Do Platycodons “‘ Winter Kill?” 
IE THE discussion regarding the “winter killing” 
of Platycodons, there has been no mention of a 
difficulty which I have encountered in efforts to 
establish these very desirable plants. Seedlings 
which have not been transplanted at a sufficient 
depth are sometimes wholly or partially thrown out 
of the ground by the alternate freezing and thawing 
of our variable winters, unless protected by a mulch 
and that proves fatal to the plants. I do not know 
that they “winter kill” in any other way, and well 
established plants which have made deep root 
growth have never been thrown out in my ex- 
perience. Having lost a number of plants in this 
way, I now make it a rule to cover my Platycodons, 
especially if the plants are young or have been 
recently moved. 
West Pittston, Pa. M. VERPLANCK. 
A Pungent Suggestion 
UR four-years old maiden, who is fond of mak- 
ing botanizing excursions, recently brought in 
a quantity of pretty green moss which she had care- 
fully collected from the top of a flat rock, and in- 
sisted that it be made to grow indoors. So we 
found a large, saucer-shaped dish of glass, and after 
lining it carefully with the moss and watering it well, 
it occurred to us to sprinkle it with cress seed. In 
two or three days we had a promising crop of salad 
growing, as well as an attractive centre piece for the 
table. When ready we cut it with scissors, a pinch 
at a time as we wish, and eat it with salt as a relish. 
By making another sowing as soon as the first one is 
well started, a second crop may be had; and in this 
way your salad may be as “‘perennial” as you wish. 
This is a far more attractive way than sowing in 
boxes, or upon wet flannel, as is done in England 
where the cress is so popular as a springtime ap- 
petizer. Besides there is the pleasing novelty of 
cutting every mouthful fresh and crisp from the 
“garden” as you sit at table! The moss must be 
kept well moistened, however. 
Maine. CHARLOTTE BRASSEY-BRIERLEY. 
Japanese Anemones 
& THE May issue Mr. Leaming asks about Jap- 
anese Anemones. They grow easily here in a 
rich clay loam, in semi-shade, rather moist; in a site 
suitable for rhododendrons, not under trees but near 
them. 
They spread and increase and flourish with no at- 
tention except that they receive, like everything else 
on my place, a winter coat of loose manure four 
inches thick. 
Cleveland, Ohio. S. PRENTISS BALDWIN. 
No Trouble With Japanese Anemone Here! 
N THE May number of THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
Edward W. Leaming wrote in regard to the grow- 
ing of Japanese Anemones. I have a great many 
and they always grow without any trouble. The soil 
is a light loam, no clay, and with southern exposure, 
with a slope to the south of perhaps a foot and a 
half in the forty-foot wide enclosure, probably more 
for there is a deep terrace of perhaps two feet cut in 
the grass between fence and flower beds on the south 
side. They are planted in clumps of four or five feet 
in extent, and some would cover more than six feet. 
I find those getting the sun all day are inclined to wilt 
in the hot weather, after the buds begin to grow, and 
should be watered well at night. A good watering 
once a week is sufficient unless the weather is very 
hot but using the hose every day is bad for them. 
They should be covered well with leaves in the fall, 
and the ground should also be properly enriched in 
the fall. They blossom profusely in our garden 
(which is just an ordinary city garden) from the first 
of September till frost and snow. Ihave sometimes 
thought, as they start quite late in spring, that people 
forget about them and either dig them up or disturb 
their growth. But let the Anemones have the field 
and if other things encroach put them somewhere 
else. My experience is that spring is the best time 
for transplanting them. 
Buffalo, N. Y. Kate M. Smita. 
Cucumber Wilt and the Striped Beetle 
AN STATEMENT made on page 18 of the Feb- 
ruary, 1916, GARDEN MAGAZINE credits the 
striped beetle with all responsibility of cucumber 
wilt. 
Last summer I lost about 50 per cent. of all cu- 
cumber plants, and in previous seasons enough to 
remember the misfortune. I have invariably driven 
off the beetles by dusting, and last season found 
fewer than usual upon the plants; but destruction 
from some cause was never so great. . 
The hills were prepared about ten days before 
dropping seed and allowed to warm up. The seed 
germinated, grew, made strong vines, the fruit set in 
plenty, when wilt commenced. I believed it was 
something under ground, so dug many entire hills; 
and found nothing except that roots had been eaten 
into, in some cases clear through. I could not give 
the first suggestion as to the cause, but was con- 
vinced some worm or mole gnawed the root. Would 
the striped beetle have done this? 
T never found one in all the digging and pulling up 
of vines. If there is any suggestion or remedy, I 
want to apply it this summer, and will much ap- 
preciate what your readers may say. 
Frankfort, N. Y. 
Wisteria Seedlings 
N THE January number of THr GARDEN Maca- 
ZINE, I was interested to read in the Readers’ 
Service Department of the trouble of one J. G., 
that his seedling Wisteria did not flower, although 
seven years old. I had a Wisteria seedling which 
bloomed when it was five years old; the picture shows 
it blooming at eight years. 
I have heard many people complain of the fail- 
ure of their Wisteria plants to bloom, and I can- 
not help thinking my success may have been due to 
the fact that the plant was transplanted four times 
before it was finally settled in permanent quarters. 
It blooms every other year most profusely and now, 
at fourteen years of age, is about eight or nine feet 
high and a perfect show at blooming time. 
H. E. Day. 
An eight-year old seedling Wisteria in full bloom. Trans- 
planted four times before permanently located 
338 
It is a well known fact that root pruning is the 
main factor in forcing the bloom of a Wisteria. At 
the flower show in London, in 1914, there was a very 
fine Japanese exhibit, and among the plants were 
many Wisteria trees of different sizes in full bloom. 
The Japanese who was at the head of the exhibit 
told me that it was root pruning that made the 
success. 
It might be worth the experiment for J. G. to 
transplant his tree to see if pruning the roots, as 
would be unavoidable in the moving, might not help 
the bloom. 
Besides my tree, I have also several vines, seed- 
lings of the same year; they have never failed to 
bloom from an early age, and they also were trans- 
planted several times. 
Long Island. Stlemele 
’ Trying Out New Plants 
I NEVER loved a meek gazelle but that it died. 
Some of my dead “gazelles”? are Thalictrum 
dipterocarpum, Aconitum Wilsoni, Artemisia lacti- 
flora. I was reminded of this quotation after read- 
ing Mr. Wilson’s “‘New Herbaceous Plants from 
China.” 
Concerning the best beloved of these three, 
Thalictrum dipterocarpum, the-Meadow-Rue-with- 
seeds-that-look-like-flies, two winged, I wonder if it 
is reliably hardy in the region of Illinois? Three 
times I have purchased this beautiful plant, this 
spring being the third. It grows for me not eight or 
ten feet tall as Mr. Wilson says, though doubtless 
it would if it could be established—but three or four. 
It arrays itself in midsummer with a cloud of purple 
flowers much larger than those of the ordinary 
Meadow Rues. It seems to flourish, but in the 
spring I look in vain for the reappearance of the 
dark purple, blunt spike pushing through the earth 
to indicate the presence of the Rue. In twoseasons’ 
trials it has failed to survive the winter although it 
grows very well during the summer when planted 
out in the spring from the nursery. 
The dealer from whom I bought the plant recom- 
mended that it be planted in half shade. The 
Meadow Rues that I have seen growing wild and 
that I have grown rejoice in full sunlight, so I took a 
chance in planting Thalictrum dipterocarpum in full 
sun. I notice that Mr. Wilson says the plant revels 
in full sunlight. Its purple stem pushed its way 
vigorously, the unfolding lacy leaves being almost 
as delicate as those of the Allegheny vine, the purple 
stems reached up strongly and it was one of the most 
singularly beautiful perennials, it seemed to me, that 
I had seen in a long time even without the blossoms; 
and not much in the way of bloom is to be expected 
from a Meadow Rue as exemplified in T. aquilegia- 
folium and T. adiantifolium. By and by the 
branching flower spike climaxed the handsome 
foliage and the quivering purple inflorescence added 
new beauty to the border. It was planted near a 
double Gypsophila and the two made a striking 
picture. 
I mulched it in the fall with six or seven inches of 
leaves. In the spring it had “up and died.” 
Again I tried it in a half shady situation. It did not 
attain the vigorous proportions of the first plant and 
again it “‘up and died.” 
It was planted in light, rather sandy soil, which 
had been well manured. This year I am planting 
it in heavier soil, an admixture of clay being added, 
and in full sunlight, and I have hopes—but they are 
faint! 
I have a suspicion, after two trials, that Aconitum 
Wilsoni does not like our hot, dry summers. I also 
am led to believe that it prefers a heavy soil. It 
acts much after the manner of the Japanese Anemone 
in the light soil in which I planted it. I have never 
succeeded in blooming Aconitum Wilsoni, although 
T have had it three feet tall with a well developed 
blooming spike. Then it turned yellow and died. 
The next spring three or four puny spikes appeared 
