The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-21

MIS-.
A. As matter of fact phosphoric
acid is the big factor in reproduction
of any fruit. The amount necessary
depends on the age of the plant. or
16 per cent acid phosphate, there
should be used as much as one pound
to each year of age of plant ana
where soil is poor, as much as two
pounds is recommended. Scatter
round about the tree, no closer than
one foot or more and scratch or
work into the soil. There Is no
fixed rule in fertilizing fruit trees
with commercial fertilizers, all de-
pending on localized conditions. Tell
us your troubles. We can help you.
Q. Which is the cheapest fertilizer
to use for general garden purposes!
Mrs. d. l..
A. There is nothing definite to
name in fertilizers. The analysis
would have to be definitely known
and the price asked for same before
any authority could say whether the
price was reasonable or not. The
cheapest fertilizer may be like the
cheapest clothes, that is, cheap in
price but very expensive in practicai
use. The gardener is generally
better off when he buys high grade
complete fertilizer. Cheap fertilizer
like most cheap commodities are
rarely worth what you pay for them
Q. expect to plant English peas
this week and write to know what
remedy 1 should get to keep the little
green bugs off them as last year the
bugs destroyed them? r. X, Jasper,
Ala.
A. The little green bug you refer
to must be the pea aphis or green
pea louise These are not hard to
AAe faC in
busting with ordinary tobacco dust
will check moderate attacks. There
are numbers of prepared remedies on
the market recommended for THIS
trouble and all good. The most effec-
tive is probably nicotine dust, a con
centrated tobacco product tnat
should be sprayed or dusHd on the
vines at the first sign of the trouble.
These bugs are very destructive also
to sweet peas.
of flowers, mostly for my own pleas
IRE. but | sell what 1 can. Could
nlant gladiolus now and force them
into bloom in time to sell at good
price? Miss j.
A. 1t is profitable to force glad
ioli and no great amount of heat is
required. They will thrive and make
rapid growth in temperature OF
so degrees They can be grown IN
ordinary flower pots, using about
three or four bulbs to a six-inch pot.
They don't have to be planted deep
in forcing. Boxes with five inches or
good soil is quite enough dirt. There
are many inexpensive commercial
varieties costing only 80 to 70 cents
per dozen, some of which are actually
better than many fancy sorts ad-
sipola
bulb. The cheap sorts include such
fine varieties as America. Chicago
White, Panama, HALEY, Schwaben
and Pendleton.
Q. am mailing you circular OF
pecans advertised as paper shells. The
price of these. as you will notice,
Is only about half the price of other
standard nurseries. Do you suppose
they could be genuine at the price
asked? Mrs. H., Decatur, Ala.
A. The price is cheap and the
stock may be budded or grated.
would suggest that you investigate
fully before buying.
@. What percentage of vitality
should good seed corn be? Is there
any accepted standard for the vital
ity of any commercial seed? r. A.
Albany, Ala.
A. Some few states do set up
standard of vitality that seed must
conform to- Seed corn Is usually set
down as 80 per cent. But arbitrary
standards are difficult to maintain or
enforce because frequently unfavor-
able seasons contribute so greatly
to reduce vitality that most all seed
produced in one locality or state
would fall far below standards de-
manded thus causing big losses to
both seed producers and sellers. In
great many cases, seed of low vital
ity must be planted because there
are no others to be had.
@. A friend sent me a fine collec-
ton of cannas and gladioli.- Would
it be too soon, you think. to go
ahead and plant them out now? Miss
s.. Fairfield, Ala.
A. 1t is rather early but cannas
are so hardy that it is perfectly safe
to plant them most any time. Glad
iolus should be set five or six inches
deep and it is not Likely that they
would come up soon enough to get
hurt.
Q. read in a college bulletin
about the value of ammoniacal solu-
ton of copper carbonate as . fun