Evening star., 1932-03-13

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In brief period of two or three years
mas grown to be one of the largest
clubs in the Washington region.
The new Potomac Rose Society met
Thursday evening at George Washing
ton University, with a very instructive
and interesting program, which included
two illustrated lectures-"RoSe Pests
and Their Suppression" by DR.. Charles
A. Weigel, and Budding and the Selec-
ton Of Rose Stocks" by Guy Z. Yerkes.
Both speakers are research workers In
the Department Of Agriculture. The
Potomac Rose Society fulfills q long
desired need among local rose growers,
and should be of material assistance In
the growing Of this choice flower.
Demonstration Well Attended.
Favored by a bright warm day, the
Takoma Horticultural Club pruning
demonstration held on washington's
birthday attracted quite 3 sizable audi
ence. AS usual, roses seemed to be the
major attraction, upward Of so people
watching Winn T. Simmons shape
his plants for the coming seasons
activity. Mr.. Simmons brought out
the point that pruning should be varied
to meet the situation; that is, If one
wishes to secure specimen roses for
exhibit purposes the plants should be
cut much more severely than If one
Is pruning for a general mass effect
such as exists in large bed of roses.
Severe pruning will reduce the number
of blooms per plant but greatly enhance
the size of those left. In pruning. Mr..
Simmons saved the strong shoots OF
1881 in preference to older growth and
Hid mt hesitate fn Of the
old woody shoots right at the base of
the plant.
Fruit tree pruning was ably Demon
strated by Edwin H. Powell and DR.. D.
N. Shoemaker, assisted by w. H. Young
man. The setting was ideal, a small
orchard of variously aged trees. some
of which had apparently never been
pruned since planting. Hence, the tops
were generally mass Of brush and
gave the pruners a chance to show the
desirable effects of opening up the head
and giving a chance for light to enter
and stimulate fruit spur growth with
in the tree and not simply on the outer
extremities.
One could not help but see that trees
should be shaped at planting and given
regular pruning as needed each year
and then drastic pruning would not be
required to put the trees into condi-
tion later on. Severe pruning means
large wounds with chances of infection
and also means a shock to the tree.
Good, sensible pruning at the start,
followed by light, corrective pruning
throughout the early years Is recom-
mended by both practical and profess
sional horticulturists. Experiments at
the West Virginia Experiment Station.
and for that matter at other places,
have shown that severe pruning at time
OF setting does not harm the tree to
any such extent as later on.
Club to Meet Monday.
The Neighborhood Garden Club Of
Gaithersburg and Washington Grove
will be addressed on Monday evening,
March IA. by z. Miller Richardson OF
Baltimore, a representative of the
American Rose Society. He will discuss
Rose Culture and Rock Garden
Plants" This meeting will be held at
pm. In the Gaithersburg School audi
torium. Miss Laura A. Wadsworth.
president, extends an invitation to the
public.
On March II at 1890 am. the club
sponsors flower arrangement demon
Stration by a commercial florist at the
Washington Grove Assembly Hall. This
will be followed by a social hour with
luncheon. The Neighhornood Garden
Club is the youngest or the local gar
den clubs, being little more than three
months old. but has a membership of IS
and has been very active in bringing
capable garden lecturers to the COM
munity.
Mrs. SilaS B. Waters of Cincinnati,
Ohio. Is to be guest speaker at the
meeting Of the American Horticultural
Society to be held March Is at 4:30
pm. In the auditorium or the Interior
Department, Eighteenth and r streets.
Mrs. Waters will speak on rock gardens.