The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-08

Ranking the Money
 It seems that some farmers will never learn that a bank Is the proper place in which to carry their money Banks are just as important as brains that make the accumulation of money possible. A farmer may have the brains and industry to produce and sell his product at profit. but what sort of brains is 1t that allows him to lose the money to rogue or robber after he Is In possession of the fruits of his toll? Here Is common occurrence. only a few of which are ever reported to the law officers oi 1 reach the daily papers.
 A farmer brings a load of produce 1 Into Birmingham, sells it for cash possibly makes a few purchases and starts home with his money in his pockets=z A few miles out a gun is thrown in his face and in jiffy he is relieved of his roll. Not many re- turn to the city to report their loss because he don't often care about folks knowing 1t, besides he don't
 have the time and he knows thu chance for recovery scarcely exists To go armed does him no good: he has a little respect for his own life, and well knows what resistance means If man holds you up, po- litely give him a check on your bank 0ver-WnterinG the Plants Nearly every day some enthusiastic plant and flower fancier writes in for information as to why their Towering plants fail to produce satisfactory blooms or why the bloom sheds so rapidly.s It's a singular fact, never theless true, that too much nursing or incorrect nursing is the main con tributing factor Whenever you make the soil very fertile, particu- larly in nitrogen or ammonia, and water frequently. the plant gorges it. self on nitrogen, most of which goes to produce foliage and always to the
 detriment Of flowers, consequently reproduction is abated.
 | Should there be good supply oi lphosphates and potash associated In the soil with tho ammoniates, they tend to counterbalance the extreme activities of the nitrogen, causing the plant to utilize other essential ele- ments and thus prevent abnorma growth In short, the best conditions for good strong bloom Is a we'll bal anced ration of all three essential plant foods, phosphates. ammoniates and potash. Again. all plants con sune more food and much fastel when the soil Is kept damp. Work more and water less is a good rule. Plant Quarantine
 Pew of you, I guess, ever heard of plant quarantine 37, put in force by the federal horticultural board Juns 1, 1921. It has aroused storm of protest both in the United States and abroad
 It would seem that the whole spirit of this quarantine is to make as rap idly as possible this country entirely independent of foreign supplies of all plants. The apparent purpose is to keep out injurious plant diseases and insects that might reach this coun- try through such importations, just as though we did not already have more disease and insects than all oth- | CTS combined.
 It's a sensible thing of course to keep out all disease possible but there Is certainly no sense in excluding q given plant that may be diseased in France, while in Great Britain the same plant may be entirely free from blemish. The thing sounds crooked inasmuch as this governmnt has an army of plant explorers in every part of the world, seeking every sort oi plant to send to this country that could possibly be of any economic value. We forget that owe to foreign fcountries the majority of our vege- table and Towering plants,
 Questions and Answers
 q. My peonies have bloome6 beautifully for several years, bi' were utterly failure this yea
 What do you suppose caused tht failure and what would you recoin'
 mend? Mrs. E. W.
 A. There Is no way to tell from the bare statement without some
 manifest symptoms, but one of the Chief causes of such a condition IS
 :oot diseases. The plants may bt troubled with root gals. It might bt good idea to take up in early fall examine roots and cut out any gals or diseased parts. and if crowns are very large, they might Ce separated into two or more plants and reset,
 O. I have black calla lily that has been planted twice, but has never bloomed. What can be the trouble and will they bloom under proper condition? Mrs. N.. R. F. D. :.
 A, Too rich soil and too much water c0dco AaiuiS " bloom. This plant Is a native of poor soils and little rainfall, and 1t has often been noted, when planted in very rich soil and kelt well watered. that foliage is made at the expense of bloom.
 Q. Why could not one plant mixed hedges? The average priyet hedge becomes monatonmous even when kept properly trimmed? F. "
 A. You can. There are privets of several shades of color and other plants that can be 50 blended as to highly enchance the general aspect. It takes much longer to establish a symmetrical mixed hedge. because the different plants don't grow at
 the same rate and the height will have to be governed by the more dwarf species.
 O. Would the Japanse privet do well in Birmingham? Mrs. o.
 A It Is not very resistant to cold and might be Injured by some of the late cold snaps we some- times have.
 Q. Some of my iarkspur plants are being ruined by a spot on the leaves. suppose 1t Is e disease. Could you recommend any treat ment to relieve tho trouble? Mrs. A. C.. Woodlawn. 8
 A. Spray the plants with one ouEce acitate of copper to three gallons of water. Repeat at To-day intervals until disease disappears. nuatfnr with sulphurs,ts oftAu ef-