Evening star., 1933-02-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

much for 1t, either. Certainly it would
furnish plenty of food for starlings and
other birds sorely tried to find some
thing to eat. The theory of sowing"
seed on the snow Is that the inevitable
melting will carry the seed into the
softened earth. II one is careful TO
catch q nice light March snow this
stated that the action Of frost Is bene-
fetal to seeds Of all sorts.
Whatever may be said against the
Startling, it is very persistent and In
teresting bird. Those which flock into
suburban lawns these late afternoons
from Rock Creek Park are as large as
pigeons and twice as Saucy. Certainly
the startling has an air about him. In
a human being 1t would be called
poise, but in starting most persons
are inclined to brand 1t as impudence.
These glistening fellows have had a
hard time of 1t recently, mainly owing
to their size and the need for much
nourishment. During the many recent
SHOWS they were to be seen on any
patch of ground from which the white
ness had melted.
These birds make extensive use Of
scouts. Usually two fly down to q Sc
lected neighborhood and look over the
ground.
Then they ny away.
1t is afterward that the main body
arrives. Sometimes the scouts will keep
their seats, and in some way signal to
their invisible comrades. Maybe the
others know all is well by the fact
that the scouts have not returned. Per-
haps they are bird optimists, who figure
out that no news Is good news.
It Is really too bad that these in
teresting birds insist on making pests
out of themselves by their gregarious
habits. A couple Of them would be an
addition, every one would think, II Tor
no more than their alert, impudent ex-
pressionS and their general air of bird
health.
As the first touches of Spring shine
through the cold days a surprising
number of newcomers to the delight OF
amateur gardening want to know If
it is too late to plant tulips so that
they will bloom this year."
The only answer which can be made
Is that it is very much too late. They
should have been put in the ground
last Autumn. This applies to all the
course. 1t Is q simple fact which it
is dificult, however, for the newcomer
to grasp. Somehow his-or her-en-
thusiasm suddenly crops forth IN the
dull days of snowtime.
How beautiful it would be to see
bright tulips and glowing jonquils blow
ing in the fresh winds of "a brand-new
Spring!
He discovers, however, that to enjoy
this felicity as his own he must do
more than wish. The thing costs some
money and work and much foresight.
And little real knowledge. There is
still too prevalent an impression that
growing good flowers is just matter of
sticking something or other into the
ground.
Nature does the growing, but in the
cultivated garden the flower lover must
do the planning. And planning, here
as elsewhere, requires more than Just
wishing for beauty.
OF all the garden beauties, none
makes quite the appeal to the newcomer
as the Spring flowers, the early growers,
which mostly are bulbs, planted the
Fall before
There is about bed or border of
tulips or a mass of hyacinths or mar
cissi something gay and bold yet soft
and artistic
This is felt. even though vaguely, by
every one; that is why, no doubt, prac-
tically every lover of beautiful things
whether flowers or dogs, looks forward
to tulip time.