Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19
Amateurs Can Find Plenty Work
Helping Nature Along.
CHRYsANqHEMUM CULTURE POINTS
Rain Has Done Away With Some
Pests, but There Are More.
PLANTNARCISSUS BULBS NOW
Written for The Evening Star.


take month or more off, leaving nature to
pursue her own course. A great many
people are away from home altogether, and
not only plants and weeds, but insects and
diseases, have their own sweet way and
will The grass encroaches on the borders
vines riot and strange rare plants in their
octopus-like embraces, spiders and cater
pillars drape their disfguring webs through
choice roses faded blossoms hang undis-
turbed and ripening seed vessels sap the
life of plants that might continue to bloom
for two months or even longer.
The truth is that at no period do plants
need more attention than just now. Au-
gust and September are the months in
which to take an inventory of ones floral
stock, make definite plans and preparations
for next year, and also to repot and select
plants for winter blooming indoors. 1t IS
also best to send in early orders for all
bulbs, shrubs etc, as with the florists 1t is
first come first served, and later on their
stock is reduced in quality as well as guam
tity. So much is written In these days on
Horticulture that the writer will conf1ne her
self to a few brief notes on matters least
known to the average reader, or more apt
to be overlooked.
Owing to the unusual rainfall OF the past
six weeks fungus diseases are quite preva-
lent. Mildew has attacked roses, and rot
has destroyed many asters and other
plants. For the latter there is no known
remedy. The diseased plants should be re-
admitted to the surrounding plants by
drumming away superfluous leaves and
shoots. Mildew, If confined to the hardy
hybrid perpetual roses does no greater
harm than disfiguring the bushes, but it is
a contagious disease and is sure to spread
to any tender tea rose that is near. There
fore it Is wise to remove and burn imme-
diately every blotched or yellow leaf. Then
entire plant. Do this after shower or
while the dew is on the plant so that the
powder will stick.
Look Out for the Aphfs.
The aphis plant louise would appear to
have been driven underground by the re-
cent heavy rains, as 1t Is much less con-
spicuous than usual on the plants, and I'M
commonly prevalent on the roots. How
ever, 1 believe it is. strictly speaking an
other species of that annoying pest, and
all the more to be dreaded that it has got
ten its deadly work well under way before
1t attracts attention. When the leaves of
aSters or other plants. begin to have va
rlegated appearance and cease to grow you
will find by pulling up one of the victims
that the roots are covered with green
aphdes. The experience of the writer is
that once well established no remedy will
avail anything. Prevention is far easier
than cure. If lotions of tobacco and whale
Oil soap or kerosene emulsion are poured
about the roots of tender plants early in
their growth the aphis will probably not
appear.
Any of the remedies recommended II
used long enough to destroy the insects,
would be almost certain to kill the plants
another troublesome parasite is the ant
When ant hills are discovered about the
base of plants It is certain that they are
after the aphis,> whose juices they suck
without apparent injury to the miserable
little pest. Powdered borax sprinkled
around the plants will Danish the ants eff
fectualy. ~
The worst of all garden invaders is the
red spider: the worst because of it's enor-
nous numbers, its undetermined method and
imperviousness to every known remedy.
When it appears on potted plants repeated
immersion in strong sudS will perhaps
prove successful, but in the garden the red
spider is well nigh invincible. Here too, an
ounce of prevention is worth many pounds
of cure. Spray your young sweet pea
vines, nasturtiums, ETC., early in the season
and copiously with kerosene emulsion and
this minute engine of destruction may be
discouraged from possessing them. Worms.
slugs and beetles must be hunted for and
destroyed by hand: caterpillars nests and
webs torn down and burned.
General Cleaning Up.
Now is a good time to look over your
tea roses, prune away the old wood and cut
back the shoots that have just bloomed.
Give plenteous drafts of liquid manure
also. This induces new shoots for free fall
blooming. The hybrid perpetual roses
which have been sending up tall canes
should now be cut back about one-third, a
process likely to result in few fine au-
tumnal blooms. OF course, this has moth
ing to do with the regular midwinter cut
ting back, which all roses should receive
all, that Is. except climbers They require
only the trimming out of the old branches
and such as interfere with symmetrical
appearance.
Go over your entire garden, removing
weeds dead leaves and weeds, faded flow
ers, seed vessels, etc. Plant seeds of such
hardy perennials and biennials coreopsis
oriental poppy, delphinum, digitalis, etc.
also pansies for spring bloomins. All these
will live through the winter with slight
covering of leaves when they may be sue
cessfully transplanted.
Right Time for Transplanting.
When the beds and borders have become
crowded 1t Is good time to lift and reset
hardy perennials such as phloxes pinks,
hollyhocks, and, also all varieties of early
blooming lilies, irises, etc. Roses and other
Geciduous plants it is better TO transplant
in October. Most lilies, however, may be
planted or transplanted, if more convenient,
with success as late as November, if deep
~ planted, say from six to eight inches,
But one variety. the faVorite June lily, as
censon lily, lilium candidum4 as IL Is Nal1-
ously called, does much better if planted
in August or early in September. The same
is true of the peony, which resents being
disturbed later than September by refusing
to bloom for one or more years thereafter.
In all transplanting of large, long-estab-
lished plants the greatest care is neces-
sary First. prepare their new home with
due attention to depth, drainage and rich,
mellow Soil. Lift the plants with large
spade, Keeping as much earth around the
roots as possible. Slip gently into the pre-
pared cavity. fill up with soil, pour in
plenty OF water to settle ii about the roots,
then fill entirely UP and firm down. Skilful-
ly done, the plants will hardly know they
have been tampered with, and VIII go right
on carrying on whatever blooming fnten-
tons they may have previously cherished.
Do not cut off the stalks of the peonies.
Give them sunny situation and heavy
mulchlng of manure through the winter.
They are hardy, but great feeders.
Early Spring Blossoms.
The narcissus, which, as few people
know. includes all varieties of what are
known as daffodils, jonquils, etc, does bet
ter if planted not later than September l.
Let 1t be known thai, it prefers a sunny
situation and should be planted at least
four inches deep. Perhaps some reader of
this article has bed of narcissus that has
ceased to bloom. That is because the new
bulbs form below the original bulb, and so