e winter in perfect shape.

Mr. Hawkins: We have a question box and would be glad to have any one
use it, or rise and ask your question, and we will endeavor to answer it
and give our experience along that line.

Mr. Horton: What would you advise for plants that are infected with
aphis?

Mr. Hawkins: Spraying is one of the best things and for that we use a
weak tobacco solution, so as to moisten the plants, a light mist will do
the work. I want to tell a little experience in growing peonies. Last
year I tried the experiment of using ground bone around them, which is
one of the best fertilizers we have. It contains nearly all the elements
of a perfect fertilizer. Just as soon as the little joints come out of
the ground, dig a trench about three inches from the main bush, about
two inches deep and fill with ground bone and watch the result. I
carried this plan out with wonderful success, getting 350 perfect
blossoms on twenty-five bushes. It takes bone about thirty days to
commence to dissolve. The day of the automobile has brought need for a
new fertilizer, and we must carefully select the best that can be had.
We must turn back again to the green crops and the artificial
fertilizers. This also works well with roses.

Mr. Reckstrom: Would bone do that was bought for the chickens?

Mr. Hawkins: Yes. You understand the finer the particles the quicker it
commences to dissolve.

A Member: Where can ground bone be obtained?

Mr. Hawkins: All first class seedsmen have it from small packages of ten
pounds to 100 pound sacks.

Mr. Bell: I tried hardwood ashes, and that seemed to be the best thing I
struck. There were some shrub lilacs that didn't blossom. One winter I
just put the ashes right on, probably a bushel around the one large
bush. After that I had plenty of blossoms. On peonies and roses the
result seems to be very good.

[Illustration: Residence of G. C. Hawkins, 2913 Fremont Avenue South,
Minneapolis.]

Mr. Hawkins: No question but what ashes are very fine, for the simple
reason the potash in hardwood ashes is a very good fertilizer. I would
like to ask some one to give his experience in regard to rust on the
tiger lily and the phlox. The perennial phlox is one of the most
beautiful flowers we have, and there has been considerable trouble this
year with a rust which takes all the leaves off the stalk and is
injurious to the blossoms. I did not find any successful remedy for it,
and I would be very glad i