The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-27
COUNTRY DOCTOR CURES.
LarI<spur, n Fine Observation-Disclosures
spur Soap for Washing Cats and
Dogs.

Larkspur, n Fine Observation-Disclosures
spur Soap for Washing Cats and
Dogs.
The old Doctors eyes twinkled as he saw
upon Mrs. Early's boudoir table some long
plumery rich blue sprays, set delicate
ly in a cut glass vase. The flowers were
worthy their setting. Beautiful as the
morning. graceful itself. What amused
him was their contrast with Mrs Earlys
mental attitude-she said she simply could
not endure anything common or useful
"Larkspur coming in fashion. chr" he
said, nodding to the flowers. Mrs. Early
began to say: why. no! Delphiniun-''
but he ran on as though she had not
spoken: BLESS my soul, the flowers take
me back forty-odd years. All my patients
had larkspur patches-pink, blue, purple
and ring streaked-y. In fact, I believe
they would hardly have treid to keep
house without. It's a pretty flower. and
hardy"
20 did they decorate with it," Mrs.
Early asked. The doctor grinned:
''Semi-occasionaly-w other flowers
were scarce" he said. But they didn't
like TO waste tilt was too useful, you
see. Possibly you don't know it. but
larkspur Is among the finest Insecticides
and my old friends had heaps of vermin
to fight So they raised enough to make
larkspur straw for nests when hen got
broody, and larkspur soap TO wash cats
and dogs-yes, and even pigs. Maybe You
would like to hear about the soap-an
armful of fresh larksupr was boiled in a
big kettle until there was a strong decoc-
ton. The stalks were SKINNED out and
the liquor boiled down stronger-indeed IL
all III
soap was shaved into it, and stirred TIL
IL dissolved. The mixture was cooled and
cut into cakes. Dogs and cats were wash
ed with the soap to rid them of the fieas
and mango. The latter had to be well
rinsed off, or the animals licking them
selves might get sick.
Bird cages. scalded in boiling larkspur
soapsuds, came out clear of vermin. A,
cake of the soap dissolved In five gallons
of whitewash, was a mighty fine thing for
poultry house. or cattle shed. fresh
coat of such whitewash every three
months put mites and lice to rout. In
deed the plant seems to be a specially
designed antidote for every sort OF blood
sucking parasite. The leaves of 1t dried
and powdered answer nearly as we'll as
the soap with the advantage that they
can be used where the soap is out of the
question.
II repeat this Is Delphinium-Delph
mum Formosum,' Mrs. Early said with
touch of asperity. laying her hand as
she spoke upon the blue plumes: They
may look like your larkspur, but I as
sure you they are not-they came out of
a hot house, and are all the fashion.
now that blue flowers are so much out
Of season."
"All the larkspurs are Delphiniums,"
the doctor retorted: "Your flowers are
admit, the aristocrats of the class, in that
1t takes them two years to flower. They
are also more double, with richer blooms
and longer sprays than their old-fashion-
ed annual cousins-but cousins none the
less. There is a wild purple larkspur,
also a pink one. which blooms in early
spring. But neither the wild flower, not
that which the florists force, can put out
of court the hardy lace-leafed sisterhood,
which will spring up and bloom year af-
ter year, seeding Itself by chance, ripen-
ing and poisoning cheerily, In the most
unpropitious places. Indeed, you can
hardly kill 1t out, once dt is well seeded
1t grows like a weed with even half
a chance. Everybody ought to give 1t a
chance. A packet of seed many be had
for cents, Give the seed a wee corner
of the back yard, or even a big box OF
earth, and you may have larkspur for use
all the year around. 1t will grow no mat
ter how thick II stands. The most part
of the stalks should be pulled up Just as
they come into bloom, dried in the shade
and put away dry in paper bag. II
sown very early, the new seed will pro-
duce a second crop. A single plant left
standing will furnish much more than
enough seed for next years sewing"