 
many of the friendly insects—the pre- 
dators that ordinarily keep some in- 
sects in check—are. killed, while the 
dangerous pests multiply faster than 
ever. That is why it is more important 
than ever before that you know what 
pest you are fighting. 
its neighbors. 
A unique portrait series 
To help you, we are presenting on 
page 22 the most complete and most 
accurate color illustrations of your gar- 
den enemies ever printed in any cat- 
alog. Know what you are fighting. If 
you can't tell what insect is hurting 
your garden, bring in a sample and 
we'll do everything possible to identify 
it and recommend the right insecticide 
to control it. 
When in doubt, remember that a com- 
bination of pyrethrum and rotenone, or 
rotenone and phenothiazine will kill 
practically any insect it touches. For best 
effect, however, they must be hit di- 
rectly. Too, remember that while D.D.T. 
The Old Gardener says— 
“D. D. T. can't do it alll’ 
Wondertul 
“miracle” pest killers are not a cure for 
all ills. The Old Gardener here offers 
some down-to-earth comments on this 
timely matter. 
as they are, the new 
lasts for a long time on foliage and kills 
many insects, it does not kill red spider 
in the 
garden. A mixture of D.D.T., pyrethrum 
or aphids, two common pests 
and rotenone is practically a universal 
insecticide, but it cannot be used on 
the edible portions of vegetables. 
When in doubt, ask us! 
We suggest that you save 
of insect pictures for future 
But don't wait until 
our page 
reference. 
attack to 
fight them. In many cases, once the 
pest has invaded your garden, it’s too 
late. Ask us about spraying for general 
garden sanitation—how to keep bugs 
from getting the upper hand. 
insects 
A Program for 
Garden Sanitation 
About 75% of the work and much of 
the damage caused by insects can be 
eliminated by a simple, regular pro- 
gram of sanitation. Preventive dusting 
or spraying is much easier than wag- 
ing a losing battle against bugs when 
they appear. Usually, less than 30 min- 
utes a week should be needed for a 
for both 
sanitation program 
flowers and vegetables. 
regular 




Years ago, “straw” potatoes used 
to command a premium on the 
market because they were superior 
in quality. But, because of. this, 
many unscrupulous dealers began 
calling their wares “straw  pota- 
toes” and so the phrase lost all its 
meaning, and the method of grow- 
ing was forgotten. 

Now, it is being revived by home 
gardeners, particularly in sections 
where the summer is considered 
too warm for good potato yields. 
Under straw culture, these limita- 
tions do not hold, and potatoes can 
be successfully grown. 
Prepare the soil as for regular 
vegetable crops. Instead of burying 

24 
“LAZY MAN'S POTATO PATCH” 
How to have your potatoes grow above ground 


the seed pieces several inches 
deep, lay them on the surface 
and press in slightly, covering 
with a bare half inch of soil. In- 
stead of regular spacing, plant seed 
pieces over entire area 12”x12”. 














After planting, cover entire bed 
with a layer of straw 12” deep. 
That’s all there is to planting—no 
further weeding or cultivating. 
Dusting for blight should be done. 
When vines die down, remove 
straw and potatoes will be found 
growing on the surface of the 
soil. They will be bright and clean 
and can be picked up without 
digging. A real labor saving meth- 
od of growing potatoes. 



Along with a regular program of insect 
control, plan on destroying weeds along 
the edges of your garden, the places 
where insects hide during the winter. 
If possible, control the weeds for a 
distance of at least 25 feet on all sides 
of the garden. Not only will this elimi- 
nate insect hiding places, but it will 
reduce the number of weed seeds that 
might otherwise blow onto your garden. 
This program involves two new chemi- 
cals. Apply a 5% dust of D.D.T. to the 
grass and weeds about every three 
weeks, so that most insects that might 
otherwise move into the garden will 
be killed. So will mosquitoes, chiggers 
and harvest mites that can make gar- 
dening so unpleasant. 
The regular use of 2,4-D will keep 
down all of the broadleaved weeds, 
without danger of poisoning animals, 
children or of damaging equipment 
with corrosive sprays. In using 2,4-D 
around flowers and vegetables, however, 
be extremely careful not to allow the 
spray to drift onto these, as most gar- 
den plants are as easy to kill with this 
material as the weeds. 
Any spray that will kill grasses will 
also hurt the soil so that it can't be 
used for growing plants for several 
years. If this is not objectionable, use 
one of the non-selective weed killers— 
and clear the ground of all vegetation 
(as on driveways, tennis courts, etc.) 
Ask us for details. ; 
Green Manuring— 
a way to save weeding 
A big help in reducing the amount of 
weeding necessary is the use of a 
green manure mulch on any patch of 
soil not being used. Whenever you re- 
move one crop from your garden plot 
and won't use it again for at least sev- 
eral weeks, sow that spot with winter 
rye. Winter rye is not to be confused 
with rye grass. The right cover crop 
to use is the regular cereal grain— 
winter rye. Plant about 5 lbs. to 1,000 
square feet to produce a thick stand 
that will crowd out weeds. 
This green mulch or cover crop will 
take up any unused fertilizers in the 
soil, and will store them in the leaves 
of the rye. Then the following spring 
when the rye is plowed under, this 
fertilizer returns to the soil and can be 
used by the succeeding crop. If the 
ground lays unused, most of this plant 
food will be lost down the drains. And 
because a heavy stand of rye will crowd 
out weeds, you should have a cleaner 
garden with less work the next year. 
fin 
