Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-05-18
This Week
in the
Garden

The dogwood anthracnose has
spread widely in the Washington
area. Without specific recon-
mendations for its control, the
might use any fungicide
handy. 1t Is better to initiate
some form Of control to the disease
from spreading further. Probably
fermate, or the newer one, man.
cate. may give some remedial ef-
feet.
Apparently the cloudy, rainy
weather Of two weeks ago did not
prevent the insects from helping
the fruit growers. A light set of
fruit is reported on many peach,
apple and cherry trees.
In selecting raspberry varieties
for the home garden. it is desir-
able to emphasize the very early
varieties or the fall fruiters to
escape damage from the Japanese
beetle. St. Regis and Sunrise are
two varieties that mature before
the beetles begin to feed. The St.
Regis, while a small fruited va
Iriety. is highly resistant to the
common destructive diseases of
the raspberry and is worthwhile
from that standpoint. Moreover.
the fruits are not too small when
the freely produced suckers are
kept under control.
Now that the hyacinth foliage
lis beginning to show signs of
maturing, the home gardener who
wishes to save the bulbs for an
other springs bloom should watch
them carefully. Hyacinths will
mot survive our hot. muggy sum-
mers in the ground. The bulbs
should be dug as soon as the foil
age shows signs of yellowing. To
wait until the foliage is dry is to
take unnecessary chances. Dig and
dry the bulbs in full sun and store
them in a cool airy place until
planting time next October.
The time for killing weeds with
chemicals is fast coming to an
end. The chemical weed killers,
such as 2,4-D. are most effective
when applied to young tender foil
age. Apply 2,4-D on a sunny day
when the temperature is above
rs degrees.
Do not hesitate to thin the
vegetable crops. Adequate spac-
ing is needed for good growth and
the best plants. The same applies
Ito annual flowers. Cabbage is one
Exception. if you have set the
plants ~ to Is inches apart. When
the heads are large enough to
cook. use every other one. Those
remaining will have ample space
in which to reach maturity.
Here is a method Of keeping
birds from eating cherries that
may be worth try. Place a piece
of black rubber hose in each tree.
Apparently the birds think it a
snake and leave the trees. If it
lis supposed to simulate black
snake, it should be draped along
the larger limbs. or perhaps
wrapped around the trunk, If the
tree is small. 1t might even work
in a BURBERRY bush?
Now is the time to begin spray
ing or busting azaleas to control
the red spider mite and the azalea
lace fly. These pests were so
plentiful last year that they
weakened the azaleas. perhaps
contributing to winter injury.
Nicotine sulphate is a good con-
troll. but usually the foliage is so
thick that it is difficult to obtain
good coverage. busting sulphur
is effective during periods when
Temperatures are above IS degrees.
The important thing is to get the
spray or dust on the under sides
of the leaves where these two
sucking pests work.
Keep the rose foliage covered
with ferbam or some other good
fungicide to control blackspot. 1t
is a most injurious disease, sap
ping the strength of the rose bush.
If uncontrolled it will soon de-
foliate the bushes, weakening
them so that they will not pro-
duce good bloom and, moreover.
will suffer winter injury. It's a
waste of good money to buy good
bushes, plant them we'll, and then
fail to protect them from disease.