The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-13
F ruits- A nd Vegetables
 Good Health Insurance
McVay Says Only Premium You Pay Is Little F Work In Home Garden

what I can do to kill them out. Mrs. R., East Lake, Ala.
 A. This species of ants have their home in decaying wood. Hunt out their nests and spray with kerosene oil, crude creosote, carbelic acid or any caustic solution. o. Last season I saw some wonder full Towering plants called the giant spider plant. Can you tell me if these plants are grown from the seed or must one buy plants? Mrs. H., Russell vile, Ala. .-
 A. Cleome. known as spider flower and spider plant, is an annual easily grown from seed and will grow from-4 to 6 feet high, depending on the soil. The plants bloom from June on through summer and fall. The flowers are changeable in color, white, purple and pink. s. c. How tall should sweet peas be before it is necessary to stick them and can they be grown without stalking up! Mrs. L., Florence, Ala.
 A. Supports for sweet peas should be provided promptly before they begin to branch and run on the ground be- cause then one can more easily train to supports. Sweet peas of the tall types cannot be successfully grown when all lowed to sprawl around on the ground, for the reason that the vines soon rot and quit blooming under such condi- tions.
 Q. Would lespedeza or Japan clover grow tall enough with us to cut for hay and when should it be cut for such purposes? A. w.. Ketlyton. Ala.
 A. Lespedeza will grow tall enough to cut for hay in any of the gulf states, providing one has suitable soil, which should not only be naturally fertile but reasonably deep. While it does grow on very poor land it takes deep, rich soil to make it a profitable hay crop. The plant should not be cut before it has dropped sufficient matured seed to insure or perpetuate stand. This period generally arrives in late summer or early fall.
 o. I am going to try crop of pea nuts because I can utilize the hay for live stock but mean to sell the nuts as a cash crop. Now, what variety do you think would best serve my pur- poses? P. F., Childersburg, Ala.
 A, I am inclined to think that the ordinary Spanish would answer. There are several types of the Spanish va riety, some larger than others, then some have red skins. while others are [ white. The type of Spanish would de- pend somewhat on the buyer to whom you expect to sell to. There are sev- eral large varieties you might experi- ment with. The peanut of commerce so largely used for parching is the large common white Virginia, but there are some large types of red skin that are popular in some sections.
 Q. A number of my ferns were in jured by the cold weather, some of the fnonds are killed almost to the roots while others are injured only slightly. What is the best thing to do for them to bring back to vigorous growth? Mrs. H., Gadsden, Ala.
 A. Such ferns as the Boston and re- lated species should be cut back to near the crown and while you are doing this, in case it has been two or more years since the soil was changed you might repot in good virgin soil, such as woods earth, leaf mold and provide good drain age through the admixture of 20 to 2t per cent of sand and through the plac. ing of handful or less of gravel in the bottom of the pot.
 good stand but the plants don't have a healthy color, being too pale. Is this condition due to cold wea ther or some disease and what should be done? G., Hanceville. Ala.
 A. It is very unlikely that the cold weather had had anything to do with it. GuIx n6 nlA du ba ,ieyb4 cause such a condition but the trou- by disease and the planting seed gen. erally carries the trouble. It could be form of blight in which the seed was not contributing factor. The prompt spraying with Bordeaux mixture is recommended and the application should be repeated once or twice at 15-day in tervals.
 Q. Is it possible to start such tender vegetables as squash, okra and cucum- bers in frames and afterwards trans plant to open ground? T. S., Tuscum- bia, Ala.
 A. Yes this is frequently done. The seed should be planted in small flower pots or one can use paper pots and ire quently strawberry boxes are used. This makes transplanting easy without disturbing the roots. One cannot sue ceed very we'll when transplanting is attempted from the natural ground. Some practice the planting of such seed on the dirt side of thick piece of turf and when plants are ready the turf is taken up with plant and all trans planted together.
 Q. In putting out California privet now, is it necessary to remove any fo- liage present and cut off the tops? E. R., Woodward, Ala.
 A. The plants ought to be cut back to t or 8 inches of the ground, dis tance depending on size and formation. This will get rid of the foliage, al- Alo foI