Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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ing here a little, we look over the meadow upon the splendid white willows beside the stream and upon the background of woodland where we may easily distinguish the picturesque trunks of the white oak and beech mingling with red oak, pignut hickory, tulip tree, and red maple, as they do in so much of our low-lying forest. After we turn right on the old Limekiln Road, a small sour gum stands on our left, and, a little further on, beside a private lane on our right, stands a large sour gum with gray, irregular branches and fine spray of branchlets, although neither tree exhibits as much as usual the horizontality of branches characteristic of the species. After we have crossed the brooklet we may see to the right an elm, displaying her delicate bouquet or fan of branches, and beyond, to the left, a second, older elm, developed into the form of an Etruscan vase and reminding one of the loveliness that this tree possesses throughout the States of New England. Reside the second elm stands A large and vigorous tulip tree—considered by some an emblem of dignity—and the straw-colored chandelier-like fruit shines bright in the winter sun, above the dark and graceful branches. Opposite, in the field, the black walnut is noted with those characteristics of closel r furrowed bark and forking of branches and, in an easterly direction from it. in the next field, proudly reigns a well-developed shell-bark hickory, oval in shape and showing that bark peeling off in thin places so familiar to many of us. The pignut hickory, dark, rather coarse in outline, with large, scaly buds, grows alone on the left of the road, beyond and over the rise of the ground, we see appearing tops of that sturdy pin oak and majestic white oak of the meadow opposite our school, and, still a few rods further on, silver maple, symmetrical horse chestnut, and buttonwood with mottled trunk and branches; we make a quick turn to the left; we are arrived! Salutations to the School of Horticulture for Women, so happily located amid fragrant fields and stately trees! Let us propose the toast of Rip Van Winkle, so endeared to many of us through the impersonation of the late Joseph Jefferson: “Here’s to you and yours! May you live long and prosper!” GEORGE B. KAISER. 10

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TREES IN WINTER To really know a tree we should be familiar with its winter aspect. When deprived of leaves the characteristic framework of our deciduous species is best revealed. We should choose the cold months, then, to accurately study the buds, branches, and trunk. If we walk leisurely from Rose Valley to the School of Horticulture, as the writer has many times done, we may pleasantly note the trees of the wayside. Several species of the ailanthus greet us on the right as we leave the trolley. The outline is bold and rather coarse against the sky and the smooth trunks present a suggestion of strength which is belied, however, by the soft wood. This tree is called the 'Free of Heaven by the Chinese, who cultivate it about their temples. The ailanthus occurs again at Susquehanna Road, where the suckering habit is shown by the many saplings growing around the parent tree. To the left, along Butler Pike, just after leaving the car, is seen a row of sugar maples, with many upright branches, slender buds and seamy, rather deeply furrowed bark. They grow beside the silver maple, which is distinguished from the sugar maple by branchlets turning slightly upward at their ends, clusters of accessory buds, and grayish flaky trunk. The Norway maple grows just opposite, with head tending to roundness, larger reddish buds, and closer grained, darker bark, and beyond, on the left, at the edge of an old private property, we may contrast the ash-leaved maple or box elder, with the sycamore maple growing beside it. The former always presents green or greenish branchlets, while the latter is characterized by larger green buds and fruit in drooping racemes, held most of the winter. As if arranged to aid the student of maples, the red maple, too, may be observed standing out prominently south of the gravel pits, with lighter bark becoming smooth upward and even whitish, sometimes, rather simulating the trunk of the beech. Again, on the right, just after leaving Rose Valley, appear two young sweet gums. This charming tree, of grayish bark, often smooth above, shows corky ridges along the branches and almost through the winter on fertile specimens retains the collective fruits hanging like prickly balls. North of the gravel pits there is a small grove of straggling and scraggly black locusts and a fine isolated black locust with grayish, deeply furrowed bark and thin pods held far aloft on the irregular branches, grows beside the road south of the cemetery. The hemlock offers a touch of feathery green at Susquehanna Road, and, after the long open stretch beyond, we pass a line of mazzard cherry trees on the left, showing the dark glossy bark stripping off in horizontal layers, and followed by a fine row of pin oaks holding many of their leaves throughout most of the winter. The pin oaks end with a graceful specimen tree representing a form of the European white birch of exquisite trunk and habit and, paus- 9

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HARDY VEGETABLES There are several vegetables that live from year to year. These afe asparagus, rhubarb, sea kale, Jerusalem artichokes, chives, mint, sage, tarragon, horse radish, and one that lives over a year, or is good for part of two years—parsley. Asparagus can be grown from seed or you can buy roots. One year old roots are as good as two year old. This plant wants plenty of humus in the bottom of the row where it is to grow. 1'he part of the asparagus plant which we eat is the stem and leaf bud before it opens, cutting these stems as soon as they are a few inches above the ground ; then the roots must send up more stems. We must not cut when the plant is too young, so we allow it two years to grow strong and large before we begin cutting. Let us say you are going to start some asparagus next spring, either sowing seed or setting out plants. It will grow all next summer, then in the fall, when the leaves turn brown, cut off the tops and burn them to destroy the eggs of the asparagus beetle. The following year do the same, but the third spring you can cut the stalks every day as they appear for six weeks;—every year after that for eight weeks. You will have to watch for the asparagus beetles, which attack the stalks and eat them. Their babies, slug-like creatures, also eat the plants, so they must be poisoned. Spray the plants the first two years with Arsenate of Lead, 2 teaspoon to a quart of water. The third year, when you begin to cut the stalks to eat, allow one plant at each end of the row to grow up and keep it spra' ed with the poison; we call these trap plants, for the insects will gather upon them and be killed by the poison. Do not forget that asparagus requires humus. Either plant a legume, like soy beans, beside the asparagus to feed it, or cover the bed with humus in the fall and fork it under in the spring. I like soy beans for an asparagus care taker rather than anything else. Sow the soy beans when the ground becomes very warm. Cut the asparagus tops in the fall, but allow the soy beans to remain. The best varieties are Mary Washington and Reading Giant. Rhubarb can also be grown from seed or you can plant roots. It requires even more humus than asparagus. I would advise growing seedlings in a seed bed, transplanting them to a permanent position when several inches high. • Dig a large hole and fill the bottom with humus before you set out the seedling; this will give it food under the roots for many years to come. Three plants of Myatt's Linnaeus rhubarb will supply a small family; set the plants four feet apart, as they grow very large. Do not take any stalks from the plant the first year if you sow seed, but you may if you plant roots. Do not allow the plant to blossom ; cut all the buds as fast as they appear, because we want all the strength to go to the root, so it will keep sending up more stalks. Sea kale is a plant very little known, but it is such an early spring vegetable, you should know it. Sow the seeds sparingly; thin the seedlings to four inches, and let them grow all one summer. In the fall transplant to a new place, setting them two feet 11