Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-01

Along with hot, ''muggy" wealth.
Ter, summer brought the Jap
beetles and so the home gardener
will need to spray or dust to pro-
Itect his flowers and garden. The
material used will vary according
to the plant.
We do not use DOT on vege-
tables, for instance, with the ex-
Iception Of sweet corn. Rotenone
lis the preferred stomach poison
for insects in the vegetable gar
den. We do not need DOT in the
vegetable garden because the Jap
beetles do not pay too much at
tention to the vegetable crops with
the exception of sweet corn which
they can really ruin If we do not
protect the tassels and the silk.
Fortunately, DOT used at the
right time will keep them from
preventing pollination and also
will control the corn ear worm
and the European corn bofer.
There is a new pest of sweet corn,
the sap BEETLE. DOT is the pre-
ferred remedy for that pest.
On the flowers and shrubbery
we should keep a protective coat
ing which will keep the Jap
beetles under control. If we inn
piled that DOT was the most sat
tisfactory material, that Is not
quite correct. Many are now using
methoxychlor and prefer it be-
cause it is less toxic to humans
while being toxic to more insects
1t persists on the foliage for a
considerable time, thus gives more
lasting protection.
DR.. Cynthia Westcott, the plant
doctor, rather poo-poohed the idea
tof using DOT on roses to protect
them from the Jap beetle. In
New Jersey, where the beetles are
on the downward trend and not
too bothersome at this stage. she
is probably justified in her posi-
Ition. We, Mere in the Washington
area. are not quite so fortunate
We still have plenty Of Jap beetles
and must take positive action tc
keep them from devouring oul
roses. We can, however, cut the
buds as they show color and allow
them to open indoors. Otherwise
we should dust frequently.
I Mildew has been unusually bae
on our plants this spring. Ordi'
lnarily we are not troubled witt
that disease until the cool. fal
weather. There is one exception
Rambler roses normally are ruined
by mildew. (That is why we dt
mot recommend them to local gar
deners.) However, this sprint
'Imildew is attacking many garden
; plants. During cool weather w
may control mildew with sulphur
either as dust or spray, but sui
Iphur burns foliage when the tenn
Iperatures get above 90 degrees
IFermate and other carbamates arr
'lnot effective, and so we must us'
one of the copper fungicides.
} The saw-flies or "pith borors'
are seemingly more troublesom,
on roses this year than normal
/ When they bore into a cane. con
; siderable die usually results
/ Remove the infected cam Il
sound wood tbelow the tunnel
! and paint the cut-end of the can
e with some material--tree dress
| ing, asbestos cement, etc. Instea
t Iof paint one lady used thum
S tacks. They worked.
:. If the dahlia roots are not a
! planted they should be hustle
into the ground at once. Tn
same might be said Of the las
: planting of glads. They will pro
Il vide good late fall bloom.
: Mother nature may not, seldor
does. thin fruit sufficiency in year
of heavy set" This chore Shout
always be deferred until after tn
June drop. Then it is up to tn
RIgardener to go over his trees an
Iremove the excess fruit. Frui
should be spaced 2 to 4 inche
Ilapart. This will permit the Gro
Ilto mature with the individus
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