Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-03-29
SOME COMMON NUISANCE.''

SOME "COMMON NUISANCE"
/ don't think it will be many years
| before coal ashes will cease to be nul-
sance by being thrown out in back
yards and alleys and in the streets, to
the annoyance of all citizens who de-
light in having their surroundings neat
and tidy ; but, on the contrary, 1T Will
be sought after by farmers aud garden
ers, so much so that | wouldn't wonder
if people would even be offered few
cents per bushel for saving it.
There is one thing certain it is a
benefit to clayed or heavy land in
more ways than one, and it has been
tried around peach trees, currant bush
es, ounces, plums, &c, it has proved
to be of considerable value-some
claiming that since they have used it
around the roots and close up to the
bodies of such trees as are subject to
the attacks of borers and other pests,
they have had but little trouble in that
respect, and think it will pay to fetch
it from the towns within the range of
| five or six miles.
Again: it will pay on grass land if
spread broadcast, far more than what
it will cost to drain it, and ! am OF the
opinion that it will pay largely if sifted
and spread among the strawberry
plants, as the white ashes found among
it has something of the same power to
retain moisture as land plaster.
Now, if were going to use it on a
large scale, | should sift all the cinders
out of that l used on light or up land,
but should use cinders and all together
on clayey or heavy, wettish land, be-
cause that would have a tendency to
soak moisture and make the land more
pliable. and easier worked
Ny brother once tried sifted coal
ashes on some gooseberry bushes that
were affected with mildew, with good
results. If [ remember rightly he appli
ed it when the dew was on the bushes,
and the mildew disappeared at once.
| suppose this was due to the amount
of sulphur that is ID be found in coal
ashes. | have heard of others using it
with like results on and around grape
vines that were affected with mildew
and rot
Friends, let us try it and mark re-
suits. 1t won't cost anything, and
may be it will bring out some new
ideas that will be worth something.
There is another thing that may be
rightly termed a nuisance-especially
in the cities and small towns, viz, old
tin cans; and yet they can be put to
good account and made to pay by
burying them around fruit trees and
grape vines. Now just try this the
coming spring when you plant out
your peach trees. To every tree you
plant take few old cans and batter
them up fiat so they won't take up so
much room, and when you put the
roots of your tree in the hole put in
little soil, then few old cans, and fill
up and tramp down rather solid. The
cans will soon rust all away and the
rust will be taken up into the sap and
be thrown out into the leaves and fruit.
Such trees will always be found to be
healthy, and the leaves will be of a
beautiful glossy green, and even the
fruit on that tree will have brighter
color.
/ suppose it is as necessary for a
plant or tree to have supply of iron
in its sap as it is for US to have it in
our blood l thing that if the people
were to st1dy more the laws of nature
they would understand better what
trees and plants need in order to bring
the best results.
Did you ever notice that plant al
ways did the best in an old rusty can
It's fact they do much better We
have used them for number of years
for home use and they don't look bad,
either Ny wife got some paint and
painted them on the outside, and she
says they do not dry out so fast as
when not painted. She punched few
little holes in the bottom for drainage.
Perhaps it would be well to say that
the tops of the cans can be taken off by
setting them on hot stove for q few
minutes.
One season / used more than d
wagon load of old cans for transplant
ing young tomato plants in, and when
| got ready to plant in open field
could take q wheelbarrow load of those
cans cans and run them right along
where | was going to plant. and as
had given them good soaking previous
to this, the whole ball of earth ccult
be easily turned out in the hand with
out disturbing the roots of the plants
the least bit, and as they had formed
host of young rootlets by being trans
planted twice before they were put IL
those cans, they grew right along, anc
, | must say that it paid me for al
the labor observation-disclosures Turner
/ IN GreenUiUe AdUance-Argus.