The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-03
QUALITY OF SEED IS
 MOST IMPORTANT IN
 GROWING OF POTATO
McVay Says Don't ,Starve YJAr Plants. and Amateurs Should Not Take Too Seriously
 Beautiful Seed Catalogue Pictures <

wise that there is no cure for it. These infected plants should be dug up and burned. You probably could not iden- tify them now and may have to wait for growth before proceeding. In the meantime would spray with Bordeaux mixture now and as soon as foliage be- gins to show up, would spray with limesulphur and repeat once or twice at 3O-day intervals. See special letter on the subject. @
 O.. have quite flock of thorough bred chickens that get all the feed they can eat, but not single egg for some time. What can I do? Mrs. S., Ems ley, Alabama.
 A. No one could tell you the posi- tive answer. Try cutting down the feed and include in their daily rations some meat scrap, available at seed stores. Give them some ground alfalfa and a, medicine called Way Lay.
 Q. Do you think crimson clover sown now with oats would likely prove a success? H. w., Talladega.
 A. I would not recommend crimson clover sown alone, but if put in with oats, there is splendid chance for sue cess. See bulletin mailed you for fur ther information on the subject.
 Q. How do you get a start of the bulbous or tuberous rooted begonias or had I better buy plants? Mrs. G., Anniston, Ala.
 A. You can buy tubers readily and of many sorts and you can grow from seed, but seed are rather difficult for the amateur. You can, of course, buy growing plants in great variety.
 o. My palms seem to make no growth but just stand still. What would you advise me to do? I have had some of them five or ten years and they seem healthy, but no growth. Mrs. J., Sheffield, Ala.
 A. They are doubtless starving for food. I would carefully remove as much of the top soil as I could with out disturbing the roots and then fill in with rich loamy soil to which might be added moderate amount of well rooted COW manure. Many plants suf- fer in the same way <
 Q. I have some gardenia plants that have kept in the house during the winter and l notice that the plants are infested with little white bug and there is a lot of this whitish looking powder on the twigs. What is this trouble and what must do? Mrs. J. T.
 A. This pest is known as mealy-bug, is common to green houses, attacks many plants and is hard to get rid of On hard wood plants, good plan is to set the plant in the yard and turn the hose on with full pressure. This washes stem off and if repeated at weekly intervals generally proves ef- fective. Kerosene oil emulsion on whale socp properly sprayed on the plants at intervals is also good. The insect is sucking one, so the ordinary insectides for eating bugs would do no good. lO
 A. Is it time now to ferfilize my hydrangeas? Mrs. L., Decatur, Ala.
 A. It is little early stimulate them much to induce growth as you may have some severe weather yet to contend with. It would probably be best in your section to wait until about the last of February and then work around them good and apply some we'll routed manure. q.
 Q. l notice where it is said that kainit is valuable fertilizer for roses. When should this material be supplied and how much? c. w., Gadsden, Ala.
 A. Kainit, low grade potash salt, 10 hoI Vniy fdAudDAe us u Iertliizer, but 1t must be used with caution. About one pound to rose bed, 5Ox20 or 100 square feet, is sufficient. The ma terial is coarse and often lumpy and should be broken up. It would be best to broadcast the material. For indi- vidual plants, about a tablespoonful might be used, but distribute round about and not against the plant.
 Q. A lady in Gadsden told me that she used mellosoil in her flower beds to great effect. Do you know about this and where it may be obtained !? Mrs. S., Guntersville, Ala. .-.
 A. Mellosoil is a form of carbonate Of lime orA mixture of pure carbon ate of lime and other ingredients. It is not ordinary burnt lime and can be freely applied without danger to any plant. It is largely used to mix in with commercial fertilizers to prevent burning. See letter.