Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17

as snapdragons, Zinnias, ageratum, and
the like, realizing quite well the value
OF these in supplying bloom during the
period following the Spring blooming
perennials, such as iris, pyrethrun1s,
columbines, and so forth. The trade in
annual plants in our city and its sur
rounding area must, indeed, be ire
mendous, judging by the wide display
of stock. That the instructive desire to
grow plants is strong in the minds of
homeowners is evidenced by the num-
bers of young Towering and vegetable
plans purchased.
In setting young plant, the soil
should be firmed about the roots. A
simple test is to try to lift the plant
after setting If the plant pulls easily,
it is safe to say that it was not prop
erly planted. Pressing the soil against
the roots establishes the contact essen
t1al to rapid restoration Of water sup
ply.
The rains Of the last few weeks have
insured the growth of new seedlings of
grass. There is really no reason why
grass should not be grown any time
during the growing season if water is
available.
In radio talk given last Autumn
over station WRC, DR.. Earle B. White
Of Kensington suggested the following
list of peonies: White, Festiva Maxina
Frances Willard. Kelway Glorious, LIE
Cygne; light pink, President Taft, E. c.
Shaw, Jeannot. Therese; dark pink,
M. Jules Ellie. Martha Bullock, Walter
Faxon and Kelway Queen; red, Phil
lipe Rivoire, Cherry Hill, Richard Car
vel and Karl Rosefield. DR.. White
knows peony varieties by virtue of long
experience, and his suggestions are
worthy Of consideration. BY the way,
he is an ardent advocate of Autumn,
rather than Spring, planting.
The name wire grass Is applied to
several weed grasses, such as crab grass
and Bermuda grass. Probably the par
ticular wire grass that is now bothering
home owners is the Bermuda, which,
because of its strong underground sto-
Ions and rampant top growth, soon
puts the blue grass and other desirable
species to rcUt. According to the grass
specialists of the Department of Agri-
culture, there is only one way to COM
bat Bermuda grass and that Is to dig
it bodily out of the soil This means
that If a lawn is badly overrun it must
be spaded or forked, shaking out the
Bermuda roots and stolons and care
fully removing them. Small sections of
stolons left In the soil will root and
grow, hence the eradication to be really
NOTLllWL1Ic HluoI Dc COuIplCIS. bGIIIluQd
grass does not seed in this region, and
hence If one can get the plant out of
the lawn there is no need Of it return
ing unless brought back again in new
top soil or rotted manure. The exclu-
sion of this undesirable species is a
strong argument in favor of using only
commercial fertilizer for feeding the
lawn.
Just now when Deutzia lemoinei Is
in full BLOOM and It's smaller relative.
D. gracilis, is beginning, one is re-
minded of the beauty of this interest
ing and valuable group of plants.
Ranging from the gracilis varieties of
scarcely more than 2 feet in height to
the tall Pride of Rochester, which may
reach or 10 feet, there is considerable
adaptability of use in the group. The
smaller species are so floriferous that
from short distance they appear as