158 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
gardener with keen entlnisiasni. There will be 
a natural desire to start summer bedding in earnest, 
ere the floral gems of springtime have faded. The 
congested state of affairs in pit and frame now give 
cause for anxiety. Be patient ! Although the days 
are bright and tempting the nights are often treach- 
erous. Guard against losses by being cautious. Begin 
early in the month by giving a maximum ventilation 
to frames on fine days and, by degrees, open them at 
night until the sashes can be left oft entirely. To re- 
lieve the overcrowding, start planting operations with 
a few of the hardier kinds, as antirrhinum, verbena, 
larkspur, nemesia, coreopsis, dianthus, phlox Drum- 
mondii, and stock. 
There is yet time for sowing many varieties of an- 
nuals, and also to make further sowings of some that 
were started in heat earlier in the season. Balsams, 
asters, stocks, nicotiana, portulaca and zinnia if sown 
in the open ground this month will produce a welcome 
display late in the season. Portulaca requires to be 
sown where intended to flower and thrives remarkably 
well in a dry exposed position which would mean 
death to some of the more fastidious species. Plant 
dahlia and canna this month and another batch of 
gladiolus for succession. 
Toward the end of the month sow perrenials in- 
tended for fall planting into permanent quarters, and 
biennials as foxglove, Sweet William and Canterbury 
Bells. Canterbury Bells sown at this time withstand the 
rigors of winter much better than those raised earlier in 
the season. Specimens of gross leafage in the fall, often 
succumb during the winter and spring months. 
SHRUBBERY. 
Evergreens move well at this season. Have the holes 
prepared well in advance, then push transplanting. 
Give an overhead spray in bright weather and keep 
the roots supplied with 'water. Spruce, arborvitae and 
native cedar are susceptible to red spider attack. 
Spray them in good season with whale oil soap solu- 
tion as a deterrent. Prune shrubs as they pass out 
of flower. The contour of the various leaf-clad speci- 
mens is now very pronounced. Pruning can, there- 
fore, often be done more efficiently at this time than 
at any other season. Now is the time to transplant 
hardy bamboos and to increase them by division _ if 
necessary. Stake perennials which are growing rapid- 
ly; don't allow these to flap about before giving the 
support needed. Clip hedges, mow lawns and main- 
tain order throughout. 
T 
HOW TO CONTROL HOLLYHOCK RUST 
HERE is no need to have your hollyhocks ruined 
by the rust which has become such a common pest 
on this stately and old-fashioned perennial, says the New 
York State College of Agriculture. 
Just as soon as the snow is gone and the frost is out of 
the ground, examine each hollyhock plant carefully and 
cut off down close to the ground all of the large old leaves 
that overwintered, leaving only the central heart with 
the small young green leaves. It is on these old leaves 
and partly developed larger leaves that the pathogene, or 
disease-causing organism, winters and is there readv to 
infect the new leaves as fastas they come out. All of the 
old leaves and stems should be carefully gathered up and 
burned. 
The next step is to examine the lawn or garden in 
every direction from at least 50 to 100 feet and carefully 
remove all of the mallows — the low prostrate weed with 
small pink hollyhock-like blossoms whose seed heads are 
known to children as "cheeses." This is a very persistent 
and diflicult weed to eradicate because of its long stock- 
like root. It should be cut off well beneath the ground 
and all of the plant removed and burned. The reason for 
this is that this plant harbors the rust fungus and is par- 
ticularly favorable to it because the rust can develop all 
over these mallows plants without really killing them out. 
One cannot be too thorough in his eradication of the 
mallows. The fungus will spread from these to the holly- 
hock plants at every opportunity. 
For the first six or eight weeks of the growing season 
the hollyhocks should be examined frequently and care- 
fully for any evidences of the yellow rust pustules which 
will appear on the under surfaces of the leaves, on the 
petioles, or leaf stems, and on the stalks themselves when 
the plant begins to shoot. This examination should be 
made two or three times a week and should be very 
thoroughly and carefully done, particularly on the first 
set of leaves which develop. If anv yellow pustules 
appear on any of these leaves, the whole leaf should be 
cut oft" down close to the ground, gathered up and burned. 
It will not be sufficient to carelessly pull of the leaf leaving 
the old petiole, because the fungus may be in that also. 
The plants at first will look rather ragged and it will 
seem a shame to pull oft" a large leaf with only one rust 
spot on it, but this will be necessary if the plants are to 
come through in good shape later in the season. 
The spraying and dusting of plants has been tried, but 
the results have never been very satisfactory. 
According to the college, the things to be insisted upon 
are: thoroughness in the examination and removal of 
diseased leaves : and frequency in doing the work. Two 
or three times a week is not at all too often for the first 
month or two in the growing season. The directions here 
given have been used with good results in every case 
where thej' were properly carried out. 
THE FATHERLAND. 
Where is the true man's fatherland? 
Is it where he by chance is born? 
Doth not the yearning spirit scorn 
In such scant borders to be spanned? 
Oh, yes ! his fatherland must be 
As the blue heaven wide and free ! 
Is it alone where freedom is, 
W'here God is God and man is man? 
Doth he not claim a broader span 
For the soul's love of home than this? 
Oh, yes, his fatherland must be 
As the blue heaven wide and free ! 
Where'er a human heart doth wear 
Joy's myrtle-wreath or sorrow's gyves, 
Where'er a human spirit strives 
After a life more true and fair. 
There is the true man's birthplace grand 
His is a world-wide fatherland ! 
Where'er a single slave doth pine, 
\\'here'er one man may help another — 
Thank God for such a birthright, brother- 
That spot of earth is thine and mine ! 
There is the true man's birthplace grand. 
His is a world-wide fatherland ! 
— James Russell Lowell. 
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