Evening star., 1928-10-15
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Autumn garden nothing nicer is to be
found than ageratum and dwarf mari
Colds blooming together. Care must
have been taken earlier, however if the
best effect is wanted in the Fall. This
care is simply to give ageratum plenty
of room. The plants are very bushy
and take up more space than the un-
wary might allow for.
The ageratum is a native of tropical
America, as so many of our best garden
flowers are. The blooms are curious
burrlike things, of tufty character
The foliage is dark green, the leaves
quite large for such low bushes Lib
erty H. Bailey. in his THE Gardener, -
says that pieces of young wood root
very easily. Plants, he says, may be
taken up in the Fall and set in the
house for Winter bloom. but must be
cut back severely to stand the trans
planting.
"The marigolds of the old-fashioned
gardens are still among the best of
plants for Autumn color" states Prof.
Bailey. "They are hardy ANIMALS of
the easiest culture and are always GER
tain of giving strong and excellent re-
Suits
The tall varieties, the so-called Afri-
can, are in reality natives of Mexico,
as are the dwarf varieties, sometimes
called French marigolds. "The Gar
dener" continues:
"All marigoldS may be SoWn where
the plants are to stand, since the flow
ers are usually not wanted until late
Summer or early Fall, at which time
they usually give their best bloom. If
they are wanted earlier, however, the
seeds may be started in the house or
hotbed. Tall varieties of the African
class may be allowed to stand 10 to 13
inches apart and the dwarfs at some
what less distance. All of them should
nave full sunny exposure, and a rather
light soil is to be preferred"
We have had dwarf marigolds in full
oloom for weeks in full shade, although
they enjoyed sunlight earlier in the
Summer. The soil, too. is unus,1aIlv
heavy in character, and acid. being al
most gummy. In other words, dwarf
marlgolds are "sure-f1re" with a yen-
geance.
The Zinnia. sturdy old Porthos of
plants, deserves all the praise that anv
one can give it. Without any attention
at all it fourishes and blooms. of
recent years this flower has come more
and more into prominence. Scores of
varieties are to be purchased by one
interested, but most home growers are
satisfied with packets of mixed dahlia-
loWered. which usually yield some
nlghly satisfactory blooms. Although
Cney are at their best at a distance
Where they may not be examined too
closely, they are excellent for planting
around houses and near porches. and
are aoIe TO pass close scrutiny if neces-
sary.
x X x
The D'Artagnan of our quartet is
Inc petunia, member of the nightshade
1amlly, which includes the potato and
tne eggplant. The petunia is the dog
OF the plant world. since it adapts itself
so easily to all of mans requirements.
This trustworthy flower grows in VIM
dow boxes in beds, in borders and even
Goes little steady climbing as a vine.
II man wants it to do so. We have
some white petuniaS blooming feet
In the air at the top of lilac bush.
Petunias do unusually we'll in late
Summer and the Autumn. filling in
with color spots that would be bare
without them. They, like the zinnias
thrive under neglect Put the seed in
the ground, then forget about them.
They will do the rest.
A back yard planted to petunias. zin-
mas ageratum and marigolds will be
riot OF color and a season-long salts
Iactlon. What more can one want?