Evening star., 1925-06-19
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

1t takes 1S to 81 years or SO for a
child to become man, even approx
mate. as it requires two or three
months for the kochia seed to turn
into a full-fedged Summer Cypress.
In a couple Of weeks. however. 1t
takes on the characteristic pale green
color, and the feathery nature, and
round form of the mature plant. AS
it is now. 1t will remain, except grow
larger and fuller.
In the Fall 1t will turn bright red,
so that those not acquainted with it
will regard it with astonishment, and
inquire: why, what sort of bush
is this?"
The sturdy Zinnia plants broke
ground with a smash in a week, the
Asters doing the same. Each took on
it's characteristic leaf formation. The
Zinnias were dark green. strong at
birth. destined to a vigorous ma.
turity. when they will send up their
fine though stiff blossoms to stand on
the end of their stalks, much as the
eyes of the fiddler crab are on the
end of protuberances.
The Asters are weaker sisters, al.
though. If one is fortunate. he will
have no more trouble in raising them
to Towering than the Zinnias Both
transplanting, at least for day or So
Asters are subject to various dis.
eases, such as yellows and wilt. which
do not affect Zinnias. but many anna
teur gardeners manage to bring them
along very successfully each year
without being bothered by maladies
of any kind.
Chinese Woolfiower, a form of Cello
sia, or Cockscomb, breaks ground in a
<.t-tr @f Ill
shoots being decidedly red Later the
plantlets are of green and red com.
plexion. the leaves being tinged with
crimson.
The Woolf1oWer is an old favorite of
Grandmother's day, once more coming
into fashion. 1t bears, later in the
Summer. great tufts of crimson wool.
like material, of novel appearance.
X x.
Most Of all, however, we delight to
watch the Gladioli break ground on
their skyward sweep toward flowers
unrivaled. Our system, whether
right or wrong, was to plant them
about to inches deep, cover them,
level the ground and then let them
alone.
we did not even water the ground.
From to 25 days later they began to
emerge. AS various groups were out
in the ground at two week intervals.
there were always Gladiolus leaves
shooting up.
Spotting them as soon as they ap.
peared has been one of the early sum
mer sports of the garden. as record is
being kept OF the time OF appearance.
time of blooming and days necessary
to blossom, of many different named
species.
The pale. almost white. shoot is
rather tender, when ii first lifts its
head an eighth of an inch out of the
dirt. but after that il gets green and
begins to shoot up out of its sheath at
a tremendous rate.
Our experience has been that the
largest bulbs give the largest leaves
and the most. and the most sturdy
growth. and we will find. no doubt
that they also present the greatest
number of flower spikes and blooms
Cultivation of the ground is now
the order of the day. Recently in re.
viewing in this column Prof Bailey's
The Gardener" | said no book ex-
planned just why stirring the ground
that is, mulching-conserved the
water in the soil.
The Gardener" does explain il. !
find, on closer reading. The reason is
that the attraction Of the water in the
air and the water in the soil is broken
up by the layer of fine dust. which in
terpoSeS much as covering of grass
or manure would.
The gladiolus offers more than usual
interest for the amateur gardener
since from now on he viii be on the
watch for the appearance of the
flower spike, which appears almost
overnight from between the sword