June, 1919 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
137 
The National (Pack(ed) ) War 
Garden Commission 
The National War Garden Com- 
mission appeared suddenly and 
without warning along in 1917 
with a flood of literature, expen- 
sively printed and lithographed 
garden pamphlets and posters, 
traveling representatives each 
supplied on arrival with “ready to 
use” newspaper interviews and, 
apparently, some millions of 
money. 
If other states have been as well 
supplied with this literature as 
Wisconsin, it must have cost some- 
body a pretty penny. The book- 
lets on gardening are cunningly 
built, some part of each is certain 
to apply somewhere in this broad 
country of ours, — can’t miss. For 
the most part they are compiled 
from U. S. Department bulletins 
and are rarely of local value. The 
striking pai't of the whole plan is 
the glorifying of one Charles La- 
throp Pack. No newspaper inter- 
view' or contribution to the garden 
column mentions our saviour Pack 
less than three times. Rumor says 
that the whole enterprise is fi- 
nanced by Pack who has made a 
few r millions and now wants his 
name immortalized. This may be 
an injustise to the gentleman but 
he certainly has some press agent. 
In spite of all this the Commission 
is undoubtedly accomplishing 
great good. 
Scat 
Will you please contemplate the 
city cat in all her cussedness. She 
weaves not neither does she spin 
but between excursions to garbage 
cans and associating with other 
disreputables of her kind she is 
climbing trees and porches to rob 
song birds’ nests. 
Of course this is true of every 
cat except your own particular be- 
ribboned and cream fed pet but if 
you doubt that your darling kills 
birds just watch her. Never a eat 
lived but would kill birds and for 
this the cat is not to be blamed, 
its the cat’s natural inheritance. 
The blame lies in keeping cats 
where birds are wanted. 
The cat, unlike the dog, never 
develops affection nor any trait 
that is appealing. 
Well fed cats are poor mouse- 
catchers. Starved cats prey on 
mice and sometimes on rats. A 
five-cent mouse trap will dispose 
of more mice than a cat. 
Cat skins are now extensively 
used by furriers. Write to dealers 
for prices. 
Fleur-de-Lis 
The National Flower of France 
I notice with great satisfaction 
that some Iris growers, specialists 
and dealers, have been very pro- 
gressive in one respect in that 
they have cut out the word “Ger- 
man” in describing or referring 
to the bearded or flag Iris, Fleur- 
de-Lis, or Lily of France. A few 
growers have renamed it Liberty 
Iris, which is a happy thought and 
perhaps more appropriate than 
calling it German. The French 
long ago adopted the Fleur-de-Lis 
as their national flower and glori- 
fied it. Tile bearded Iris is widely 
know r n as the Fleur-de-Lis and it 
might be prudent to let it go at 
that for awhile. It is much fairer 
to France than to call it Liberty 
Iris. Some specialists have even 
cut out Germanica, as the botani- 
cal classification, which is also a 
good idea, for just as soon as it is 
referred to as Iris Germanica, peo- 
ple will call it German, a natural 
result. It is not German in origin. 
It was a mistake originally to call 
the species Germanica, and there 
has been confusion ever since. If 
the bearded Iris should be named 
after any country it certainly 
should be France, for it appears 
that there have been more named 
varieties derived from France 
than from any other country, cer- 
tainly, at least, as many. Not to 
give the French word Fleur-de- 
Lis a prominent place or specifi- 
cally mention it as a heading 
would take from France the uni- 
versal renown of being known as 
the home of the most beautiful 
species of Iris. So why not “let 
well enough alone,” and why not 
let France retain this honor by re- 
storing the poetical, romantic and 
charming French word of Fleur- 
de-Lis? 
“O flower de luce, bloom on, and let 
the river 
Linger to kiss thy feet? 
O flower of song, bloom on, and make 
forever 
The world more fair and sweet.” 
— Longfellow. 
H. W. Groschner, 
In the Grower. 
Old Arsenate 
Q. - “Will arsenate of lead 
bought last year be good for 
spraying this year or must 1 buy 
a fresh lot?” 
Ans. Arsenate of lead does not 
deteriorate and may be kept in- 
definitely without loss of killing 
power. 
During the months of June and 
July the editor should receive an 
average of two letters a day ask- 
ing for a remedy for the striped 
cucumber beetle if the record for 
other years is equalled. All such 
inquiries are answered and this 
year the answer will be a marked 
copy of this issue. Read the ar- 
ticle by Mr. Dudley. 
It answers your question. 
Cut out the old canes of spiraea 
Van Ilouttei when they are 
through flowering or use some of 
the sprays for cut flowers. It is a 
good plan to prune all spring-flow- 
ering shrubs when they are thru 
flowering. 
