Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
GARDEN ITEMS

The orange and yellow day lilies, now
to be seen i'll many gardens, front
lawns and along the country roadSides
belong to the HemeroCalliS genus and
as such are not true lilies. The day
lilies are native of the Old World but
apparently are perfectly at home in this
region and in fact are widely adaptable
and occur over a large area extending
northward into Canada. Extreme hardi-
ness, freedom from pests and ability to
cope with unfavOrable conditions are
characteristics of this group Day lilies
are readily propagated by division of
the old plants.
The yucca, or Adams Needle, is an
other plant that Is prominent at this
season, its tall spikes of white flowers
towering above other less ambitious
species. The yucca is a native Amer
lean plant and may be seen in great
profuSion on the plains of certain of
the Southwestern States where moisture
is none too plentiful. Perhaps this
adaptability to moderate moisture is
one reason why the yuccas, are so un-
usually beautiful this year. The yucca
is ordinarily increased by rot division,
although seed is sometimes produced.
For a medium sized Summer flower
ing shrub. the abelia is surprisingly
fine. The purplish cast of the foliage
and the numerous although small
blooms give the plant distinct beauty
all of its own. The gardeners in
charge of the city parks and paintings
use the abelia extensively. It may be
seen in the Maryland Avenue middle
parking and elsewhere.
Many rose growers are now trimming
out their climbing varieties and, al
though it is far from pleasant or easy
task to work on sturdy old rambler
with its usually vicious thorns, the job
must be done if one is to keep ones
plants in good producing condition.
With varieties such as Silver Moon and
DR.. Van Fleet, one or two of the older
canes can be cut out each year. With
varieties such as Dorothy Perkins,
which sends up several new canes from
the root stock each year, all the old
wood may be cut out without harm-in
fact, with benefit.
Bean beetles have reached many gar
dens; others have been fortunate
enough to escape to date. Magnesium
arsenate and pyrethrum compounds
are highly effective. The latter are
useful where the beetles attack vines
with pods already formed. The pyre-
thrum materials are not poisonous, while
the. arSepate coated beans must be
washed off thoroughly, preferably in
dilute vinegar.
Annual flower plants, such as snap
dragons. zinnias and salvias, may be
made to take on a bushy form by
simply pinching out the tip of the Lead
ing shoot while the plants are still
small and in the blooming stage
A gardener friend reports that po-
tato bugs have virtually riddled a mat
rimony vine. At first thought, the
matrimony vine would appear strange
food far this beetle but bOtanicalIv the
potato and matrimony vine are men,
bers of the same family. Probably in
lieu of the potato vine, the beetles had
turned to a passable substitute. A
single thorough spraying with arsenate
of lead would clear out the pest.
Ants gain access to the house at this
time of year in search of food such as
sugar and other sweets. A mixture of
powdered sugar and tartar emetic
makes satisfactory poison for ants Of
the sugar-eating kinds. The danger
is that the mixture appears very much
like sugar and must be kept out of
reach Of small children.