Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

, the things of field and garden hold uI
during q second hot drought? We dis
tinguish hot drought from cool drought
because they are different. This vicini
| ty, up until March, suffered a cole
drought, the follow-on of the no
drought of last Summer. What garden!
need now is q series of adequate rain!
| to take full advantage of the warm
growing weather.
For all the moiling and toiling which
goes on in gardens, it would seem tina
the average householder gets little
tangible results.
| At this season men spend hours ir
gardens, digging, raking, all to little
purpose, II one may judge from visible
results.
Perhaps the secret of this seemins
lack Is the unwillingness of most of u!
to loosen up" in the matter of PLAN
materials.
In the garden as elsewhere, anc
whether one cares to admit it or not
the root of all evil Is debatable but
there can be little question that it. in
very matter-of-fact way, is at the
root of every good growing thing.
Most gardens suffer from the lack oil
expenditure, and most gardeners realize
1t; but there are SO many more neces-
sary things which must be bought in
the upkeep of every home that often
the garden is put off to the last.
This failure to give the garden its
due share OF money is something of a
mistake, all the more unnecessary since
a budget planting, as 1t may be called, is
possible.
fau cbr,,hs a,arx, $780,, r. a.,
stance, in five or six years would grow
into stable collection, with each
bush individually growing larger every
year. A stated addition of perennials
over period OF years would, within
the same period of time, give any home
a stable collection.
Plan is necessary, and no doubt it Is
in planning that most human beings
fall down, along with all the other de-
partments OF life and living wherein
mankind does fall down with several
loud bangs.
The legend OF Humpty Dumpty Is seen
not so much as childish tale to tickle
the juvenile ear as a serious presenta-
ticn of facts to warn adults to do more
and better planning, for all the horse
power of that rapidly vanishing official,
the King, is inadequate 10 the task Of
righting matters afterward, we are told.
X
So with the weeds of cur little subur-
ban and city gardens.
What of them, after all? Weeds are
very sterling plants, of sturdy construc-
ton and growth. always with fine green
foliage, and sometimes bearing pretty
flowers.
A few choice weeds will brighten any
border. Do not be in too big q hurry to
tear them up, but be sure to remove
their flowers before they go to seed. AS
much Is done with sweet peas and other
cultivated plants, so called.
The weeds in the grass, including the
dandelionS and the bright buttercups,
are easily controlled by the system out
lined; ordinary grass moving takes care
of many of them.
Even the Objectionable crab grass.
which sends out long runners, may be
controlled by ripping up the runners as
far as feasible without tearing the soil,
then breaking at the lowest Joint
Here again plenty of grass seed is the
solution Of the matter. A handful brings
reinforcementS to the grass at the right
time and place. If you would be the
Napoleon Of the lawn, play this strategy.