250 
If the Grass want Grow 
Chamomile Suggested 
Joseph A. Walker of Schenevus, N. Y., 
sends us an article about planting Camomile 
as a “grass seed” in places where grass will 
not grow. The subject is of interest and 
we are reproducing part of the article with 
the special thot that some of our readers 
may have had some experience along this 
line both in planting Camomile for such a 
purpose or in solving Mr. Walker’s problem. 
The article states, “Where grass does not 
grow well because of poor soil and lack 
of moisture, a lawn might be started with 
old-fashioned camomile (Anthemis nobilis). 
This perennial may be mixed with grass 
where the lawn is persistently thin and, if 
desired, it may be used to make an entire 
lawn. 
Camomile does want some sunshine and 
that is about all it does ask. It is strong- 
growing, and once it makes itself at home 
it spreads rapidly. It will, in fact, take 
possession of every square inch it is per- 
mitted to occupy. 
Drought does not discourage camomile 
Ordinary grasses during a dry spell of even 
moderate severity often turn as brown as 
freshly turned loam; in prolonged dryness 
many grasses die. But not camomile, for 
it likes heat and drought. 
Another virtue is its ability to withstand) 
abuse. In this respect it is better than many 
grasses. Camomile may be walked on free- 
ly without harm. Camomile needs to be 
mowed, just like grass, perhaps every week 
or ten days. Frequency depends on thd 
weather. 
The use of camomile as a ground cover 
is little practiced in America and, so far as 
is known, no lawn has been made entirely 
of it in this country. In England, however, 
it is now widely used as a ground cover, and 
in olden days was extensively planted for a 
lawn. 
No data exist on the hardiness of cam- 
omile in the sections of the United States 
where winter temperatures drop far below 
zero. It withstands hard freezing, so if 
can be useful over much of the nation. 
The easiest way to establish camomile is ta 
sow a mixture of camomile seed and grass 
seed, about half and half, just as a lawn 
would ordinarily be started. Everyone seems 
to want pure turf grass today, but the 
mixture of camomile and grass seed will 
thrive in poor; sandy and dry soil. In a 
short time the robust camomile will kill 
off the grass and take possession. 
Plants may be started in a seed bed, just 
as most ordinary perennials are grown. 
When they are six months old they are set 
where they are to grow, centered about 
five inches apart. The plants, within the 
next six months of growth, will fill in and 
make a solid, always green lawn. If left 
unclipped they will grow one foot tall and 
produce flowers.” 
We have grown Anthemis nobilis for 
seed but it is strictly a weed and commonly 
found in all barn yards, the dryer and poorer 
the soil the better. The flowers are not of 
much value either but where ever it is 
grown there will be plenty of plants. We 
also wonder what suggested the thot to the 
writer of the article to advise the transplant- 
ing of camomile; first on a soil so poor as 
to have this sort of treatment, it seems that 
so much work could be better spent in mak- 
ing the soil better but what is most true is 
the fact that the plants would grow just as’ 
MINNESOTA NATVE PLANTS 
We are fortunate to be able to offer col- 
lected Minnesota native plants, all of which 
of course, are very hardy. Those wishing, 
any species from this section and will so in- 
dicate, we will make an effort to locate for 
them. 
The following will be mailed, postpaid, 
this fall or if you wish, next spring. Orders 
should be placed as early as possible, so that 
our collector can arrange his trips and, there- 
fore make delivery on all items ordered. 
AQUILEGIA CANADENSIS. American 
Columbine. Good for rockery or border, 
sun or part shade. 
ASARUM CANADENSE. Wild Ginger. 
Good ground cover for shady spots. If you 
wish it in quantity advise and we will quote. 
ARISAEMA TRIPHYLLUM. Jack-in- 
the pulpit. 
CALTHA PALUSTRIS. Marsh Marigold. 
CAULOPHYLLUM THALICTROIDES. 
Blue Cohosh. Deep blue berries in fall; 2 
feet tall. 
CLINTONIA BOREALIS. Bluebeads. 
Small lily-like bloom in spring; very dark 
blue berries in the fall; must have an acid 
soil. 
DODECATHEON MEDIA..... Shooting 
Stars. White to rosy purple Cyclamen-like 
blossoms in the spring. 
GERANIUM MACULATUM. Wild 
Geranium. Rosy pink blooms for the rock- 
ery or border; 1 foot tall. 
HEPATICA TRILOBA. Round Lobed 
Hepatica. White to deep blue blossoms; 
acid soil. 
IRIS VERSICOLOR. Blue Flag. For 
moist places. 
MIMULUS RINGENS. Monkey Flower. 
Blue Snapdragon-like blossoms with yellow 
centers; 2 feet high. 
PARNASSIA PALUSTRIS. Grass Parn- 
assus. White buttercup blossoms on slend- 
er stems. 
POLYGONATUM BIFLORUM. Solom- 
on’s Seal Drooping white bells, followed by 
nearly black berries. 
SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS. Blood 
Root. White blooms in early spring; showy 
leaves until late summers. 
TRILLIUM CERNUUM. Nodding Tril- 
lium. Drooping white blossoms. 
UVULARIA PERFOLIATA. Merrybells. 
Drooping yellow bells in the spring; easy 
to grow in shade; it’s good. 
VIOLA BLANDA. Sweet White Violet. 
Fragrant small white violet. 
PIONEER SEED COMPANY 
VIOLA CANADENSE. Canada _ Violet. 
Lavender and white; blooms nearly all sum- 
mer. 
VIOLA CONSPERSA. 
blue, early. 
ATHYRIUM FILIX-FEMINA. 
Fern. 
Dog Violet. Pale 
Lady 
One of the easiest in shady places. 
Bladderfern. Graceful arching fronds ta 
3 feet. Fine for moist places. 
DRYOPTERIS DILATATA. Mountain 
Fancy Fern. Beautiful evergreen fern; best 
in moist shady spots. 
DRYOPTERIS LINNEANA. Oak fern. 
Beautiful tiny 6 inch fern with branched 
fronds; moist shade. 
DRYOPTERIS PHEGOPTERIS. Narrow 
Beech Fern. Arrowhead-shaped fronds on 
6-8 inch stems; moist shade. 
DRYOPTERIS THELYPLERIS. Marsh 
Fern. Upright fronds to 18 inches; moist 
spots, sun or shade. 
PTERETIS NODULOSA. Ostrich Fern. 
For sun or shade; tall, graceful fern to 5’. 
PRICES: Any 6 of the above for $1.50; 
any 12 for $2.50; any 35 for $7.00; postpaid. 
AMELANCHIER CANADENSIS. June- 
berry. 
ARONIA MELANOCARPA. BI ack 
Chokeberry. 
CORNUS’ ALTERNIFOLIA. P agoda 
Dogwood. 
CORNUS STOLONIFERA. Red Osier 
Dogwood. 
ILEX VERTICILLATA. Winterber- 
ITy.. 
DIREA CANADENSIS. Leatherwood. 
6 to 12 inches. 
SAMBUCUS PUBENS. Red Berried Eld- 
ry. : 
SYMPHORICARPUS RACEMOSUS y. 
NANUS. Dwarf Snowberry. 
VIBURNUM DENTATUM. Arrowwood. 
VIBURNUM LENTAGO. Nanny Berry. 
PRICES: Any two of the above for $1.25; 
any 6 for $3.50; postpaid. All except Leath- 
erwood are 18-24 inch stock. 
CYPRIPEDIUM ACAULE. Pink Moc- 
casin Flower. 
* CYPRIPEDIUM PARVIFLORUM. Small 
yellow Lady Slipper. 
CYPRIPEDIUM 
Lady Slipper. 
PRICE: Any two of above for $1.00; any 6 
for $2.75; postpaid. 
DIMONDALE MICHIGAN 
SPECTABILE. Showy 
fast and well, if scattered over the soil in 
the first place. 
To us it seems that unless there was a 
spot so hopeless as to require camomile for 
a covering, that some other effort should be 
made, especially in planting shrubs, etc. 
What is your opinion? 
THE MULBERRY TREE 
The Fruitiess Mulberry the Michigan 
lady speaks of, no doubt is a male Mul- 
berry. I have lived on farms that had many 
Mulberries, in Nebraska and we found many 
of these sterile trees, some seem to bloom 
then all fall off. But we had so many 
bearing trees that we never paid any attent- 
ion to those that did not bear fruit. 
By Rosina Gen, Arkansas. 
DOGWOOD SEED BEST STRATIFIED 
Most hard coated seed like the Dogwood 
and Black Haw germinate quickly if they 
are stratified in granulated peat for about 
four months at a temperature between 33-40 
degrees F. 
