The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-17

as we do not mention any one
dealer nor recommend any par
ticular dealers through the col
umn.
Should this reader wish for such
name and address we will be glad
to send such on receipt of a self
addressed stamped envelope.
GARDEN PLANTS THAT
ARE UNTHRIFTY
Mrs. R. D. of Winnsboro, S. c.
who heretofore has grown beauti-
full roses (prize blooms) writes
that her rose bushes are dying in
spite of spraying, fertilizing and
pruning. Her gladiolus and snap
dragons, also, are not healthy. At
the same time hen .dahlias and to-
matoes are fine. She asks if lime
would help and wonders if the
trouble is caused by something in
the soil.
With so little information to 60
on, I cannot tell what the trouble
is nor what causes it. Roses like
a soil that is slightly acid, but
do not mind some lime, provided
i. does not make the soil too aka
line. Read the two articles on
roses just published in this column
and try to judge your trouble from
comparing your treatment with
that suggested. Perhaps you have
been over feeding and stimulating
during hot dry weather when the
plants cannot grow fast ano use
the food. Watering by soaking
cnce a week and keeping a mulch
over the roots so as to keep the
moisture content of the soil as
even as possible is very impor-
tant. Perhaps there are sucking
insects taking all their life juices
insects that the spraying has not
reached or destroyed. Pruning
"eak growing varieties much dur
g the growing season may prove
curious.
Gladiolus and snapdragons like
some lime. If you can get bone
meal, give bonemeal n d wood
ashes to the snapdragons, water
well and see if they will perk up.
Bonemeal is good Cor the gladi-
olus too, but is slow acting. Ex-
anime carefully for insects, es-
pecially for red spider, which In
some sections are a very serious
menace right nov to many plants
n the garden. Look on the under.
side of the snapdragon leaves for
The tiny specks, and along the rib
of the leaf Of the gladiolus. Sui
phur is the specific for red spider.
so if you find them give a thor
ough busting with fine busting
sulphur, usually sold as Massey
dust, 9 parts fine busting sulphur
and l part arsenate of lead.
In a garden in the Tryon area
of North Carolina, red spider is
showing up in such numbers that
they are a threat to all the plants.
To date I have seen them on
dahlias, ageratum, columbine,
montbresias and roses as well as
on foxgloves and primulas.
PHLIX- DIV.lROCATA
Phlox divaricata is the moon
light-blue phlox which blooms in
spring along with sweet William
and makes such a lovely combi-
nation with the Newport Pink
sweet William. 1t is a native phlox
of the Atlantic coast from Quebec
to Florida and always grows in
low woodlands where it can find
half shade, or even complete
shade, very good drainage, and
some moisture. In the North this
native blue phlox is called wild
sweet William and is not unlike
that Flower in the manner OF its
bloom, but resembles it In no
other way.
It is a creeper and roots readi-
ly, so that each stalk Of leaves
sent up is really a separate plant.
The runners which spread out in
every direction after bloom is
over make a large clump end al
most every joint that rests on the
soil sends out little roots. The
clump a be separated in early
fall and the little plants set 4 to
6 inches apart. September or even
late August is a good time to
transplant it.
Since it is a native of wood
lands it should have a loose soil,
rich in plant food and containing
much humus. 1t should not have
lime. Very old rotted manure is
fine for it. Cottonseed meal makes
a good fertilizer for it used with
w%codsearth or peat Or compost
from the pit. A little commercial
fertilizer such as 8-4-4, 7-5-5 or S
los scattered between but not on
the nlants and scratched into the