Evening Star Newspaper, October 19, 1929, Page 18

REAL ESTATE. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. THE HOME GARDENER Practical and Seasonal Hints for the Amateur for Beautifying Surroundings of the Home. POTTING BULBS FOR WINTER BLOOM ‘When planting the bulbs for next Spring’s show in the garden, one can very well lay aside a few varieties for gouln[ for Winter bloom in the house. ulbs can make a splendid ‘showing in the house, but are highly disappointing unless properly grown. Not all garden- ers realize that the critical stage in growing bulbs for forcing is the root- ing stage before the leaves and flower buds appear. Bulbs should be potted now in a soil containing leaf mold, sand and rotted manure to make it fertile and loose. Shallow flower pots, called bulb pans, are used by the florists, but any type of receptacle may be utilized that has holes in the bottom to give drainage. One should not mix tulips. hyacinths and crocus in the same pot because cf unattractive appearance and also because no two kinds will bloom the same time. The top of the bulbs should be level with the top of the sofl. After potting and watering the pots should be set away in a cool spot and covered with sand or soil to keep them moist. A cold frame is an ideal environ- ment. Here the pots should be covered with soil and leav Freezing is not disastrous but is not necessary, but low temperatures, 40 to 50 degrees, are nec- essary to secure good rooting. Dr. Grif- fiths in bulletin No. 797 of the Depart- ment of Agriculture states that bulbs should have not less than eight weeks for rooting and then be brought into a cool cellar and warmed gradually. The heated home is a trying place at the best for bulb plants, so it is advised to place the flowers as far as possible from radiators or other sources of heat. Growing bulbs in water is a distinct phase of bulb culture that will be dis- cussed separately. Too often in thinking of Autumn bulbs the mind dwells on tulips, hya- cinths, narcissus and crocuses to the exclusion of numerous other species which deserve consideration. Snow- drops, Winter aconite, squills, glory of the snow, grape hyacinths, Spring snowflake ‘and various wild forms of tulips, narcissus and crocus are among the attractive bulbs that are not generally used but have many good qualities. Snowdrops are small and in- conspicuous but are nevertheless much cherished by many as the first har- binger of Spring. These do not flourish in transplanting. but once established endure almost perpetually even in sod. Snowdrops look most attractive when, ted in group rather than singly. g snowflake, Leucojum vernum, appearing much like an enlarged snow- drop and flowering about a month later, is worthy of a place in the flower garden. Grape hyacinths or muscari, in particular the variety known as heavenly blue, make a wonderfully beautiful show in early Spring, the blue eolor being scarcely equaled In any other flower. The miniature species of tulip and narcissus find particular use in the rock garden, but may be used along the borders, between the shrubs or wherever it suits the gardener’s fancy to have a show of color. For many years Dr. Griffiths of the Department of Agriculture has advo- cated the planting of these so-termed lesser bulbs. That he practices what he preaches may be easily verified by passing his home in Takoma Park in early Spring. The lawns and borders are simply a mass of color, maintained for several weeks by a wise selection of apecies, AMERICAN GROWN BULBS The following item published by the press service of the Department of Ag- riculture should dispel from home gar- deners’ minds any doubts that they may have had as to the value of Ameri- can-grown bulbs: “The increasing popularity of flower- ing bulbs is responsible for a rather rapid development of bulb growing in four sections of the country, according to Dr. David Griffiths of the Unifed States Department of _Agriculture. These sections are the Puget Sound region, Atlantic seaboard, South Atlan- t tates and Eastern Te‘xas 3009 O St. Pure Georgian 6 bedrooms, 5 baths, servants’ quarters, 3-car garage; carefully restored; charming garden and galleries; drawing .room, library, music rgom. Opon Sunday 1525 33rd St. Pure Colonial | 1 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, pine pan- | eled dining room, garden in rear, H as illustrated; garage; oil heat. | Entire block restored. i ) Oben Sundey | Guthrie & Williams 1211 Conn. Ave. North 3625 BY J. B. WELLINGTON. Views showing the stage of develop- ment that potted hyacinths or other bulbs should attain before they are brought into the warm house for final forcing. Note particularly the strong root development (as seen in the lower illustration), a prerequisite to satisfac- tory flowering. Dra jced to sugar so that 38 to 40 degrees is a better temperature. Sweet potatoes hold best in the vicinity of 50 degrees, according to Balley's Cyclopedia of Hor- ticulture, and benefit by a period of cur- ing for 10 days or so at 85 to 90 de- grees following digging. Carrots, pars- nips and beets keep best in the cinity of 32 degrees. Parsnips may be held over in the garden without digging until needed, but this practice makes it difficult to obtain roots when needed. A recent extension bulletin from Pennsylvania pictures an attractive and simple storage chamber for the home garden. This consists simply of a bar- rel laid on its side and covered with layers of leaves and of soll—first leaves, then sofl, then leaves again, with a final covering of soil. One end of the barrel has a removable cover which is further protected with a protection of straw. Such a storage chamber may be placed in a well drained spot and be wholly above ground. In such a chamber as tais, carrots, parsnips, cabbages, kohl rabi and beets may be kept successfully and at the same time be readily ac- cessible when needed. Parsnips are a peculiar crop in that they do not become sweet and attrac- tive until subjected to low temperature. It used to be thought that freezing was needed, but some work at the Maryland Experiment Station by Dr. V. R. Bos- well has shown that temperatures slightly above 32 degrees are quite as effective. 1t may be seen that one storage chamber is not suitable for all vege- table crops. For example, while sugar may be desirable in the parsnip and carrot, it is not in the white potato. wings repi from Department of Agriculture bulfetin No. 797, written by Dr. David Griffiths. ducing all the narcissus bulbs the coun- try gets, and in the Pacific Northwest the most difficult varieties, such as Golden Spur and Victoria, are success- fully grown. The quality of these bulbs, says Dr. Griffiths, is fully as good as that of any bulbs ever imported. “Narcissus bulb growers are finding that it is necessary to specialize on u few varieties which are adapted to the particular locality. Thus many va- rieties of the Dutth group are no longer attempted in the warmer gec- tions because of the difficulty of age, They make excellent growth and are successfully handled in the cooler Pacific Coast regiop. “Proportionately greater progress is being made with lilies than with any other group, it is said. Their culture is a more recent venture than the daf- fodil. Already we have some lilies that are characteristically American, and foreign dealers are beginning ta look to Puget Sound for Nankeen stocks. American growers will put on the mar- ket this year about 200 cases of Easter lily bulbs. Three or four other lilies are now produced in sufficient quantity to supply the demand. “Tulips are grown in considerable acreage with very good success. With tulips and hyacinths, however, th2 competition is so keen that growers arc largely deterred from entering the busi- ness, although stocks of tulips especially can be worked up faster than either daffodils or lilies.” Although storage does not greatly in- terest home garden vegetable growers, there are certain phases that may be of interest. In general the closer that products are held to 32 degrees, with- out danger of dropping below that péint, the better, But there are exceptions. White potatoes, for example, held at 32 degrees become sweet and undesirable. ‘The starch which gives the potato its mealy, attractive qualities is converted Drive out to But with an outside storage such as de- scribed for the low ture crops and the cooler parts of the house cellar for those requiring somewhat higher temperature, the home gardener can pretty well meet his problems. Low temperatures on October 10 and 11 caught many of the tender plants in the lower elevations about the city and suburbs, bringing to an end such crops as the dahlia, salvia, nasturtium, tomato, peppers and squash. It is inter- esting to consider how a few feet dif- ference in elevation, bringing with it better air movement, will often save plants from early frosts. This delayed freezing is a partial compensation for the poorer quality soil generally found on sloping areas. ‘Tomato fruits, if wuntouched with frost, may be ripened very nicely by wrapping with paper and laying away in a protected situation, but not in a heated cellar or room. Generally only those tomatoes that have reached a whitish green or partly colored stats ripen with good flavor. A considerable portion of the late offerings of toma- toes on our local markets is ripened off the vines in the manner suggested. Bean, ato, ~squash and other plants killed by frost should be gath- ered and burned as soon as dry in order to destroy all possible insect and disease life. The loss in organic matter may be offset by growing Winter rye or other cover crops. ‘The National Capital Federation of Garden Clubs, of which Miss Margaret C. Lancaster of Takoma Park, president and Miss Laura Wi worth of Washington Grove, Md., secretary, met Friday evening, October Ewhibie > 1327 KALMIA RD. Open daily until 9 P.M. < end of 16th St. and turn right on Kalmia Rd. ¢ - £ Home ¢ AN APPRECIATION —and an Apology! was highly successful from every standpoint. C, 1 md = nln:;fimfifl. l” form & program lor the balance of the year. Meeting for the first time this Au- tumn on Friday afternoon, October 11, the Garden Club of Battery Park had Miss Lancaster as guest speaker with the subject of “Fall Planting for Next Year's Garden.” This club is exceed- ingly fortunate in having a beautiful meeting place, the community club- house. e meetings are held on the second Friday of the month. Prof. W. R. Ballard, extension specialist in horticulture at the Univer- sity of Maryland, spoke before the Cap- itol View Citizens' Association, meeting ‘Wednesday evening, October 9, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Hanson. Aided by a splendid set of colored lan- tern slides Prof. Ballard gave a very interesting address on the beautification of the home grounds, supplemented with notes on roadside treatment. The talk was very timely in view of the fact that the assoclation is developing project on homestead and roadside provement for the community as ‘whole. — Coupe Sought in Murder Located. MOBILE, Ala., October 10 (#).—A coupe, believed to have been used by the killers of Motor Cycle Officer W. F. Murphy here early yesterday morn- THE formal opening last Thursday of the Dining Room, one of the many attractive features of the New Club Building in Tilden Gardens, Certainly M. and R. B. Warren are appreciative of the great interest displayed by the public, as manifested in the very large attendance. We erred, however, in considerably underestimat. ing the number that would respond to the announcement and invitation. To those who so courteously waited for tables, or who experienced delay in serv- ice, we wish to apologize—and to assure them that future visits will find us fully prepared. Praise of the dinner was heard on every side. To set at rest any doubts, be assured that the same high standards of cuisine and service will be continued without any increase .in the regular price of the Famous Community Dinners, $1. The menu offered on the opening day is typical of future dinners. To prevent crowding, on Sunday afternoon, next, dinner will be served from 1 to 3 p.m., and from 5 to 7 p.m. The crowded condition of the lobby undoubtedly prevented or discouraged many visitors from securing a good view of the beautifully decorated Lounge, then inspect the Model Exhibit Homes? and from inspecting both the Modernistic and Conventional Exhibit Apartment Homes, so charmingly furnished by W. B. Moses & Sons, on the floor above. To these, and to others as well, we extend a cordial invitation to again visit Tilden Gardens at their earliest convenience, while nearly every size, arrange- ment and style of apartment home is still available. . This suggestion of an early visit is prom pted by the fact that 5 apartments were sold over last week-end, leaving but 18 homes remaining in the New Club Building. May we welcome you soon? Why not dine here this evening, and A strikingly popular feature in the New Club Building is the hotel guest rooms reserved for use by friends of owners of apartment homes in Tilden Gardens, extend real hospitality at all This permits them to times without the burden of continuously maintaining guest rooms in their immediate homes. TILDEN GARDENS Distinctive Co-operative Apartment Home Development of M. and R. B. WARREN Connecticut Avenue at Tilden Street Telephone Cleveland 6084 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1989, ing, has been located at Picayune, Miss., to received here, Picayune is on the route said to have OPEN SUNDAY 9 AM. to 9 PM, 3620 Veasey St. PRICE $13,750 CONVENIENT TERMS REAL ESTATE. been taken by the cupant had fired & into ‘machine after its oc- | death. waxdls of $750 ha 14 o A B Officer Murphy's neck, causing almost instant | of the murderers. CLEVELAND PARK Semi-Detached Homes Distingtive in Design an'd Superior in Construction FOUR-BEDROOM RESIDENCE in this desirable neighborhood between Wisconsin and Connecticut Avenues, where home values MODERN brick constructed will always increase. A home with EIGHT large rooms, TILE BATH with SHOWER, extra LAVATORY, select HARDWOOD FLOORS, detached GARAGE; also an artistic OPEN' FIREPLACE, ELECTRIC REFRIG- ERATION and other home REFINEMENTS. Reached via Conn. Ave. to west two blocks on Burean of Standards, Pierce Mill Road. Chas. D. Sager BUILDER—REALTOR—OWNER 924 14th ST. N.W. NATIONAL 0036 H-E N % Choice Residence Lots On Attractive Terms A CORNER HOME In Petworth. Detached brick garage. Convenient location—just two short blocks to bus and street cars. Attrac- For Your Future Home Or an Investment POSITIVE RESTRICTIONS Select Neighbors—Transportation Stores—Schools—Churches Plats and Information on Request Phone District 6830 Thomas J. Fisher & Co. INCORPORATED - 738 15th St. N.W. tively decoratedandthoroughlymodern. 5241 FIFTH ST. N.W Open for Inspection Daily and Sunday Until 9 P.M. D. J. DUNIGAN INC. $8,250 EASY TERMS