NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1651, 21 October 1903, Page 66 (Supplement)

NOTES

Value of Earthworms. —Earthworms are! valuable aids to the farmer, as they work over a good, deal of soil. Every time a worm ,is driven by dry weather, or any other cause, to descend deep, it brings to the surfabet, when it empties the contents of its body, a few particles of fresh earth. At the same time it fertilises the subsoil by opening up passages, which enable the roots of plants to penetrate deeper, these passages being lined with excreted matter, which provides a store of nourishment for the roots. On meadow land Darwin found these worm-casts to amount annually to 18 tons an acre, and on good arable land to about ten tons. „ _ *■*■»**• /in English gentleman. Mr W. Horne, of Cliffe, has studied! the life history of the codlin moth for many years, and lie now states that within the last few months he has found a remsdr for this pest, Avhich, it is hoped, will be better and cheaper than the spraying and bandaging of the trees. To Sharpen a Hoe. —In sharpening a lioe. the filing should al'l be done on the inside of the bladte, thus leaving it perfectly flat on the lower side where it first strikes. If filed o*n the outside of the blade, or filed on both sides, and made wedge-shaped, the hoe will have a tendency to bounce or push out of the ground at each stroke. This will be particularly noticeable in hard ground or on striking a clod l . Don’t spoil a good .hoe by filing on the outer edge, because it is handier. By the way, at good, sharp hoe wiU save a good deal of muscle in the course of a day, particularly if it is kept bright so it will “scour.” * * * * » © Band to raise good potatoes should be high and dry. It should be light and porous to a considerable depth so as to be not only in good condition in the immediate surrounding of the tuber, but also l at least to depth of entire root system of the plant. Always secure a-sunny exposure, as air and sunshine are very potent factors in producing health and vigour necessary to continuous and rapid growth. We prefer an eastern exposure, for while it receives the full benefit of the sun from earliest, morn t<r late in the day, yet escapes the burning and blighting effects of the afternoon sun. All the necessary soil conditions and plant food supply for the potato crop can bo secured by ploughing under a crop of clover and planting to corn for one year in order to bring the soil into proper tilth. **■#«»© A carrespondent of a London daily paper has raised the interesting question as to whether flowers, both as plants and when cut, are injurious to health when standing in sleeping rooms. What is amusing in relation to the subject is the writer's declaration that earlier death would be preferable to life without them. But whilst tradition asserts that flowers arc harmful to the inhabitants of sleeping rooms if left in them 'during the night, absolute proof of finch harm resulting seems wanting. Probably strongi-soented flowers in a close, stuffy chamber all night would be very unpleasant, but the fault is in using strong-scented flowers and imperfect ventilation.