Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-19

frost hazard is at the height. For
example, the Amelia Earhart specimen
bloom, with which John L. Bishop OF
Woodbridge won top honors at the
Takoma Horticultural Club display,
was Just about as perfect bloom as
possible. The dahlia enjoys cool
nights, short days and, Of course. good
cultural care. Varieties OF dahlas
differ greatly in their inherent capac-
ity to produce nice roots for propaga-
ton. Some of the finest varieties
produce rather stringy roots which
are dificult to over-Winter In the
warm house cellar because OF their
tendency to dry out too easily. Sucn
roots must be covered with sand or
peat moss kept slightly moistened but
not wet enough to induce rotting.
Some growers have had success by
dipping the roots in melted paraf1n,
which leaves a moisture impermeable
coat. Dahlias will often Winter safely
in the soil if 1t Is well drained ana
particularly If leaves cover the ground,
but such a method Is precarious at
the best. Conditions which favor the
keeping of white potatoes also favor
the dahlia, notably root cellar which
remains around 40 degrees Fahrennelt'
but never actually freezes.
Gladiolus Thrips.
AS THE garden season OF 1850
- draws to a close, gardeners are
naturally recalling their successes ana
failures, and among the latter none
has been more general than the fall
ure to control gladiolus thrips. Such
failure Is not necessarily ref1ectlon
on the home gardeners industry, Tor
several of the very best amateur
gladiolus growers of this locality nave
expressed their disappointment IN not
subduing this pest A writer in the
September number of Wisconsin Hor-
ticulture states that five sprayings
failed in one important Wisconsin gar
den and expresses the belief that 1t
is almost impossible to control gladlo-
lus thrips by spraying alone. Treat
ment of the bulbs before planting WIN
corrosive sublimate or some equally
potent disinfectant is believed abso-
lutely necessary in control, and even
the paper sacks or baskets in wnlcn
the corms were stored during the
Winter should not be taken into the
garden. When gladiolus bulbs are
purchased, it is not safe to rely on
the dealers statement that they nave
been disinfected and they should be
given the same careful treatment as
home grown bulbs. anything that
the home gardener can do to main
tain the gladiolus in the home garden
Is we'll worth while, for it is aptly
enough termed the queen flower OF
the Midsummer.
Leaves Have Value.
T caves are a potential source OF
IL fertility for the garden but not
if directly spaded into the soil. once
rotted down, however, the organic
residue Is almost as good as rotteo
manure. particularly if some am
monium sulphate, superphosphate and
! lime has been added to the pile DUR
ing the decomposition process. 10
most home owners, leaves are more
or less of a nuisance but if one has
space to pile them. he can accumulate
fertility at a negligible cost. Some
years ago. a local home gardener
pointed out that poultry were highly
effective agents in breaking down
leaves into useful organic material
Their droppings greatly enhance the
fertilizing value of the residue. Few
home gardeners. except in the out
lying suburbs, have poultry and. II
leaves are to be utilized, they must
resort to chemicals as supplements