Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRAcEwELL.

| The adaptability of many plants X
| the drought once more shows to the
curious minded the wide tolerance
| which Nature has planted in those Of
| her creatures who do not intrude con-
! scious intelligence into the process Of
| living.
Here we have the mighty spectacle OF
trees, grass, rosebushes and some others
| living without drop Of water, one al
most might say, for weeks on end
without losing their precious grip or
the interesting thing known as life.
There has been nothing fiamboyant
about the process. only a steady per-
sistence in survival. If trees were men
if rosebushes were human, no doubt
they would hire publicity agents to
spread the miracle Of their persever-
ance.
Not having eyes, or ears, or brains
they simply go right ahead living, with
or without benefit Of clergy, safe to a
large degree in the wide latitude which
Nature has put into them.
1t Is wide, too.
A bleeding heart plant, which
bloomed nicely in the Spring with its
long sprays of curiously heartlike BIOS
SONS, and pale green leaves, survived 1t
all, being still very much alive.
1t had not had a drop OF water Tor
two months. It's roots were in perfectly
dry soil. Yet a couple Of buckets OF
water, poured on at last, made 1t pick
up Immediately. It is still too early to
say whether 1t will come around all
right; one must wait to watch the green
come back into the shoots farthest from
the roots. Once there, there viii be no
doubt Of survival.
Those who live in sections where q
fIA mt
rest content with giving grass and
plants what they deem q thorough
watering. Only by digging down after
the sprinkling is 1t possible to tell
where the water has gone.
In such cases the amateur VIII pe
amazed to discover that hours OF wa
tering only penetrates the soil 70
depth of 2 inches or slightly more.
| The soil particles are 80 thirsty that
they absorb water like sponges. In
ordinary seasons, when rain mad 1aLen
intermittently, soil particles would
have their content Of moisture, thus
applied water would IN a great degree
| flow past. But at present earth Is so
dry that 1t thirsts for replenishment.
Hence the greater bulk of the water
which is applied must go toward hlling
the natural sponges. It follows that
more than ordinary perseverance must
be put forth by the gardener in order
to do the old-time good with the
hose.
The grass must remain the marvel
of all leafy marvelS. Even more Won
derful than the trees, the grass is, for
it has no mighty taproots which 60
down into the soil far enough to reach
underlying water reservoirs.
The grass is all on the surface, wnere
the drought is. It Is no wonder that
It turns yellow, as the dry days follow
one another, day after day, sun follow-
Ing sun In brilliant procession. .
The grass has presented o mourniul
spectacle to those who esteem 1t the
most beautiful Of garden BACKGROUNDS,
the perfect frame for flowers, shrubs,
fruits, trees, indeed for everything ana
every one in the garden.
The proper color for grass Is green,
the darker green the better. although
we have experimental with different
shades for different situations, and are
willing to admit that perhaps the best
lawn Is one in which there are several
shades, ranging from rich, deep green
to a pale, almost yellow tint. THESE
variations set of each other, make the
dark darker, the greenest greener, by
conparisons. as home1y women make
beautiful ones even more beautiful.
There is much to be said, however,
for the perfectly uniform spread OF rlcn
green of glorious, unstreaked mono
tone. That is the way neighbor
grass always looks, of course. Before
the drought hit the land golf courses