HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
United States Department of Agriculture Special Page
Bulletins and Special Articles Issued by the Government, of Interest to the Northwest;
Suggestions Covering a Wide Range of Activities; Results of Federal Investigations, Etc.
8
Remedies for Keeping
White Ant From Timber
THE ravages of the white ant
which, because of its insidious
work in timber and wood structures,
is one of the most destructive insects
of North America, can be limited by
comparatively simple measures, ac
cording to the entomologists of the
United States Department of Agricul
ture. This pest, known scientifically
as the termite, attacks bridge tim
bers, wells, silos, telegraph poles,
bean poles, mine props, fence posts
and railroad ties, and the sudden
crumbling of wharves, caving in of
mines, and the settling in of floors
are sometimes directly due to its hid
den borings.
Some of the recommendations of
the Department's entomologist for
dealing with this pest are as follows
Forest products in contact with the
ground should be impregnated with
coal-tar creosote, which is a perma
nent preventive against attacks by
our native termites. Coal-tar creo
sote has many properties which would
recommend its use in this respect
for it is also a fungicide, and, being
insoluble in water, will not leach out
in wet locations. These require
ments furnish objections to many
chemicals that otherwise are very
effective insecticides.
The various methods of superficial
ly treating timber, as by charring, by
brushing, or by dipping with various
chemical preservatives, among which
are creosotes, carbolineums, etc., have
proven to be temporarily effective, in
preventing attack, if the work is
thoroughly done. If not thoroughly
done, termites enter through the un
treated or imperfectly treated por
tions, especially through weathering
checks and knots. Where the bases
of poles, mine props, etc., are left
untreated, termites enter the timber
from below, and, avoiding the treated
portions, come up through the inter
ior.
Charred timber is effective against
termite attack for a period less than
a year, although it is not seriously
damaged at the end of one year. It
will readily be seen that neither
brushing nor spraying the exterior
after placement, as is sometimes prac
ticed, is effective in keeping out ter
mites, since the portion that sets in
the ground could not be treated, and
it is usually at this point that ter
mite attack occurs.
Before treating timber with chem
ical preservatives, especially where
the brush method is employed, it is
essential that the timber be thor
oughly seasoned, otherwise penetra
tion by the preservative will be re
tarded. Many patented wood preservatives,
advertised as effective against wood
borers, often merely contain simple
preservatives, as for instance, linseed
oil, to which a slight odor of oil of
citronella has been imparted, or con
tain simple poisons. For timber to
be set in the ground, brush coatings
with linseed oil are not effective
against termites.
Impregnation with chlorinated
napthalene may prove effective
against termites, as a preservative
for woodwork, in interior finish
where it is important that the pre
servative should not "sweat" out, or
stain the wood. Treated wood blocks
buried in the ground with termite-infested
logs were not attacked after a
test of nearly six months. Impreg
nation with paraffin wax was not
effective in the bureau of Entomol
ogy's experiments. If the wood is
not in contact with the ground, im
pregnation treatments with bichloride
of mercury and zinc chloride are et
fective. The mercury and zinc in
this form are both soluble in water.
Farming in Hawaii.
The Army Is a most important
factor in the development of diversi
fied farming in Hawaii. This branch
- of our Government uses large quan
tities of corn, eggs, potatoes, poultry
and other products, and the authori
ties are desirous of having the terri
tory develop an independent source
of food supply, as the possibilities
of development along these lines are
very great in these islands. Sudan
grass, sorghum, legumes and other
forage plants have already been
planted by the Department's experi
ment Station in co-operation with the
military post in order to furn!sh
green feed for the horses.
Red and white Bermuda onion seed
are doing well in Hawaii. Eight
acres of onions yielded 32,210 pounds
last year, not counting small onions
of pickling size. "
Co-Operative Marketing
for Hawaiian Pineapple
Jt MARKETING division to assist
pineapple growers has been or
ganized by the TJ. S. Department of
Agriculture's experiment station in
the Hawaiian Islands. Prices which
canners have been offering for pine
apples are less than the cost of pro
duction. The Hawaiian pineapple
grower today has to expend from $12
to $15 per ton to produce his fruit,
whereas the price offered by the can
ners range from $5 to $11 per ton for
first-grade pineapples and one-half
these prices for second-grade prod
ucts. As a result the small grower
Is now seeking a market for his fresh
fruit In the United States. However,
the business of shipping can hardly
be carried on satisfactorily without
organization and it Is to help out in
this connection that the new division
has been organized, according to the
latest report of the Hawaii experi
ment station.
It is also suggested in the report
that better arrangements could be
made if there were a branch of the
marketing division in San Francisco,
which should act as a central office
for fresh pineapple shipments. This
office could undoubtedly prevent the
succession of bare and flooded
markets which has characterized the
previous condition of pineapple ship
ments. The same office could also do val
uable service in handling other
Hawaiian products, such as sweet po
tatoes, onions, bananas, beans, coffee,
cocoanuts and kukui nuts. The last
mentioned product is particularly val
uable on account of its large oil con
tent.
Prune Peaches
ffHEN is the proper time to
Lf prune peach trees?"
This is a question fre
quently asked of the United States
Department of Agriculture's special
ists. In general, the answer is: "Dur
ing the dormant period, preferably
late winter or eariy oynuB, juv ue-
fnro irrnwth starts. This is true ex
cept in regions where bleeding from
wounds is HKely to occur, wnen u
should probably be done in early
Winter." The subject of pruning
peach trees is more fully explained in
a new Farmers' Bulletin (No. 632) on
"Growing Peaches," which deals also
with renewal of tops, thinning, in
torplanted crops and other special
practices.
Somotimes the owner of a peach
orchard will find it necessary to
prune his trees throughout the Win
ter whenever the weather is suitable
for men to work in the orchard, par
ticularly if the operations are very
extensive. But if the fruit buds are
endangered during the Winter by
adverse temperatures, it may be ad
visable to delay pruning as much as
economic conditions permit until set
tled Spring weather arrives. This is
especially advisable if heavy heading,
in of the previous season's growth is
involved, since the proportion of live
buds may determine the extent to
which the cutting back should be
carried. .
Summer Pruning.
A limited amount of Summer prun
ing can usually be done to advantage.
The trees should be observed con
stantly throughout the season of ac
tive growth. Whenever a branch-Is
seen which is so placed that it obvi
ously will need to be removed at the
annual pruning for the shaping up of
the tree, it is well to take it off at
once. In this way the annual prun
ing can be reduced to a minimum and
the removal of large limbs will rarely
be necessary.
Then, too, it frequently happens
that a single branch in the top of a
tree will grow considerably faster
than any of the others, thus making
the tree unsymmetrical if its growth
is not checked. A slight heading In
as soon as such a tendency is appar
ent will usually keep the top well
balanced.
There is a wide difference of opin
ion wen rill ncr thfi nractiee of DrUnlllE
trees, but the most successful fruit
growers usually prune their trees.
The principal objects may be summed
up briefly as follows:
1. To modify the vigor of the tree.
2. To keep the tree shapely and
within bounds.
a Tn mako thfi tro more stockv.
4. To open the tree top to admit
air and sunshine.
Movement Satisfactory
in Cold-Storage Apples
ALTHOUGH dealers generally re
port that the holiday demand for
apples did not. prove to be as ex
pected, the result of Investigations
conducted by the office of markets of
the United States Department of Ag
riculture would indicate that the
movement of cold-storage apples dur
ing the month of December was satis
factory under the conditions.- Three
hundred and six firms reported for
January 1, of which number 231 re
ported for December 1. If the av
erage condition for this number of
storages situated in all parts of the
country is a criterion, approximately
13 per cent of the total cold-storage
holdings December 1 were marketed
prior to January 1. The decrease In
barrel holdings was much greater
than for boxes.
The percentage of movement in
December for box apples was small,
but it Is to be remembered that large
quantities of this pack are held in
common storage In the box apple pro
ducing areas, and that box apples
placed in cold storage under condi
tions existing this year were held
largely for the later Winter markets.
The cold-storage holdings of ap
ples are admittedly large, and a reg
ular, vigorous movement throughout
the remainder of the season may be
necessary to prevent disaster in the
Spring. Growers and dealers ;are
urged neither to dump their holdings
nor to stand tor arbitrarily nign
prices. Panicky selling usually means
erlef. but all concerned should Beek
to move cold-storage apples gradu
ally and with such rapidity as the
market allows, so that tne deal may
be wound up in relatively good shape.
in Early Spring
6. To reduce the struggle for ex
istence in the tree top.
6. To remove dead or interfering
branches.
7. To aid In stimulating the devel
opment of fruit buds.
8. To thin the fruit.
9. To make thorough spraying pos
sible.
10. To facilitate the harvesting of
the fruit.
Pruning and the Future.
Obviously the pruning which a tree
receives during the first two or three
years after it is planted has much to
do with Its future. Mistakes in form
ing the head or the results of neglect
during the early years In the life of
a tree are practically Irreparable. On
the other hand, if the tree Is well
formed and properly pruned during
its first years, the foundation for a
good tree is established; subseqeunt
errors in pruning, If they occur, may
admit of correction without perma
nent harm to the tree.
The new bulletin explains why in
certain regions where warm periods
of considerable length occur during
the Winter, It Is well to prolong the
growth of trees until late every sea
son. I he rest period during which
trees generally remain dormant is
one which is fairly decided by Na
ture. Until that period is past, when
once the trees have become dormant
they do not respond readily to tem
peratures which later would cause
them to resume a more or less active
condition.
If the growth of the tree Is con
tinued actively until the near ap
proach of cold weather each season by
means of late tillage, nitrogenous
fertilizers, or in other ways, the per
iod of rest for the tree will not be
completed until a later time in the
Winter. Then if a spell of warm
weather occurs in January, for in
stance, the tree which would ordinar
ily respond to It, will remain Inactive
until many of the dangers of frost
have passed.
A great many practical pointers on
renewing the tops of peach trees,
changing the top by budding and
grafting, thinning the fruit, control
ling insect pests, and on growing
some annual crop in between the
trees, are Included In the new bulle
tin. This, along with another Farm
ers' Bulletin (No. 631) covers the
general subject of peach growing and
treats of fundamental orchard opera
tions. A third Farmers' Bulletin
(No. 633) will deal with the varie
ties and classification of peaches, any
of these publications may be obtained
by interested farmers who apply to
the editor and chief, Division of Pub
lications, United States Department
ol Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Birds Useful; Destroy
Insects and Weed Seeds
HOW birds which destroy harmful
Insects and weed seeds may be
useful to the farmer is described in
a new Farmers' Bulletin (No. 630)
of the United States Department o
Agriculture, entitled "Some Common
Birds Useful to the Farmer."
Whether a bird is beneficial or in
jurious depends almost entirely on
what it eats, says the introduction to
the new bulletin. In the case of spe
cies which are very abundant, or
which feed to some extent on the
crops of the farmer, the question of
their average diet becomes one of
supreme, importance, and only by
stomach examination can it be satis
factorily solved.
Field observations are at best but .
fragmentary and inconclusive and
lead to no final results. Birds are
often accused of eating this or that
product of cultivation, when an ex
amination of the stomachs shows the
accusation to be unfounded. Ac
cordingly, the biological survey has
conducted for some years past a sys
tematic investigation of the food ot
those species which are most com
mon about the farm and garden.
Within certain limits birds eat the
kind of food that Is most accessible.
especially when their natural food Is
scarce or wanting. Thus they some
times Injure the crops of the farmer
who has unintentionally destroyed
their natural food In his Improvement
of swamp or pasture. Most of the
damage done by birds and complained
of my farmers and fruit growers
arises from this very cause. The
berry-bearing shrubs and seed-bear
ing weeds have been cleared away,
and the birds have no recourse but
to Ettack the cultivated grain or
fruit which have replaced their nat
ural food supply.
The great majority of land birds
subsist upon insects during the period
of nesting and moulting, and also
feed their young upon them during
the first few weeks. Many species
live almost entirely upon insects,
taking vegetable food only when
other subsistence fails. It is thus
evident that in the course of a year
birds destroy an incalcuable number
of Insects, and It is difficult to over
estimate the value of their services
in restraining the great tide of insect
life.
In Winter, In the northern part of
the country, Insects become scarce or
entirely disappear. Many species of
birds, however, remain during the
cold season and are able to maintain
life by eating vegetablo food, as the
seeds of weeds. Here again is an
other useful function of birds in de
stroying these weed seeds and there
by lessening the growth of the next
year.
Tho new publication discusses the
food habits of more than 50 birds be
longing to 12 families. Many are
eastern forms which are represented
in the West by slightly different
species or subspecies, but unless the
food habits differ they are not sep
arately described. Among the pop
ular birds included are the robin,
bluebird, wren, brown thrasher, cat
bird, bobolink, oriole, crow, cuckoo,
and the American sparrow.
Okru Klght Foot High.
An American variety of okra
which has nllulned a height of from
7 to 8 feet has been grown on heavy
clay soli n our little possession of
Guam, fa.' out on the Pacific. This
variety Is called White Velvet, and
the Department's experiment station
In Guam expects much of this va
riety. ,
A great number of American vege
tables have been found to grow eas
ily in Guam, including cucumbers,
lettuce, radishes and beans. Egg
plant produces heavy yields of ex
cellent quality. One variety intro
duced with Buccess has been the New
York Improved Spineless. The pep
per Is also produced with the great
est ease and is much relished by the
natives. For five years special at
tention has been given to growing
the tomato in Guam, but until this
year all efforts have failed. During
the past season, however, a number
of tomatoes were produced, which,
although very small, were mild and
Bavory and should prove prolific. In
sect enemies have so far been very
easily controlled in the case of prac
tically all these vegetables.
"When we reach our last dollar we
earnestly wish that all the others
had been as big as It looks.