Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/255

 fruit trees, guano mixed with water just sufficient to colour it. For ivies use warm water, no manure. Pinks, a little lime water now and then. Roses are improved by powdered charcoal; it will also hasten flowering plants. Very little stimulating manure should be given to begonias or geraniums.

Grafting wax is very often made of tallow, bees' wax, and resin in equal parts. Another authority says three parts bees' wax and resin, and two parts tallow.

Test all seeds before buying if possible, by placing a spoonful or so in a saucer with a little warm water to soak over night, pour off in the morning and put the saucer in the sun, at night pour more water on and again pour it off in the morning. Repeat this process till the seeds burst and sprout, then by the proportion that have germinated you can judge weather the seed is fresh and good.

To kill weeds: Carbolic acid a quarter of a pint, or half a cupful to a gallon of water, will kill weeds on the paths and carriage drives. Pour from a watering can with a fine rose. Be careful it touches nothing else, or it will kill it.

To kill grubs on the plants: Wash with a mixture of soap suds and kerosene, afterwards with clear water.

To start seeds: After they have been planted two or three days water with hot (not boiling) water, in which there is a few drops of ammonia.