1867. To Kill Docks, Dandelions, etc

1867.   To Kill Docks, Dandelions, etc. Cut the tops off in the spring or summer time, and pour some gas-tar, or sprinkle some salt on the wound. Either of these will kill the root, by eating to the very extremity.

1868. To Destroy Burdocks

1868.      To Destroy Burdocks. Cut close to the ground with a sharp hoe, and apply a few drops of kerosene. The plant so' treated will never appear again.

1869. To Prevent the Growth of Weeds in Garden Walks

1869.      To Prevent the Growth of Weeds in Garden Walks. A weak solution of carbolic acid applied with a watering-pot to garden walks will be an effectual mode of preventing the growth of weeds. The solution should not be stronger than 1 part pure carbolic acid to 1000 to 2000 parts water. Pure carbolic acid is a virulent poison. When applied in too strong a solution, larger plants may suffer; very weak solutions destroy only very small plants and animals, as parasites, miasma. Even flies and mosquitoes avoid its odor and may be driven away by it.

1870. To Destroy Thistles, Grass, and Weeds, in Gravel Walks

1870.     To Destroy Thistles, Grass, and Weeds, in Gravel Walks. Sow coarse salt upon the plants; the thistles should be first cut to the ground, and the fresh roots be covered with the salt. The refuse article from the beef, pork, or salt fish barrel is quite good enough, and may be employed for this purpose.

1871. Cleanliness for Plants

1871. Cleanliness for Plants. Frequently the cause of the languidness of plants in rooms, arises from want of care in cleansing the leaves. Plants breathe by their leaves, which should be kept perfectly clean, otherwise their respiration is interfered with. The mere watering of the roots is not enough. Plants also perspire by their leaves, and any accumulation of dirt and dust retards this useful function. Plants also feed by their leaves, by absorbing the carbonic acid of the atmosphere; and, to speak familiarly, dirt destroys both their appetite and digestion. Let any one examine a sickly plant, long kept in a sitting-room, or draw a piece of white linen or leather over the surface of the leaves, and he will probably discover the cause of the plant's drooping.

1872. To Keep Cucumbers Fresh

1872.      To Keep Cucumbers Fresh. "When the cucumbers are at their best they should be cut, and laid in a box made just to fit them, and then bury the box in some dry sand, covering it over to the depth of a foot. There should not be any hay or moss put with them in the box, as it will cause them to turn yellow. If laid in the box without hay or moss, their color and bloom may be preserved for two weeks to look as fresh as the day they were cut. Melons may also be kept in the same way.

1873. To Cure Gumming in Fruit Trees

1873.     To Cure Gumming in Fruit Trees. The place where the gum accumulates should bo well washed and cleaned, and then stopped well up with a paste made of horse-dung, clay and tar. This will prevent the accumulation of the gum, and will assist the wound in healing over.