A GARDEN MAGAZINE FULL OF _PEOPLE J:+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.S.''•+++++++++++++++o~<+>I*i<>ll+'+ + . '>!< + Ozark Gardens suBScRIPTioNs-i year s 1 • 25 EDITH BEST ARD >I! + $2 .50 per year,2 years --- + ~ R.D. 1, 101 227 $4 .50. Sample Copy 25¢ - • Autclllt Utter ~ ~ FAIRVIEW, PENNA. 16415 Etrtkl s,rllll , ArkiiSII 726S2 ~ .+~ DISPLAY ADVERTISING +i , r.•ns .. ll •••t•ly rates will be sent + on request, + ~ T. C. LEOPOLD Entire Contents ~ + ADVERTISING DEPT. ~ -~ Ellltor nil r.•ns•tr " coPYRIOHTC T.C.LEOPOLD, 1967" + + · . CAROLINE JOHNSTON + ++~+~>l<>l<~~~~~~>l<~~~~>l<>l<.t<.t<++++++++~++++++++~+++++++++++~++*++++~ - "EDITOR'S PAGE " · . Welcome to the March issue of the "Garden Magazine Pulr of People", A hearty thank you to each contributor that has worked to make this issue pos-sible. This is our Easter issue and so depicted by Mr. Andrew Hintenach on the front cover, The front cover showing Easter lilys and the cross needs no ex-planation. Many of you have been concerned about your Editors illness and I would like to brief you at this time that I am once again in excellent health, I suf-fered a heart attack on Nov, 20th of last year and was hospitalized for 13 days, While in the hospital I took the time to have a complete G,I. test and this test did show- that surgery was needed to restore me to good health once again, On Jan. 30th of this year I returned for surgery and was released on Feb, 6th to return home once again to my family and our beloved magazine Ozark Gardens. I wish to thank each one for your prayers and the wonderful cards that were sent. Needless to say, I am behind o~ my correspondence and also have some unfinished business, so if your Editor owes you a letter or re-turned photos, please be patient they will soon be taken care of and mailed to you. Since we are having a nationwide ad-vertising campaign on at this time to promote our Garden Magazine I want tc speak especially to you that are read-ing your first copy of Ozark Gardens, We are happy to say that several hun-dred new readers are reading their first copy this month, Ozark Gardens is no~ a new publica-tion, it was started over 14 years ago by our Assiociate Editor on page 3. It was started as a mimeographed letter and grew as the years went by, The i-deals of Ozark Gardens is to bring to-gether those people that love to garden and raise flowers. The first ideal, is friendship, to bring together as friends those that like the same thing~ To .phrase an old saying, "experience is t~e best teacher" and by having writers tell us of their experiences in garden-ing is a proven short cut to a better garden for you. Our writers prove how to garden and raise flowers without spending a fortune. If this is your first copy of Ozark Gardens please read it thru, you will find it is friendly but most of all informative to all who garden and raise flowers. Please read our ad pages, you will find Ozark Gar-den ads are different, the prices are reasonable and our advertisers want to please you in every possible way. We ask that you always patronize our ad-vertisers , they help to bring you a better magazine. Often I find a note written on the bottom of a circular from a new sub-scriber saying, can anyone submit ma-terial to be used and I . want to say ~· "The Garden Magazine Full of Pee-Pie" needs you and your story for pub-lication. This is your magazine, write for it, criticize it, help it to grow. If you have a story, do send it in and photos also help to make a story much better. We cannot pay for manuscripts as yet but some day hope that we can, I have been your Editor for one year now and it has been a very rewarding year for us all. If I was to sum up my feeling for this publication as of now I would say we have enthusiasm, just plain old fashioned enthusiasm • I do not think any other publication being printed has the .P.nthuslasm that our Ozark Gardens has today, You can help us even more by inviting your garden and flower friends to join us in sub-scription, In closing,. I want to say that we have some wonderful articles coming in the months ahead. Next month we will talk about· preparing our gar-dens for the "Harvest Time" issue in October. Until next month, good~bye and be an ~ Gardens Booster! A GIFT subscription to Ozark Gardens to a · Friend is always appreciated. -2-NEWS FROM SPINY RIDGE Edith -Bestard Eureka Springs Ark. '72632 Today was a sunny but rather cold day, so I gave a general watering to occupants of the greenhouse. We have had so much cloudy weather this past winter including one rather fearsome blizzard, that pots have not dried out very rapidly. I probably will not water the cacti again until they show new growth, but the other succulents need moisture at intervals, as they grow and bloom all winter. As usual the approach of spring has brought many Mammillarias into bloom. For the first time my large "Feather Cactus" (M. plumosa) is filled with blossoms . They are not spectacular, being a pinkish cream with the feath-ery, harmless spines. The other white Mamma are all blooming: candida, gem-inispina, parkinsonii, hahniana, wer-dermanniana, nejapensis, multiceps ( scarlet seed pods appearing ), and Ortiz-Rubiona. For prolific bloom when not much else. is blooming, the Mamma cannot be surpassed. They are likewise among the easiest cacti to grow from seed. Throughout. my years of growing cacti I have discovered that the white~pined ones seem to be most free of pests and rusts. In addition, they are my favor-ites because of their beauty, so I have accumulated quite a number. They include the South American Oreocerei trollii and celsianus; the Espostoas lanata and pseudomelanostele,and Clei-stocactus strausii, a real beauty. Other white ones are the Cephalocerei senilis (Old Man), hoppenstedtii, and palmeri. Nearly all of these I have grown from seed, and most of them are at least two feet tall. I have heard that these species will not bloom in cultivation, but they are so lovely that one can dispense with flowers. The "pest-free" white cacti do not include the Opuntias, which seem to attract mealy bugs and scale-especial-ly the latter-no matter what. I have O.vestita (Old Man Opuntia), 0. ursina (Grizzly Bear), and 0. Microdasys al-bata (Angel Wings),and I scarcely dare turn my back on them for fear of scale. Only the Wilcoxias are more trouble, and their Nemesis is mealy bugs. Let me again express my appreciation for all the cards and messages I re-ceived at Christmas time. I have al-ways thought that the distinguishing trait of Ozark Gardens was its friend-liness,and I am very happy to see this Ozar~ Gardens March 19~7 -3-continuing. A reader in California is Mrs. A. W. Dickinson, who is growing Rebutias and Stapelias from seed. She sent me some Stapelia seed, which I am anxious to try, as I have never grown them from seed, and I can imagine that the seed-lings would be very cunning. Recently Mrs. Dickinson wrote to say that birds are very fond of the seedlings; going out to her lath house one day,she dis-covered that every one of the seed-lings had been eaten! I had the same experience with mice once,and it real-ly gives one a frustrated feeling. I am grieved to report that my Joshua tree has passed away. It sur-vived very low temper~tures last win-ter, but this year we have had several hard winter rains and one very deep snow, so I feel sure that the moisture was what killed it. I had really for-gotten it, or I would have covered it with something to keep off the snow. If anyone has seed of the Jo~hus tree (Yucca brevifolia) I would very much like to try again. I will be glad to buy the seed or trade for it. Orders are coming in for H. C. Law-son's "Book of Cacti for the Amateur Collector," which I will send you for SL 50. You should look over the hun-dreds of illustrations and decide what plants you want to add to your collec-tion. There are cultural and propaga-tion instructions, also. Does anyone have Sedum lineare? I will trade a very pretty purple, rose-shaped Sedum (hardy) for a start of s. lineare. Mine is a variety of s. spa-thulifolium, b~t the dark color is rare. My plant of Christmas Rose(Hellebor-us niger) has a lovely cluster of waxy blossoms. Deep snow covered it for a-bout ten days after it began to bloom, but that did not dismay it. Does any-one have the maroon - flowered variety for sale or trade . This month our cacti will be awak-ening from their winter sleep. What a happy thought! DOLPHIN EYE DROPS From Mrs. Irma Duffey, 2308 Lincoln, Unionville, Mo . "I am enclosing S2.50 for another bottle of Dolphin ·Eye Drops. I like them very much--! think this one is the fourth bottle I have ordered from you." Looking over my record book recent-ly, I noted that the majority of per-sons listed there have orders over and over again, and many orders are accom-panied by testimonials such as Mrs. Duffey's. If you have not tried these . soothing drops, made of natural barks-processed, you owe it to your eyes to do so. Send $2.50 for a generous bot-tle to Edith Beatard, R. 1, Eureka Springs , Ark. 72632. I ~iFORl'IA':ION Carol ine Johnston, 102-24 91st Ave., Richmond Hill, New York 11418 It was wl th oleasure I received the first catalo~ of thP. new season. Jeo. w. Park Se e d Co ., Inc., Greenwood, S.C . 29647. One has to see it to really ap-preciate the beautiful contents. The index page has a germination and cul-ture guide which can be of help to all flower lovers. Send for it and please mention Ozark Gardens. In answer to the number of requests I received for :he seed of the Christ-mas Rose, I am sorry but I do not have seed to send. Helleborus niger seed can be bought from Geo . w. Park Seed Co. For Mrs. Phillip J . Stroscio, 245 Walcott St., Pawtuckett, R.I. 02806. Start the zinnia seed indoors in late March. Transplant seedlings to flats and keep in a sunny window . When the weather is warm set plants outside in well enriched soil. Seeds may also be started in the open when the weather is suitable. Zinnias are warmth loving flowers and grow best in full sun, but will bloo~ in partial shade . Applica-tions of fertilizer at intervals throughout the summer will produce big-ger flowers . Pinch back main flower stem if you want a bushy plant . If dead flowers are removed, the plants will blossom until cold weather . Popu-larity of zinnias have increased be-cause" of easy culture and for the cut flowers . Mildew attacks zinnias , especially after warm wet weather. Spray with bordeaux mixture or dust with sulphur, but avoid using it in hot weather. Al-ways select a dry windless day when spraying. Stalk borers cause wilting . They can be detected by finding a small pinhead hole and sawdust near the base of the plant. If discovered in time they can be killed by carefully slitting the stem lengthwise with a sharp knife or a r~zor blade, or by probing with a flexible wire. Rotenone sprays will kill young borers before they enter the stalks. It is on the weeds the adult moths lay their eggs . By keeping the "arden free from weeds this pest can be ~ontrolled. The full grown larvae hib-ernate in the stems of weeds and in the soil, oupating in late spring . Blister beetles enjoy eating both foliage and flowers. Holding a can of h a lf kerosene and water under a plant a s you tap the plant with a stick will knock them into the can. Cutworms us uall t winter in the soil un ne r plant debr is. In the spring the c a te r pillars clean up the tender plants as t hey a~e set out. They cut the voung pl ants off at or near the surface ~f the g round, but some species climb u p a nd eat the leaves . You can gener-a lly find the cut worm sleeping after Cont'd on bottom of next column Ozark Gardens March 1967 4 L Mrs . David R. Birch L•lly ore 548 N. Rosedale Tulsa , Oklahoma 74127 Lily lovers who aren'~ members ?f ~he North American Lily Soc1ety are m1ss1ng a wonderf ul treat . The quarterly bul-letin is at 'hand. Jt c ontains the annu-al s ee d l ist with so~e crosses that would have been considered impossibl~ a few years ago. Such as : No . 61 Atom1cs X Atomics, No. 73 Cowichan crosses , Re-ciprocals, Me s sapoag X Catalba, No . 71 i·'r"d Abbey' s-Lave l :v Lady, Fair Lady az:d t.laska X Nutmegger mixed. There .ls Hearts Desire strain -var. colo~s, bindarella Gros s e s , Silver Sunburst Crosses . 97 items. This seed is con-tributed by ~embers and is sold to mem-bers only. The bulletin also contains a list of books and scientific papers contributed since 1963, which may be borrowed from the society's library. There are 120 items and they make a f~ne addition to an already impressive collection of books and bulletins and -· come from the four corners of the Lily World and contain names of our most learned growers and writers~ This . bul-letin aJso contains an art1cle wr1tten by editor R . W. Lightly, who is with Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa. Mr Lightly is a plant explorer of note. I ·personally have a crow to pick with him . After showing just where and how his expedition found the two new lilies there was no t one "shot" of the lilies. Must have been past -their bloom period . At least I got a thrill thinkine about the possibility of other possible un-discovered varieties and I am looking forward to seeing these new ones Mr. Lightly found . Your local library should have books on lily culture. The English books compare with conditions across the cen-ter of our country but shoul d be modi-fled for far n orth or south . Our most useful books are written by our own growers just as our best bulb~ c ome from domestic growers. It's t1me to start thinking about planting seeds. Several seed catalogs list several var-ieties which are wonderfu.l to grow to learn your Lily culture first h~nd . Many of these s eed s are grown espec1al-ly for that purpose and by growers who keen abreast of times-lily wise . Next month we will talk about propagation ar•d stem rootir>g lilies . Send a stamped self addressed envelope for addresses of the North American Lily Society and the regiona l societies. Join one , the gain is all yours . Information given his feed, curled up in soil at the base of the injured plants . As a prevent~tive cut a 3 inch paper collar, slip 1t over the seedling so the collar is half above and half below the ground . Zinnias were named for Joha nn Gott-fried Zinn, a Germa n professor and phy-sician of Botany and Medicine a t Gott-l inger Uni v e rsity. "MEET OUR CONTRIBUTOR" OZARK GARDENS BEGONIA WRITER. Daisy Austin 1510 Kimberly Ave. When I asked Mother about it, she thought for a few minutes and said ae near as she could remember she had been on her way up the hill to the mail box when she heard a noise and saw some-thing move under a Hazelnut bush. She went nearer to investigate and found it was a little baby. She brought it home with her and that was me. I don't need to tell you that I watched Hazelnut bushes closely for a long time. Years later when I asked her about it again she told me how it really happened. One cold November day, in a small frame house, down in a hollow in the Jzark Mountains, in the state of Mis-souri, I announced my arrival, all three and one half pounds of me. They looked again at the bed that was wait· ing for me and then at me and figured if they put rue in it they would never be able to find me again~so until an-other bed could be built, I was bedded iown in my dad's :shoe box. None of the clothes would fit, even the name was too big,Genevieve was changed to Daisy. Perhaps they thought I wsq not going to grow. The first ten years of my life were not very stable. We never stayed in one place very long. My Dad was always chas.ing rainbows and there was a new one to chase by the time the years crop was harvested. The last trip to Arkan-sas came when I was about five years old and there were then three children. Our house was a covered wagon and the team of horses was my fathers pride and joy. To him, they could out run any other team on the road and he was usu-ally the challenger to all races. What a shambles there was to pick up and straighten up inside the wagon after one of these wild dashes over roads that had never seen road repair unless it was someone worki ng out his Pole Taxes. I'll never forget one of his races. We caught up and were passing a Ozark Gardens March 1967 Anaheim, Caiif. 92802 farm wagon which did not have a bed on the frame and was driven by a couple of young boys. How could they resist a chance to race and away we went. As we passed them I started a rush for the back of our wagon for more looks but near the tail gate1 a feather bed and I became entangled and we both sailed out the back of the wagon followed by my brother who followed me everywhere. It was on this trip that I met my first swinging bridge. We had camped on the opposite side of the river from a town and jor some reason my mother wanted to go into town. She was carry-ing my sister, and I was holding my brother's hand. She said walk slowly and stay in the middle of the bridge. All was going well and we were about nidway when a young man came up behind AS and started the bridge swinging. That did it! I sat down and ~nere was no moving me. I remember the man laugh-ing and picking my brother and I up and carrying us the rest of ·the way. Ano.ther baby and another yP.ar or two of nomadic living was all my mother could stand, she and dad parted. Until her health broke and she passed away she tried to make a living for us. The next two years home was with whiCh ever relative could take us for a spell un-til one aunt and uncle were ~eady to a-dopt us legally. Then for the first time in my life I could go to school for a full year without changing achools. ·=--·· Daisy Austin at the age of 5 on the right. Her brother age 2 that followed her where ever she went. Our story con-5 tinues on the next page. MEET OUR CONTRIBUTOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Most of the schools in the Ozarks were still one room schools. And if you have never attended a small rural school with a total registration for all eight grades, the number of pupils now crowded into one room for one grade you have truly misseg one of life's ex-periences. Especially if the school building had been built on the side of a hill where the trees had been cleared and the lumber used to build the school house. The well dug by hand and the water drawn by a bucket attached to a rope or chain through a pulley fastened to a frame built above the well. When the water was drawn it was poured into a bucket and set on a bench by the door where all could get a drink from the same tin or enameled dipper. Once in awhile a bucket and chain would get a-way and fall to the bottom of the well. This didn't happen too often because it usually meant a switching for someone. The size of the switch depended upon whether the teacher cut it or sent a pupil out to get one. Lunches were packed in various size pails, usually empty lard buckets. They had to be large enough to hold a sandwich, jelly bread, for the morning and afternoon recesses besides the num-ber for noontime. A game of seven sticks was more popular than a game of baseball. Too many home. runs could be made while the ball was being chased to the bottom of the hill and returned. After the first frost and the per-simmons were ripe it was an unwritten law between the older girls and boys, (which ever finished lunch first but it had to be an even start) to begin the race to the top of the hill where the trees were; got the persimmons for that day and don't think we girls couldn't climb trees as fast as the boys. Thie pastime was good only for a few days because the opossums ate by night and they were not as particular as we were as to ripeness. But at the age of twelve I was through with all this, I graduated from grade school, as it was Ozark Gardens March 1967 -6-then called, head of the class too be-cause I was the whole class. Here I was too young to go to the wicked city and no high school near enough to at-tend. Consolidated school districts were beginning to be established in the more accessible transportation areas. This particular school died with the genera-tion under it's roof, as the first graders graduated from the eigth grade there were no more youngins' to take their places. Automobiles, often cal-led machines, had come to the hills and if the boys could keep them running we could go to town. Times were changing and the older folks could no longer keep .the younger ones "down on the farm". Many of the older ones were then forced to move to smaller commun-ities but not many would brave the lar-ger cities. ~he children of the Ozarks whose play grounds and every day living areas are the hills and valleys soon know each bird and animal species and their hab-its. The same with the flora. As I read "The Fascinating World of Herbs Passing in Review", by Dr. Sanders and in his column he mentions some of the plants and the medicines derived from them and their remedies, recall the memories of the times I've collected some of the very same roots and leaves, dried and shipped the sacks to the com-panies buying them. Skullcap and Jimp-son weed were the easiest and most plentiful. My little grandmother knew where everything grew and during the times I stayed with ner and she would let me go,I went with her leaf picking. She also kept a number of bee hives in back of her garden. The bees never seemed to bother her and she would work ~ith them without a bee veil and only used a hand smoke bellows. These same bees and I were not on the same friend-ly terms. It was grandmothers medicinal knowl-edge that healed the soles of my feet the time I ran through a bed of hot coals from a fire left after the heat-ing of wash water in a huge iron pot. She used parts of a cactus similar to the prickly pear variety of the south-west deserts. This one Cactus grew in back of her garden on the bank of a ravine. Where or how or when it came there and survived the cold winters no one seemed to know. Perhaps it too came in with the same storm that brought the pine tree. The long needle pines were not native to this area of the Ozarks but there it was. Every-time I hear the song"The Lonesome Pine" it is this tree that comes to my mind. It was somewhere between the age of nine and twelve that I arrived at two seperate conclusions, probably not at the same time or even the same year. They being: I was going to get al~ the education I possibly could and I was going to get out of life only as much Cont'd on page 7 Meet Our Contributor cont'd as much as I would put into it. Today these two determinations are still part of my life. I finally did get the opportunit~ to go to high school but never for a full year at one time, sometimes almost but not quite. As soon as the crisis was over back I'd go for another try. This higher education ambition began in Her-culaneum, then to Webster Groves, Mis-souri and on to Phoenix, Arizona. It was here the ambition was detoured for a number of years for marriage and two children. Then came World War 11 and I was again faced with making a living for myself and daughter. During the time I was in Phoenix and the war I worked in a defense plant where Navy planes were converted to Army planes. I worked in the armament section, installing the guns in the turrets and ground testing them. I would have tested them in the air too only one of the requirements was one parachute jump had to have been made. That was alright but I wasn't heavy enough to make the jump. My ninety - eight pounds was not enough to pull me back to terra firma. At the close of the war I came to California and went to work for Western Union in both the Los Angeles and Long Beach offices. Was considering foreign communications as the offer was attrac-tive but this unfinished high school wa~ unfinished business and it was time something vas done about it. Califor-nia has a wonderful Adult Education Program and through this, by working during the day and attending evening classes, I managed to finish that high school and two years of college under Business Administration. It opened new employment opportunities and I did work for a number of years in payroll and accounting, finding it dull and unex-citing. During this time my daughter had grown up, married, and she and her husband had started a family of their own. I wasn't putting much into life and I wasn't getting much out of it and yet it was because of this I re•entered the "Poor Man's University". In this Library Campus I can become lost for days pursuing subjects and projects. I went back to studying about my be-loved plants, the course was there, the text books and supplementary reading, even the laboratory experiments and their conclusions. I was free to travel on all collecting trips with the botan-ists. For the past fifteen years my daught-er and her family and I have shared homes. I have one of those one-in-a-million son-in-laws. Perhaps our reci-pe for "getting along" is we respect each others rights and the right to be individuals. It was after moving to Anaheim, Cali-fornia and taking up residence on the Anaheim. Library Campus, I noticed a directory listing of Plant Societies, complete with a name and address for further information I picked out a few and wrote to them. The American Begonia Society was one I decided to join. Later joining others and I have held offices in each society I've ever joined. Looking back I can say this has been a wonderful century to have been born into for never has there been as much history made or made as quickly. I'm thinking of the different modes of transporation I've used as an example. From the horse and buggy to the jet airlines and to be followed anyday by space carriers or ships. Scientists seem fairly sure there is no plant life on the moon but some of the other plan-ets hold promise. This I am watching and when plaht life is established ----well perhaps my plants and I ---- any-way I'm giving it some thought. Mrs. Roy Benson, Boscobel, Wis. As the ground is covered with that beautiful white snow and flower beds are all nestled in so cozy, our thoughts can picture how things looked last summer and perhaps how it will a-gain look the coming year. The new Cosmos Sunset was lovely. Some of the· flowers were double but even though they were not it was beyond any des-cription. The petals were of a bril-liant red orange. Some crested in the centers and some not. I also had the Yellow Goldcrest but they, along with the pink and reds couldn't measure up to the new sunset. Then there was the cute little peach tomatoes in red and yellow. These have a dull fuzzy, fln-lsh when they mature so they have the appearance of a peach but taste like any other tomatoes. There were also the various love in mist from the pre-tty standy b.lues and whites through the pinks and purples. The red flowering beans which make their brilliant splash of color. A row of these brings back memories of Grandma's day when she had their cousins climbing over the little house. These are a bush type. Ozark Gardens March 196'7 The chocola·te peppes, which stay chocolate once they mature. They add a bit of color to the green, red, and yellow ones in various relishes. The prickly poppy adds it's color to the acreage with it's papery blooms of white with lots of thorns. It looks almost of the cactus family. Their cousins in colors of white, pink and red. The garden was a riot in itself of lavender and plum color when the hollyhock geranium bloomed after frost had killed all else. Each time these started going to seed they were cut back. Before long they would be right b~ck with their pretty little faces. S~nce these are quite hardy they final-ly took over the whole garden. Now all is sound asleep but they'll be back with the warm .breezes wafting o'er the hill come spring, and the whipporwills call to us that it is time to plant -7- the corn. WESTERN NOTES By Cactus Pappy 114 Natal Way Vista, Calif . A cool,windy, and cloudy day,We nave had another big rain, one of those soaking ones· that did so much good but the plants outdoors are just standing still. Feb. is recognized as the first spring month here, so when it warms up and the sun shines those plants in the ground will take off and· before we know it, w.ill be in bloom. My Bells of Ire-land , snaps, stock and carnations are all just waiting for the warm earth to send them on their way, A few plants were nipped by frosts icy fingers, but as it was in the light of the moon, there was no deep freeze and they will only lose a few leaves . I have been making fuschia cuttings and starting them in moist vermiculite. I let my cuttings set in a B. I . solution for a few hours , then dip them in a good rooting harmone and most all of them get off to a good s tart . In containers I use the same potting medium for all pl ants . One part peat moss, one part s a nd , on e part steer manure a nd one part v e r miculite . The young tran s -planted seedlings s oon catch hold and make good growth in this mixtur e . Seed catalogs have come in a big batch and I go through them with a fine comb , make a big list-, then , when I order cut it down. I ' m going to try to grow Snow Ball bushes from seed as they do we ll ~ere , but not many of them a-round • . Isn ' t that GO-GO Impatient of Parks Seed Company a honey? I hope to have a few of them. The new bush s we e t pea called San Frisco is another new type offered this year for the first time, and I'm giving them a whirl . They are a deep rose with yellow centers and have the same long stems as the former type of sweet peas, but require no net-ting or staking . I'm very fond of del-phinium but I really don't care for the Pacific strain. I admire the Wrexham, or English strain better, and have seed orders of them. There is also a new hardy carnation I ' m trying out but here all carnations are hardy . As I pruned my roses last week, it almost broke my heart to cut off buds which were too leggy,but I trimmed them all back and made a lot of cuttings . I'm going to raise some gladiolus this year but down the coast from here they grow acres of them ; just one big flower basket when they bloom. My watsonias are hig~ from which I will get some early blooms . They are all white. Our Orange County Cactus Society , of which I was the founder and Daddy , has invited me to their meeting this week honoring all past presidents and be-cause I was the first president , This is a wonderful group of people and a visit to their club is always enjoyed , but I ' ll have to pass it up as other commitments make it impossible to at-tend. I have sent them a letter to be read to the club members , The Presi-dent, Jeane Patton wrote me saying they keep tab on me and each month read my article to their group, that is my "Western Notes." Happy gardening to you all! Palomar Cactus Society,over a hundred strong, held their Jan. meeting with a full house and a fine program conducted by Gilbert Voss our program chairman. He showed slides of his collection trip to Old Mexico, good slides. His talk of them was well received . He is a Yfung man that I'm pleased to call "my friend" . He always brings me some new specimen of a plant from each .trip. He spent his Christmas vacation ·down there climbing over the rocks looking for new ones or rare ones . He not only knows how to grow them , but knows their botanical names too . Our North County Shade Garden Club a lso held their Jan . meeting . Maury, our vice president , showed slides he made on a trip to Japan , very colorful and interesting . These meetings are always a joy to me. both to hear and see their fine programs and also to get some good plants on t~e exchange table . Three of my neighbor boys leave s oon f or the draft, and it makes my heart heavy to see them go . I think I would be a very happy person to hear that this useless war was over so our boys could come home . I know the whol e country is saddened by the firey death of the three astronauts last Friday . All such fine young men and today they are taking their last plane ride to the burial grounds in our National c eme-teries , God rest their souls in peace . I know several Marines over there in the war and each night I pray for their safety. I know many of you have sons or friends in the service , so just take a few minutes time and send them a let-ter. It is sure a blessed time when mail call comes over there , and to Rnow you still think of them . We are now on the threshold of anoth-er growing tieason . My wish for all of you is a happy growing one . "Look to the sun , and the shadows will always be behind you." Vaya c on dios. ************************************* COUNTRY WORLD Ozark Ga rdens March 1967 The magazine ~ Small Town America featuring flowers, gardening , nature and "Martha Hoffman Seed Exchange" Sample 30¢; $1 . 50 per year. R2,Box 100G, Carmi , Ill . 62821 -s-************************************~ F I ower Ranch News MRS. HATTIE H. DAVIDSON Rt. 1, Box 20'4 West Palm Beach, Pla. The weather so far this January has been mild, cooling off nicely but not too much after dark. We do need rain. The few light showers we have had just barely keep a green sheen on the grass. Not enough moisture to induce growth so there is no mowing to be done. That is nice, too. When things do grow, my job usually runs to weeding and there has been little of that to do this winter. weeds appear to be summer plants, they need warmth and rain. One very cool spell around Christmas turned the Amaryllis straps yellow, so now they hang limp and look very un-tidy. We do not separate them from the bulb as they will rot off and add mulch around the bulb. Depending on the weather, the flowers will appear either in late March or in April. We have one large bed and two smaller plantings nearby so the many different colored blooms make a really good showing. In a recent copy of the American Hor-ticultural magazine, various Datura specie took the spot light. I never knew there were so many and that there is a red flowered variety. They are members of the Night shade or Solan-aceae family. The common Jimson weed which grows so plentifully in north Florida and in Georgia is a great worry to farmers in those areas. Many of the Night shade plants are of a toxic na-ture. I used to grow Datura, both white and purple flowers. These were more or less an annual, the plants lived at the longest for two years. They made a terrific amount of seeds in huge prickly pods. At present we have ~hat is a perennial plant, more tree than shrub, blooms four or five times a year, and makes no seed. One has pure white trumpet flowers and the other has apricot colored flowers. Each bloom lasts for several days and they all al-ways appear at the same time. Propaga-tion is very easy with cuttings. In looking over pictures and reading de-scriptions , I remain a bit confused so am not going to identify the plants we have here at Flower Ranch. The name Datura is enough. Right after the Christmas holidays, I came across several articles stating that Poinsettias and Mistletoe were both on the poisonous list and to be-ware when handling them. These stories were written up in scary wording. It doesn't seem necessary, to me, to frighten people. One doesn't eat such plants and just from touch, how few people would be allergic . There are many, many plants which bring on skin allergies,but not to people as a whole, · only a few are affected. Now down here, the Oleander is used to scare people. They bloom in the spring and are beau-tiful. Often they put on several more Qzar~ Gardens March 1967 -9-bloom periods during the summer months. If a person fears contact with a plant , don't touch it. They can be admired and look so much better growing out-ioors as Nature intended. There are a few things in the Euphor-bia family which.cive me an itch. One good itch patch is sufficient warning not to touch again. One very unfriend-ly plant in that family is the Milk (or pencil or candle) plant. This is E.-tirucalli. It has a heavy milk sap, just to break a tiny stem will start bleeding. It is a safe rule to avoid contact with Milky sap or any moisture from a plant which appears sticky or white colored. The Diffenbachia, a common house plant, is a c_ommon offender. It is said to cause difficulty in speaking when any jui~e · from the stems has been absorbed thru the pores of the skin. Therefore the name "Dumb Cane". Even the white sap which flows from a green Papaya fruit can cause skin irritation. It is always advisable to wear ~loves and keep the hands away from ones face. So let's not be scar-ed of our plants. Why give up the pleasure of a live plant when trouble from it can so easily be avoided. WILD FLOWERS Wild Flowers on Grand Mesa, Colorado By _Gertrude McCormick,Delta,Colo. WILD FLOWERS I ENJOYED IN ARIZONA Grand Mesa plants now sleep under a bed of once soft, but now frozen snow. Ski-doos rush hither and yon above them and skiers take their pleasure at the new Powderhorn Ski Course. Deep snow will mean lovely flowers for next sum-mer. So let's visit about Wildflowers in Arizona. The dry land plants in Arizona ~re in direct contrast to the Grand Mesa plants with the abundant supply of water furnished by snowbanks, lakes, creeks and springs. Grand Mesa plants grow tall and luscious in the short season allotted to them. Desert plants have long seasons which may be dry or wet and the plants have made marvellous adjus~ment to their environment. Botanical families of plants each carry their own.distinguishing charac-teristic-so the ·_Globemallow in Arizona looks much like the Globemallow in Col-Cont'd on page 12 ,9.~ e~~t;.f.~~j~~l,Co~f..~~~j THE WINTER HARDY CROLLA (CLYDRNOPUNTIA) The shrubby or tree cactus inhabits the so called "waste spaces" of the southwestern states, from Colo., Okla., on south and west to the oceans. While all of these cannot be classified as HARDY, many of them have been trans-planted to gardens far removed from natural habitat. For instance, we have grown successfully, for a number of years , cholla from Okla., Tex., New Mex., Ariz., and Nev., also two "mimi-clydindropuntia" from an unknown ori-gin. There are still one or two more I would like to obtain which I have seen growing in a garden in southeastern Utah. Like all collectors, never com-pletely satisfied! This does not in-tend ~o convey they can be grown any-where that the usual run of platy-opun-tias are found naturally and trans-planted successfully. Unhappily there are very few of them that will take to heavy rainfall and unusually low tem-perat ures without some sort of winter pr otection. They vary in size, spinal armament and blossoms greatly from specie to specie . Canon City i s surrounded by foothills and mountains on all sides and we are supposed to have the best all round climate in the state . However, up here on this wind swept hill where we live, the more venerable of the species need some protection. For instance, c. kle-iniae needs the protection the eastern side of our home affords against the prevailing west and northwestern winds, which sends its icy blasts howling down thru the canyon west and northwest of this area. In that protected spot it has grown from about one foot in highth to about six foot and needs drastic pruning even with the heavy demand for cuttings. It is a free bloomer , blos-soms being a dusky purple, about 1i" in diameter followed by persistent green fruit. Spines are not too numerous,but demand respect! This is a Tex. native, but was acclimated to Okla. and it was from that state the original cutting came . One Okla. native which also demands protection from the wintery winds as well as some from the July sun, is the only · hardy variety of that species which is also found in Tex. and Ariz. Commonly called "tasajillo", also "Christmas cactus". This latter name results from the red fruits that remain on the plants thru the winter. My one small ~lant,sent from Tenn., grown un-der the protecting "wing" of a large shrubby Opuntia Engelmani , also from Tenn., but originally from Arizona. Botanically, Clydrnopuntia leptocalis. Stems are less than pencil size in the branches but main stem increases slightly in diameter with age . 1t branches freely, mostly with inch long stems in this climate. These stems will be shed thru a period of drought and with a soaking rain will take root and form new plants . For me it has not as yet put out blossoms, but in habitat they are green to yellow. Spines on this variety are much less in number and considerably shorter than the more southern varieties. The non hardy varieties will also reach a highth of 3 feet. Another Tex. import is C. Davisii. A low shrubby, golden spines species, a-boyt as wicked as the well known "jump-ing cactus" of Arizona, which it resem-bles in miniature form . Blossoms are olive green to yellow , but owing to the number of stems "pruned" each year , I have never been able to get a blossom till my luck changed in early spring. Some friends from Okla. collected a box of branches from plants in the Texas panhandle and sent them to me . One bud formed,and as luck would have it , guests kept me too occupied the day it opened and I failed to see it, that after hav-ing the plants for at least 12 years! But it is one of those that can and does take our cold winds without pr o-tection. It is one of th~ few hardy cacti that can be positively identified by its tuberous roots. From Tex. cacti I note it was named for Sec . of War, Jefferson Davis , during whose term of office it was discovered and named. We wondered if its wicked spines had any connection to its being named for t he Sec. of War! SAFE A storm or snow May kill a flower But will not kill Its seeds For they are kept safe By God's pure will Who knows their needs And digs no grave. Ingrid Sherman xxxxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AMERICAN PRIMROSE SOCIETY offers Quarterly publications beautifully ill-· ustrated, an international seed ex-change of around 600 varieties of rock and alpine plants including 100 diff-erent primulas, and a culture chart to assist in the growing of species pri-mula. U.S.A. 83.50 per year . Mrs . Law-rence G. Tait, Trea. 14015 84th Ave . N. E. Bothell, Wash . 98011 xxxxxxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Ozark Gardens March 1967 - 10-'ACTUs Tidbits T.C.Leopold-R.D.1,Box 227 Fairview,Pa.16415 Cactus Tidbits gives the following space to a very good Friend that enjoys Cacti Mr. William Mobius Falkenberg, Mark- DDR 1312 Kr. Bad Freinwalde,Postfach German Democratic Republic In our region (I stay in the Eastern Part of Germany) on the 52 degree of latitude which corresponds with the re-gion of the Western part of the border between the u.s.A. and Canada. By most people the idea cactus is connected with the name of the "Night's Queen", the Selenicereus grandiflorus , where naturally this special latin name is unknown to them: But then and now there are items that a plant of this genus was in bloom in a Botanical Gardens or in the green-house of a grower. So by most people the "Night's Queen" is meant for the great family of Cacti at all. But there are many people who love flowers in the windows and so one can see strolling through the streets per-haps an Echinopsis or other decorate cactus-plants. Nor everyone hol~s out to cacti, received as a boy or g~rl, a cutting of an Echinopsis or even a flowerpot with different species for a birthday. To the general sympathy with flowers one must add a special sense when these curious plants just fascin-ate a person for a whole life so much that one maintains a vigilant eye for 'these rare plants whether they are, standing in a window, in a garden or viewed in journals and magazines. I am in such a state s ince more thirty years. It is a difficult to have this hobby so far in the than task East of Europe under conditions which are ·not very favourable to these plants, being in an extreme degree, dependant on sunshine for their healthy develop-ment. The solar radiation is only suf-ficient from May till August , supposing a high all this time. But there are frequently clouds and rain which lower the number of hours with sunshine. So far this year 90 hours missed alone in July to the normal conditions. It would be a hard judge on our part if we did as Mr. T.C. Leopold wrote in his "Cac-tus Tidbits": "I think I will stop this hobby if there are no blooms in two years, it's not for me"! Here, we ~re happy to see our cacti growing in a healthy state not at all expecting that they will have blooms each year. If a ~actus shows buds and developes them to blooms then that means a happy event for me demonstrating that I was succes-ful to manage the right conditions of cultivation. It was with a very great success, that my "Night's Queen" twice was in bloom in 1961 and 1962. In the winter of 1962/63 this plant perished in the cold, to prove how difficult and expensive it is to maintain the prac-tical exercise of our hobby, for I had spared with heating in my green-house and I lost a number of pilose cacti and also the Selenicereus . To start from this low, I will try to tell the con-ditions of cultivation cacti in this part of Europe. My collection contains about 300 plants, too many to place them in win-dows. I have a green-house 2 x 3 mtrs. especially to protect the plants during the winter-time. During the summer--time a place in the garden is prepared to arrange the cacti in a decorative and photogenic group. From October till May I have to heat. The heating plant consists of two radiators (each 500 watt) and a thermostat. The variation of temperaturg I have fi~ed till now is between 42. 8 and 60.8 F. To spare, electric current from November till April, I cover the green-house and from this moment there is only ~Etificial light from 6 o'clock till 18 in the green-house with the colours"day-light" light-yellow and "pink" by fluorescent tubes. For many years I have tried to find the right harmony between tempera-ture, light and moisture dur i ng the winter-time to obtain a summer climate for a maximum, in growing and blooming.-For there is, without a doubt, a direct connection between the period of stunt-ing and the disposition to bloom. I don't think that the rest cacti have in our region from the middle of July to the middle of August is essential for the blooming next year •. Here are the re-sults of my experiments to attain flow-ers: A. 1. 2. 3. Temperature Small artificial Absolute dry 42.8 - 50.0 F. light Bad result: Loss of roots and therefore growth behind time. Few flowers. 4. Difficult adaptation to day-light. Loss of olants. Ozark Gardens March 1967 -11- cont'd on next page Cactus Tidbits and Mr. Mobius cont'd B. 1. Temperature 57.2 - 60.8° F. 2, Bright artificial light 3. Moderate moisture Result: Better that A. Also few flowers, Minor loss of plants. c. 1. Temperature from Nov.-Feb.55.4F. From March: Night 55.4--Day 60.8 2. Bright artificial light 3. Moisture from week to week (Spraying the water) Result: Better than B. Slight Losses of plants. Making a deduction of these tests I dare say that it is important to main-tain a minimum of growth to keep off plant diseases , and to vary also in winter-time the temperature between day and night. Not before the middle of April can I dismantle the shelter of the green-house. First, a month later there is no risk to bring the cacti in the open air, but not the pilaus ones. This is also the time for propagation from seeds. Important supposition to obtain good results, is a glass frame that can be heated. The seeds spring up best when out of doors the so-called "grow-ing weather" (i.e. damp, warm air) pre-vails. There is also a second task during the high season between May and September; to graft those cacti which are not capable of developing, or to keep their roots for various reasons. Sorry to say, I can only suggest, but cannot prove these reasons. For in-stance a Gymnocalycium grows well for three years under the same condit-ions, but the following year (I am awaiting it to flower) becomes sickly, begins to shrink, in the same mixture of soil-other Gymnocalyciums are growing with good results. Or another example; in the green-house most cacti are set dir-ectly in the soil cases without pots. Observing that a cactus ceases to grow, 'I remove it and give it another place with the result that a short time later in most cases it is growing well. Also seedlings in age of two or three years begin to sicken. My recipe: I have so called convalescence-dishes in which I plant together the ailing seedlings with Echinopsis-seedlings which swell with health. It is a fact that within a month or earlier , the weak seedlings of other genera begin to relax. There must be a substance in the rootlets of the health seedlings or plants which r~diate, like a vital force throughout the soil and stimulate the metabolism in the roots of the ailing seedlings. So every day during summer-time is fil-led with observations and as a result of them, with improvements, change of place, grafting, transplanting and (not approved by all cacfus-growers) hybrid-izing, not to fail the battle against insects leapecially the earwigs) and slug-snails. In the winter there is time enough to make way through the bibliography of our hobby. This .is no less interestin@ than cultivating the prickly plants. Just more, it is the most important precondition to survey the wonderful abundant diversity of the great family of the Cactaceae and for us here in East-Europe to have hints of the living conditions of our plants in their na-tive places. Even with the humble ex-periences with my small collection, I can state then and now, that there are voids in the way of describing exact-ingly enough the habit of a genus, itE flowers and so on . My Aporocactus flag-elliformis (nearly ten years old), the "Serpentine Cactus", this year sproutec buds also at the tops of its limbs. 1 have not found a hint in literature to this abnormity. Summerizing the experiences with my cacti I may say there is much joy with them , even under, or perhaps just be-cause of the permanently changing dif-ficulties here, thousands of miles re-mote of their native places. And there is, not to forget to emphasize,the hap-py desire to widen the collection and to keep it. Wild Flowers cont'd orado. An interesting difference in-trigues me-Glo bema-llow, orange - col-ored, growing on dry desertlike land near Phoenix, it often grows three to four feet tall. Blooms there may be pink, rose, peach or lavender. Ours in the mountains are usually white or a pale pinkish orchid. Lupine grows along many Arizona high-ways much as it grows in the mountains, though the mountain plant may grow taller and spread out more in moist lo-cations. We find the four-petaled mustard blooming anytime from March to Septem-ber. The brilliant yellow one- almost a gold color matches the gold of the Mexican goldpoppy . This flower, relat-ed to the California Poppy which we grow in our home gardens, is perhaps the champion of Arizona wildflowers for the unusual flower display it puts on in a wet season, Hillsides take on the color of the gold of the Long-lost Dutchman's mine. A flower new to me, I found growing in a field near my Mobile Home Park. Escobita owlclover, an annual growing six to eight inches tall,literally car-pets the ground with blooms of a deep pink-resembling to some extent our Red Clove~ heads. It belongs to the Figwort family and the Spanish "Esco-bita" means little bloom. I have told you of our beautiful blue and lavender penstemon which grow on the slopes of Grand Mesa. In Arizona, I found brilliant red and red orange penstemon and a large pink one. The Ozark Gardens March 1967 -12- Wild Flowers cont'd on page 15 A Visit with Mary Walton 311 S. Center Drive West Memphis, Ark. 72301 Spring is the magic time of year for flower lovers, for nature seems to burst out in flower and leaf until the earth is covered with beauty. When the world is awakening anew, it is wonder-ful to be able to work with plants and to become a part of it all. Sometimes I wish I could sing like the birds do, for sheer joy! We have had a week of spring-like weather and the mockingbird is singing like spring was here al-ready. As I worked in my greenhouse, they perched on the tree limbs, singing as if they knew it was surely just a-round the corner. Flowers, like people, are all so dif-ferent, each with their own special likes and dislikes. And yet I have found that with moderate care and grow-ing conditions, they adapt themselves amazingly well and grow into nice plants even if not given the choicest conditions. Lately, the African Violets have been the most colorful plants in my green-house. They have covered themselves with blooms, i~ all shades of the rain-bow. I can hardly get any work done for just look j r.g at them, they are so lovely. The "piggy back plant" (tolmiea men-ziesii) is an interesting little plant that is easy to grow and quite an oddi-ty. It comes from the west coast and grows native from our own Calif. coast to Alaska. It has bright green toothed leaves, with white hairs (quite fine) over the leaves. At the base of mature leaves, small young plants are produced which may be removed and rooted. The bloom, though insignificant, is small and greenish white with a touch of wine red. These plants are excellent for a beginner a& they grow quite easily. They may be grown at 40 to 45 degrees with good light , or some sunshine, al-though it is not required. Any good potting soil mixture, and adequate wa-Ozark Gardena March 1967 -13-ter will produce nice plants. They should be watered when dry but not kept wet. Another plant that grows well and makes a nice addition to flower collec-tions, is the many varieties of hoya. There are many kinds, hoya carnosa, hoya carnosa variegata, hoya bella, hoya exotica, and many more. They are commonly called "wax plants" and truly the thick leaves appear to be coated with wax. H. carnosa has solid r,reen leaves, also hoya bella (a dwarf vari-ety much like it) as well as some of the others. H. variegata and exotica and some of the others are beautifully shaded with white and pink. The blooms too are wax-like and grow in round clusters of small star-shaped flowers. If you have a hoya, you will find lumps along the · vines and this is where the blooms will appear. Their requirements are quite modest and they are rapid growers. Good soil, some sun and ade-quate water quickly produees a nice plant. Through the winter, they re-quire less water. In spring, begin to water more freely, give as much sun as possible and they will flower quite readily. Various varieties of hoya originate in different countries of the far East and south Pacific. H. Carnosa comes from South China and Queensland; H. darwinii from the Phillipines; H. gigas from New Guinea; H. Globulosa from Sikkim, Himalayas; H. imperialis from Borneo and so on. If you have a hoya I did not list and are interested in its origin, if you will write me I may be able to tell you. It is always interesting to me to learn where my plants originate. Another good winter bloomer I've en-joyed this year has been my jasmines. I have several of them, Grand Duke of Tuscany which comes from Italy; "Span-ish jasmine" or"Poet 1 s jasmine" (Jas-minum officinale grandiflorum) from Kashmir~ Himalayas; "Arabian Jasmine" (sambac) from India and Arabia. They have green leaves, somewhat like privet hedge, although varying in size from the small, slender leaf of Spanish Jas-mine to larger leaf of Grand Duke which grows in whorls and appear somewhat quilted, and Arabian jasmine which are quite large and broad. In the same or-der as listed before, the blooms vary from small, white star blooms to very double gardenia like flowers, to nearly single flowers , silver dollar size. All are very fragrant and my whole green-house is perfumed with them. Jasmines require a lot of sun for good blooming but make good houseplants because they do not require a lot of humidity as some plants do. They grow quite large unless they are kept trimmed back. They are not too particular about soil, any good mixture, and watering sufficient to prevent drying out will produce a nice plant. I would like to say "thank you" to the many kind people who have written me. HOLLOW-LOG BIRD HOUSES,Blue birds-Swallows-etc hunt na ural nest sites. Erect uine HOLLOW-LOG houses t welcome their return. Watc them nest, then feed young seeds and insects,Wren size 2.~0-Bluebird $3.50 Ppd. Dealers wanted-FREE BROCHURE, EARL DOUGLASS---Red Creek N.Y. 1 De When answering ads, please mention OZARK GARDENS Herbs are my favorite hobby. I am anxious to obtain seeds of Lemon Basil. I make hand made ceramic Pot-pourri jars with inner lids. Enjoy trading hobbies with others when possible. Ruth Rurfner, Box 361, R.D. 1, Riverview, Vandergrift, Pa. 15690 Dear Friend: I have the red flowering orchid cactus and would like other colors. Anyone know where I could get some slips reasonable-or swap for red orchid cactus slips? Elizabeth Kauffman Rt. 1, Box 117, Conewango Valley, N.Y. 14726 Dear Editor: Please send me your "Ozark Gardens" for the next two years. I have seen copies of your delightful book from friends, and thihk it is just mar-velous. Enclosed is a check for 14.50. . Alice Kyzivat, Brookfield, Ill. Irene Norwood 2312 Redwood, Memphis, Tenn. 38108, Irene is looking for a Bronze leaf Begonia with white blooms. Will buy or trade. If you have this type of Begonia please write to her. B. Marsalese, 280 Coal Hollow Rd. Verona, Penna. 15147 would like to know if anyone has the African Violet with the very, very spooned leaf Like a lit-tle canoe.? Had one, but lost it so I would like another. Will swap. I am also looking for some miniature African Violets. FORSYTHIA Golden bells ringing The melody of spring from Every stark branch, Margaret Elliott NOTICE D Ir THERE IS AN X in THE BOX, your sub-scription expires this month. RENEW to day. Ozark Gardens needs you. Ozark Gardens March 1967 -14-BIRTHDAY CLUB MAKE BIRTHDAYS more fun by joining OG's Birthday Club. Shower honorees with cards, letters or items of the hobby interests. The club is open ,free of charge to all su~r;~ers MISS NORA DEAN, 415 East RfVert., Graham, N.C. 27253 BD Dec. 16, ? I am a semi shut in and would like mail. MRS. JOHN REUTTER, Sterling, Neb. 68443 BD Feb, 20, 1904. Interested in all kinds of flowers and pen pals. OPAL REYNOLDS, Frana Lane, Amelia, Ohio 45102 BD Feb. 8,? Hobbies are flowers and receiving letters. Love to see a full mail box, will answez all. MRS. E.A. COVINGTON, Rt.7, Box 325, Fayetteville, N.C. 28306 BD March 23, 1895. Hobbies are flowers of any kind, gardening. I make aprons and quilt tops. MRS. E.D. EMORY, 1104 So. 13th St., Birmingham, Ala. 35205 BD March 29, 1903. Hobbies are ornamental pepper seeds, begonias and cactus or cactus seed. ANNA B. DAVIS, Clayton, Wash. 99110. BD March 4, 1909. Interests are Rex Begonias, Bromelians ,and pen pals. MRS. A.J. McGuiness, 22 Glendale St., Worcester, Mass. 01602 BD Jan. 4, 1897 Hobbies are all kinds of plants, es-pecially houseplants, cacti, pets of all kinds, reading writing and would like pen pals. MRS. JETTA HAMILTON, Box 1082, El Paso Texas. 79946 BD March 4, 1918. Hob-bies are gardening, writing and col-lecting poetry about the outdoors,col-lecting 78 rpm recordings and collect-ing costume jewelry. MRS. MILDRED KOOP, 8 So. Hickory Ave., Fox Lake, Ill. 60020 BD March 19, 1907 Hobbies are houseplants of all kinds, raising perennials and all plants from seed. Need more flower robin members. Love Ozark Gardens. MRS. MAUDE SHETLER, 425 Cornelius Circle E.·, Sarasota, Fla. 33580 BD March 25,? Interests are quilts and flowers of all kinds. Mr. Harry Miller, 1419 W.~ing St. York, Pa. 17404 BD March 27 ?. Interests are Bromeliads,Cactus and all kinds of seed MRS. R.F. SYLVESTER, Windy Hill Farm, Sutton, Vt. 05867 BD March 6, 1924. Hobbies are Houseplants, herbs, Iris and other perrenials and crochet. Will exchange any I have gladly. BEAUTY FOR YOUR GARDEN Mae Dees, Rt.1 Coldwater, Mo.63934 Before we realize where winter has gone, spring will be wit h us. I never can get a l l our plans compl eted, but I have improved the time inside the house when I could not get into the garden ••• I made a pretty blue bird ~ouse from a bleach jug by leaving the cap on, cut-ting out a door in one side and turning the plastic up for a roof over the door. Then I put a wooden rod through the house near the bottom. I let the rod extend out in front for a perch and secured it .with a spring-ty pe clothes-pin in the back. Another little house was made from a small gourd for the wrens. I simply carved out a door and twisted a cord about the gourd neck. I said, "this littl~ gourd isn't as strong as I wish it were. Where can I put it so it can sit on a foundation and be under a shelter?" Our little invalid daughter, Teenie, soon answered that question. "Put it in the carport", she said. The carport is immediately over the walk that leads to the front porch. She can see it at all times, so there is where the little bird house rests. The third house I made of a half gal-lon square plastic ice cream container. I simply t i ed or rather "belted" the top on with an old dress belt. I cut a door in one side and tied a strong rib-bon with a loop from which to hang, at the top in the belt buckle so I would have no leak in the roof by punching a hole. This little house goes just out-side the window of my new work shop nook in (of all places) the utility room. In the little garden is a tall un-wanted box elder tree. I got the idea of making the tree useful, so I sawed off all the limbs, leaving a four pronged fork in the top making a natu-ral nest for a martin house. Yes, the tree will die if I keep all green shoots cut from it, but before it has to go it will perhaps have done its bit to beautify a garden and add new life (bird life) to this old world. Much better I think than if I had simply cut the tree down, The immature little gourd yielded seeds but I was afraid they were too gr een to grow, so I planted two seeds in a flower pot to test them. Both are up and growing thrifty little plants which I will have t o keep p inched ba ck until I can put them out in the open ground. The c r ude bird houses may not add much beauty to my garden, but the birds with the i r gay colors and sweet songs will make up for the drabness of the i r rough little shelters. If need be a well placed vine will cover a mul-ti tude of big mistakes. I always use vines t o screen out ugliness . Hebine nre friendly This one will net fly even while 1 snnp its picture •• May I add that 1;n

Ozark Gardens, March, 1967

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