Evening star., 1937-08-07
BY J. w. WELLINGTON.

- w. oI>s
~ ESERVING credit for being
the sturdiest of all the cul-
tivated lilies, the tiger lily
~ Is by no means the hand
sorest member Of the fine genus yet
when planted in mass, mabes a fine
display and helps to bring color to
the garden at a time when 1t is
often sorely needed. Humming birds
seem to enjoy the tiger lily and may
be seen visiting the orange blooms
early in the evening The tiger lily
is OF Asiatic origin, but seems very
much at home in this country. Often
this lily may be observed growing
almost in wild condition beside some
house cellar, the habitation itself
having long since disappeared AL
though one rarely, if ever, sees seed
pods on the tiger lily, small black
bulblls are produced freely in the
axlis of the leaves. If planted shall
lo~ly, these bulbils develop gradually
INTO fne, Towering sized bulbs. In
fact, as these bulbils drop to the soil
thev root end one may hnd many
small plants coming up around the
mother plants. In this way, few
tiger lilies shortly become nice
planting.
The Nectarine.
"A T THE present time, California
grown nectarines are coming into
local markets in considerable quanti-
lies. These handsome smooth
skinned fruits look more like plums
than peaches, yet are botanically the
same as the peach. In fact, the
nectarine may be best described as a
fuzzless peach. Occasionally branch
on a peach tree will bear nectarines
and continue to do so thereafter. This
phenomenon is known as mutation
and is not uncommon in plants, al
though rarely as striking as in the
ease of the nectarine. Occasionally
too. a peach seed will give rise to a
rectarlne tree.
Somehow the nectarine does not
seem TO equal the peach in general
favor. Too often there seems to be a
slight bitter flavor. Theoretically, the
hoss Of the fuzZ should be a great
asset. but some other quality of the
peach appears to be lost at the same
time. The tree and foliage of the
nectarine are Identical with those OF
the peach and the culture, pruning
and general care would be the same.
The Phylloxera.
Asst week mention was made OF
the japanese beetle. an insect
invader OF great menace to local
gardens. HoWeve], not all insect pests
are invaders for this country has in
adVertently sent some serious pests
abroad. none more dangerous than the
phylloxera or grape root louise or
aphld. This insect is a native OF
Eastern United States. but through
the centuries our native grapes at
aimed marked degree of resistance to
the insect. When, however, the pest
wax taken to Europe on exported Amer
lean vines, it found the European grape
without any resistance wha tsoever and
proceeded to sweep like fire through
European vineyards. Finally, by i'm
porting American wild grapes for use
~ rootstocks and by crossing European
varieties with Americans, the problem
was largely solved.
Occasionally some injury may bs
observed on native grapes The first
manifestation is in swellings or gals
on the leaves. Since some OF our So
called American grapes have a eight
percentage of European ancestry
these may we'll be more susceptible
aAan ahe native vines. Fortunately
most OF our varieties, such rs Concord
and Niagara. are troubled but little
and IN this locality it becomes chiefly
. problem in selecting resistant kinds.
Since most of the in Jury is at the roots,
spraying would be largely futile.
The nature Of resistance to insects
And oEsease Is one of the great prob
Aenns that intrigues investigat tors.
Sometimes it may be purely physical.
ktich AZ an impenetrable surface, but
more often resistance is much deeper.
possibly some chemical constituent Of
me plant sap. Whatever reeista nee
mag b., 1t makes possible the growing
Of plants bnder conditions that would
otherwise mean complete failure.
The Water Hyacinth.
"A FAvORITE supplement for the
Esy pool, the water hyacinth is q
most interesting plant. Equipped by
mature with air chambers, the plant
hosss on the surface of the pool,
sending It's roots downward into the
water and mud. In Southern Texas
and Florida She water hyacinth BE-
somss terrible weed, choking streams
E~0a ~ AAnaA urouyfh thai