Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-22

coming growing season. This will mean
that spraying and busting will receive
greater attention than ever before. At
the present time, scale insects, such as
the San Jose scale, are in their most
vulnerable stage. The trees are still
dormant, so that a caustic solution,
such as lime sulphur. may be safely
used. Furthermore, the waXy coverings
over the insects have been weakened by
the Winters storms. Home gardeners
with fruit trees and fruiting shrubs,
such as currants and gooseberries, are
urged to spray these plants now. The
Towering japanese ounce also is sub
ject to scale insects and should be
sprayed now II scales are present. The
scales appear as a grayish, waXy de-
post that can be easily scratched of
with knife or the thunlbnail
Tulips. hyacinths and narcissus are
poking their leaves out of the soil. quite
regardless Of the fact Winter has just
officially disappeared. Just what func-
ton these leaves play in the life of the
plant is doubtful, but likely play a part
in manufacturing nutrients for the
rapidly expanding root system. These
leaves are very sturdy, as may be at
tested by their ability to withstand
temperatures far below freezing.
Here and there in sheltered yards one
may see the yellow bloom of forsythia,
the first of the conspicuous Powered
shrubs to burst into bloom. The for
sythia does not seem quite able to adapt
itself to our climate, for very frequently
the tender petals are caught by late
freezes. Nevertheless, the forsythia has
many worthy qualities. 1t will endure
considerable shade and will thrive in
rather poor soils. The golden-yellow
blooms are welcome harbinger of the
Flower buds in most of our fruit trees
are formed in the Summer of the year
before they actually burst into bloom.
This fact makes one rather doubtful
as to the amount of fruit bloom that
can be expected this year. Whatever
the outcome may be, 1t is more advis-
able than ever that the fruit trees be
fed this Spring in order that they
may recover quickly their full vigor 1t
Is strange that the tree, made up as
it is largely of products manufactured
comparatively by the leaves and sun
light, should suffer so bitterly in the
absence OF adequate water, but water
enters every vital process Of the trees
life.
Some Of the Winter vegetables. such
as rhubarb and French endive or
chicory, may be grown by the home
gardener without a great deal of trou-
Die. The rhubarb and chlcory now on
sale is simply the growth forced by
moderate heat from overwintered roots.
Take chicory, for example. the seed is
sown much as lettuce or carrots in
Spring in the open garden. The young
plants appear much like mooth-edged
dandelions and require simply the usual
tillage that Is given other vegetables.
In November the roots are dug. the
leaves being removed without actually
cutting the crown. The roots may then
be set upright in boxes and covered
with sand to a depth of or inches.
In a few weeks the crowns of new
leaves will start to push through the
sand and are then fit for cutting, yield
ing the fine golden yellow product which
sells so readily as French endive in
Winter markets. BY simply bringing
in roots at different dates the crop may
be matured at intervals. Chicory seed
is sold by all the leading seed dealers,
sometimes under the name of Witloof