The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-05

bugs o1f and properly watered.
 Comparative Values
 If one would only observe the diff ferent qualities of fruits and vege- tables now on the Birmingham mar ket he would be astonished at the amazing difference of the same fruit or vegetable. If you were to seek the reason you would find that insect and disease control was the contributing factor. It is scarcely necessary to enter into details re- garding the benefits derived from proper application of insecticides and fungicides.
 The market gardener and private grower as well have many times demonstrated that the market value of the product is increased to such an extent that the cost of material and of labor is returned many fold to the grower, whenever proper ap- plications have been made. The truth about the matter is, that it is as necessary to spray or dust cer- tain crops as it is to cultivate them.
 Whenever the grower of anything whether 1t be a flower, fruit or vege- table. comes to the full realization that success is not possible except through insect and disease control,
 
 mum results be expected. People be- lieve in insurance, evidenced by ths fact that everybody carries some form of insurance, so why not add bug insurance to the many others?
 Sweet Potato Diseases
 Complaints are already reaching The Age-Heraid from several parts of the state complaining about some new trouble affecting sweet potato plants. Some growers who have been producing sweet potatoes all their lives are just now experience ing their first trouble, and unless something is done in a legal way, the whole industry in Alabama will go to ruin. Certain diseases have been scattered through. infected seed and the shipment of plants from dis eased seed, until the entire state is more or less involved. Our neighbor, the state of Mississippi, has a work able law and are now profiting from our carelessness and neglect Not much can be done with fields planted to-diseased plants, but there are cer- tain diseases that attack perfectly healthy plants and may be controlled. The foliage is sometimes attacked by a fungus that turns the leaves nearly a white color causing them to die. Another fungus turns the leaves brown on top, while on the under side there may be small patches of a white color. Any trouble with sweet potatoes may be brought under at least partial control with such fun gicides as Bordeaux and lime-sulphur. But it is necessary to repeat the treatment at ten-day intervals until disease disappears. Prompt applica- tion Is the main factor.
 Insect Control by Law
 The public is saddled with laws for the control of nearly everything Many of these laws are useless and ought to be wiped off the books. but why not some sane and practical law for disease and insect control, that Is destroying all sorts of plant life. One only has to drive out into the country to see the need of some measures of control.
 Nearly every apple or pear tree you see Is blasted by some disease or insect and all other fruit Is more or less affected. All these troubles are catching. So where one might spray, he won't because his neigh bor won't do anything. Farmers and growers preach cooperation but arc slow to follow 1t when 1t comes to any comprehensive method of insect control.
 Some states are experimenting with laws seeking to control the worst enemies of mankind, insects and plant diseases, and are greatly profiting through selling their pro- duce right here in Birmingham and Alabama. Those fine apples we get in boxes from Utah and other north western states would not be possible unless grown under rigid laws, ad- ministered by county inspectors. We certainly do need some such law in Alabama.
 Questions and Answers
 o. How socn should you plant rye for winter pasture? Mrs. D., Jasper
 A. The last of July or early. Au- gust is about as early as fall grain should be sown. Earliness is nm portant with rye because 1t grows so slow.
 O., Tn planting Irish potatoec, should the eye be placed up or down. Mrs. N.
 A. Placing the cuttings so the eye points upwards is supposed to in-