Chloride of lime dusted on both sides of the leaves has also destroyed the

currant worm but this soon absorbs dampness from the air, hence must be kept

;

in an air-tight can, only when being used.

7. Dust of Coal Ashes, Destructive to Currant, Cucumber

and Cabbage Worms. — The Fruit Reccrrder says it has for 3 or 4 years

saved their currants by dusting on the fine sifted ashes the same as the lime

above, and adds: " They are as effective to keep the striped bug off the cucumit thinks also effective against the cabbage worm.

Certainly

an excellent fertilizer for currants and all other small fruits, as

given next below, and I have not a doubt, equally valuable for the orchard

ber vines," and

coal ashes

is

generally.

Coal Ashes as a Fertilizer for the Soils; Also Valuable for

Cherry and Other Fruit Trees, dftc— I. For the Currants.— (Zoramaw

coal ashes, well distributed about roots of currants, is one of their best promo,

ters.

This should be done by loosening the soil about their roots and placing

the ashes near them, cover firmly with earth above, and the bushes will bear

such clusters as will speak the beneficial effects of this application of material

too commonly tlirown aside as of no use.

II.

Cherry and other fruit trees also greatly accept this renovator, and if

carefully bedded about the roots with coal ashes in the fall the yield of fruit the

following year will surprise the cultivator. Especially is this effect produced

in the black loam of Illinois.

"We have in our mind one fruit garden there

where all the small fruit was treated in this way, and have never seen their yield

excelled.

National Farmer.

Remarks. Vick, the florist, says that " coal soot is one of the most valuable substances the gardener can apply, either as an insecticide (insect killer) or

fertilizer.

It will kill insects on cabbage and other young plants.

In liquid

form, of about a peck to a hogshead of water, sprinkled over strawberries and

roses from the watering pot, it acts as a fertilizer and insect destroyer."

—

9. Currants and Gooseberries, Setting Out for TreesI or

Bushes. — Both the currant and gooseberry do better to grow from cuttings

than from the roots. The wood of the last year's growth must be taken, cut it

into pieces from 8 to 10 inches in length, and insert about half the length in the

usual prepared garden

soil, press the ground firmly with the foot, mulch, and

there will be no danger of not growing.

Set them where they are desired to

remain permanently.

If a small tree and not a bush is preferred, cut out all

the eyes entering the ground.

If a bush, let the eyes remain.

"We prefer the

bush for two reasons: the first is, more fruit is obtained; the second, it is longer

lived.

In fact, the bush will live half a century, only requiring thinning out of

the wood once in a wliile.

As to the variety of currants, we prefer decidedly

Dutch Red. It is not quite so large as some others, but it bears as

abundantly and is less acid and of better quality. Of gooseberries we prefer

the Downing. It is of good quality, an excellent bearer, and has never mildewed upon our premises. Qermantown Telegraph.

the old

MISCELLANEOUS.

569

10. Grafting Currants—To Avoid the Borer and Mildew. The

Rural New Yorker says: "Lovers of the currant and gooseberry have reason

to feel jolly over the success vphich seems to attend grafting them upon the

Missouri currant {Ribes aureum), which is not liable to the attacks of the borer.

Besides they are exempt from mildew. And thus by a single, happy hit the

two great drawbacks to currant and gooseberry cultivation have been overcome.

The beauty of these little trees when loaded with their pretty berries, as displayed at the Centennial, is of itself enough to insure their general cultivation.

It would be well for those who intend experimenting with grafting currants

to bear in mind that there is a great difference in the variety of the Missouri

currant, some making better stocks than others."

—I will add, here, that there

no fruit that will show more

If large and luscious

berries are expected, thin out the bushes, and cover the surface with good rich,

manure, after having poked some into the groimd around them as far out as

Remarks.

is

speedily than the currant the effects of high manuring.

the roots extend.

—

Gooseberries, to prevent Mildew. ^Edward Martin, of Freehold,

N. J., says he prevents mildew on his gooseberries by raising the English variety, and applying soapsuds with a garden syringe, costing only $1.50, begin-

ning its application as soon as the fruit begins to form, twice a week for 3 or

4 weeks, has never failed him, saving the suds on wash-days, for this purpose.

—A

CABBAGE WOEM—

1.

correspondent

Successful Remedy.

of the New York Tribune makes the following statement as to the destruction

of this late pest of the garden, not in the least injuring the cabbage, as anyone

can judge. He says: " I have used salt for the cabbage worm at the rate of

a large tea-cupful to a pail of water for the last two years with perfect success.

Two applications have been all that were needed. It killed the worms

(or at least they died) without hurting the cabbage at all."

Remarks. The cabbage worm bein^ a soft-skinned thing, I think the salt

will destroy them; if it does not in any case, try the copperas water, as given for

destroying the currant worm above. The copperas will not injure the cabbage,

and, I think, either might be used double the strength given, if needed.

—

—

—

2. Cabbage Worm, the Best Remedy, as Shown by the New

York Experiment Station. — Common yellow hard soap, 1 oz. kerosene,

;

1 pt. ; water, 1^^ gals. ; well mixed and stirred and applied by means of a water-

ing-pot, proved the best of anything tried at the

state that " it

plant."

above station in 1883.

They

kiUs all the worms it thoroughly wets, and does not injure the

They say "it must be kept thoroughly stirred while applying.

Sev-

eral applications may be needed."

—

Remarks. But if they will bring the soap and water to the boiling point,

then stir in the kerosene, it will make a permanent mixture, like Prof. Cook's

In reference to nearly the same for lice or scale bugs on trees.

—

3. Cabbage Plants, Best Manner of Setting Out. In setting out

cabbage plants it has been found best to pull off the largest leaves, leaving only

the center, as they are then more certain to live and to do better, from the fact

—

DB. CHASE'S RECIPES.

570

that the large leaves often wither and die for want of a ready support from 'Me

transplanting.

1.

ANTS, BO ACHES, LITTLE SPIDERS, ETC.—To Destroy.

— " Hot alum water," says a recent practical woman writer, "

gestion as an insecticide (insect killer).

roaches, spiders, chintz bugs

It will

is

the latest sug-

destroy red ants, black ants,

and all other crawling pests which infest our

houses."

Eemarks.

—This writer does not say how much alum to use. I should Bay

J^ lb to 1 pail of water, sprinkled about their haunts boiling hot, would do the

work well.

2.

Another writer, after being pestered with red ants a year or two, drove

them away by placing raw sliced onions about the closets.

3. Another by putting tar, 1 pt., into water, 2 qts., and placing in ahallow

dishes in the closets.

4. Another by wetting sponges in sweetened water and placing- where

they enter the house, if that can be found, else in the closets, and after an hour

or two dipping into boiling water.

—

5. Another. Destroys roaches by distributing the freshly dug roots of

the black hellebore, bruised or strewed around the floor, or places where they

is poisonous, and they

grows in marshy places, and it is kept by druggists

these being dry however, would have to be soaked or steeped a little to allow it

The water then might also be placed in shallow dishes, with

to be mashed.

See 8, 9 and 10,

bits of shingle laid on the edge to allow them to go up to it.

frequent at nights, claiming it to be as infallible as it

eat it with avidity.

It

etc.

—

6. Ants, to drive from La\VTis or other Grounds. Carbolio

Acid, crude, 1 part to the water 40 parts, (ounces, pounds, or pints); mix and

Why not good then, about the houses where

Standing the legs of safes for victuals in dishes of water wili beat

them all badly as to getting their dinner from that quarter.

sprinkle

upon their mounds.

they infest?

—

7. Roaches. Have been driven off, or killed, as I suppose by laying

red wafers around for them to eat; the red being the result of the use of red

lead, which is poisonous and destructive.

Lozenges made with red lead would

do the same thing; a mixture of red lead, say one oz., with corn meal,

pt.

moistened with molasses to a consistence of batter, and spread on the bottom

of plates turned up, or on thin pieces of boards, will also destroy them, as they

%

eat it greedily.

8.

Roaches. — I have seen it stated that a lb, of powdered borax scat-

tered 'around their haunts would clear any house of roaches.

I have scattered

upon them where they nested in drawers, etc. and have seen them scatter

with the dust upon them, like leaves before an autumn wind like the leaves,

never to return. Yet I have heard others say it did no good but with some

of these plans, perseverance must conquer.

it

,

—

;

9. Roaches, Ants, Spiders, Chintz Bugs, etc., to Destroy.—

The Journal of Chemistry publishes the following, as elficacious for all these

MISCELLANEOUS.

It says:

pests.

571

"Hot alum water is a recent suggestion

as an insecticide,

destroy red and black ants, roaches, spiders, chintz

Dis(striped or spotted) bugs, and all crawling pests which infest our houses.

It will

(insect killer).

solve alum, 2 lbs. in 3 or 4 qts. of boiling water; then apply it with a brush,

while nearly boiling hot, to every joint and crevice in your closets, bedsteads,

Brush the crevices in the floor of the skirting or

If, in whitewashing a

ceiling, plenty of alum is added to the lime, it will also serve to keep insects at

a distance, and also cause the white-wash to stick better 2 lbs. to a pail is

enough. Roaches wiU flee the paint which has been washed in cool alum water

pantry shelves and the like.

mop boards, if you suspect that they harbor vermin.

;

of this strength.

—

Bemarks. This is confirmed by the Cincinnati Times, only the Times recommended it as strong as 2 lbs. to 2 qts. of water, put on hot with a whiteIt also recommends carbolic acid diluted with water, and applied

with a brush of feathers for the destruction of red ants; and says: "If they do

not leave the first time, apply again stronger," but it does not give the proper

strength.

The crude, or black, dirty acid, which the crude is, could not be

tised on shelves in the cupboard or closets, but the pure, which is clean and

transparent would have to be used, such as druggists sell, of about 50 per cent,

wash brush.

strength, for about 25 cts. an oz.

This strength would kill them certainly, and

I think if as much water is added, it would still be strong enough.

Roaches may be driven away by putting Scotch, or other highly dried snuff

into their haunts, or crevices, and about the shelves, etc.

—

10. Roaches Utterly Destroyed. A correspondent of the Country

Gentleman says: " I give a recipe to your correspondent who wishes to know

how to get rid of the insects he calls the cockroaches, although I think he misnames them. Let his wife finish making peach preserves late at night in a

smooth, bright, brass kettle then persuade her it is too late to clean the kettle

till morning, but set it against the wall where the insects are thickest and retire

;

to rest.

In the morning he will find the sides of the kettle bright as a new dol-

lar, but he will find every insect that was hungry

in the bottom of the kettle,

when, if he uses the recipe I did, he will treat them to a sufficient quantity of

boiling water to render them perfectly harmless. As I thought molasses cheaper

than peach preserve juice, I ever afterward baited the same trap with molasses,

and I caught the last one of millions. I pity any person troubled with them.

I have lived 30 years since making the discovery (accidental), and have never

had to repeat it."

Remarks. There is no mistake about the name, as Webster's Unabridged

calls them cockroaches; but, for short, I have called them roaches, which

—

everybody understands just as well; as

it

is

only because they are so very

troublesome, and hard to get rid of, that I have given so many plans by which

they can be driven away or destroyed.

1.

BED BUGS— To Destroy.— Take a quart bottle and

fill

it with

equal parts of best alcohol and spirits of turpentine, and add camphor gum, 1

oz.

Shake well when used, and with a small brush wet the crevices, foldings

of the curtains, etc., if there is the least sign of the bugs having been about

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

572