Evening star., 1949-05-07
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trnce1pell

Lilac blossoms have come and gone but
they are easily kept in mind. Few flowers
have greater appeal to the average person.
Enthusiasts like to talk about the gladiolus
and the iris. Wonderful things they are.
but to many persons nothing in the home
garden quite takes the place of the lilacs.
What one likes about them is odor. for
one thing, and leaves, for another. Surely
they are not easy to grow. at least in this
vicinity. Our lilacs have definite years"
hereabout They seldom perform as well
one year as another. Perhaps this Is one
reason Why we value them so. ~
os In New England, ,pthe old common lilac had
q habit pf growing thick as well as tall, and
blooming every year the same. In Wash
ington we have lilac years." during which
all the bushes all over town bloom their
heads Of. as the old garden saying has it.
Lilacss are so common they generally are
accepted without the talk they deserve To
look. TO admire is one thing. but to talk
about them to others is help. In this
way true admiration is assured. Talk helps.
In this life. Many would do better discussing
lilacs than government. After all, the aver
age man or woman has little say, any more.
in government, but takes what is decreed.
but when it comes to lilacs, every one may
be king.
One may talk about flowers as If con-
ouerer. And that is good, because every one
ought to be conqueror, now and then. It
is good for the spirit of man.
Domineer lilacs. if you please. and some
thing good may come out Of 1t, whereas
attempts to dominate other humans may
result only in i'll will and hard feeling.
The lilac Is q good subject.
It Is used to being called strange names.
and given odd spellings. Once it was the pipe
tree. It's scientific name is Syringa vulgaris,
the first part Cor Genus portion) of which
has been adopted as the common name of
the mock orange. Old-fashioned people still
talk about the syringa. but they mean the
mock orange, not the lilac.
Lilacs are believed to have come from
Persia, and to have been introduced to
Europe in the 10th century. Some authors
ties just say it came from Southwest Asia,
and was brought first to Vienna. then the
center Of fashion and culture. They first
called them blue pipe privets.
Lilac wood has been used in cabinet max
ing, but the main thing today is the blossom,
easily forced and sold. Huge punches Of
them appear on every market and flower
stand
Old common lilacs still have the best
fragrance, but the French hybrids. so-called,
give splendid bushes and flowers OF varying
colors. ranging from deep reds through the
various lilac shades to pure white. although
somewhat lacking in odor.
The lilac scent has been attempted in
perfumery for many years. and often the
result is good. but still lacking the essential
sweetness Of the real thing, for this is an
Incompatible odor. one compounded In
nature Of fresh air and dew. and how can
you put such things into bottle? You can't.
really, although the imitation can be very
good.
The fresh heart-shaped leaves. celebrated
by Walt Whitman, still are counted among
the proper wonders OF the plant.
Many home gardeners have q time with
their lilacs, 1t must be admitted. II left
alone, they grow all over the place" and
become, not thick and bushy, but tall and
leggy. Then 1t Is difficult TO do the cutting
that is needed. Time at last compels even
the most tender hearted to WELD the pruning
shears. The carnage Is awful. the bushes
seem ruined. but If done after the blossom
ing, with some attention to keeping the shape
Of the bush. as far as possible. the end
result. In couple Of years, win be excellent
II is good for the new owners Of homes TO
keep in mind the old shrubs. These stand
ards Of the home garden can never be
equaled by, anything new" The world has
been explored from end to end. and back
again. A few new animals, at least unknown
10 most OF us. may be brought to our zoolcgi-
col gardens. from time 10 time. but the
number of new ornamental plants Is very
slim, and getting simmer. Lilacs are among
the old standhys. the perennially good
things that tie US TO the old. and yet have
no taint Of old foginess about them. II
would be absurd to think Of lilac as either
political or In the domain Of ideologies. II
In Just one Of Gods gifts 20 suffering
humanity. Its coiors point 70 goodness. i1
fragrance to the, heaven Of which Ill man-
kind still dreams