Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-16

To err is human, to forgive divine.
said Pope. To experiment in the gar:
den is necessary, even if the expert
ment is a failure, says the Ola Gar
dener.
Now, as Autumn is close at hand, 1t
is easy to see the result of trials, the
outcome of various paintings. the sue
cesses and failures, which were not SO
apparent at the beginning.
In Spring high hopes were held OUT
for the planting of hibiscus close IN
front of altheas. Now it is easy TO
see that the former were put TOO
close to the Towering shrubs, ana that
neither grew as it should.
This year the altheaS H1ose OF
sharon. one of the most hkable
shrubby plants) branched out IN
stead of growing tall, which was a
commendable thing, in the SITUATION
by the back fence, but utterly talleu
to produce the large flowers OF last
season. or any way near a ike num-
Der of blooms.
At the same time the hibiscus, al
though producing more canes OF
branches, did not have Mowers NAN
as big as last Summer, or produce
half as many of them. Nor was the
color of the eye So 'pioilo"hcS" ,
In short, there is no escaping tne
conclusion that both altheas anu !.
hibiscus would have done better IL
there had been considerably more
snace between the two rows. Two
feet &c NOT enough would have been
better. - -
The roots of the hibiscus are or a
tuberous character, and by Autumn
have spread out in an amazing man
ner. as any one knows who mas ever
transnlanted one of the malloWs. me
althea is a hardy plant, but not SUN
cientlv so to compete with the MARSH
plants at too close range.
Here the moot question of water
comes in again. ,,+
The large quantities OF water put
on the hibiscus, which seemed 10 uo
them good, preventing their leaVes
from hanging pendulouS, as l,ne ot
often do in very hot weather, qua not
do anvthing particular for the altheas
as far as we could tell.
Altheas not so watered produced
larger blossoms for a longer PERIOD OF
time. The althea is a haroy puSll
and needs mo- coddling, evidently. IL
flourishes well in Washington, mostly
receiving no attention whatever.
There are some beautiful specl'
mems on Nineteenth street between
K and N streets. These nave at
tanned the height of trees. towering
beautifully for many weeks. IT Is
doubtful if there are any otner pu'al,
ness establishments in the Natlonal
Capital with such decorations IN ther
front yards Evidently the altneas
were planted there years ago "neii
the neighborhood was entirely resi-
dental. and grew unheeded ana u1l-
cared for, with the happy results that
grace the community today.
Nature, during a good rain, pours
such huge quantities of water upon
lawns and plants that it would seem
hard TO hurt them with a hose. Inc
conclusion seems inescapable that
given good drainage, lack or water
rather than too much, is to be feared
The danger of watering too oItell
lies chiefly, it would seem, in soaking
foliage. especially when it will be sub.
iected directly to the strong rays OIL
the sun all day long. Gardeners there-
fore. who water early in the. morning
are not initiating Nature, VINO usu-
ally upturns her watering pot In the
sky late in the afternoon. Evening
is the best time to water. ana the
place for the water is chiefly on the
ground. not on the foliage or MOVERS
X X x X
Another garden failure is the plant
ing of gladioli in a row OF kocnla