The National tribune., 1882-12-07
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Our Agricultural Editors Weekly Chat With His
Readers.

Our Agricultural Editors Weekly Chat With His
Readers.
"My ice-house is sixteen feet square, and
sixteen feet in depth-ten feet below the sur
face of the ground, and six feet above. The
bottom is a porous gravel The sides under
ground are lined with boards, and above the
surface they are double boarded and the space
between the boardings filed with sawdust. The
pit is covered over with tongue-and-groovcd
boards, SO as to be perfectly tight, and over
this comes the roof. which is shingled outside
and closely boarded inside. Now although
this seems to be a very complete house, | can
not get ice after about the middle of August
it seems to melt rapidly away during July and
August. Iwould be thankful ior any suggestions
you may have about the principles Of construc-
ton of my house, or how it can be improved" :"
John s. Howser, Pa. AaS: The one thing
wanting is ventilation. Cut hole three feet
square through the centre of the ceiling; then
raise the, roof so as to procure ventiating space
betweeiTthe roof and ceiling and the outer air,
Supposing the roof was raised eight inches
above the ceiling and supported at the corners
only, this eight-inch depth Of opening on each
Of the four sides, covered with lattice work or
wde-meshed wire screening, would allow ven
tilation, and so preserve the ice.
al am about planting border Of shrubbery
in my flower garden, and would be grateful if
YOU would name a list Of the twelve best kinds
Of hardy towering shrubs suitable for the posi-
tion."-Mrs. Mary NJ, Montgomery co., Nd.
Ans: We could perhaps reply to this request
more satisfactorily if we knew the position and
extent of the border. The following are
medium-sizcd kinds: DeUtzia gracilis, Deut.ia
crenGta 4. pLeaa, Hydrangea paaculata grondiforG,
Hypericum Kaimion5u,, Weigclia rosea ForSythia
giridissima, Cyioaia JapoaicQ, Calgcantius fordts
Ipirssa RsUesiCn0, Magnolia prpHreQ, E1ocEordia
grd.djGora and TiJurBWa oyUius If the border
is ten feet in width, or moro, the following
larger growing sorts will prove suitable
StyrdI JdpOaica, Chi0nGathus VUgil3icG, MdgnoIia
Lenne Syringe Umggris, CoIuus mqscuia raliegata
and Colutea tTutescens A few plants of Yucca
JiIamentosa Will add greatly to the interest and
beauty of the shrubs.
"The past season has been prolific of all kinds
of insects and grubs and among other casual
ties l have had to lament the appearance of
several elm trees ON my place; these have
twice been stripped Of their leaves this past
summer. What can be done to prevent future
attacks?" Ans.: Get barrel of water, in
which place couple Of tabIespoonfuls of Paris
green; procure small, portable force pump,
and while one person is stirring the water in
order to disseminate the poison, let another
person shower it over the tree through the
pump. This will stop the leaf eaters.
"Dora, Salem, \. J." We can best reply to
your inquiry by stating that you can readily
detect the poison ivy from the Virginia
creeper by the distinction of their leaves
They are very Similar in many respects, but
the poison ivy has three leaves on a stalk and
the Virginia creeper has five.