Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-21

A matter Of perennial interest to anna
teur gardeners, those who grow flowers
and other things for the love Of It, IL
the way different plants do especially
we'll some years.
This is an exceptionally good gras'
year, for instance, If one may judg,
from the fine growth of rich greer
which already is clothing the parks
lawns and parking areas of the Nationa
Capital.
This is a good dandelion year, too
as mentioned in this column the other
day. Not only are these small, brigh
flowers, universally beloved of children
bigger and brighter than ever but they
are more plentiful.
Several seasons ago Washington knew
it's greatest lilac year in history. Fol
some unaccounted reason, the lilact
bloomed more and better than ever, ano
the very next year went back to medi'
OGRE crops of flowers.
Many and plentiful rains are good fol
fine early grass, but with the exception
of the two good downpours of recen
eekS the city has seen rather lacl
of rainfall this season than the reverse
No doubt the unusual heat of severa
days had something to do with it. Thi!
was especially traceable as a factor II
the recently seeded grounds surround
ing a new filling station.
The warm weather brought the graS!
seedlings to the surface in double quicl
time, and when the latest fresh rain hi
overnight so vigorous and healthy wa:
their growth.
x X X x
Yet behind such natural causes there
seem to exist other and more intangi.
BILE factors, perhaps residing in thu
complex chemical changes which taxi
place both in the soil and in plant tbs
sue. The surface only of these change:
has been touched in investigations car
ried on throughout the country. The
have an intimate connection with tn
amount of ultraviolet rays which grow
ing things may receive, and in SOM
cases which they must receive If the,
are to do their best.
Fertilization, another factor which
enters largely into growth and develop
ment of plant life, Is scarcely under.
stood by amateur growers, although i
has been made the subject of much
work among the agricultural college.
and by the experts of the Department
of Agriculture.
Fertility depends upon so many fac,
tors that most home owners will b.
willing to accept it for granted, as they
do the sunshine, and the rain, and thu
invisible but none the less wonderful
work carried on by the roots under.
ground in the development of fooC
sources for the leaves above the earth.
x x x x
Some seasons develop into what ar,
popularity called good rose years.
During such seasons all classes of rose!
do we'll, no matter how poorly othel
flowers may do. The lilac bushes may
put forth meager f1orets, the peonie
may be smaller than usual, spikes o.
gladioli may not be up to the norma
standard, but roses grow well, are fret
from insect pests, and reward theil
friends with many and finely tinteC
blossoms.
The next year will show an entire
reversal of this happy situation. witt
roses doing uniformly poorly in all part
of the country. But dahlias die
we'll" Such is the universal repor
from East to West. These unaccount
able changes vary from year to year
The careful observer knows that no two
seasons are exactly alike.
Flowers sometimes seem to be tenn
peramental, as if they had determined
not to put themselves into the mechan'
icaI class of automatic creations. but X
be tickle, capricious and hayward thu!
insuring for themselves the interes
which mankind gives to the unexpected
and the unknown.