Show ln Your bij 61 O fJ S l r tt I SAVE ALL WOOD voon ASHES During the winter many families burn logs Inthe in the fireplace and often in country districts wood is also burned in in inthe the cook stove Tho The resulting re rc- rc suIting ashes should always bo be re religiously religiously religiously re- re saved if you have havo a garden for in them you have a fertilizer which is especially specially rich in in potash one of ot the chief ingredients in plant food Of course these wood ashes ashes' must be be stored in a dry place until the garden se season season season-or or on-or or more properly the tho season of or active e growth growth begins begins for by using them now most of ot their nutritive ve properties w would be lost But when the Je leaves ves of ot the r rose rosebushes rosebushes se bushes are are starting to uno unfold d a handful of the wood ashes may be placed aro around nd each bush and scratched into the soil Boil with a hand fork tork Similarly they may be bo given to dahlias s as growth be becomes omes active to chrysanthemums and to other choice plants One of the principal results in using these ashes is a hardening of or stems of any plants to which they are arc applied They strengthen the tissues and so may prevent some of the diseases which otherwise attack attack at at- tack a weak and puny plant Some experts believe that by using wood ashes around annual asters that dreaded and little understood pes pest aster wilt may be frightened away On the same principal troubles which sometimes befall the choicer varieties varieties' of f delphinium will no doubt be lessened through use uso of at wood ashes Coal ashes also havo have their uses in the garden Here there is lis little if any fertilizing value and the ashes are arc best piled in the tho yard and exposed to the tho snow or rain until Until until un- un un Un- til the thc ground is is' in condition for tor digging By th that t time the ashes will have been freed treed of any injurious chemicals which might have been present and will be in In- excellent l b condition tor for use If you possess heavy clay in your i garden ashes are fine fino for lor using as asa a lightener of the soil soU They break breakup breakup breakup up ti the too cohesive clods assist in III aerating the earth and also because because because be be- cause they lighten it make It a warmer soil soli All sandy soils warm up up earlier in iii spring than heavy clay ones do and coal ashes are a che cheap p and good substitute for tor sand Ashes used as az as' as asa a mulch while not nol always sightly still have their uses They rhey will viii discourage e lu s. s which are arc present in damp places often orten hiding beneath Atones in m the toe rock Harden garden but they do not flower They are arc tall and healthy looking with goo good green leaves but I wish you could coul tell me rae how to make them bloomI bloom I read and enjoy your column ever every night Ans I wonder if you give your plants too mu much h water or if it you ou have them in too large pots Geraniums Gera- Gera flower best when slightly pot pot- bound and they prefer being kept kep rather dry If these thesa are arc not the causes of failure your plants are perhaps in need of a. a little stimulant Try a commercial fertilizer use used according to o directions on the con con- tamer |