Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-21
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TNACEWELL.

Recent letters to this column con-
corning results secured in local gardens
during the season show a wide d.
vergence, as might be expected.
Roses did well with some, not so well
with others. The old standard Zinnia,
the amateur gardeners friend, grew
gloriously some places, but did not do
so we'll elsewhere.
1t may be recalled that the writer
here complained Of failure with the
latter. which he had always regarded as
"sure-flre," whether watered or not.
The following interesting letter throws
some light on this matter:
Dear Sir: Your article in The Eve
ming Star interested me so much that
I am writing you about my own Zinnia
experience this Summer.
II bought IS giant dahlia lowered
Oriole, which, as you probably know,
contains all the shades Of pale yellow
to deepest orange. The plants were
set wherever there seemed to be space
to spare, although they have infringed
on much space not intended for them,
most OF them at one end of the vege-
table bed
Contrary to all law that the garden
hose has no place in the vegetable bed,
mine was kept busy good part OF the
Summer, or would have had few vege-
tables; but the nozzle was never on.
the hose being laid fiat on the ground,
with the water running indefinitely.
This gardener was SO busy with fruit
thaving pear, cherry. green gage and
apple trees) that the water often
swamped the garden
The results obtained were very fine
Ponderosa tomatoes, plenty of string
beans and chard, carrots for good
part OF the Winter. and the very finest
giant zinnias. Had I written this last
week might have said the latter were
an unqualified success, but, with the
soil in very receptive mood, along
comes this deluge (which our weather
forecaster forecasted' as probably &C.
casional showers after the first 24.hour
doWnpour). so now the ZinniaS, being
heavy with blooms and soaked,
are bowed to the ground with their
stakes quite uprooted.
Il must say have not found the
grass success without watering, but
that may be due to the fact that it is
on quite a high terrace. but here also
the water has been allowed to run
freely. Very truly yours, A. F. c."
" y y
1t is interesting to note that the
above letter, chatty and informal, as
all gardeners conversation is, never
thelesS contains one Of the secrets Of
real gardening.
We do not refer to the proper use of
water, but rather to the remark that
the gardener was busy with fruit"
The secret of enjoyable gardening is to
have enough work to do and enough
land to do it in, so that one is always
busy with something or other.
The finished garden, whether due to
the smallness of the place or the dis
inclination or inability of the owner
to work. is good mostly for looking pur-
poses, II one may phrase it so.
A set landscape no matter how beau
tiful, cannot contain the urge to work,
and so secure garden enjoyment. which
an unfinished place does.
The garden that never grows up is
the good garden. the garden worth
while. In 1t one may put all or part
of himself. and so receive a return
which is to be had no other way.
One need not garden swiftly or Ia
boriously to secure these desirable re-
suits. Even those Of little vigor and
small muscle can achieve nightly In
a home garden by pers silently sticking
at it.
Not even the best intentioned gar
dener, however, can be persistent If
there is nothing to be determined about