Evening star., 1927-10-25

A correspondent wants to know If
the cosmos is left alone this Autumn,
will it come UP next year? And il so,
will "they come up in the spots where
the seeds drop. or in the border where
they are planted?"
To the best of our knowledge and
belief. the self-seeding of cosmos is
one Of the best ways to grow this alto.
gether delightful annual. The cosmos
Is such a good grower that seed de-
veloped in ones back yard appears
to be the equal of any to be secured
from a seedman. This Is not true of
all ANNALS.
Cosmos throughout the District of
Columbia Is now in it's heydey, it's
deep pink, white and crimson bios.
SONS and feathery but husky foliage
adding distinction to the gardens in
which it appears.
| Not only Is this flower beautiful,
but it is a happygo-lucky plant, pos
sessing none Of the f1nicky quality of
the rose. for instance. The wide open
shape of the cosmos flower makes an
especial appeal to certain tempera-
ments. All who like daisies-and
there number Is legion-wiff like this.
Women, for some particular rea.
| son which we have never fathomed,
invariably prefer the members of the
daisy family. Certainly the cosmos,
with its wide cups. is a favorite with
all of them. Many men. too, show a
preference for this Fall bloomer.
X X X X
A market man once told us that
| the cosmos grew so plentifully down
in his section that he had to cut them
| with a mower. This anecdote.
| whether true or not. tends to show
the hearty growth Of the subject, and
| therefore to dispel any doubts of our
| correspondent as to the ability of the
| cosmos to self-seed itself.
In this respect the cosmos much
| resembles that other Mexican plant,
the kochia, or tire-bush, or Summer
cypress. The kochia, once planted,
never has to be planted again, if the
householder will let them alone. The
seeds. falling down in the Fall, come
up early in the Spring. generally in
the same place, with a slight advance
forward of few feet.
Thus kochia bushes on the south
side Of a house will seed themselves
for the next year. both in the same
place and for foot or two in advance,
to the south. By taking up the un.
wanted plantlets as they appear, the
6diucicT Cdl retain MS little OuSheS
in exactly the same position as last
year.
The same is true OF the cosmos.
While the falling seed will not all go
directly into the border, naturally
enough. some Of it will. Nature is so
profuse that this will suffice. 1t is
best. Of course, to have nothing else
In the cosmos border, else early Spring
digging may upheave many of the
dormant seeds.
The best place to plant cosmos seed
is at the fence. at the extreme rear
OF the border. This not only gets the
plants out of the way during the Sum-
mer, allowing them to form a soft
background for lower.growing flow.
ers. but also gives the gardener some
thing to tie them to-. This Is a neces-
sity in cosmos growing often over
looked.
1t is true enough that many gar.
deners take their chances" with
flowers that ought to be staked, such
as the gladiolus. the cosmos, the
hibiscus. Often enough they "get by"
without losing. any of their plants, If
nature is in a kindly mood.
Yet adequate and proper stalking, as
generally practiced in relation to that
king of Autumn flowers, the dahlia,
may be as properly carried out for
the cosmos. Perhaps the word "stak.
ing" is a bit too heavy, for simple