Evening star., 1947-07-08
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace1UeH.

Weeds dropped by the birds offer amazingly
interesting possibilities in the home garden.
Ordinarily, weeds are frowned upon but in
dividual specimens may become high spots IN
the average planting.
A poke weed, for instance, permitted to grow
year after year, turns into veritabls bower
across the windows.
Eight feet high, and at least that much wide,
this specimen plant attracts the attention OF
all, with its great green branches and leaves.
Later on, in the fall, the berries famous in
herbal lore, will offer sustenance to the migrat-
ing birds.
Such weeds, here and there in yard must
give the resident birds feeling OF being az
home.
Wild berries of all kinds attract the birds,
both the ones which remain here the year
around and those which pass through.
The place in which few wild things are left
standing is always good for the birds.
There can be little question that they, too,
share with mankind feeling OF being at
home" In a place. The animals understand
this. Cats in household resent too much
change
BY leaving the great burdock plant at the
front steps, the householder not only gets an
unusual specimen plant, but undoubtedly ne
gives The birds feel that this is their sort
of place.
Raspberry and blackberry bushes at the rear
of the yard also aid in this. A standing of SUM-
flowers is enough to make any bird feel at home
in your garden
Many packings Of wildbird seed as it is
called, contain various weeds, and also things
that are in no sense weeds
Here, for instance, coming up not far from
the bird feeding station, is some COW vetch.
variol1s yRtcheS IT iS Interesting to
get book on plant identifcations and try to
make sure that this is, after all, COW vetch, not
hairy vetch.
There is whole world Of instruction and
entertainment in the weeds. We are 50 used to
using that word, weed, as if it meant some
thing terrible.
After ALL what is weed but good healthy
plant that knows how to grow?
Many of them demand acid soil that is why
they take the place" when they happen to
land in many yard where there are too many
trees
Queen Annes lace is another weed, often
seen growing in vacant lots.
The blossoms, in comparison with the best Of
our cultivated plants, seem rather coarse. Yet
the whole effect is good, despite the greenish-
white of the flower heads.
There still are many vacant lots, in and
around Washington. Some people look upon
them solely as sites for homes but the in
Qulrlng ulnQ can see CLem rs plSllC uluSSulIlS
The poke root remains one of the most in
teresting, wherever found.
Its scientific name is phytolacca decandra. 1t
Is real American with heshy perennial root
The fruit is the deep purple berry often used
by children to make red ink
The young shoots once were used as sub
stitute, but cannot be advised. Poultry eating
them get purgative properties. The root,
spiced, has been used as an adulterant for
various drugs.
Medical uses of this plant were many, in the
old days, but today it has dropped out of the
picture, although some use is still made of the
berries in reducing.
The best use, for the average person, is SIM
ply as an interesting, even historical, plant
Though It's growth is q bit coarse, as common
to most weeds, the poke root is picturesque,
especially after it becomes three years old.
Then its vitality. its fresh green, is in de-
cided contrast with faded evergreens around
most homes Of today
Weeds, one may feel convinced. are dear to
nature, she takes such good care OF them
giving them vigor and freshness even In the
driest situations.