Garden Work in September 
history, were averse to my reappointment. This 
condition was materially accelerated by the con¬ 
test over the parkways begun the November pre¬ 
vious, and by my attitude in insisting that the 
counsel attend to his duties or leave the service 
of the commission. The traction companies up 
to that time had had quite smooth sailing in their 
successful efforts to secure coveted franchises, and 
the more valuable the public franchises were, 
the more successful the managers of the companies 
appeared to be in their efforts to secure them. 
Any individual aggressively opposing this “gift 
enterprise” business was soon made to feel that 
his future, politically or otherwise, would be far 
more agreeable, or, perchance, successful, if he should 
not “stand in the way” of what the “organization” 
or in other words, what the corporations, then, as 
afterwards, so closely allied with the party bosses— 
wanted. A park commissioner who would insist 
that the people should have what had been prom¬ 
ised them, provided the execution of the promise 
interfered with the corporation plans for a valu¬ 
able public franchise—notwithstanding the promise 
may have been for a park system that was being 
paid for from the tax budget—was not the kind 
of man the corporations wanted. The pressure 
brought to bear upon Judge Depue as the appointing 
power to leave me off the commission, was, now that 
the die for the parkways had been cast and my out¬ 
spoken position well understood, materially increased. 
Commissioner Franklin Murphy’s political craft 
had also up to that time had smooth sailing, and 
if he could unify the various elements in both the 
corporate and political fields, there was a fair pros¬ 
pect of his reaching his ambition in the climb for 
the Gubernatorial chair. Counsel Joseph L. Munn 
was regarded as one of his active political workers 
for furthering that object. 
Commissioner Frederick M. Shepard as the prin¬ 
cipal owner of a valuable water plant, which, with 
the assistance of “Counsel” Munn, it might be 
during the next few years desirable to sell at a 
good price to the municipalities of East Orange 
and Bloomfield—(as was accomplished in 1903)— 
was in full sympathy with, and extremely friendly 
to, these corporation influences and interests. 
GARDEN WORK IN SEPTEMBER 
By Ernest Hemming 
^ I ^HE bright green of the summer is beginning to 
give way to the autumn tints, indicating that 
the leaves have fulfilled their functions and will soon 
fall to the earth. The ripening of the wood and 
leaves varies according to the kind. Some plants, 
such as the California privet, continue to grow until 
the frost puts a stop to them and would actually be 
evergreen if the weather remained mild, while others 
seem to devote all their energies to developing their 
buds and bringing them into condition to stand the 
cold of winter. 
A good illustration of this may be seen in the large 
buds of the horse-chestnut which are covered with a 
varnish-like substance, making them impervious to 
wet and cold during the winter. 
The premature falling of leaves on a well-kept lawn 
is a nuisance and usually indicates an unhealthy con¬ 
dition of the tree. It may be attributed to several 
causes: sometimes excessive dryness; or, when the 
head is too thick the inner leaves being shut away 
from the sun and air fall off before their time. If the 
latter is the case the trees should be noted for atten¬ 
tion during the winter and the branches thinned 
out. It is always in order to give trees a good water¬ 
ing during the dry spells as they are just as liable to 
suffer during the fall as in the spring. 
Towards the end of this month the planting of 
trees and shrubs can be safely undertaken. Early 
fall planting is not practised as extensively as it 
should be. The ground being warm the plants will 
practically establish themselves before the cold 
weather. The leaves of the deciduous trees and 
shrubs should be stripped off at the time of the 
operation, and if the ground is at all dry given a 
good soaking with water after planting. Evergreens 
may also safely be transplanted, but it is always 
advisable to lift them with a ball of earth so as not to 
disturb the roots. 
The geraniums and other summer bedding plants 
look so nice and full that it seems a shame to disturb 
them by taking cuttings, but if jit is done judiciously 
they will not be missed, and itiwill be a great satis¬ 
faction to know that they ard rooting and out of 
harm’s way. It is never quite certain when the first 
killing frost will put in its appearance, so that when 
next year’s stock is provided for the beds may be 
left as long as they look nice, or until such time 
as the ground will be wanted for bulbs. Cuttings 
rooted now are much better than old plants lifted and 
potted later on. However, unless there is greenhouse 
room or other suitable accommodation it is not worth 
while to carry such plants as geraniums over the 
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