Evening star., 1933-10-07
The Home Gardener
Practical and Seasonal Hints for the Amateur for
Beahtifying Surroundings of the Home.
by ]. w. WELLINGTON.

approximation OF the natural process
where the fruit drops to the soil and
the seeds are buried over Winter in
the leaves. A. G. Hotties, in his book,
Practical Plant Propagation" lists
among shrubs whose seeds require
stratification barberry, cotoneaster, cy-
donia, euonymus, holly, privet, rose,
Wburnum and hawthorn; among trees,
maple, beech, birch. ash, hickory, wal
nut, locust, sassafras, chestnut and
catalpa.
Often a person has secured seeds
of a desirable plant and lost them
by trying to hold them over Winter in
dry condition. The seed coats be-
come so hard and impervious to mois-
ture that they simply cannot germinate,
or else the embryo within the seed is
killed by the lack of moisture.
Garden Notes.
VXIHAT is perhaps an important
" point in the control of the
gladiolus thrips is the desir-
ability of cutting away the gladiolus
stalks directly after digging SO that
the thripS present on the leaves would
not have a chance to reach the CORN.
In addition, when the corms are put
away in paper sacks the addition of
some napthalene fakes before tying
is said to make doubly sure the elimina-
tion of the thrips.
Almost all species of trees and shrubs
may be moved with success in late
Autumn. particularly in a season such
as the present, when the soil is satu-
rated with moisture. In cases where
foundation paintings are crowding bad
ly. 1t Will pay to take out certain of
the plants and move them to other
locations. Too close planting will cause
plants to lose their lower foliage and
gradually become unsightly.
Celery, spinach and other vegetables
that may be making slow growth can
be speeded into action with a little
nitrate OF soda placed along the rows.
Heavy rains have tended to leach
downward the nitrogen of the early
applications of fertilizer making doubly
necessary additional supplies. One
pound OF the nitrate per 100 feet of
row Is an effective amount.
There is little to be gained in saving
seed Of most flowers, because there is
no assurance that the seedlings will be
equal to- or like their parents. Many
OF the seed growers Of the country Sc
lect their stocks with a great deal of
care and take pains to isolate varieties
to avoid crossing. On the other hand,
1t Is almost impossible in the home gar
den to avoid crossing of varieties.
Poison Ivy foliage takes on beauti-
full reddish color in Autumn and those
gathering foliage for decorative pur-
poses should make certain of the
materials they may be cutting.
An odd effect OF the early defoliation
OF pear trees by scab and other dis
eases Is the tendency to blossom. OF
course. such flowers are an utter loss
and diminish the chance for fruit an
IN,
making of sugars and other reserves.
an accumulation of which accompanies
the beginning of the rest period With
out leaves. the tree cannot store re-
serves.
The Garden Clubs.
THE Woodbridge Garden Club Au-
tumn Horticultural Show staged
last Monday measured up to
good standards Of quality, but fell short
in quantity, due apparently to the raw
ages of the August storm. There were
however. some very attractive exhibits;
for example, a basket of pink dahlias
and purple asters which captured first
honors in its class. Fort Monmouth, a
deep maroon dahlia of large size, won
the distinction of the finest dahlia in
the show. This was grown and ex-
hibited by w. H. Gannaway. The old
reliable Red Radiance won first honors
in the rose classes. The bloom was
from the garden of Mrs. A. H. Engel-
brecht. past president of the club Mrs.
A. L. Fosters entry in the novelty class
won much approval 1t consisted of a
group of miniature human figures made
entirely of vegetables. An attractive
exhibit of purple perennial asters by
Ralph Lewis stimulated interest in this
desirable Autumn plant.
The Potomac Rose Society will hold
its Fall Exhibition of Roses next Friday,
October 13, at the New National Mu-
scum from to 10 pm. Attention is
called to the fact that exhibiting privi-
leges are open to all local garden clubs
and home gardeners located in Wash
ington and nearby Virginia and Mary
land. Entries will be received from
am. to l pm.
The Autumn display of the Hyatts-
vile Horticultural Society will be open
for visitors again this evening at the
Pinckney Memorial Parish Hail. Dah-
las and roses make up the bulk Of the
flowers, with salvias. hardy asters and
other late Autumn blooms doing their
part to make the exhibition interesting
and beautiful. L. L. Powers Is chair
man in charge of the display.
Chemicals Gain.