Evening star., 1946-10-15
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. TrdcetUell.

locust leaves were coming down by
the thousands, carpeting driveway and
lawn. m :.
Fine material for composing, ALMOST
lost art.
Leaves of all sorts, oak and others
make good covering material. too.
Pansy plants by the thousands, sold
at this time Of year, are best covered
with leaves.
Pansies will do well, though, without
any covering. These bright and happy
plants. turning into the well loved
flowers with faces in spring. can stand
even our coldest winters uncovered.
Falling leaves often strike the careful
soul as great waste.
The commonest thing done with them
is to burn them. Certainly it gets rid
of them, to say nothing of the fact
that at times it injuries the juncture Of
the road and the parking.
But surely. one may think there is
something better to do with them, and
there is-put them in q compost pile
or heap.
The compost pile is best placed in 4
rear corner Of the yard. There q hole
may be dug, or q wire enclosure made
and leaves piled up for future use.
Locust leaves or leaflets, really, are
quite fragile, and turn into good COM
posting material by themselves, and
quickly,
Other sorts of leaves usually need q
mixture Of lime with them, first layer
of leaves, then some lime, and so on.
Since nature cannot be hurried, the
gardener will find that leaves answer
to the same rule.
1t may require several years for his
compost material to get into the de-
sired shape. In the meantime, let him
be patient.
In autumn, leaves call attention to
themselves by the change in coloring
caused by the action OF the frost.
Color is a powerful attractor, but the
leaves are just the same in essential
beauty throughout their lives.
We should think of this every time
we look ut q tree.
Leaves are marvellous, both in shape
and the duties they perform.
Light motors they are, in q sense.
But their beauty. from an artistic
standpoint, Is not from 4 combination
Of utility and form but solely from the
latter. >i
There are scores of shapes of leaves,
every one of them well known to botan-
ical students. Those who missed the
opportunity to study this branch of
learning in school or college might well
take it up now.
Simple elementary botany Is good
fun, when one studies it with no par
ticular thought Of using the knowledge
gained.
Perhaps Americans have put too much
stress on study for use. Usage is good,
but knowledge for its own sake Is good,
too; some still think 1t is better and
best.
However that may be, it is easy to pick
up the simple knowledge of the mean
ing of leaves, their shapes, uses, struc-
lures, and SO on.
Then, perhaps, it will not be SO easy
to rake and burn, in the future. Ger
tainly the frugal soul will resent the
huge waste of q city's leaves. Much
good can be done with them, in covering
plants for the winter, and In making
them into future plant food
No doubt If the energy devoted to
raking and burning leaves, or even =
fourth OF 1t, were put on using them.
there might be an end to the dead gray
looking lawns so often seen, the shabby
foundation paintings Ito which most
homes 10 years and older must plead
guilty. and the lack OF good growing
conditions in flower borders and beds.
We have been called the most waste
full Nation in the world, and perhaps
we are We do not like to be called
that by other peoples, but when it's
just among ourselves, that Is different
matter.