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The Carden Magazine » July, 1923 
For Slugs Try Hellebore 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
F OR the benefit of those troubled with slugs I 
would like to say we have found hellebore 
very effectual in ridding Rose, Currant and 
Gooseberry bushes of the pest; two applications 
generally needful. Mix powdered hellebore with 
boiling water, add cold water till sufficiently di¬ 
luted. I know of no definite rule; we apply with 
whisk broom at evening or early morning.— Oc¬ 
casional Reader, Rancocas, N. J. 
blue Periwinkle will grow anywhere, and that Mrs. O’L. will find it 
perfectly satisfactory. I also have another trailing plant that 1 think 
she would like. I don’t know the botanical name, but the friend who 
gave it to me called it “The Downhill of Life”—I should be glad to 
know what its real name is [one of the multitude of names for 
Lysimachia Nummularia— Ed.]. It has no bloom that I know of but is a 
very pretty evergreen trailer for covering bare spots in shady places, 
and is also a rapid grower [It has yellow flowers— Ed.]. — Isabel B. 
Busbee, Raleigh, N. C. 
—Answering Mrs. G. H. O’L., York, S. C., I have found that Peri¬ 
winkle (Vinca minor) will grow anywhere, covering bare spaces under 
trees—growing as well in shade as sun. It is absolutely hardy and the 
pretty blue flowers very attractive in the spring.— Henrietta Harding, 
Silver Spring, Md. 
—In the April G. M. page 136, is a request for a ground cover—here is a 
suggestion. The best plant for covering the ground under trees in 
this section is the English Ivy. After planting and until it covers the 
ground the vines should be spread out and pegged down as they grow. 
If in the course of time the covering becomes uneven or grows too thick 
it can be remedied by thinning out. The green-leaved Periwinkle 
would also succeed. 
A gravel path could be laid through the lot, it is probable there is 
already such a path, at the end a seat or an ornament could be placed. 
The shrub that would give the quickest return is the Hydrangea. 
—H. W. S„ Mobile, Ala. 
—On page 195 of the May issue will be found Mr. Arthur Smith’s com¬ 
prehensive article on “Hardy Flowering Plants for Shaded Places” which 
offers a number of solutions to this perpetually vexing problem.— Ed. 
“Legend of the Hollyhock” 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
NDER the heading of “Triumphs of National Garden Week” I 
noticed that Springfield, Mass., had adopted the Hollyhock as 
its flower so perhaps the gardeners of that city will be interested in the 
following “Legend of the Hollyhock” taken from Charles Francis 
Saunders’s “Trees and Flowers of California”. In his wanderings 
Saunders chanced on an old walled Spanish garden, presided over by 
a sweet, old flower lover who, upon his mentioning her lovely Holly¬ 
hocks, told him the following Spanish folk tale: “When a husband was 
to be chosen for the Blessed Virgin the young men of the kindred were 
sent for and they came, each with his staff, and it was the man whose 
staff bloomed who should be the husband. And sure enough St. 
Joseph’s staff it budded and beautiful flowers like Roses came all up 
and down the stem, just as the Hollyhock or Holyhock does to-day.” 
—Mrs. A. H. Nichols, Fresno, Cal. 
What Makes Holly Turn Yellow? 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazine: 
I AST November 1 planted a number of Ilex crenata buxifolia in a 
f ' formal English flower garden. This spring 1 note the ends and 
even larger branches have yellowed badly, appearing dried, scorched, 
or scalded as from the sun. After a thorough pruning of the damaged 
pieces, the yellowing has re-commenced. This is not the case with one 
but with all of the bushes, and continual pruning only destroys their 
shapeliness. In the preparation of soil for these Hollies, a good mix¬ 
ture of sod, rich garden soil, leafmould, sand, and 
lime was used. This soil pile was prepared six 
months before planting and turned several times. 
If I remember aright, the Hollies in England grow 
in limestone regions, so the presence of lime in the 
soil, 1 believe, had no effect on them. 
What is the probable cause'of this trouble? 
Maybe some one of the G. M. readers has had a 
similar experience, and can help in the solution, 
and say just what may be expected of these 
Hollies in the immediate future. Are they com¬ 
mencing to go so that they never will come 
back?— William H. Hatfield, Greensboro, N. C 
When Stones Begin To Flower 
To the Editors of T he Garden Magazine: 
HE two accompanying photographs are of an alley at the rear of a 
bonnet shop here in Grove City. Mrs.Shafferand her two daughters 
are progressive, hard workers and love the things that God has created 
for our pleasure and benefit. They had been accustomed all their lives 
to a garden when they moved in and opened up a millinery store. 
The “landscape” did not hold out much promise for a flower garden. 
It was one of those hard stony places the writers do not tell us about and 
where the “expert gardener” says you can’t raise anything. Neverthe¬ 
less about May 1st. (1922) they started and by June 1st had the yard 
pretty well dug up, some sheep manure added, and the seeds and plants 
in the ground. 
The result you can see for yourself in the picture above taken the 
first week of September. 1 n front is Moonflower and a beauty, back of 
it are Morning-glories, there are Pansies, Portulaca, plenty of Geran¬ 
iums, Begonias, Draecenas, Coleus, many Asparagus Sprengeri and 
single specimens of several others. 
Many, many flowers were grown in Grove City last summer, but 
there was no other such transformation as this, and this season it prom¬ 
ises to be even prettier.—H. G. Thompson, Grove City, Pa. 
FIVE MONTHS THAT WORKED WONDERS 
This was the disheartening outlook on May first but by September energy 
and a love of growing things had completely transfigured it (see cut 
abovel. The backyard garden of Mrs. Shaffer, Grove City, Pa. 
