Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-16

The temperance of Summer. after
some cold weather, put the entire gar
den into a state Of 'bewilderment.
Grass and roses did not know what
10 make Of 1t.
The grass stopped growing, then
started up again.
The rose kept right on blooming
The trees, which have never looked
better In their lives, continued to re-
main green and lush.
Evidently growing things were not
hurt as much by the drought of last
year as might have been expected.
Still, lilacs In some cases have mil
dew. or blight Of SOME sort. and rose
bushes are thin and scraggly. where
last year they we're thick and bushy.
Maybe those are symptoms Of drought
showing up at last.
The renewed warm weather, without
rain. calls attention again to the ne
cessity for watering evergreens In the
Fall, In order that they may be pre-
pared to 90 through the Winter.
There seems to be a great deal Of
! Misunderstanding on this point. Be-
cause these plants look so harsh and
dry. many householders are inclined to
think they can get along very well
without water.
The large numbers Of sickly and
brownish- looking evergreens, however,
shows that something Is wrong.
Considerably more than half OF the
foundation paintings one sees In going
about the city have reached the point
where they are no longer ornamental.
Many Of these bushes-smal pines,
jumpers and so on-could be reclaimed
BY the simple expedient OF watering
| them copiously.
Perhaps the best way to do this is to
! pour on slowly, and not in rush, one
or two bucketfuls Of water every day
for an extended period.
| Care should be taken to keep the
water off the foliage The water should
be permitted to pour out of the bucket
slowly, so that all of 1t will sink into
the ground Some advocate the boring
of a series of holes in the ground, about
an inch in diameter, some foot or so
| from the evergreen main trunk and
pouring the water carefully into these.
This is an advice of perfection, and
no doubt is good If one feels inclined
to bother with it. Most home garden
ers will be content with seeing that
their evergreens get plenty OF water,
either by bucket or hose.
Autumn Is normally q very dry
period, and cold weather often catches
evergreenS which have not had drop
Of water for weeks.
Many persons think that freezing
of water in the ground hurts plants
The truth rather seems to be that 1t
Is not the freezing which harms them
as thaw later, the latter doing In
finitely more damage.
In fact, 1t is claimed that one OF the
best ways to water roses and evergreens
in the Fall Is Immediately before a
freeze, and tr1At the moment the ground
Is frozen-and not before-one should
cover the ground with some cover, such
as a thick coat Of leaves, so that the
frozen state win be perpetuated.
Nature is used to her children be-
coming frozen In, but untimely thaws
and subsequently refreezing play havoc
with them. This is the theory, and 1t
probably is true enough. Lake so many
garden procedures, 1t is very diff
ficult matter upon which to check up.
Experience teaches, however, that the
main thing is to get the water into the
ground where 1t is needed. Most ANA
teurs seem to feel afraid Of this late
watering, for fear 1t will make the
plants grow" +.
There Is not very much danger OF
that, If one takes care to water late
enough Nature knows thing or two
and has put most Of her children in
the plant kingdom on their annual
rest. Warmth will make them start