The Garden Magazine, August, 1920 
387 
inspection service at ports of entry as more logical and effective 
and more desirable than the present arrangement; fifth, it 
objects to the attitude and action of the F. H. B. in assuming 
the tasks not only of the prosecuting attorney against plants 
and introducers of plants but also of the judge and jury as 
well. 
In order to give action to the conference the permanent 
committee, enumerated above, later named an Executive Com- 
mittee of five to act with the Chairman, with power to plan fu- 
ture work and to report back to the general committee. This 
committee is as follows: 
A. C. Burrage, Massachusetts; E. C. Vick, New York; John 
C. Wister, Pennsylvania; Frederick Cranefield, Wisconsin; Mrs. 
Francis King, Michigan. 
As matters stand at present the Executive Committee is in a 
position to collect data for the purpose of making a proper pres- 
entation to the authorities, in the hope that in the near future 
the gardening interests of the country will be served rather 
than hampered by the administration of the quarantine. As the 
Chairman pointed out, we are dealing with an act of Congress; 
empowering the quarantine, and the fact of quarantine cannot 
be lightly wiped aside; but its administration with some regard 
to the interest of the industry and the art which it touches, may 
be brought about in a way that will be helpful to the entire 
country. In the meantime, the permanent committee is com- 
piling data that it may in due time offer a working solution of 
the problem, satisfactory not only to garden lovers of America, 
but also to those in the administrative offices at Washington 
who have upon them the onus of carrying out the provisions of 
the law. 
THE OPE^C olum ^C 
Readers’ Interchange of Experience and Comment 
Birds and 
Water-lilies 
in Florida 
T HE Garden Magazine is always full of 
interesting possibilities, but the May 
issue with the articles on Water-lilies and 
pools is truly wonderful. They appeal to me 
particularly not only because it happens to be 87 ° in the shade, but 
because we hope to have a combination bird-bath and lily-pool when we 
become permanent down here. The site of it is occupied at present 
bv a twenty-five year old Rose bush, so we gather yellow and white 
Lilies from the lake and put them in the tub under the faucet in the side 
yard where the jays, threshers, cardinals and mockingbirds come to 
drink which is visible from the dining room and happens to be in full 
sun at lunch time. — G. D. Beadel, Leon Co., Florida. 
A LTHOUGH I knew a small quantity of 
wood ashes is a good fertilizer for most 
Wood Ashes plants, it was quite by accident I discovered 
that Cosmos fairly revels in it. 1 planted 
seeds of the pink and the white varieties around the space where the 
ash heap had stood and a few of the seeds were dropped on this spot, 
and the ashes were so deep that I didn’t suppose anything would 
grow there. These seeds germinated; and, to my surprise the plants 
were the finest I had. May be that the ashes had nothing to do with 
it and it was only a coincidence that one of these plants bore crimson 
blossoms, though to my knowledge there had never been any crimson 
Cosmos growing in our yard or the vicinity. 1 sowed seeds of white 
and pink Cosmos about five years ago, and since then have always 
planted seed saved from these plants, and never before had any but 
white and pink blooms. Have received a packet of seed labeled 
“double Cosmos.” First 1 have heard of it so am curious to see 
what it proves to be. — Mary Rutner, Traverse City, Mich. 
How Is '"PH INK of a spider’s web forty by sixty 
This for a ^ feet ' n s ' ze ' And tr ^ to con i ure U P t * ie 
Spider’s Webi* s * ze s P'^ er that s P un it! It should be 
^ ‘ stated at once, however, that the web illustrated 
here, is not a real spider web but an “ornament” on the lawn of a Chicago 
man’s home. The creator of this interesting oddity conceived the idea 
of attempting to see how closely an actual spider’s web could be repro- 
duced with rope. So he selected two immense trees on his lawn and 
spun this web between them. It is so strong that a boy may easily 
climb to the top of it. Of course the spinner could not attain the 
IF SPIDERS REALLY MADE WEBS LIKE THIS? 
minuteness of the actual spider’s web, but he came so near to it that, 
at a short distance, the illusion is perfect and rather startles the person 
coming unexpectedly upon it. — Robert H. Moulton, Illinois. 
B EATING the birds to the Strawberries 
became our great problem. It was 
Strawberries solved by dangling strips of tin from cords 
stretched over each Strawberry row. The 
tin was cut from old tin cans, a hole punched in each strip, and the 
strips tied to the long cord at frequent intervals, leaving a couple of 
inches play between the tins and the cord. The object is constant 
motion of tin. It whirls and sways with the slightest breeze, and the 
added reflection of the sunshine helps scare off the birds. Since in- 
stalling the tin system, we haven’t lost even one berry to the birds. — 
B. D. Bell, Santa Cru^, Cal. 
p . / T'HE ideal mulch for Strawberries is one 
? * that is grown among the vines and falls 
0 . , . over among them with the first freeze of win- 
Strawbemes _ rw cu *1.,, 
ter. Oats or Sorghum sown separately or 
together make an ideal crop for the purpose, and if there is sufficient 
moisture in the ground, the seed sown the last of August will make am- 
ple growth before the first killing frost. Oats will continue to grow 
till a killing freeze, when they will fall over and afford ample protection 
through the winter without smothering the plants, and in the spring 
will be there to protect the berries from the dirt. The seed should be 
sown thickly in the cultivated space between the rows and covered. 
Some seed will also fall among the plants and come up. — H. F. Grin- 
stead, Missouri. 
Scilla 
Sibirica 
From Seed 
S’ 
INCE the Federal Horticultural Board 
has prohibited the importation of the 
bulbs of Scilla sibirica into the United States 
it may interest some of the Neighbors to know 
that I have a few bulbs which I grew from seed in ordinary soil. Two 
years ago I noticed what appeared to be tiny seedlings near a small 
planting of Scillas. These 1 removed to a protected spot, and this 
last spring 1 was delighted when most of these sent up tiny spikes 
with two, three and four little bells on them, and of the same heavenly 
blue shade as the parent bulbs. 1 now gather every seed as soon as 
ripe, which is about the first of June. The little round pods open 
very quickly after beginning to turn yellow and the seeds are easily 
lost. 1 plant them immediately, and preferably in soil mixed with a 
little sand, as I believe the Scilla prefers a somewhat light soil. Seeds 
held for a time shrivel. Whether this affects their powers of germina- 
