Evening star., 1935-03-22
lawn Is a veritable see-saw between
being clothed and unclothed.

ldWn Is d VeTlLdDlc bct-bdW UctWccu
being clothed and unclothed.
Yet one must not expect magic from
the application Of little fertilizer.
Most Of the trouble lies in the
little" There can be little question
that the average lawn Is the step
child Of the garden and the average
owner treats 1t in a niggardly fashion.
While a small amount Of fertilizer
Is certainly better than none, surely
q proper amount would be far better.
Just what is q proper amount depends
upon what is being used. Sellers OF
the same are only too glad to make
suggestions. It is here, as with the
doctors orders as to exercise and diet
in the daily life, 1t Is quite one thing
to receive them and quite another to
carry them out
He who purchases 20-pound sack
Of lawn fertilizer, with good intentions
to stick by the recommendations. soon
finds himself putting half or fourth
as much per 10 square feet as the
directions call for.
Just why this tendency in the
average plant lover is something of a
mystery until we think Of the plain
fact that the poor fellow has food,
clothes and shelter to buy, and heaven
knows what else
He finds, by experience. that he can
cheat the grass and let Mother Nature
take care of them, which usually she
does to the best of her ability.
Since grass is, in a sense, a weed.
with all the powers for survival of the
plants we choose to call weeds, it
usually does a job of growing and
covering to the average satisfaction.
with or without benefit of added fertil-
izer.
1t Is interesting to note this Spring
a renewed interest in the common
baroerry, the so-called Japanese form.
This Is as it should be. Whereas
California privet, SO long the favorite
hedge material hereabouts, suffered
severely during the past two Winters
common barberry came through tri-
umphantly. The mistake most people
make in its use is planting too small
specimens, especially those which have
stood too long balled and burlapped.
and in failing to provide plenty of
water the first two or three weeks after
planting.
People everywhere must be coming
to a renewed appreciation Of the bar
berreis, tor three new forms have
made their way into commerce. The
first OF THESE is the ornamental red
leaved form, so-called, which has been
avilable for several years.
The second is the new evergreen
form, which Is supposed TO be prac-
tically clothed with foliage all Winter
long.
The third is a more compact growth.
with canes growing straighter up than
in the other forms.
Other forms will be put on the
market within the next few years,
without doubt, making a most inter-
esting group Of plants, which will have
use not only as hedges, but as foun-
dation planting and specimen plants
at the corner of lawns, etc.
Two small specimens Of the red
leaved barberry will be found on either
side Of the Connecticut avenue en-
trance Of the Chevy Chase Club at
Quincy street, while row Of Japanese
barberry has just been planted in the
parking from Bradley lane down to
Primrose street.
Such paintings are always effective,
easily taken care Of, and seldom
harmed by ordinary conditions which
city and suburban plants must meet.
The average home owner can make
as effective use of the barberries in
their various forms.