Evening star., 1927-10-25
THIS AND THAT


tying Of the plants to the fence is
enough.
The stalks that bear the feathery
foliage are surprisingly thick, SO that
a piece Of soft yarn tied around them
and secured to the fence at about the
height of feet will prevent heavy
rains or wind from knocking them
fiat.
If bowled over, however, the gar.
dener need never worry. Simply pull
them up straight and tie them to the
fence, as suggested; they will come
out all right if the pup doesn't eat
them-dogs are very fond of cosmos
stalks.
Self-seeding is natures own meth
cd; therefore it must be a good one.
Some plants, however, as pointed out
such as the cosmos and the kochia,
seem to get unusually good results
through the method. Perhaps this is
due partly to the fact that they grow
best in land not too rich--exactly the
sort the average garden possesses!
Such plants as may come up other
than where wanted may be trans
planted to the proper line at the rear
Of the border. A suggestion for a
novel rear border combination might
be the following: Alternate plants of
cosmos and hollyhocks. 1t Is perhaps
not generally known that the two
might be made to bloom together. If,
after the Summer blooming, the holly.
hooks are cut off about a foot from
the ground, literally dosed with good
bone meal, and given plenty of water,
they will grow up again and bloom
about this time in the Autumn, just
when the cosmos Is in it's glory. The
plants, of course, will not be more
than feet high, perhaps 5, in some
cases. but the blossoms will be as
large as on the 10.foot specimens of
the Summer.
The cosmos makes the North Amer
ican gardener realize just what he
owes to Mexico. Not only does this
sterling flower come from there. but
also the zinnia, first in the hearts of
amateur and expert gardener alike,
as we'll as other favorites, or. if not
from Mexico, from South America.
Prof. Bailey, in his ''The Gardener
has this to say of the cosmos: Com.
posite family. Tender, tall ANIMALS of
Mexico, popular for the choice late
Summer and Autumn bloom. Two
species are chiefly concerned in the
garden kinds. c. bipinnatus, yielding
white, pink and crimson flowers; c.
sulphureus with yellow flowers; the
flowers are much like single and semi.
double dahlias and on long stems.
Both species are long-season plants
and in the North they should be
started early and grown in land not
overrich. OF the white, pink and
crimson kind early-maturing varieties
are now available, however. The late
blooming varieties often reach feet
and more in height, but if the top bud
is taken out when the plant is a foot
or so high a more bushy and tractable
subject will result.
Seeds may be sown in gentle heat
in early April and the young plants
transplanted when inches high,
setting the plants well down in the
soil and giving them at least inches
between the plants, as they are very
likely to spindle up, with weak stems,
If crowded. When danger Of frost Is
over, set them in a warm sheltered
place at 2 to feet apart If strong
individual plants are desired. Earlier
bloom in mass may be secured by
setting them much closer together SO
that the plants grow practically to
single stems, but the blooms are not
likely to be so good. If early flowers
are not desired, seeds may be sown
directly in the ground when danger
of frost is past. II exposed to wind,
plants with room to develop will need
strong stalking"