Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-07-10


kets. This Is horticultural crop
in the making, FOR two decades ago
there were only wild blueberries.
There is every indication that not
so many years hence one will find 1t
difficult to buy the wild berries except
in the canned state. Most Of the pres
ent-day cultivated varieties. such as
Rubel. Cabot. Pioneer and Coville,
are selections from the wild, but now
plant breeders are busily engaged in
making crosses, and BURBERRY va
rieties should become as we'll known
as Strawberries.
The BURBERRY is an acid soil plant
and will turn yellow where the soil
reaction even approaches neutral or
even the point where most garden
plants thrive. Water table is another
important factor so that one finds
the best blueberries on low land or In
depressions on uplands. There is no
reason why BURBERRY plants should
not be grown successfully in local
gardens that have not been lined
In the past few years.
A plantation Of blueberries in fruit
is marvellous sight. One would
scarcely believe that so many berries
could be borne on q single plant.
Those growers who have found suitable
locations for blueberries are In a way
to make success.
Purple Foliage.
The high esteem with which many
home gardeners hold the purple or
red foliaged trees and plants is EVIL
denced by the number Of red naples,
beeches barberries and the like that
one may observe in journey through
the suburbs. And, indeed a fine purple
beech is a beautiful object. Yet a
solid forest Of purple-leafed trees
might not be as attractive as single
trees scattered among the green. 1t
is the contrast that really makes the
purple foliage appealing. Purple-leafed
trees are as rule the result of muta-
tons and do not reproduce the color
by seed. For this reason, purple
beeches and naples are more expen-
sive than the usual green because
budding or grating is necessary.
Garden Notes.
Any one who has in mind the Selec-
ton of loWgrowing evergreens to serve
as a foundation planting should OBJ
serve the yews planted last Winter
about the new Federal buildings on
Constitution avenue. These yeWs were
planted with great care and now ap-
pear as if they had been in place for
many seasons. The ability to main
tain the foliage in an attractive green
color throughout the whole year is a
notable characteristic of the yew and
gives this plant a marked advantage
over arboryitaes and other evergreens
that change color at certain seasons.
The holly is presumably a dioecious
plant: that is, produces pollen on one
tree and seed-bearing flowers on an
other. In this light, both types of
trees should be necessary to the pro-
duCtlon of berries. Yet here and
there. such as in front of the New Ma
tlonal Museum. one sees isolated trees
literally covered with young fruits.
1t would appear as if the holly needs
more intensive study from a botanical
viewpoint There are, perhaps. variant
types which are capable of self-polli-
nation.
The red fruits of the bush honey
suckle do not remain long when there
are robins and catbirds nearby. How
ever, one cannot but be glad that
there is some food available for the
birds and, in fact, many home gar
deners plant shrubs with this in mind
Those who planted out their Easter
hydrangeas must be pleased at the
nice recovery these plants have made
in this cool, moist season. Undoubt-
eddy, many Of the beautiful hydrangea
plants that have been seen in local
gardens this Spring trace their origin
to the florist shop, Some home gar
deners have good luck with poin-
settias, letting them stand in the
cellar with an occasional watering
during the Winter months and then
planting them out of doors in Nav
The poinsettia must be lifted in Sep
TENDER, as 1t cannot endure even light
frost.
Pansy seed should be planted short
ly for fine, strong plants that will en-
dure the coming Winter. The seed
is rather expensive and worthy OF
considerable care in planting, It will
not pay simply to sow a row in the
regular garden area, but rather
should be planted in frame Of pre-
pared soil with sufficient peat moss or
leaf mold to make it light and porous.
The seed may be sown in rows so that
each tiny plant will have a chance
to develop into a sturdy individual
Plants taken from a thickly planted
bed are apt to be spindly and poorly
rooted and difficult to transplant.
Privet has stopped making rapid
growth to the relief OF home garden
ers who have extensive hedges to