The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-04


 Value Trees and Dogs
 The past Sunday saw big, stout, grown man washing a lazy and lousy pup under the shade of large spreading black walnut tree. This was the only tree in the country mans yard and l believe it must have had 10 bushels of walnuts on it. Ihe tree was probably 50 years old, and no man with any sense of values would have considered 1t worth less than s2oo. l counted no less than a dozen different colonies of tent cater pillars infesting the tree, round about It's terminal branches. l had to stop and contemplate the absurdity of the spectacle of a man trying to relieve probably worthless cur and permit ting valuable tree to go to ruin for the sake of few moments of well directed effort. He could have made torch of the Sunday paper close at hand, and in few moments destroyed the caterpillars. which will certalnly destroy the valuable wal nut.
 Can you imagine such state of mind that would bring about such a 1udicrous situation. President Hard ing appeals to the governor of Penn sylvania to save a dog from execu- tion- All very fine. but have not the trees a right to claim our sympa- thies?
 Spinach Diseases
 Eut few insects bother spinach to any considerable extent, outside of the spinach louse or aphis. This is rarely bad. and when prompt treat nent Is applied in the form of a nico- tine or tobacco spray, the louse Is quickly brought under control.
 Flea beetles and a leaf miner do some damage, but are rarely bad in the fall of the year. Fall crops of spinach, especially during wet spells, are often attacked by one or more serious fungus diseases that spread so rapidly that the entire crop may be ruined within a week. The samea disease may attack in the early spring. but inasmuch as fall plant ing will soon start, 1t is important to point out now how to control such diseases. There may appear on the leaves brown pustues which soon turn to gray and spread over both young and old leaves. and again there may appear on the underside of the leaves a bluish gray forma- ton that turns the surface of the leaves a pale yellow. When such symptoms are first noted. the copper sprays, such as Bordeaux, should be quickly used. Lime sulphur Is also effective. If young plants are dusted once or twice with common sulphur. 1t generally prevents the disease. Avoid crowding plants Is another measure of control.
 Enemies to Eggplant
 The eggplant doesn't have as many enemies as some other garden plants, but those that do bother are so troublesome that many consider 1t the hardest plant to protect from insect ruin. Nearly all leaf eating insects are fond of eggplant. and a great many are serious pests to its successful growth. among which Is the pootato bug.
 Leaf eating meets arc easily con- trolled by simply keeping the rlants dusted with most any poison dust. There are two or more serious dis- eases that attack eggplant. and these must be watched for, otherwise . complete failure Is sure. There Is a fungus that attacks the fruit, caus- ing the formation of shallow pits. which sometimes show pinkish blotches. There is another fungus that attacks the foliage. causing the tissues to turn brown, and these dead spots sometimes fall out. causing