The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-03
MODERN SEED CATALOG


 MODERN SEED CATALOG
 People should not take the modern seed catalog too seriously because a great many Of the illustrations are rank fakes and bear little resemblance to the average natural fruit or plant. It is but natural that the seedsman or nurseryman, when having a speciman photographed, will select the finest he can get hold of, but the finest don't represent the average by any means. The cut is made, of course, to attract trade and as many. buyers are alto gether influenced by pictures, there is often great disappointment by the planter in the resulting crops. For example you may see cucumber of a standard sort that in most cases won't grow more than six to nine inches long, yet you will see specimen top ping three-foot rule in some catalog cut, The cut gives the buyer the idea that if he purchases his seed from that particular firm, he will produce cu- cumbers three feet long. It must be said, though, that the majority of seed houses make little or no effort what ever to put any fakes in their catalogs. They are often more honest than their
 
 unreasonable and often fraudulent claims little salt on most of them would not hurt. ? QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Q. I started moving some rather large roses the other day and notice a lot of knots and swellings on some of the roots. Is this a disease and could anything be done? Mrs. A., Alexander City, Ala.
 A. They are evidently affected with root gals, caused by the attack of eel worms, a microscopical worm that at pest is what causes our tomatoes to die. Plants should be taken up and these gals cut away completely. There deaux mixture and little arsenate of lime, if worked into the. soil before setting out, is said to be q great help See special letter.
 Q. There are numerous little bugs continually eating at my house plants and am told that arsenic would kill them, but I am afraid of arsenic. Some say hellebore is good. Tell me what to do and how to apply remedy |? Mrs. H. Sylacauga, Ala.
 A. Hellebore is gool and can be di- luted with five times it's weight of finely sifted air slacked lime and dpsted lightly over the plants or you may use a teaspoonful of hellebore to gallon of water and spray the plants
 Q. I am interested in soy beans and have been reading about a new sort called New Lanedo. Have you ever made any tests of this variety and how does it compare with others? S., Columbus, Ga.
 A. don't know anything about this variety except what I have read. un- derstand that in some respects it is much like the O-too-tan, but is said to be little earlier and larger producer of both hay and seed
 Q. I have large bed of the elephant ear that has become too thick. Would it be all right to dig them up now and transplant? Mrs. T.
 A. Yes, you may dig them up now and store them in some place where they won't freeze. Let them dry off for about month, then select good sound bulbs for resetting.
 Q. I am from the north and would like to know how soon l can plant corn this far south! c. J., R. F. D., Ems ley, Alabama.
 A. This is hard to answer as our seasons vary so greatly from year to year, but the last of February is about the earliest for the Birmingham dis trict.
 o. What is the best fern to buy where IL must remain mostly in the house? Miss E.. Woodlawn, Ala.
 A. According to my notion the con- mon Sword fern is the most desirable and also the most graceful and beauti- ful. It is different from the Boston fern, although there are a large num- Der of sorts that generally go under the name of Boston.
 Q. l have large quantity of corn, badly infested with weevil. Could this be sold for chicken feed? I have heard that the weevil would kill the chick ens.. H. J., Eufaula, Ala.
 A. l don't think there would be any danger to grown birds. The best way to utilize such corn would be to grind 1t and sell either for hog or poultry feed.
 Q. l want to try to grow some garlic for my own use. Will the dry bulbs we see for sale do to plantf Mrs. K, Wylam, Ala.
 A. les, you can put out the bulbs like onion sets; only give them a little more distance. The main factor is rich soil and frequent cultivation.
 Q. Last year my raspberries did fairly well, but now and then a plant seems to become rusty, the leaves would be smaller than others and no fruit would appear on such plants. What would you advise me to do? Mrs. C., Florence, Ala.
 A. From your letter in detail, am nuifp Sura inc nartic1,Iar u1ontS man