August, 1916 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
9 
from May to August. The True Forget- 
me-not (M. scorpioides) usually sold as M. 
palustris, is a more vigorous plant, the 
perennial form in our gardens. It is a 
water-lover and has escaped to our brooks, 
where it forms floating sheets of blue all 
summer. The variety semperflorens of 
the garden is even more floriferous. If it 
succeeds it may even choke the brook; or 
it may live for a few years and disappear. 
There is no way to foretell the likes and 
dislikes of plants when in new places. 
With a silty bottom and warm water the 
Pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata) bears 
its blue flower spikes through July and 
August. Wliere the water is now shallow 
or merely mud, but was perhaps two feet 
under in April, the Cardinal flower (Lobelia 
cardinalis) is truly at home. Here it is a 
true perennial, renewing itself by seeds and 
offsets, which it will not do in the border. 
A mass of this in August gives distinction 
to any brook, and this is easily brought 
about if conditions are favorable. 
Instead of the deep red of Cardinal 
flower you may prefer the deep purple of 
the Spiked Loosestrife (Lythrum Salicaria) 
which has become naturalized along many of 
our streams. The Rosy Loosestrife (var. 
roseum superbum) is the form most seen in 
the border, but it is just as fine planted in 
the edge of the water. Either form gives 
an intense mass of color, and its roots pro- 
tect the silty bed from washing. A related 
plant with no show of flowers is the Water 
Willow fDecodon verticillatus), a shrub-like 
herb along our slow streams. It grows well 
out into a foot of water and its cord-like 
roots hold the soil. 
For flowers in September plant a few 
Giant Knotweed (Polygonum Sieboldi), 
usually sold as P. cuspidatum. A few 
plants only are enough, for it has felt the 
freedom of our land, coming from the 
cramped quarters of Japan. It looks like a 
shrub, and in growth it is truly the Jonah’s 
gourd among non-climbing herbs, for it 
grows amazingly, and in autumn is a mass 
of fleecy white flowers. You know it about 
the house foundations, where it suckers in 
the lawn, but try it in the brook edge and it 
may stop the water by catching the floating 
debris of the brook. 
All these plants are really iji the water, 
and the w'ater is always in motion. Many 
native herbs, anchored to the soil, but 
floating in habit, as species of Polygonum, 
Hypericum, Galium, Lobelia, Ranunculus, 
etc., may be introduced if not already there. 
They are weedy and of little ornamental 
value, and unless you watch out you will 
hide too much of the water surface, and 
the greatest charm of the brook will be 
gone. The planting is to be but an added 
glory to the brook, not its chief attraction. 
So I would not plant Water-cress (Radicula 
Nasturtium-aquaticum) for if it really 
thrives it will clog the brook. And Sweet 
Flag (Acorus Calamus) may get altogether 
too thrifty; if your stream is small try the 
tiny Japanese Sweet Flag (A. gramineus) 
which at first sight looks like a grass. I 
wouldn’t bother with the variegated forms. 
Grasses in abundance will be at home in 
the shallows, but unless the current is swift 
they will choke the stream if you are not 
watchful. One of the best stout species 
is the Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arun- 
dinacea) the purplish panicled plumes of 
which are very effective in autumn. You 
know its garden form, the Ribbon Grass 
(var. picta) and you may throw that into 
the brook if you wish. The Ditch Reed 
(Phragmites communis) is a mammoth 
grass, more like a bamboo, and it certainly 
can spread. We have two nativ'e Bamboos 
in the brooks of the southern states, the 
Large Cane (Arundinaria macrosperma) 
and the Switch Cane (.A. tecta). These 
can probably be established in northern 
brooks in places where the mud does 
not freeze in winter; and more than likely 
some of the hardy Bamboos from Japan will 
grow out in the water. For quick effects 
sow seed of the annual Wild Rice (Zizania 
palustris). 
Summer Insurance 
I T IS always safe to give extra spray- 
ings with the regular lime-sulphur and 
arsenate of lead solutions or with lime 
sulphur alone at standard strengths. 
Should insects or fungi seem to be paying 
your garden extra attention at any time, 
give them an extra dose. The only time 
the lead should not be used is near ripening 
time of the fruit — say within four weeks of 
harvesting dates. -It takes but a short 
time to spray your garden. The rule should 
be: When in doubt, spray. Use a nozzle 
that will give a fine, spreading mist, for all 
sprayings except the one made right after 
the blossom petals fall. For this use a 
nozzle giving a coarse, driving spray, in 
order to get the solution into the calyx cups. 
If there is absolutely no indication of 
any enemies attacking your trees or plants, 
it is safe to leave off one or two of the spray- 
ing recommended, and make the only dor- 
mant lime-sulphur spraying, and that one 
which is made immediately after the blos- 
som petals fall. Spraying with lime-sulphur 
seems to stimulate or help growth. The 
hme-sulphur apparently is a tonic for the 
trees. 
Successful control of the enemies comes 
from using the right material at the right 
strength and at the right time and apply 
the spray to every fraction of an inch of 
bark, to every bud and leaf, and the battle 
will be won. The recommendations here 
are based on the use of thoroughly reliable 
spray materials. For a garden it never 
pays to try to make your own mixtures 
from the raw chemicals. Many manufac- 
turers market high quality sprays. Buy 
only the best. If you get materials that 
are too weak, they will fail to be effective 
on the enemies. If they are too strong, 
they may burn your trees and plants. Write 
direct to various manufacturers of spraying 
materials, whose advertisements you see 
in this and other magazines, and have the 
material shipped to you by freight. 
The Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) will establish itself along the banks of brooks and 
flowers freely 
In some situations Ferns may be naturalized on brook banks, especially when there is 
partial shade 
