The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-05-19

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the Fla Horticultural society was
held 10 Jacksonville during the past
week, The general character 81 the
sessions was typical Of the meetings
Of the society for the past few years
A few good papers were presented,
an occasional good point was brO1glt
Ogt in the discussion; here and there
a Bit 81 useful information could BE-
CLEANED By the diligent watcher, bot
the sessions. a. a whole, were devoid
% interest for the class Of people
who would gladly depend on the so
ciety az its source 81 Inspiration and
knowledge.
There can b. 20 doubt that the
past few meetings Of the society
have dezeneTated into gatherings for
"Reminiscences rather than education,
and that they are boxed farEard 10
By most Of the attending members
more for the sake Of old friendships
70 be renewed than for the new pro-
fessiOnal advantage 70 be secured.
The meetings have taken on the
character Of veterans assemblages
devoted more TO the past than toward
the future. Few members will deny
the fact. Most Of them are appar-
entity satisfied with this ruminstiye
condition; a few are really DESTROYS
for change but are al a loss a. TO
how the same may be secured with
out a new membership, and this
seems 10 find litth attraction in the
organization.
In looking over the audiences At
the various sessions one could. not
fail Of observing two things: First,
that very few young, or even middle
aged people were present; white,
gray and bald heads predOminated
In all the gatherings. Second, Most
Of the moving force in the society
comes from men WHO make living
by selling something TO the bOrti-
cmtuFists. The men who are max
ing the great shipments Of peachps,
melons, potatoes. celery, tomatoes
and truck crop from Florida are con-
spicuOus by their absence. The men
vino have trees, fertilizers, plants.
and real estate for sale are in con-
spieuOus evidence.
This was not always thus. There
are a few members who recall other
days and long for their return.
There seems no hope for change eX-
cept by. the introduction Of new
blood, by bringing into the society
the men who are producing the hOr-
ticultural crops Of Florida, but who
now hold pergistantly alOOf.
A change Of the programs for the
annual meetings would, / believe,
be the most effective means for &C.
curing an improvement. Year after
year we listen 10 the reports Of the
same committees. The same straw
il threshed over and over again.
Committees report on ''citrus' on
''kaki" and the whole gsmut, in an
entirely perfuctOry manner. | made
suggestion for change along this
line three years ago, and WAS met by
overwhelming approval from very
many members, but the same
officers continued the same old
routine. Lest officers Of the society
interpret these remarks as criticism
Of them, let me say that the real res
possibility for any condition object
ed to, lies with the members who,
believing with me, take no step TO-
ward making their opinions felt;
and with the great rank and file Of
hOrticulturists Of the state now out
side the organization, who should
come in and help make it the great
power for good which it should be.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED..
O. How may stock be protected
from the small black fly which at
tacks them in swarms during hot
weather and renders life miserable
for them, and materially Injuries
their condition and the yield Of milk?
A. The best remedy for this, az
for several other insect pests is rec
commended by DIR. e. +. Dawson,
State Veterinarian.
Such substance should, in the
writer's opinion, be Of a consistency
permitting its being sprayed upon
the animal. Furthermore, its effect
must persist for several days. 1t
must not injure the skin Of the aEi-
NAL; it must be cheap and non-irri-
tating. A formula which / have Sc
lected after actual trials, is as fol-
lows: Fish oil 2 parts, oil of petro-
leum (crude) part. These are
mixed, and may be sprayed from a
six-Ounce bottle by means of a
mouth-sI ray. Where large num-
Der are to be protected, it would be
better to use one of the larger sprays.
My experiments show that the effect
lasts at least four days. The cost OF
the oils, wholesale, is as follows:
Petroleum oil, 70 cents per gallon;
fish oil, So cents per gallon. The
mixture, therefore, costs, wholesale,
about 80 cents per gallon. A gallon
would suffice for whole season for
several COWS, probably. A very good
spray for individual COWS can be
bought for 30 cents, or a larger one
for 81, of the WOrrell Manufacturing
Co., Sedalia, Mo. When a spray is
not obtainable, the mixture may be
applied with brush.
The mixture will not only keep
flies, mosquitoes and gnats off of ami
mails, but will kill ticks, lice and
NANCE"
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