Evening star., 1936-05-09

tulips. Another way to avoid the |
trouble would be to purchase new bulbs
each year and, fortunately. this Is
rather practicable because tulips are
relatively low In cost. Spraying the
tulips with nicotine or pyrethrum ma
terials to control the aphidS will also
slow down the progress Of the disease.
Tulips which fail to flower are not
worth saving over to another year for
usually the bulbs are not strong and
will never amount to much.
Fertilizing Trees.
MUCH interest is now being shown
AVA in the new method Of feeding
large shade trees in which series Of
holes are made in q circle about the
tree and nutrient materials dropped
down into the subsoil. This method
is said to particularly aid trees grow
ing in sod and has the advantage over
surface distribution in that no in
Jury need result to the grass itself.
Holes may be made with bar and,
after placing the fertilizer, simply be
filled with soil Some commercial
landscape gardeners provide them
selves with electric drills. A large
maple or oak tree can profitably use
10 to Is pounds Of commercial mixed
fertilizer. However, it stands to reason
that the fertilizer placed in q few
holes will not be all available to the
tree as it would II worked into the
soil. Yet this system Of fertilizing
has given excellent results and Is
we'll worthy Of trial. The need OF
fertilizer Is best determined by the
condition Of the tree itseh-that is, If
growing strong and thriftily, there
is little need of spending money for
plant food. Trees are at diSad-
vantage in the lawn because, unlike
the forest, all the leaves that fall in
Autumn are raked and destroyed,
rather than being permitted to decay
and thus renew the food supply.
Bechters Crab.
OF ALL the Towering small trees,
~ crabapples, cherries and haw-
thorns, there is nothing more lovely
than the variety known as Bechteps
crab, with large double blooms Of soft
pink. Yearly about the first week IN
May this tree presents gorgeous show
Of bloom. AS indicated previously in
this column, Bechtel's is an American
plant, and for that reason well adapted
to our climate The trees, as secured
| from the nursery, are budded on wild
crab roots, and one has to be careful
to prevent sucker growth coming up
from the root stock. The tree has few
enemies, the most dangerous being
cedar rust, which tends to defoliate
certain trees in Midsummer. However,
this disease causes little trouble in city
gardens. but It Is serious In the out
lying suburbs, where native cedars are
still abundant. For a specimen small
tree on the large lawn there is no more
ornamental species than Bechters crab.
| Pruning Shrubs.
CoMEWHAT contrary to the usual
- pruning practice, many Of our
best known towering shrubs may be
best pruned directly after Towering
even though such come in June. The
reason is that most shrubs bear flowers
on the preceding years growth. OBJ
viously, when pruning, much Of the
last years growth is cut away and, Il
this were done early the flower buds
would go with the wood. In most
species there will be soft shoots push
ing out about the time of Towering
In pruning these young growths should
be saved and the old blooming wood
removed. One or two Of the Oldest
canes may we'll be removed each year
from the base. The plan in mind Is
to encourage the young growth that
is potentially the Towering wood OF
next year. without any pruning at
all, plants rapidly become a dense
mass The light cannot penetrate the
center and, as result, all green growth
disappears from the interior. The
plants soon consist Of long, bare
branches with few leaves and flowers
at the tips.
Garden Notes.
AN ARTICLE in the May Scientific
Monthly on poison ivy calls at
tention to the fact that the plant i,
not an ivy at all, but was so called by
Capt. John Smith because Of a fanci'
full resemblance to English ivy. Th'
true ivies are not poisonous to tn,
touch. For those who are not &C
quainted with poison ivy there ar
| excellent pictures in Farmers Bulleth
, 1166, issued by the Department o
/ Sell ,,.H~