Evening star., 1937-07-24
RY i. w. WELLINGTON.

M coniters and broad leafed
types are increased by seed
but some of the horticultural
varieties of arborvitaes, yeWs, cypress,
and retiniSporas are propagated by
cuttings. Cuttings are taken either
in Midsummer, using the new growth,
or in very late Autumn or early VIM
ter, taking the we'll matured wood
Guy E. Yerkes of the Department of
Agriculture, in a mimeographed circu-
lar prepared some years ago, pointed
out that species such as the biotas,
bOxWoOds and arborvitaes, that require
only two or three months to root. are
we'll adapted for roofing in Summer
frames. Some bottom heat, that is
heat below the layer of sand is re-
ouired even in Summer frames. Elec-
trio cables would prove an ideal source
of heat and would cost very little for
maintenance during the warm wealth
er. Fermenting straWy manure may
also be employed as heating medium
but is really more difficult to obtain
than the electric cable. Sand, such
as builders use for plasterlng. is said
by Yerkes to be we'll adapted for
roofing cuttings provided it is free of
clay. Placing sand in a pail of water
and agltating it thoroughly will permit
one to pour off the clay burdened
water and leave the clean sand.
Cuttings may be taken any time
from late June to August, using half
ripe wood Of the new years growth
Cuttings three to five inches long,
with just a bit of the older wood at
the base are good. Most Of the foliage
should be pulled off, leaving only few
leaves at the top Cuttings are then
placed in the sand to a depth of two
or three inches, pressing the sand
firmly about the stems After the
bed is planted, the sash or window
should be placed over the frame and
shade provided by stretching canvas
or other cloth across a frame erected
two or three feet above the sash. If
the beds are soaked with water lust
after planting. only light spraying
two or three times day to keep the
air moist will BE- needed, This spray
ing may be decreased after a week
or so except during extremely hot
weather
Certain species, such as Colorado
blue spruce. pines and jumpers, are
said to be difficult to root from
cuttings and are increased by grating
on seedlings of the same genus. Graft
Ic Nf ol
home gardeners task as the work is
usually done in a greenhouse. Prof
Yerkes states that a few species, such
as holly and boxWood, may be in
creased by the simple process of laying
down some of the lower branches and
covering the branch with soil, leaving
the leafy extremity in the air. This
Is. OF course, very limited operation,
but one that is applicable to the home
garden where there may be a fine
fruit bearing holly or strong growing
boxWoods
Some OF the suburban gardeners
obtain evergreens as very small lining
out plants and grow them in the
garden in rows until they have
attained a useful size. Grated plants
may be secured also at reasonable
prices and in this way an extensive
supply of valuable evergreen material
may be built up at rather nominal
cash outlay.
Dahlia Diseases.
EVEN the sturdy growing dahlia is
not without. its troubles. Plants
which remain stunted all season, pro-
ducing an abnormal number of shoots
and no blooms of any value, are very
often infected with virus disease,
popularly designated as stunt"
Sometimes such characteristics are
caused by injury to the roots. but in
either case the control is the same
that is, the digging up and destruction
by burning or deep burial of the
entire plant. Plants once infected
with mosaic, do not recover and roots
saved from such plants will also carry
the disease. Thus, no matter what
price one has paid for the original
stock, it will not pay to try to save it.
Worse yet, aphids moving from the
sick plant will carry the disease to
healthy plants.
Fortunately, this aphid does most
OF its feeding in late season, so that
early destruction of diseased plants
is highly successful in stopping the
spread. DR.. R. P. White, writing in
1885, lists varieties that are tolerant
to the stunt" disease. These include
Jersey Beautiful, lie Toreador Mrs.
H. de Yer Warner, Trentonian, Anna
Marie, Asbury Park, Bonnie, Buckeye
Bride, Eckdorf Century, Faith Slo-
combe, Jane Cowl Jersey Triumph,
Martha Eppele, Mrs Charles R. Sher-
man, Papillon, Roxy, Sycamore Snow
clad and Queensbury However, there
are so many new varieties each year
that one must be constantly on the
guard against the disease.
A wilt disease sometimes attacks
the dahlia, causing partial to complete
destruction of the roots and conse-
quent dwarfing. Again the removal
ana destruction of dwarfed, unhealthy
plants is advised From the home
gardeners standpoint it is not neces-
sary to distinguish between the two
diseases since the remedy is the same.
There is no use fussing with dwarfed,
unhealthy plants but rather to DESTROY
them as soon as observed. On the
whole, the dahl.d is a vigorous plant
and one that can be grown success
fully by the beginner as well as the