The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-07

Nothlng can be done Tor holding back
outdoor planted bulbs. Applying a
top dressing of loose soil will help
some.
Q. sowed English rye grass IN
October and it is now growing fine
but my soil is poor and 1 want to
top dress now with some fertilizer
What would you recommend and how
much on space 75xl00? G. 3.
A 1t would be good business to top
dress with bone meal this month. l
would purchase 100 pounds, apply 80
pounds broadcast now and the bal
ance. say in March. In addition, you
might use in March or April an APP
plication of some complete CONNER
cial fertilizer of a more stimulating
CT aracter or such material as cotton
seed meal or a little nitrate of soda.
Feed the lawn if you expect 1t to do
well.
O. Can you tell me what is meant
by cruciferous plant? +. S.
A. 1t refers to family of plants
which have four petals arranged
like the arms of cross. Mustard,
turnip and radish are well known
examples. The word itself means
bearing a cross.
@. Will strawberries set out this
j. j.. Vincent. Ala.
A. They will bear some fruit il
plants are good, properly put out and
intensely cultivated. If runners are
kept removed for a time they will
likely produce more. See letter.
O. Will you please publish in The
A ge- Herald the rule to find out the
number of. plants required for an
acre when the distance apart is
known? j. s.. Hartselle, Ala.
A. Multiply the distance in feet
between the rows by the distance
plants are to be in drill and divide
into 1850, the square feet to an
acre.. and the result is the correct
number of plants. For example, sup
pose, plants are to be set feet apart
in drills in rows that are feet
apart You multiply SKIS and di-
vide into 1850, the product would
be 1910. the number of plants on
an acre at such distance.
Q. Which are the best summer
pears? | don't want the coarse
fleshed or preserving pears? Mrs. s.,
Lincoln, Ala.
A. Three good so-called summer
pears, for eating quality, are
Early Harvest, lie Conte and Sickel.
The latter variety is a small, juicy
pear, ripens in August, tree OF slow
growth and never gets very large.
@. want a large, dark purple
plum that natures late. think 1t
is called the Damson. Is this cor
rect Mrs. s., Warrior, Ala.
A. You probably refer to the old
fashioned blue Damson. There is an
improvement of this sort. known as
Shropshire Damson, that natures in
August and is particularly desirable
for preserving.
@. am told that there is an Ell
berta peach that is not bitter or has
that iron or pickering taste that is
often present in many of tile fruit
we buy. Do you know anything of
this? l.. F., Oneonta, Ala.
A. There is an early type of Ell
berta that is free from bitterness.
1t is much like regular liberia. only
the seed is smaller and il ripens a
week or more earlier. There is an
other peach known as J. H. Hale that
resembled liberia, only little later.
yellow fleshed and very fine.
@. / have a grove of two or three
acres with no underground, but mos.
too much shade for Bermuda grass to
grow. l want to break it up the
best / can and SOW to some perma
nent grasses for moderate grazing.
but mostly for show. Please recon-
mend something. j. s., Decatur, Ala.
A. 1 would. suggest the following
mixture for each acre: Orchard
grass, IA lbs; red top, 5 pounds: Eng
lish rye, 10 lbs. Alsike clover.
pounds. This mixture will give
prompt and permanent results and
should prove satisfactory. Such a
mixture cost 81 to IS per acre. de-
spending on quality of seed.
@. Which is the most dependable
variety of early big boil cotton to
plant in this section? A. W., Clan
ton. Ala.
A.. Cooks and Clevelands are both
standard and dependable sorts and
are probably better than many other
widely advertisedt new and wonder
full sorts. 1t is important, of course.
to secure good strains of these stand
ard sorts.
Q. In making lazy. bed for grow
ing Irish potatoes. which variety do
you consider the most suitable? c.
", r. f. D. 9.
A. Variety don't make so much
difference. The Triumph. Cobbler
or Early Rose would answer.
Q. Can sweet peas be grown in pots
like other flowers? Miss b., Ensley,
Ala.
A. Certainly they can, providing
tae vessel be large enough. This is a
popular way of growing them in
England. The vessel should be large
enough to hold sufficient good, rich
dirt to accommodate their vigorous
and deep root system. From one to
= half hozen plants might be grown