138 
The Garden Magazine, April, 1923 
swarmed about it; some of them clear out of the ground and showing 
sunburned jackets of bronzy reds and greens. 
So the cleaning process gives time for lots of planning. I must re¬ 
member to send for another set of that excellent, three volume Govern¬ 
ment Bulletin about “Glads,” written up at Cornell. Joe Gallaway 
told me about it in the first place, and I had only begun to digest it when 
1 learned Sherm Offerle was a kindred spirit and gave my copies to him. 
I must read again what it said about soaking the cormels a day or so 
before planting them. 
Mr. Chamberlain, in the August Garden Magazine, advised against 
it, but they germinated better last year than ever before, and it was 
the first year they were soaked. Maybe it was because they weren’t 
planted quite as deep as usual. Better try out both methods, on the 
same varieties next spring. 
Those shells certainly are hard and durable. There is the shell an 
inch up the stem of that yearling. The shoot went through the tip and 
then carried the shell up with it. It seems like a task to peel them. 
Maybe if just the point of the shell were cut off with a sharp knife, it 
would answer the purpose. The meat of the bulblet does not grow up 
into that point. A slow job, but worth trying on Magic and Indiana¬ 
polis and Miss Spokane and Romance. Ho; the list of good ones is too 
long even for that. 
That was a lucky thought—raking lightly the length of the rows of 
baby bulbs to kill the weeds. Who would have thought old friend 
rake could go the whole length of a row with the plants four inches high, 
and hardly uproot a bulblet. Just like a weeder in a field of Corn. 
Maybe the mellow, sandy loam in which they were planted had some¬ 
thing to do with it. Anyhow, it saved a lot of hand work and back¬ 
ache. 
What graceful, dainty things those late flowers from the baby 
bulbs were, after all the big bulbs were out of bloom. It’s worth 
while to fuss with them for their flowers alone.— Robert R. Lewis, 
Coudersport, Pa. 
Tribute to “Birches in Spring” 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
OUR February cover, “Birches in Spring,” reminds me of one of 
the loveliest sights I have ever seen. 
White Birches are always beautiful. Even in winter against the 
snow, they are not so inconspicuous as might be expected, especially 
if there are some other kinds of trees in the plantation, and more 
especially if some of these are evergreens. There should be also, 
scattered through the wood, a goodly number of slender-stemmed small 
trees, hardly noticeable among the rest for most of the year. But in the 
spring, when the Birches put forth their tender green leaves and yellow 
tassels, with the delicate, airy whiteness of the Shadbush blossoms 
among them everywhere and the sun shining through, it is a picture 
straight from fairyland. 
The spring foliage effect in these hills, when the trees are just leafing 
out, is as beautiful in its way as the fall effect. It is paler, of course, 
mistier, not so gorgeous, but beautiful nevertheless. There are so 
many different shades of green, of pink and red and yellow in the half 
open buds, and there are groups of evergreens everywhere, for back¬ 
ground and to add strength to the composition. I doubt if we realize 
how much of the “smell of spring” that we enjoy so much, comes from 
the young foliage. We do not get half the pleasure from either our 
eyes or our noses that we might.— Rachel E. Caughey, Antrim, N. H. 
Sweet-Peas for Thirty Seasons 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
OTICING the annual complaint of the Sweet-pea lover in your 
February issue, let me state that I have grown this glorious flower 
for the last 30 years on Long Island and without a blank season. 
My method is to dig a foot-deep trench in November, fill up with 
loose stable manure and let it stay that way until planting time. As 
soon as the ground can be worked (1st March to 1st April) scatter 4 
lbs. bonemeal to a 50 ft. row on top of the manure; then dig all in, 
forking as deeply and mixing as thoroughly as possible. Then have a 3- 
inch furrow and sow the seed (the best the market affords); cover level 
and tread in. As soon as the new shoots are above ground scatter a 
thin blanket of Scotch soot all over them. Hoe up as they grow until 
you have a 4 inch ridge on both sides. When 8 inches high give sup¬ 
port; either brush or bamboo 6 ft. stakes, 6 feet apart on both sides, 
using string between, but no chicken wire (which Pea tendrils do not 
like.) Use the hose daily in dry weather and if hot, mulch with straw 
or grass clippings. This methods will give you Sweet-peas. Try it!— 
F. W. Green, Port iVashington, L. 1 . 
Where Can Double Hardy Violets Be Had? 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
AN you help me by telling me where I can find seeds or plants of 
an old-fashioned, double, hardy Violet with dark purple and very 
fragrant blossoms? It used to grow in my grandfather’s garden. I 
have inquired for it constantly only to be told that there is no hardy, 
double, fragrant Violet. I have a dim recollection that we used to call 
it “Russian,” but am not sure. Are there any difficulties about cul¬ 
tivating this Violet? I cannot understand why it has been allowed to 
die out or disappear. Perhaps others are more fortunate than I have 
been and can advise me.—M. Ellwanger, Rochester, N. Y. 
—Merely pushed into the background by modern novelties. It is 
still offered by specialists in plants for the herbaceous garden.— Ed. 
TRY YOUR HAND AT CUT FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 
Announcing a Photographic Competition 
HE real end of the gardener’s efforts after all is not always 
the growing of a plant to its successful blooming. There yet 
remains the use of the product, even as the vegetable grower’s 
ultimate trial lies on the dinner table; and flowers are largely 
grown for cutting and for decorative uses in the home. Prof. 
White’s concise explanation (August G. M., pages 352-356) of the 
principles and application of the much-talked-of method of Japanese 
cut-flower arrangement must be very helpful to our readers; also his 
scholarly article on “Decorating Artistically with Flowers” in the 
October issue, pages 80-84. 
The proper use of the flowers after they are grown has a strong appeal 
to the housekeeper, and the public interest in table decoration displays 
at the big flower shows is evident proof of their popular appeal. 
To stimulate more thoughtful household use of flowers, The Garden 
Magazine offers awards for photographs of attractive and distinctive 
arrangements displaying genuine harmony of flower and vase. The 
importance of the right receptable cannot be over-emphasized, for the 
loveliest of blooms may utterly lose effect if jammed into an unsuitable 
holder—fancy Pansies in a bud-vase, by way of extreme example, or 
flame-colored Tulips in a cerise dish. Size, shape, and color of the 
receptacle are prime considerations when using flowers decoratively. 
The following prizes are offered for successful arrangements: 
The Prizes: 
1 st: Fifty dollar Flower Vase in silver (by Caldwell), suitably 
engraved. 
2nd: Garden Magazine Achievement Medal in Bronze. 
The privilege of retaining and reproducing any or all prints submitted 
is reserved by The Garden Magazine. Any such to be paid for at 
$5.00 each. 
Subject: 
An arrangement of cut flowers, or foliage, or both, in a suitable re¬ 
ceptacle, and expressing the principles of arrangement in Prof. White’s 
articles in The Garden Magazine for August and October, 1922. 
The Whole Arrangement and Receptacle Must Be Shown. 
Conditions: 
1. The trimmed print must not be less than 4x6 inches, and may 
be an enlargement from a smaller negative. 
2. Any paper or process suitable for half-tone reproduction may 
be used (preferably smooth, glossy). 
3. Name and address of entrant, with names and colors of flowers 
and description of receptacle to be on back of photograph 
(not separate). 
4. Prints to be packed flat. 
5. Entries may be mailed up to midnight May 1st, 1923. 
6. A competitor may enter any number of different photographs. 
7. The winning prints to be published in The Garden Magazine. 
8. The photographs will be judged on the following points: a. 
Decorative and artistic skill, b. Harmony of subject and 
receptacle in material and form and line. c. Photographic 
technique. 
Address: 
Floral Photo Competition, The Garden Magazine, Garden City, 
N. Y. 
