Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-17
Ehentttg Olrat

st. Patrick's Day, and to think that
nave been accustomed to plant my
sweet peas on this date for years and
years, and just look at the weather"
exploded a middle-aged woman on
suburban car this morning "Yes,
indeed, | think they flower better
When planted on st. Patrick's Day"
she continued. AT any rate that's
What my mother used to tell us and
she was one OF the best gardeners |
ever knew Our sweet peas used to -
be the pride of the neighborhood and
NINE are pretty nearly as good if
do say 1t myself"
So the curious reporter asked "A
local seedman about it.
! Nothing to it," he grfnned, "al-
lhough 1t is true that pounds of the
seed are planted every st. Patrick's
Day that the weather is fit. On the
whole | think it is q good custom, for
sweet peas should be planted as soon
as the frost is out of the ground. and
planted deep. They like to keep their
little toes cool. Cold weather doesn't
hurt 'em a bit. | myself plant my
sweet peas in well drained trench in
the Fall and cover them we'll with fer
tlllZer and leaves. In the Spring.
when they begin to sprout take off
the leaves and gradually fill the ditch
up to the level of the ground. This
keeps the roots cool and damp and
the plants respond with enormous
crops of larger flowers.
Another seed that should be plant
ed early" he continued. rs that of the
annual poppy. Now is the time to
scatter it. The cold won't hurt 1t aud
the plans will get an early start. Not
much attention need be paid to plant
ing the poppy. The seed appears to
Sprout even when dropped on the sur
face of any old bed. even though it
was not dug in the Fall
To-day is st. Patricks Day but the
man or woman who would go out to
SOW lettuce seed to-day would have to
use powder to blast the frost hardened
ground. Unless a person had hot
bed or a cold frame ready it would
he rather difficult to carry out the
traditional planting for the day.
furthermore the weather to-day is an
OBJECT OF more or less dread. Since
the grounding proved so thoroughly
unreliable people are wondering
whether there will be Spring rains or
hard freeze following the day dedi-
Gated to the great Irish saint. AS II
matter of fact 1t has been about fif-
teen years since this part of the State
was visited by such weather as we
know Just at present in the week of
ST. Patrick's Day. 1t used to be the
general fear that st. Patrick's Day
would prove to he rainy. This year
we are afraid of another cold wave.
experiments in laying off overcoatS.
To-day there is speculation about
goloshes and mufflers. The general
lateness of the Spring has kept back
outdoor work and the lovers of gar
dening are wondering when they will
get a chance to get to their beloved
planting. The ground is hard frozen
in many places and the crocus and the
tulip are trying 10 push through inches
OF frost or else showing fading leaves
above the snow. Many Il tulip bed
Will have to be gone over carefully
this year. However. the SHOWS that
have fallen have saved the wheat
and many ambitious plants from
freezing and we will soon be ready for
the showers that hasten the flowers
that bloom in the Spring and give
promise of merry sunshine"
People interested in politics are now
turning attention to Pittsburgh be-
cause tomorrow the two leaders in
the States Republican forces, tho
Governor and the senior United
States Senator, will meet on the Same
platform at the laying of the corner
stone of the new city and county
office building. Their speeches ara
looked forward to with much interest.
The Governor will likely pay special
attention to legislation.
Public Service Commission, who. spoke
last night before the men at Covenant
Presbyterian Dnurch. is to address the
Telephone Society Of Harrisburg on
Monday night Mr.. Ainey WIS a mem
Der of the foreign affairs committee
when in Congress and was "A close stu
dent of Oriental and Mexican affairs
and his speeches on Mexican matters
attracted national attention because
they came at the very start of the
trouble. Mr.. Ainey's knowledge OF
Mexican affairs caused him to be in
vited by both Felix Diaz and Aure-
liano Huerta to visit Mexico, but he
preferred to remain in the safe
United States.
Friends of Ex-Governor Pcnnypacl-
er in this city are showing much in
terest in the campaign for reelection
of the former Governor as president
of the Pennsylvania Historical Society
i'm Philadelphia. :. Davis Page, also
! well known here, has been named
/ against Mr. Pennypacker. The chief
| objection is the pro-German stand OF
| the former Governor. lie is row at
| Atlantic City suffering from rheuma-
| tism.
J Captain John l.. Dewitt, chief of the
supply division of the general staff of
d the United States army who is in
= charge OF the preparations for equip
Y ment of militia, is a son of the late
n General Calvin Dewitt, who was born
\ in this city.