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Evelyn Love tried growing her tomato plants upside down in buckets . . . and she says it works great! The In gram , Texas gardener uses plastic pails, and pokes a hole (about the size of a half dollar) in the bottom of each one. She then hangs the containers (adding rope or wire to the sides if there are no handles). Next, the Lone Star Stater carefully pokes a young "love apple" plant through the hole in the base of each bucket so that the stalk hangs out at the bottom . . .while the roots remain inside. Then Evelyn fills the plastic pail to the brim with rich soil and waters it thoroughly. The tomato vines grow out and up around the container, and the red fruits hang down for easy picking. She claims that this method helps keep most pests away, too!

Whenever Zen a Colterjohn has to send a fragile baby gift a long distance, the Barrington, Illinois resident packs the breakable in a box of disposable diapers. Not only do the soft, padded diapers keep the gift well protected, but the new mother can also "recycle" them!

"Masons use supporting and reinforcing devices in walls . . . items that look like metal ladders about eight feet long, with cross wires at five-inch intervals," writes Nancy Piccioni-Hann from Huachuca City, Arizona. "Well, I find the braces extremely useful in the garden. Beans, peas, and grapes will all climb on them, and the ladders are simple to install in the plot . . . providing strong, weather-resistant support. What's more, they can be easily bent into a pyramid shape to accommodate squash or tomato plants. And by pushing both ends into the ground, you can make loops fox climbing roses, honeysuckle, or any other shrub with runners."

Swimmers plagued by persistent ear infections will probably appreciate this health tip from Joseph J. Stearn of Millville, New Jersey. He fills an eardrop bottle with 4 parts of alcohol to 1 part of white (distilled) vinegar. Imme diately after swimming, Stearn shakes the bottle and-tilting his head-puts drops in one ear. After allowing the liquid to remain in place for several seconds, Joe tilts his head to add drops to his other ear (allowing the old "medicine" to run out). The solution both dries up any water remaining in the ears and kills organisms that may cause infection.

"Don't give up on that old, dull vegetable peeler," writes Dixie McCullough of Mariposa, California. "Try trading it with a left-handed (or righthanded if you're a southpaw) friend whose own peeler has lost its verve. After all, opposite-handed people use opposite sides of the implement!

"I discovered this trick when my mother (who is left-handed) and I were skinning a large batch of carrots one day," Dixie says. "Her old peeler seemed surprisingly sharp to me . . . and she found mine to work exceptionally well for her!"

MORE LORE: Pueblo, Colorado resident Ray Anderson keeps his feet cool and dry during the sultry dog days of summer by rubbing crushed garlic over his soles .... On the other hand (or rather foot), Newburgh, New Yorker David Byrd fights athlete's foot and "podo odors" by sprinkling old fashioned borax in his shoes each day .... In our pet-lore department, a dab of petroleum jelly on a cotton swab is a big help in catching migrant fleas. Janis Simmons Lesbines of Harrington, Maine touches any tiny biters she fords on her pooch with the sticky jelly substance, which traps and instantly smothers the fleas .... If the only pets you own are silent and green, give them a treat by watering their roots with the liquid left over from boiling eggs. Emma Minors of Kenosha, Wisconsin says that houseplants will benefit from the extra dose of minerals in the solution .... The two gallon glass condiment jars available in many fast food restaurants are perfect for brewing your tea in the sun, according to Patricia Vought of Norco, California.

Through the years we've all probably discovered a few practical, down home, time tested solutions to the frustrating little problems of everyday life. Why not share your best "horse sense" with the rest of MOTHER's readers? Send your suggestions to Down-Home Country Lore, THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS'% 105 Stoney Mountain Road, Hendersonville, North Carolina 28791. A one year subscription-or a one-year extension of an existing subscription will then be sent to each contributor whose tip is printed in this column .MOTHER.

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