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Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 14, 11 October 1921, Page 8

\ decoction of tho stems nnd leaves of' the tomato plant,' especially if prepared with the household washing lye made with wood ash. is recommended ns a very effective insecticide that may bo diluted with water nnd used for soraviug in the same way ns mcotin.e. The active principle in the tomato stem is more injurious to insret life.than that in tobacco leaf. Tho leaves of Dig - talis vield digitalin. which is ns "powerful as nicotine, and gives good results as n spray against aphis of all kinds. The leaves are richest in the alkaloid when the plants are in j flower. To prepare the decoction 301 b. I of =tcms with the Daves are lioilcd for 30 minutes in 20 gallons of water. Die solution should be stored in laWlod containers. as if is a. virulent poison.' It is diluted for use with an equal part of water, and will be found less liable to scorch than nicotine. Tomato stems and leaves may be used in tho same wny as tobacco. I , The recent embargo on New Zealand potatoes by tlis Australian Commonwealth has been the cause of considerable uneasiness to the potato growers throughout the DominTon (states tho '‘Ota"o Daily Times”'. The embargo was enacted 'because-of Hie presence of a disease which Is caused by an organism known as sponyosplrn subterranean, but until recently little or no concern was felt on its account simply because (he ill effects accruing from the ravages of the organism were slight and of no economic importance. The Government. however, has been mor" or less forced to carry out certain experiments, these having for their object, if not the total elimination of the disease, at least the possibility of finding out some method whereby its ravages might be lessened and contravened. Several areas of ground at Ashburton, Gore, nnd Winton were planted with disease-infected potatoes ami certain preventives were applied. It will bo reassuring to farmers to learn that when tho crops on each of tho areas were lifted last season no sign of the disease could bo found, even on tho untreated plots, this fact proving that there need be no concern felt as to powdery scab seriously menacing tho potato-growing industry. Of twelve "deaf nnd dumb” beggars arrested in Paris recently only one was found to be really so afflicted, Jb