Evening star., 1934-08-19
The Home Gardener
Practical and Seasonal Hints for the Amateur for
Beautifying Surroundings of the Home.
BY ]. w. WELLINGTON.

that paintings should reach their
best condition two to four years after
initial setting and that shortly after
the clumps should be dug and reset
in a fresh location. the soil of which
has been well spaded and fertilized.
In lifting the old clumps, one may
simply divide it with a sharp spade
into four or more sections or it may
be separated by hand into individual
plants.
The advice on cutting away of the
old seed panicles is particularly timely.
Failure to do this explains why many
home gardeners feel that their phlox
has run out and changed color. Ap-
parently it is a situation where the
young seedlings are more vigorous
than their parents and crowd them
out. Too. there appears a distinct
tendency for phlox seeding to revert
in color to the natural magenta.
Again 1t is likely that the magenta
colored seedlings are very vigorous
and choke out the more attractive
colored forms.
Garden Notes.
THE double-flowered naSturtium,
Golden Clean, despite it's sus-
ceptibility to aphids. Is a most desir-
able variety. Because of extensive ad-
vertising, the Golden Clean has been
very widely planted. Now there are
coming scarlet, scarlet-orange. cherry
rose and peari-colored varieties, with
the promise that in a year or two
there will be whole race of double
naSturtiums. Furthermore. as the
double varieties grow older
there will be a decrease of single
lowered plants. which have been
found too frequently this past season.
GladioluS Is name that for a
long time has bothered gardeners with
regard to proper pronunciation. The
American Gladiolus Society has Off
cially decreed that as a common name
the accent should fall on the 20" and
that the plural should be spelled and
pronounced just as the singular. Since
a majority of gardeners already pro-
nounced the name in the specified
manner, the choice of the national
society is desirable and opportune,
Withal, the flower and not the name
Is the important thing.
Although cultivation of the soil be-
yond the point Of keeping down weeds
has not ordinarily proved of any
value in retaining soil moisture. it is
not advisable to permit cracks to
form in dry soil. In fact, shallow
culture is the most logical procedure,
as it not only kills existing weeds,
but limits further termination.
Experiments at the Boyce Thomp-
son Institute for Plant Research,
Yonkers, N. Y, show that perennial
larkspur seeds will retain their vitality
much longer in sealed than in open
containers. A good stand of seedlings
was said to have been secured with
seed stored four years at As degrees.
Praise is offered in the July-August
number OF Wisconsin Horticulture for
the Gustave Mallet variety of weigela.
1t is described as a heavy bloomer
with beautiful deep rose flowers.
AS a spray to control gladiolus
thrips, two tablespoonfuls of paris
green. two pounds of brown sugar and
three gallons of water make an effec-
tive combination. It Is late to begin
this year for spraying should really
start shortly after the plants emerge
from the soil. Some evidence of a
reliable character has been brought
forward that the ordinary garden
Iris serves as host for the gladiolus
thrips. II so, the problem of control
Is doubly complicated. However, a
combination of Winter treatment of
the cormS and Of timely Summer
spraying promises successful control.
The need Of Winter treatment pro-
v1des a good reason for digging gladi-
olus corms despite the fact that they
will in many instances survive in the
soil.
Strangely enough, experiments at
Cornell University seemed to indicate
that gladiolus stalks cut in mid
day kept better than those cut in
the morning or evening. At least one
fioret should be open when flowers
are cut for shipping.
OF all the materials suggested for
the control of aphids, such as those
on nasturtium, none surpasSes nico-
tine in effectiveness. There are sew
eral proprietary forms of nicotine
sprays, some of which are combined
with fungicides and arsenates so as
to give almost complete control of
leaf troubles.
The Garden Clubs.
2 ECORDS by the club secretary
~ show that the meeting of the
Community Garden Club of Rockville
held August 10. was the 188th
gathering OF that active organization
Mrs. Frank Karn, hostess of the day
won first prize in the flower exhibi-
tion which is held as regular fea-
ture of each meeting. Other winners
included Mrs. Leet, Mrs. Willism
Wiley, Mrs. Thomas Falvy and Mrs
Harry Gormley. The next meeting of
the Rockville club will be held on
August "a, with Mrs. Chauncey Grubb,
Mrs. George Allnutt, Mrs. o. w