The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-01

the plants are worked. they will pro- ceed to make their normal growth. An application of a tablespoonful of nitrate of soda right now would hasten growth.
 O. My mustard has all shot up to seed. If l plant again right away will the same thing happen?- w. l.. Monte vallo, Ala.
 A. Hot weather induces mustard to shoot to seed and second planting made now might soon do the same, but the same mustard planted 4 to weeks later will not produce seed this season.
 o. My velvet beans came up to poor stand. Would you recommend that the missing hills be replanted or would peas do to plant in the skips? -C. NJ, Dadeville, Ala.
 A. It would be diserable to replant velvet beans or peas could be used. If you have velvet bean plant every 3 or feet apart they will soon cover the ground.
 Q. What is the best treatment to give begonias to keep them fresh look ing and to produce the greatest amount of blooms? Mine sure need some- thing.-Mrs. s.
 A. This is rather big order be- cause all begonias might not succeed equally we'll under the same treatment. The chief factor, however, is the spray ing or washing of the plants at regular intervals to keep off insect enemies and prevent the accumulation of dust. More information is needed.
 0. 1 have about an acre in Irish potatoes that I expect to market soon and then use the same ground for sweet potatoes. Do you think it necessary to apply more fertilizer and had l better use slips or vine cuttings? -J. R., Warrior, Ala.
 A. If Irish potatoes were well fer tilzed an additional quantity is hardly necessary, not very much at least. Slips if good size are generally pre- ferred, but if delayed much longer, cut tings would produce the best crop.
 Q. My Shosta daisies have made large plants but no blooms. Could I apply anything to bring them to flow er2-Miss F., Gadsden, Ala.
 A. It is really too early to expect Shosta daisies in bloom. I could not recommend any safe remedy to force them. Frequent working is about the best medicine for them.
 Q. Which would you prefer to plant in young peach orchard, the soy bean or cowpeas?-S. T., Oneonta, Ala.
 A. Either one would serve the pur- pose, but one should remember that soy beans are much later than cowpeas and if sowing must be delayed until late the cowpeas would be preferred.
 Q. My asters were failure last year due I think to some sort of rust or disease because bugs or insects did not seem to bother. I am trying again and ask that you suggest help?-Mrs. G., Tuscaloosa, Ala.
 A. Very likely, it was the rust, but other things may contribute, such as root lice or some aphide that suck the foliage. The spraying of plants with limesulphur is generally effective or the dusting with some insecticide con- taining tobacco, sulphur, lime, arsen- ate of lead or Bordeaux powder. See special letter.
 Q. There is some preparation that you put on weeds to kill them. What is it?-Mrs. D., R. F. D. l.
 A. Several commercial weed killers may be purchased at seed stores and all are effective when directions are fol- lowed. A concentrated solution of con- mon copperas will do the work.
 Q. Do weevils that are in the plant ing seed of cowpeas injure the result ing crop? W. S., Boaz, Ala.
 A. They certainly do and where seed stock is infested it will pay one to fumigate with bisulphide of carbon to destroy the weevil before planting the seed. See special letter on the subject.
 Q. I have one piece of early corn that will be plowed the last time in a few days that I would like to SOW in crimson clover with seed that I had left over from last fall. Do you think the plan would be a success? H. H., Ala.
 A. I think it very doubtful, al- though the shade of the corn would help the clover through the hot periods. August is about as early as crimson clover can ordinarily be planted with any degree of success.
 Q. What can you recommend to plant now to produce chicken feed for winter feeding? F. H., Centersville, Ala.
 A. Outside of corn, always desirable, such plants as feterita, kaffir corn, milo maize and sunflower are especial ly we'll adapted. Some of these, as the grains, may be planted on up to as late as July. A little later, such plants as rape, oats, wheat, rye and barley may be sOwn for winter green food.
 Q. What causes my snap beans to shed either blooms or fail to produce fruit? Many of the plants look sick, although I fertilized we'll I want to plant more if possible to succeed. T. N, TallapOosa, Ga.
 A. The most frequent cause of beans shedding their blooms without fruiting is over fertilizer, particularly with com mercial fertilizers. Lack of thorough land preparation and poor drainage is another frequent cause.
 Q. My hanging baskets rust out badly and the dirt soon pushes through the wire and the whole becomes un- slightly. Could you suggest remedy? Mrs. G., Decatur, Ala.
 A. Before filling the baskets give them an extra heavy coating of paint. When you fill the basket, place heavy burlapping next to the wire and let the dirt be filled inside or against the bur lap. This reinforces the baskets, pre- vents them from becoming shot full of unsightly holes and prolongs life.
 Q. Can sunflower stalks be made to support pole beans successfully! Miss R.. Eutaw, Ala.
 A. They certainly can, only the sunflOwer should be given sufficient dis tance to accommodate the beans.
 Questions and Answers
 (Q) 1 have been told that nitra,e of soda will keep the bugs eff of squashes and cucumbers. If this is so tell us how to use it? Mrs. C., Jasper, Ala.
 (A) Nitrate of soda or any com mercial fertilizer does help some. A tnhIasnnnnfi1I n nnnld he nnnliad rnund