Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-22

| looked so. Those fortunate enough 70
be near real meadows saw o more nat
ural version Of the same thing.
This perfect green depends upon
water for its maintenance. for grass
gets all Of its drink and most Of its food
from water, perhaps more SO than al
most any other plant. All grasses may
be said to be aquatic, in q sense
Water is their very life, just as it is
of human being, although with us
the thing Is not so apparent. Yet even
some human beings begin to turn yell
low when they do not drink enough
water. Often q doctor prescribes a
pitcher Of water, and you will see men
sitting around In offices, now and then,
drinking freely Of the same LIQUID
which trees, grass, flowers, dogs and
occasionally cats prefer.
Water Is the basis of all drinks, as q
matter Of fact. No matter what you
drink. you drink water. Milk Is 90
per cent water. Alcoholic beverages
have varying water content, but there
are few Of them without any water at
all. The plant kingdom Is unique In
its taking Of its water straight. Trees
ask for nothing better, although we
saw an account Of Philadelphia tree
which had been "fed," according to
the story, ON beer drippings. If It
thrived on beer, 1t would have done
better on plain water. You can't fool
q tree.
The green Of grass Is an almost d.
rect reaction from sunlight working on
cells saturated with water. No plant
can create its chlorophyl quicker than
q grass plant, and none can lose 1t
sooner. But its powers Of reaction are
equally marvellous, and its survival q
thing of continual wonder. Those who
have surveyed their yellow, even white
lawns with mournful glances, need not
despair, for any really flrst-class rain
will put them all back on their grassy
feet again. The roots have powers OF
persistence far beyond belief, as every
one will see after real rain. 1t Is
questionable whether drought can kill
grass completely, for enough seed will
fall to keep the plot going, and this will
spread. Some varieties OF grass possess
better spreading powers than others,
but all possess this covering capacity TO
some extent.
Just how far the hurt Of drought
extends Is difficult to say. There can
be little question that those plants
which survive, and in this group we
include the trees, suffer great deal.
Transplanting and drought seem to
have much the same eject. Eacn sets
a plant back considerably in its
growth. Even the mightiest trees have
taken on a peculiar tinge, II the leaves
are not yellow, and in many cases
they are, they at least are not the true
tint which they had when rain was
falling regularly.
Some gardeners have an idea that
chemicals used in the publication of
water for city usage have detrimental
effect upon plant life. We wonder If
this It true. As far as our observation
goes, 1t Is not. There are all sorts
Of similar beliefs held by gardeners.
One is that cut flowers may be made
to last better In vases by placing GER
tain chemicals in the water. Every
one who has tried 1t knows that there
is nothing to the theory and practice.
Perhaps the same holds good Of the
feared effects Of copper sulphate and
aluminium sulphate In the water from
the hose.
Plant life is not delicate in regard to
its water. The chemical elements are
its friends. It takes its chemicals as
it finds them, uses what 1t needs and
rejects the remainder. Plants have no
livers to become clogged from the eff
fects Of metals. The garden fertilizers
commonly used throughout the world
would be rough diet, indeed, for human
stomachs. but are regal fare for plant
life, which happily Is freed from the
mysteries of alimentary canals and the
like, But water q plant must nave;
but even without 1t a plant possesses
marvellous powers OF survival.