HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1951-07-05, Page 7She Really Played
Cards "For Keeps"
"A clear tire, it clean Dearth, and
the rigour of the game." This was
the celebrated wish of old! Sarah
Battle ,(now > ith God), •wlio, next
to her devotions, loved a good game
of whist. She wait none of your lnke-
warm gamesters, your half -and -halt
players, who have no objection to
take a hand, if you want one to
make up a rubber; who affirm that
they have no pleasure in winning:
that they like to win one game and
lose another; that they- can while
away an hour very agreeably at a
card -table, but are indifferent whe-
ther they play or no; and will de-
sire an adversary, who has slipt a
wrong card, to take it up,and play
another.
• Sarah la'attle was none of that
breed. She detested thein, as I do,
.from her heart and soul, and would
Dot, save upon a striking emergency,
willingly seat herself at the sante
table• with them. She loved a thor-
rough-paced partner, a determined
enemy. She took, and gave, no con-
cessions. She hated favours. She
never make a revoke, nor ever pass-
ed it over in her adversary Without
exacting the utmost forfeiture. She
fought a good fight; cut and thrust.
She held not her good sword (her
cards) "like a dancer." She sat bolt
upright; and neither showed you her
cards, nor desired to see yours. All
people have their blind side—their
superstitions; and I have heard her•
declare, under the rose, that Hearts
was her favorite suit.
As she emphatically observed,
cards were cards; and if I ever saw
unmingled distaste in her fine last -
century countenance, it was at the
airs of a young gentleman of a
literary turn, who had been with dif-
ficulty persuaded to take a • hand;
and who, in his excess of candour;
declared, that he thought there was
no harm in unbending the mind now
and then, after serious studies, in
recreations of that kind! She could
not bear to have her .noble occu-
pation, to which she wound up her
faculties, considered in that light.
It was her •business, her duty, the
thing she came into the world to do
—and she did it, She unbent her
mind afterwards—over a book.—
From "Mrs. Battle's Opinions on
Whist," in "Essays of, Elia," by
Charles Lamb
Dog Robber?—Princess, a police
dog, is "in the dog house" at a
los Angeles animal shelter after
being booked as a suspected
accomplice of her master, Ro-
bert C. Wakeland, in a robbery
attempt. Officers said Wakeland
tried to rob a man while the
dog held another man and
woman at bay.
Shds Spotli
. 13 BONA MMES
COLLECTIONS are fun! But as a practical problem in household
storage they are often headaches. The right place for a collection
of photographs, figurines, dolls pr old firearms is often hard to come by.
11 you've put time, trouble and expense into a collection, you'd like
it displayed to advantage, not tucked away in a drawer or crowded
onto an inadequate what -not stand And if yours is the job of house-
keeping, you'll want the collection nn an out-of-the-way place where
they'll gather less dust and be safe from the mischievous hands of
small children
A display shelf a bit higher than eye -level offers a practical solution
to both these problems. It should be narrow enough to serve as a
simple wall fixture; a too -wide one will detract from the prominence
of the collection, For stand-up groupings like, photographs, the shelf
should be grooved to aid in their display.
It's not a good idea to construct your shelf of any scrap lumber
You happen to have lying around. in order to enhance and do justice
to your collection, try a natural -finish plywood in an attractively -
grained wood such .as birch. • ,
A shelf of this material is particularly etlective when it repeats in
grain and finish the woods used in other furnishings of the room.
ollec
ons-
A collection cof prized photographs is displayed to advantage en a,
narvow obeli' of birolz plywood which repeats the naturet .finish or
drawers hs chests and valance.
Looking through The New York
Times not long ago I chanced upon
an article entitled "Northern Orch-
ards," written by I. B. Lucas of
Marlcdale, Ont. It was so.interest-
ing that I think I'll just "pinch" it
and pass it along to readers of this
column—with sincere thanks to Mr.
Lucas, I hope—and believe—you'll
enjoy it just as much as I did.
* * *
In my Canadian garden, where
the lowest temperature during last
winter was 20 degrees below zero
and where the thermometer has
twice touched 40 below during the
past seventeen years, I grow all the
familiar tree fruits except citrus.
Here at Markdale, Ont., ninety
miles north of Toronto, where noth-
ing but the hardiest varieties of ap-
ples are expected to survive, my
favorite crop is peaches ... needless
to say, they require winter protec-
tion.
Many fruits that are rated too
tender for commercial orchards may
prove hardy in northern climates
under the sheltered conditions of
a home garden, especially if they
are kept in,a vigorous condition of
health. Nine -tenths of my trees are
listed as not hardy for this district,
and yet over the past two decades
my losses have been quite neglig-
ible. Yet even the soil is wrong for
fruit growing. And, since the garden
is twenty-five miles from any siz-
able body of water, it is subject to
vicious late frosts when the trees
are iu full bloom or later: 22 degrees
above zero on June 8, 1949, for ex-
ample.
*
Fruit varieties are temperamental
about deciding where they will suc-
ceed. The Cornice pear bears won-
derful fruit in my orchard, but does
not do well 100 miles farther south
in the Niagara peninsula, where the
conditions are logically more con-
genial. If it is well grown, nothing .
approaches this variety in quality.
However, its dessert excellence is
offset to some extent by light crop-
ping and the extra years it takes to
reach bearing age.
* * *
The Bartlett •pear fully merits its
popularity and should be in every
garden. If dwarfed, it will need rigid
support, since it forms a weak union
with the quince understock. Variety
Conference is also most satisfactory.
In contrast to the experience of
some gardeners in other and more
favorable districts, I have found it a
much more interesting dessert pear
than Bartlett.
.r.
:i f:YA ]i:i!riii
i� �lliili
A STAMP4670V Cr`aLASS 'wag
STOPPERED SF'CatIGE RUBBER) MAKES A GOOD
APPLICATOR FOR LIpUIP POLISH TO "TWO- "TONE°
SHOES. 'THE PLOW OF CLEANER MAY DE PIRECTEO.
And so it is risky to predict what
any specific fruit will do in a specific
location. One of my tests with
peaches showed that Vedette -proved
hardier and more prolific than eight
other varieties, and was equally
good in quality. Apples that have
thrived in my garden are, in order
of hardiness and of earliness, Yel-
low Transparent, Astrachan, Melba,
McIntosh and Delicious.
* *
The tree that has the best chance
of survival—in any climate—is the
young one that has not yet come
into bearing. It is freer from the
debilitating effects of disease and
insects, and it is spared the burden
of cropping. Therefore, it follows
that dusting and spraying of fruit
trees and thinning of crops not only
improves the quality of the fruit
but also builds up resistance against
next winter's sub -zero weather. By
the same token, anything that
lowers the vitality of a tree, such
as transplanting, spray injury, in -
Correct pruning, spring floods or
summer drought, may result in
winter losses.
* * *
If a fruit tree has been injured,
there are several ways of compen-
sating. For instance, last summer
the European red mite, which had
been only a minor nuisance in pre-
vious years, suddenly increased
enormously and caused serious
damage to the apple foliage. I re -
•moved the entire crop from all the
affected trees, even though it was
only four or five weeks before har-
vest. With the additional help of
extra fertilizers, cultivation, mound-
ing of soil and mulching, they canoe
through last winter in good health.
* *
The actual mechanical protection
from cold weather begins when
trees are set out. They should be
trained against south or west walls
—wooden, or preferably masonry.
The warmth of these walls and the
shelter they offer from cold north
winds may be protection enough
for some districts, But not for
Markdale, Ont. Here, one of two
further safeguards is needed: (1)
wrapping the branches with burlap,
or (2) leaning wooden sections
against the walls. (The wooden Sec-
tions
eations need to be tall enough to .reach
over the tops of trees.)
• * *
Wrapping with burlap may ex-
tend the margin of safety by about
10 degrees; wooden covers saved
not only the wood tissue but also
the fruit buds both times that the
temperature dropped to forty be-
low zero in my garden.
* * *
The surprising protection given
by the rough, loose -fitting wooden
covers is due to the "lag" between
the temperature in the open and
under the covers. Extremely cold
temperature seldom lasts more than
three or four hours. If it did the lag
would be overcome and the •trees
would parish.
* t: *
All tender trees benefit from a
mound of soil built up around the
base of the trunk, whether wooden
covers arc used ,or not. A mulch
on top 'of this also helps, but it must
not be added until the ground is
JITTER
(;1-47:NOT SO FAST PRATHtiR
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN MY WQNaP,
-PIPE Vey
frozen solid and the mice have es-
tablished their winter quarters else-
where.
With this extra protection during
the winter, healthy trees will sur-
vive extremely cold winters. But the
gardener should not forget the im-
portance of doubling vigilance
against any kind of damage to the
fruit trees during the glowing sea-
son and of following the best cul-
tural procedures.
bGouclon. SIU.LI h.
The wide, light green blades of
crabgrass are now pushing through
many a gardener's carefully tend-
ed expanse of turf. By midsummer,
while the lawn grasses are having
a siesta, the crabgrass will reach
its most vigorous stage, spreading
horizontally at great speed, rooting
as it grows.
,
To achieve a lawn that is com-
pletely free of this pestiferous weed,
the first requisite is to have a heavy
stand of healthy grass in a well -
drained, well-fed soil. Where turf
is thick, crabgrass cannot gain a
foothold. But in almost every lawn
some condition exists which gives
the weed a chance to get ahead.
* * *
Too close cutting of lawns in
June or July, for instance, will en-
courage crabgrass, for like some
of the broadleaved weeds, it sprouts
and develops best when it is not
shaded. Also, even if the lawn
seed was pure in the beginning,
seeds of crabgrass which have been
lying in the soil for many years
will germinate if they are brought
to the surface by spading the
ground.
* 4'
Latent seeds keep germinating
over a long period. By the end of
August, new plants in turn are
forming seeds which are apt to
ripen within a week.
e: * t.
There is no need for discourage-
ment today, however, if crabgrass
.has infested the lawn. Two reliable
types of chemicals are now on the
market which will eliminate this
once resistant weed without hurt-
ing the turf more than temporarily.
And experiments are being made
with even more promising chemi-
cals and new methods of applica-
tior.
The two recommended chemicals
now available are phenyl mercuric
acetate, known in the trade as
PMA, and potassium cyanate, de-
signated as KOCN. Each one ap-
pears on the shelves of garden sup-
ply stores under a number of
trade names. To learn the chemical
content of each, the label must be
inspected, and, to insure proper re-
sults, the directions for each brand
must be followed accurately.
* * *
The gardener who can distinguish
crabgrass from other grassy weeds
may wish to start attacking it as
soon as two or three of its leaves
are visible in early summer, This
is entirely practical, except that it
does not hasten the end of the
job. One or two follow-up treat-
ments are necessary and, while
these may be given in July, research
men recommend that work be con-
cluded in mid-August. At that time,
/PM 'IOU EVER.3R F APRETTIER,
21AIrrt AND THREE ARE FIFTY
OTH R sTYLIE . 1N MY
SAMPLE.
Q:AyE.4
two treatments given from seven
to ten days apart will catch the sea-
son's latest seedings, yet attack the
mature plant* before they go to
seed.
For the early -season treatment,
PMA is recommended, since it acts
on the roots and surface seeds as
well as on the foliage of crabgrass.
This chemical may take as long as
three or four weeks, however, for
a complete kill.
a: * *
For late -in -the -season treatments,
KOCN is recommended, since its
action is more rapid. At that time,
plants are apt to mature and drop
their seeds before a slower herbi-
cide take effect. Any of the KOCN
mixture can be used early as well
as late.
* *
At the Experiment Station where
PMA was discovered as a means
of killing crabgrass, it has also been
found that combining it with 2,4-D
in the season's first application will
eliminate the broadleaved weeds,
such as plantain and dandelion, at.
the same time. Subsequent applica-
tions of PMA alone, at the rate
directed on the container, need to
be made as usual. PMA, which was
originally developed as a fungicide,
will successfully combat • dollar
spot and other lawn diseases.
x: * *
Both PMA and KOCN will cause
a slight browning of the lawn
grass, but the effect should wear
off after a Couple of weeks. In
other words, the lawn grasses. re-
cover while the crabgrass dies, The
damage will be more severe, how-
ever, if the grass is cut too short,
if too strong a concentration of the
chemical is used or if the weather
is exceedingly hot and dry.
c= �: *
Some of the crabgrass chemicals
are sold as liquids, some as pow-
ders to be used either wet or dry.
When applied dry, the two -wheel
fertilizer spreader docs the jobeffie.
riently and 1* handy to use.
* * *
It is important to know the di-
mensions of the lawn, since the
results will not be as expected un-
less the correct proliortiou of weed,-
killer is used for a given area, The
proportions will he specified on the
label.
*
If the herbicide is applied in.
Iiquid form it is helpful to know
how many square feet the contents
of the sprayer will cover. The
amount of water used to dilute it
maters little, as long as the lawn
is thoroughly and evenly covered,
although faster action may be ob-
tained with a relatively smaller
amount. Completely dry applica-
tions, on the other hand. are the
slowest of all.
* 4' *
The iirst time the grass is cut
after a crabgrass killer is applied,
the lawn mower should/fie set at
two and a half inches- After that,
it is returned to 'the normal height
of one and a half to two inches.
* * *
Before these present-day chem-
icals were discovered, arsenates
were the principal weedkillers used
for crabgrass and all other weeds.
They not only kill all plants with
which they conte in contact, but
are dangerous -to handle. The new
compounds are safe to use if ordin-
ary precautions are taken. And they
are selective; that is, they will
kill one kind of plant without per-
manently affecting others. Potas-
sium cyanate, which is relatively
harmless, is ziot to be confused
with the deadly compound. potas-
sium cyanide.
* *
While crabgrass killers now on
the market are effective, home-
owners will do well to watch for
the new ones now being tested at.
several experiment stations and by
manufacturers. One—dichloral urea
—which is completely harmless to
use, has given excellent results with
no burning of the lawn at all. It
is reported to be rather bulky to
handle, however,
"Just to discover and rescue one
baby plant overgrown by upas
weeds is achievement, more thee.
Hitler accomplished. To tear up one
of your own seedlings by accident
makes you cry with anguish."
Yj
zr�!
SALLY'S SAWES
n....su.nw
4'aw
t44.,,, .a
. poll! t worry! Pape. won't Nair
NO because he sure realizes X'ttt
a growing expense."
"See The Birdie"—That seems to be the idea as 21/2 -year-old Philip
Gill turns the tables on the cameraman. Philip was waiting tete
board a plane for Casablanca, French Morocco, where he'll lora
his father. ,9v.,,
)'
,Arthur
inter
ANP THfiYIE3 Ate.
LINED WITH PURE,
MAPLE SUGAR 'T0
HELP 6AREAK'�M IN.
X'11 51-1ory YAU I>M
MINUTE /