The Garden Magazine, August, 1920 
365 
A Plant Nuisance 
When Breeze Hill Garden was 
started, a well-intentioned nurs- 
eryman wished on me one plant of 
Polygonum cuspidatum, the foli- 
age, habit, and flowers of which 
were very pleasing for one season. 
Observing that it seemed to be 
disposed to adopt the particular 
border in which it was placed, 1 
removed it at the end of the second season, but 1 neglected 
to plant it properly on the burn-pile, unfortunately putting 
DELICATE GRAY-GREEN IS THE WHITE FIR 
This beautiful tree (Abies concolor) native of southern Colora- 
do, where it reaches a height of two hundred and fifty feet, 
retains its conical form with branches sweeping the ground on 
specimens forty years old and over, and is a splendid garden tree 
without drainage, or with a 
not be planted at all! 
Another acute hybridizer and 
observer blames the injury on ice 
encasement, but that does not ac- 
count for parts of the same tree 
escaping, nor for specimens of the 
same species close by also escaping. 
Still another theory holds that, 
with the ground deeply frozen, 
the flow of sap is badly interrupted 
and the tree cannot support the 
demand for evaporation, where- 
upon the wind and the sun to- 
gether burn the leaves. But why 
should they burn some leaves and 
not others, as above detailed? 
Some time we will find out why 
these frost injuries to presumably 
hardy trees occur. 1 hope other 
readers of The Garden Maga- 
zine will observe and report as a 
help in that direction. 
the husky roots in a corner which 
was regarded as of no particular 
importance. 
It has been exterminated from 
that corner every year regularly 
for the past seven seasons, and I 
presume will go on and on forever! 
Its heavy underground roots, re- 
sembling nothing so much as an 
enlarged non-shining strand of dark 
brown Christmas tinsel, will travel 
fast and far, sending up scout 
shoots to the atmosphere every 
inch or so. If the ground is wet 
enough and my arms are strong 
enough, and I get the proper hold 
at the proper place, I can reduce 
the evidences of but not seriously 
discourage this dreadful habit on 
the part of these roots. They 
love to worm themselves through 
the roots of other plants, and 
they have so treated some very 
excellent Mallows that 1 am fain 
to destroy the latter to get rid of 
the former. 
I mention this confounded plant 
because 1 do not find any nursery- 
men’s catalogue which offers it to 
innocent purchasers, telling the 
truth about it — or all of the truth; 
perhaps. It should either be 
planted in a solid concrete tank 
red flag. But better yet, it should 
(Editor’s Note: A walk and a talk are as often the result of circumstances as of deliberation; 
and, even so, these WALKS AND TALKS AT BREEZE HILL with Mr. McFarland (who among 
other things is president of the American Civic Association) will occur every little while, as circum- 
stance invites or special occasion demands. As regards the hardiness of the plants of which he 
speaks, it is to be noted that Breeze Hill is situated just outside of the city of Harrisburg, Pa.) 
LOOKING DOWN ON BREEZE HILL ITS ELEVATION IS LESS PERCEPTIBLE THAN ITS NAME WOULD INDICATE 
Hedged round with shrubs and trees it is a little plateau of interest and achievement where we know 
that not even a daily walk could exhaust interest and novelty — for Mr. McFarland himself says so 
