Evening star., 1945-08-05

of growth if left unpruned, hardi-'
ness in this area, cultural require
ments and general suitability in re-
spect to the entire planting scheme.
All evergreen plants are being
studied for suitable varieties, but
the hemlock and yew seem to be
receiving the most careful scrutiny
at present. From these we are OBJ
tanning the most acceptable plant
material for landscape work, par
ticularly for foundation paintings.
Most of the yews found in our
Eastern gardens are Taxus baccata,
the European yew, Taxus canadensls
from Northeastern North America,
Taxus cuspidata from Japan or
hybrids of these.
The European yew, T. baccata,
has numerous very fine forms, but
because it is less hardy than the
japanese yew it is being planted
less in the Northern part of the
country Perhaps T. baccata is less
hardy here because it requires
light, well-drained soil with gen.
erous applications of lime. AS you
know, much of our soil is heavy clay
and rather on the acid side.
Under T. cuspidata or the Japa-
nese yew we find many desirable
forms suited to many purposes from
a low-growing hedge to a specimen
tree of great beauty.
Taxus cuspidata densa is prob
ably the slowest growing of ., the
spreading forms of yew. Given
time, it will grow into a low, broad,
compact plant.
Taxus cuspidata intermedia is a
fine yew with good dark foliage. 1t
grows only moderately fast.
T. mana, sometimes listed as T.
brevifolia, is another slow-growing
form. AS it grows it becomes broad
and dense with excellent dark foil
age. 1t will grow from to 6 feet
in height.
TaxuS media is a group name for a
number of hybridS, most of which
are named for the men who intro
duced them, as T. media Hatfieldii
for T. o. Hatfield. Hatfieldii devel-
ops into a columnar plant with a
good, full base. 1t grows strongly.
T. media Hicksii has very pleasing
foliage, but seems to be bare at the
base, with an open habit of growth
which makes it less desirable for
most purposes than Hatfeldii.
An excellent yew of moderate to
fast growth and good for specimen
planting is TaXus media Wymanii
AS a young plant it is not of special
note, but as it grows it forms mass
which has a full base and we'll
filed center
Yews may be planted at any time
of the year. Just before growth
starts. in the spring or in the early
fall, are the best times. Ample
moisture is necessary at planting
and throughout the year, just as fol-
most other plants Do not allow the
yew to grow in a spot not well
drained They will not tolerate wet
feet.
No positive rules can be laid down
for planting or trimming a yeW
hedge, but these suggestions may
serve as a guide: The plants should
be set FROM 2l2 to 3 feet apart. The
tops should be leveled off. Height
SHOULD be gained slowly in order tc
have a heavy, full growth at the
base. If the hedge is we'll planted
and correctly pruned at the begin
ming, one pruning year will be suf-
ficient, preferably in the early
spring.
The black vine weevil is the only
serious pest which attacks the yew
The larvae feeds on the roots. The
tops of the plants turn yellow and
then brown. Severely injured plants
may die.
The adult beetle, which feeds al
night, may be knocked off onto a
white cloth and then dropped into
a pail containing kerosene and
water. Lead arsenate 6 pounds tc
100 square feet) may be worked into
the soil or an extract of pyrethum
applied in liquid form.
Most seedsmen have a supply OF
transplanting mixture (l3-26-13 or
hand, but if this it not available
your best buy is the highest concen-
trated fertilizer you can find. By
using a fertilizer high in nitrogen
you will find that your plants re-
cover almost Immediately. Most
gardeners who have used fertilizer
in this liquid form find it easier tc
apply, quicker in its action, more
adaptable and more satisfactory in
general than the dry form.
X
Have you carefully staked the tail
plants. such as dahliaS and asterS?
1t would be a good thing to do. So
much rain has made the soil sc
moist that fair wind could easily
,1proot opv toll rlaYf