Evening star., 1934-05-20
The Home Gardener
Practical and Seasonal Hints for the Amateur for
Beautifying Surroundings of the Home.
BY J. w. WELLINGTON.


but more often because the flowers on
single tree are not capable of self
pollination. This is the reason why
a single sweet cherry. perhaps plum
or a pear, fails to set fruit even If it
produces abundant bloom. Peaches,
with one or two exceptions, notably
j. H Hale, are capable of setting fruit
with their own pollen and this Is why
one rarely sees non-bearing peach.
The question arises as to what to
do with a single isolated tree that re-
mains unfruitful. There are one or
two solutions. Flowering branches
may be taken from a tree of another
variety and placed in container of
water placed in the tree or under the
tree. Better yet, gratis of another
variety may be inserted in the tree
and when they come into blossom will
provide the necessary pollen.
Commercial orchardists have learned
of the difficulty and plant several
different varieties in their orchards.
1t is a different problem for the home
gardener with limited space. In this
case the grower must select trees
capable of -pollination.
Snapdragon Rust.
THE snapdragon is beyond doubt
one of the most beautiful flowers
that the home gardener can grow.
The long spikes of brilliant bloom are
very valuable fer cutting and endure
unusually well when brought into the
home. Yet comparatively few snap
dragons are grown in local gardens,
due to the prevalence of plant diseases,
conspicuous among which is the rust.
This disease first appears as small
raised patches of yellow on the under
sides of the leaves. In a few days
these spots break open, exposing small
brown, powdery masses. With severe
attacks the leaves collapse and entire
shoots may wilt and die and shortly
the snapdragon crop has failed.
The most promising remedy seems
to be the planting of resistant va
rietieS now offered by a few seedmen.
However. at the present time none of
these strains are as beautiful as the
best of the usual varieties. Certain
precautionary measures are suggested
by plant disease workers. Affected
foliage should be removed as soon
as observed, and especially when new
plants are obtained they should be
carefully examined before setting in
the garden. Dusting with finely di-
vided sulphur is helpful in Summer
when the temperatures are reasonably
high, but its use is limited by the
fact that the blooms are injured. 1t
would appear that the reSistent va
rieties offer the greatest hope and
with their improvement are certain
to replace present varieties for out
door planting.
Aphid Control.
4 BOUT the first insect to appear in
"A numbers in the garden in the
Spring is the aphid or plant louise.
Tulips are often attacked. the green
aphids sometimes literally covering
the foliage and blooms. Worse yet,
these insects have been found to carry
certain diseases from tulip to tulip
and are accountable for the great in
crease of color breaking in this valu-
able Spring flower. Fortunately aphidS
are rather easily controlled by spray
ing with tobacco extracts and also
with pyrethrum. Many local home
gardeners resort to this practice not
SO much to prevent disease spread as
to rid their plants of these obnoxious
pests.
Spirea and other shrubs are infested
early in the season and may be freed
from aphids by the use of the same
materials. Concentrated tobacco ex-
tracts are sold under certain trade
names and may be procured from
many local hardware and garden sup
ply houses. Directions are on the
package, and so potent are some Of
these extracts that only spoonful
or so is needed per gallon of spray.
Aphids are interesting in that most
species live on two or more host
plants, migrating in mass from one
species to the other at certain sea-
sons. This migratory movement ex-
plains, in part, why the gardener
finds his plants swarming with aphids
almost overnight. Aphids feed by
sucking the sap through their siphon-
like mouth parts. Hence any poison
placed on the outside of the plant is
ineffective. The tobacco and pyre-
thrum kill the insects by actually
smothering them.
Garden Notes.
CWEET peas succeed better in the
- North and in the Far South than
locally. Primarily. cool-weather
flower, it is not strange that this de-
sirable species grows better in the
but at first thought it is a
little unexpected that it thrives so well
Southwark The explanation lies in
the fact that the Southern crop is
sown in October or November and
grows more or less through the VIM
ter when it is COOL Locally the sweet
pea often is a disappointment be-
cause it does not have time enough
before the onset of hot weather in
June. Much the same is true with
garden peas, although the chances for
success are better, especially if one
selects the maturing varieties.
As suggested in an earlier article, all
peas except the very dwarf kinds
should be provided with some kind of
a support. Not only Will the yields be
materially increased by such training.
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