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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1922)
THE SUNDAY- OREGOXIAJT, PORTLAND, JULY 9, 1922 MAIN STREET CHALLENGING BROADWAY AS REAL HOME OF AMERICAN DRAMA . Native Literature Far More True to America Than Any Yet Produced Will Be Developed by Little Country Authorities, Declare Authorities. 3? . ' . ..ra r j -1 - - -, 3- , I - r y eSS CoSSrp .SSsrfses-J- JtSJiro T-pf OSS fm7T7Jlll 'Tg Tl fesl I r44 IrWt NiH Irfpj-sos- OS SYcxf&S: Co cfjri 'jr-fr EVER since the well-known book on the life of -the rural com munities of America took the "big cities by storm attention has been focused upon them and it has been shown that far from being as hidebound and back country as pic tured, the small towns and the rural districts of the United States have made much progress on their own account in recent years. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that this movement has prog ressed to a point where in some re spects Main street threatens Broad way. Yes, Broadway, the white lighted theatrical temptress of America, the settler of dramatic fashions, the entertainer of the western world which the folk of the country are supposed to yearn for eecretjy as a sort of terrestrial heaven, is endangered because the country is developing a theater of its own. . Far from the bright lights, with out the suggestive comedies, the crook plays, the unwritten law trag edies and the various sorts of follies that Broadway serves up to its pa trons, the little country theaters are developing in their audiences a taste for good, clean plays that speaks -well for the future of drama In this -country. Movement Has Significance. Authorities agree that the move- I ment ,has the greatest significance, that it is packed with possibilities of the highest sort for he cultural fu- ture of the nation. It is possible, eay these experts, among them Pro fessor Baker of Harvard, under whom plays of a high character have been written and produced, that , while Broadway keeps on in its old rut of inferior and trashy plays, mostly imported, a native drama really expressing the spirit of Amer ica and high as the United States deserves in quality, will be devel oped on the land. "Will every village become h Greenwich village, like the high brow colonies in Washington square, New York? That is the question that some are asking. They see the village literati growing' crops of hair and burning the midnight elec tric light composing dramas, while earns will hum with the bustle of converting the interior into a stage and auditorium and giving a show. Anyhow the movement is under way and gathering momentum. There are competitions over per formances by the. companies from various towns and competitions for original plays adapted for perform ance by the small companies of the rural communities. And to show that the big city is not out o it, it is a girl from no less big a city than New York who has won the play prize this year. riaj-Iet Wins Prize. She is Miss Phyllis Chapman, who has always been interested in writ ing plays and has six to her credit, ' of which one was accepted for re duction. Her playlet which won -the $100 prize is called "Betsy Anne" ana is a story of country life. ' Miss Chapmaa is a graduate of Cornell which in a way has stood sponsor to the entire little country theater movement in the east. The story of this powerful, enterprise which since its start in upper New York state in 1919 has spread all over the country to meet the simi lar spread in the west and is' grow ing at a remarkable rate, is an in spiring one. In 1919 Professor A. M. Drum mond of Cornell university and director at the same time of the Cornell Dramatic society, obtained permission from the state fair com mittee of New York to set up a little theater at the fair and pre sent plays there. It was .not intended as a show for the college, but as a demonstration of what could be done with the simple means available in any farm community to present plays of, in terest and good qualities. - He obtained volunteers from th dramatic organizations of the col lege players and theater mechanics, all amateurs, and, they went to work with a will. In a small shed approximating baj-n conditions, a stage was erected with dressing rooms, and scenic 'properties out of boards and .burlap mostly, and the play was opened. The little enterprise was set right in the heart of the midway; around it were all the attractions of the fair, the freaks and the side show performers and just a few steps away a horse race was going on. - Under such conditions few ex pected that the plays would have large audiences. Who would go to see dramatic offerings when Bosco, and the wild African Dodger, and the willowy snake charmer held sway? What chance would this little theater have against the horse races? No SeatVacnnt, . The answer Is in the faet that the attendance was more than 6000 for the week and there would have been as many more if there had been room for them. No vacant seats at any performance were noted to discourage the ventur some troupe, instead there were standees at every show. And now the little theater is a feature of nearly every country fair held. The idea has spread like magic and rural communities are as anxious to display their brand of home-grown dramatic talent as they are to show off monster vege tables. In' places where fairs are to be held competitions are arranged be tween communities for the privi lege of being the one to show the wares at the fair grounds, all of which is productive of a keen and healthy rivalry. . It was the little theaters in New York.i In Minneapolis, in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Indeed al most everywhere who proved that amateur groups if they practiced hard enough could make a splendid success. They also proved that the heavy and expensive scenery pro ACTING IN LEGITIMATE IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE Movie Star Hurt When Contract Is Refused, so Next Step Is Return , to Voodvieel. BY JAMES: J. MONTAGUE. O,"- SAID the movie man ager ishortly, "you can't have no new contract. You're through." The movie star looked hurt. , "Why am I through?" he Inquired. "That's what I want you to tell me, why am I through? Didn't I knock 'em dead all over the country hi straight legitimate vodeveel before you was ever anything -but a book keeper in a celluloid coliaf factory? Ain't I ' known. . through the length and breadth of the country? TVhat'd you mean, through? I ain't really begun- yet!" . The manager looked- -out of the window, and remained looking out at the window as he answered. "You're through," he said, "be cause the pitcher we starred you In flopaed. It flopped something sad! The -New York boss wires me bow 3Z vided for the Broadway shows were a hindrance very, often instead of a true help and that more effective work could be ' done with simple material. Truth Is Re-Discovered, The rural theaters have re-dis covered this truth. In barns, with out the gilded superfluities of the big city theaters, without the un dressed 'women, the.peofume and non-essentials which are featured on Broadway, plays are now being given thatiapproach tjie perfect in kthe excellence of their staging. n tms connection it is remem bered that the Elizabethan, theater which gave us Shakespeare, -and the greatest dramas in English litera ture was in many respectB no more elaborate than the barn theater. Another Instance is the Irish theater. It came as 'art of the movement called the Vrish renais sance. It had nothing to begin with but zeal and determination. For years there had been no Irish theater to speak oi and for dra matic entertainment he country had to depend upqn the occasional visits of London companies with the season's tlregs. Finally at the Abbey theater in Dublin a native company was or ganized and in an incredible short time, what1 -is considered the great est dramatic movement of modern times had come into being and pro duced plays by Yeats, Synge and Lady Gregory that were considered the equals f the drama produced in the history of any country. For what is behind any activity like this ia the wonderful fresh ness of amateur spirit which makes everything which it touches shine with new light. Beside it the ex pertness of professionals is of little moment. taxi ai was as soon as it hit the east, and to tell - you the truth I thought he was wrong. But he wasn't. It was sad ewerywihere, and me, I thought them gags would be ed..and that they'd die laffin' "Don't I get no other chance? There s good' money in this business and I'd rather live out here where I got a bungalow than go tourin' with bum hotels to eat and steen in Maybe you'd , give me another chance." - "Not after such, a flop as that You're through, I tell you. I do know why the thing flopped, honest I don't You was funny to me, an them titles they give you was fuany funny as anything the guy that got 'em up ever wrote. But it was a flop, an' this company aint gain' to get celebrated for puttin' out flops." The actor strode to the window nt looked out, Then he strode to another window land, looked out. of that. Then be strode to the man ager and looked at him, and this ex planation of his failure flowed out of him. "I know why it flopped," he said, "and I'll -tell you why - it flopped. And every really funny comedian in the business will flop for the same reason, now that people are getting used to the pictures and- doiu't stand, on their htad legs and cheer Just to see a railroad locomotive coming out toward the audience or a guy throwing a toatey off a ferry boat. "It flopped ibeoause the pictures cannot interpret real virile humor. It flopped -because there is no means of setting our, best imipramptu.etuff over, because the pictures can the ma-toes, sod what , is in it cannot I be changedj to suit the mood of :the creative comedian who can adapt himself to hs audience. "You know that line a-bout 'I 'just took a lady to e.n automat in Tucka- hoe"? Well, that was always knockout in Mt. Vernon, which is right next to Tuckahoe, which is a laugh beoamse it's got a funny sounding name. If you could have changed the picture very - place it showed, so that I could ha-ve said Painted Post instead of Tuckahoe when it was In Rochester, and Oskaloosa when, it was in Dee Moines it wouldn t have flopped. That line alone would have carried it! You movie managers haven't any Idea how haird we comedians-work to get that local stuff, bow we pore over railroad time-tables, studying geography and talk to hotel clerks about who Is the head- in the Elks and Eagles and who is tfoe chief-of pokice and the richest man. in townJ "All that stuff gets over in vode veel and gets over big. Put it into a celluloid can and what becomes of it? It loses all Its flavor, that's what becomes of it. It goes dead onus! p"Why Eve had- a two-day engage ment whftn I was on the email time extended to .three weeks, and eveTy performance a riot simply because I got new local names into my lines every ttrip. What can you do in a small town when you can only u-se names that -the audience hasn't heard of, even by word- of mouth? "This picture flopped and every good comedy is going to flop- for the same reason. The audience can't get u thiey can't understand our stuff when it has to be the same for every town. VHow can a man on the stage make cracks about the bald heads in the audience or kid the ladies that come In r-wdthout taki-ng off their hats-, or come back at the smart-alec kids that pull fresh stuff from the galleries? "That's what got me big rep. That's what ,gets all us inspired comedians our rep. We're too good to be put in cans and sold out around the country. ; "What you need in- this picture game is not so much of this two-gun rough stuff; they're used to that. It ain't so much of this . sex stuff, they're getting off of that, and they're getting off of it faster since your big stars began- pulling it In their private lives and getting the wrong kind of publicity on it. "You've got to make your films flexible. You've got to have little studios o your distribution centers where the artist can bring his bright, original stuff and have it cut into the films. " "That's what'll save you, and: it's the Ally thing that will save you. New York is so big that you can get the local stuff for it out here and send it along, but the New -York stuff is bust in Kankakee, you can bet on that. "As for me, you don't need to re fuse me another contract. I'm going back to vodeveeL Personality and Che art of getting up yoUr own stuff impromptu counts there. I'm lost in the movies. I knew I would be. I'm sorry I ever went into it." (Copyright, 1922, by theBell Syndi cate, Inc.) ' MARCO POLO ENSHRINED Great Adventurer Still Iilves n Hearts of People He Ruled. - Elizabeth C. Enders in Boston Post. - In one of China's oldest cities Soo-chow renowned for its canals and marble hump-backed bridges, and also for its famous "sing-song" girls, one finds the second largest Buddhist temple in all the vast re public. Emerging from the narrow wind ing alleys within the sJhcient gray walls of the teeming city, one comes upon the enormous temple almost in isolation a gorgeous monument of indescribable oriental beauty. Un like so many of these incomparable structures, it hasonly recently been built, and gleaming gold and bril liant colors blazon an unwonted con dition of prosperity, in sharp con trast to the crumbling" timbers and dingy decorations of so many of its sister temples throughout the land. The usual array of hideous mon ster idols fill IJs rooms, and there are three colossal bronze Buddhas, each with a swastika carved in his breast, and, as custom usually de crees, their messengers accompany ing. Hanging lamps of translucent col ored flowers, made of buffalo horns melted in hot vinegar, hang from heavy chains; rich ' draperies and thick incense all combine to form a picture of eastern splendor. In a nearby temple room, in semi twilight, seated along the walls, sit the life-size gilded ' figures of 500 sages. The countenance of each is peaceful and benign and in every one is thought to dwell the spirit of the sage. In order, however, .that his departed soul may be able to re turn to earth, a living spirit must receive it. So in the back of each wooden figure the priest has made a small square opening and placed within the Jiollow a living fly or spider. Thus when it is again sealed the insect smothers and its released spirit fluttering in the hollow tomb ing soul of the long-departed sage. Reverent worshipers burn incense before them and seek communion with their spirits. . . To the traveler visiting this won der spot no doubt the most dramatic figure of them all is that of Marco Polo, the great adventurer, who dwelt so long in Chtna and even ruled as governor of one of the provinces. After some 700 yeans h still lives in the people's hearts and is even placed' among their holy sages. ROYALTY DANCES TO JAZZ Princess Mary Introduces Popu lar Music at Recent Function. LONDON. Dancing masters, mu sic teachers and church dignitaries. the world over continue to inveigh against jazz music and dancing, but recently, when Princess Mary gave her first entertainment as a matron. a "dinner dance to her father and mother, the king and queen of Eng land, jazz music made its bow into royal society. Among -the numbers danced were "Wild Rose," "Whose Baby Are YouT' "Do It Again," "South Sea Isles," "Say It With Music," "Sheik,1 "Mello Cello," "Rosie Cheeks' "Bimini Bay," "Ma," "In My Tippy Canoe," "April Showers," "I'm Just Wild About Harry," "Dear Love, My Love, "(jouncing the Days," "No One Ever Kissed Me," "You Can't Sting a Nigger," aad -My lAtUe In dian Rose," - - mhj t uw&rr rot . noiLicMj J3T A. GARDEN GROWER. 0' N numerous occasions I have had perscras ask me to give them suggestions as to making a bouquet, or arranging-flowers eo that the blooms will exhibit -all of their charms. Unless you have a naural taste for arrangement and a clear vision as to color and -various combination of shades my adviae would be hot to attempt flower ar rangement, although I have often seen, regular "nightmares" from those who usually have a natural taste but who had failed to observe a few simple rules. Some persons bave a good idea as to color combt-. nation but lack that touch of ar rangement, which is, I think, the chief charm of flowers. The first necessity is to know the flowers you are to arrange . and whether the dominating note is color or form.. Having determined that the next essential in arrange ment is to hring out and accentuate the dominant note. Unless you have this definite objective well in mind you are likely to fail. There are both large and small flowers in which color is the domi nant note, while in others it is form, and yet in some these are combined and you can arrange them either to bring - out the color' or the form. Pansles, peonies, Michaelmas daisies or fall asters, fruit blossoms of va rious kinds are -the flowers in which the color note dominates, and the same applies topfull blown roses. With rose buds, lilies; chrysanthe mums of the large showy type, form Is the dominate note, therefore in arranging them nothing should be allowed to interfere with accentuat ing the form. In the case of daisies, galllardias and flowers of a similar type, they can be arranged either to develop the color or the form. For instance, if you were going to ar range Shasta daisies to bring out the color note you would gather a great mass of them with stems in varying lengths and put theniiin a rather deep vase or bowl, hut If, on the contrary, you wanted to bring out the form note you would take only a few flower stalks and with some of the natural foliage arrange it all In a rather shallow bow, which in color tone would harmonize with the foliage so that the few flower would stand out in their own indi viduality. Another important thing to remember is that foliage and flowers should never vie with each other. In arranging flowers in which the color note is to dominate, remember, they should be massed, for the larger the bunch the more impres sive is the color, while with form flowers a single specimen or two is all that Is necessary to show. While flowers and foliage should not com' pete with each other, neither should the vase. In other words, the vaBe, or container, in which flowers are exhibited should be less attractive than what they hold. Clear glass and without fancy ornamentation, or unpolished metal in soft colors and baskets in solid colors are really the best. The vase or receptacle should be of such a shape as to hold the flowers as -near as possible to the position in which they grew, In arranging .flowers .either in a vase or a bouquet balance is neces sary., If you have ever watched a florist make up-a bouquet or actable piece or any floral arrangement you will notice that he keeps putting in or taking out flowers or greens un til the whole arrangement is bal anced. Regarding this feature of arrangements the Standard Cyclo pedia of Horticulture says: "A flower arrangement must not oe too ior mal. It must present something of the freedom of wild nature, but It must appear to be in stable equili - brium. Every spot, every color, every stem line, every space tween these elements, presents an j attraction for the eyes. All tnese attractions must be adjusted to one another so that the whole appears to stand securely. This means that the parts must be disposed with refer ence to the vertical line of the vase or the bouquet. A large, a bril liant, a solid mass near the center line may be balanced by a small, a dull or a diffused mass, further re moved from the central line. To ap pear free, like nature, the attrac tions on one side must not duplicate in form, size or position, the masses on the other side. Such arrangement is formal and belongs to the realm of structural and conveniional art; but, however varied, the elements must be disposed as to counterbal ance each other and maintain the balance of the whole. "More than one kind of plant may be used in an arrangement, provided the beauty of one ennances w beauty of the other, like day and night, like a handsome man and a beautiful woman, side by side. But even then the two must have some thing in common. The Japanese often combine a round-leafed plant with a linear-leaved plant. While presenting a contrast in form, the two have green in common. Nature often combines strong eoniro,, in the dark green holly with its bright red berries. While the colors are complementary, the textures are alike. Both present smooth surfaces with glints of light in common. Moreover the red never s the grees In mass. It is a green spray with a few precious rea aw Nnw that the first blooming sea son of roses has passed it is often a much discussed question among ex pert growerB as to how severely the bushes should De pruneu w piuuc the next crop of roses so they will have long stems and whether it is better to have the second crop .with long stems or let the hush develop fnr next vear. A' few words on the nature of rose growth will serve as a guide to those who are conironieu with the problem. There has to be maintained at all times in rose bushes a certain balance Detween the plant which shows above ground and the root system. For instance when you prune a rose the root sys- . ,ji -.... . ....- tern stops growing ut-i ' of .the plant above ground has made sufficient growth to -balance the roots and then both go ahead and grow- together.. The same rule ap plies to the prumag oi tne rooi tern. If you dig deep, when culti vating and cut off the small rootlets the plant above ground will stop sTowinr until the roois nave grown again and balance the plant. These are little experiments you can try for yourself and you will then have first-hand knowledge of the charac ter of growth of a rose plant. If you have ever moved a fruit -tree or onmo other shrubs you bave OD served that the plant above ground did not start to grow until some time after it had been moved ana reset. This was due to the fact that the upper part of the plant was waiting for the root system to catch up to it, therefore that is why it is advisable when, moving a plant to nrune it. for the nearer you prune it to the balance of the root system the sooner -will the new growth above ground start. We prune -roses in the sprfngfcecause that will make the xoot system larger than the above-ground growth.,, consequently the root system will then force all the vitality into the few branches we .have allowed to remain, make them, larger and the ilowera better 1 t&Effl&sU ill! mfm-td i ft I IIIHI f iTl III 1 1 1 II f I HI I 111 lrfrtHllllllltlllMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIll in the effort to .restore the :balance between the two parts of the plant. This is also the keynote to summer pruning. . If you want fall flowers approximating those of the spring or if you want to encourage strong, rapid- growth from near the root, then prune severely but not as much as you do usually iu the spring. Per sonally for summer pruning I cut back fairly well only a few varie ties, just enough to keep the house supplied with flowers and with' the other bushes I merely top them, that is, cutting back only to the first or second true leaf. With newly planted roses, say those put in last fall or this spring -I merely top them. My reason for this is that I desire to encourage as much as possible the root growth during the summer, so that next spring when I prune the bushes will have a big, strong, vig orous root system, which will trans fer all its vigor and forces into the- growth ahove ground ana give me the flowers and growth that we all like to see. Whether you do sevew or light summer pruning there are a few things you should do and the first of these is to cut out the center of the bushes, that is, keep the growth in the center as light as possible in order to let the sunshine get into the heart of the bushes and provide free .air circulation. This will do a lot to prevent mildew. An other thing is to watch the weak growths, which frequently start near the base and any growth which has the appearance of weakness should be rubbed out or cut off, for it is simply taking up the vigor of the plant which will do more good if heaUhy new growth, j - , . i ' persons who eo to the beaches away admire the ftDronia and the bright, yellow, white fir rose-colored fragrant flowers. Although abronia is a native of this section and flour ishes with great vigor and beauty along the coast from the mouth of the Columbia river to Mexico, I do not know of a single garden in Port land where it is cultivated. Yet in the middle west and particularly in England it is featured in many gar dens and highly prized. I have failed to find the seeds listed in the catalogue of any seed house in Port land, yet in Eastern catalogues and particularly in English catalogues, it is given a place of importance. I have had friends who have en deavored to raise it from cuttings brought home from the beach, but they have not succeeded. If anyone has been successful in raising it from seed in this section I would like to hear and find out whether or not the cultivation has proved suc cessful. Of course there are only a few of those now at the beach or who have ever seen abronia growing in its native habitat will recognize it by its true name, but all will know this wonderful plant when it is called sand verbena. While it is found at nearly all the beaches I know of no place where It grows with more beajty and vigor than, at Bay Ocean, for there I have seen the vine sijj and seven feet long and the flower stalks frequently 10 and 12 inches long, although "usually they are only four to six Inches in length. The variety of sand verbena mostly noticed js tBe abronia lati folla, which has flowers probably an inch to an inch and a half in diameter and of a bright lemon yel low color. Judging from the char acter of growth the plants each year come from self-grown seed and that it is not a hardy perennial, although most -Persons say that it is. Another variety found is abronia umbellata, which has flowers of deep- pink or rose. This is the variety listed in Eastern and English seed cata logues. In California there is a variety known as abronia villosa, the flowers of which are rather small but come in cluster, sometimes containing as many as 15. When Douglas 100 years ago gathered his specimens in this section he listed and it is still to be found another variety named abronia mellifere. and while resembling in growth the latifolla type, the flowers are white and smaller. While I know from growers in the middle west and in England that the sand verbena is successfully grown in many gardens I have yet to learn of the successful cultivation of the latifolla type, which is undoubtedly the handsom est of all abronia, as it not only combines brilliancy of flower .but a fragrance -that is quite pleasing. A few days ago, when passing the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. Allen Lewis at Park avenue and St. Clair street, I stopped to study the border plant ing in the front of the house, for to my, mind this border in breadth of conception, brilliancy of coloring, grading oi plants, outranks any thing else in the .city. It reflects the individuality not only in the color arrangement but in the selec tion of plants, for there is a con tinuity of blooms that causes the border from early spring until late fall to exercise its charm. While I am -not positively informed would hazard the guess that this border, both in design and texture. is that of Mrs. .Lewis, as it is a reflection of her artistic taste, which while always marked is par ticularly so in the matter of floral decorations and thai handling of flowers. It is to be recalled that she personally directed the decora tions at the reception given a few months ago when Lady Geddes visited Portland and those decora tions were undoubtedly the most artistic ever seen at a similar event in' Portland. For the edging of her border Mrs: Lewis has selected the low growing shrubby calceolaria, which with its many hundreds of little yellow blooms, ' forms a con tinuous line of brilliant yellow. Back of this in bold clusters is phlox in varying colors, Michaelmas daisies and interspersed throughout the border is probably the finest planting of lilies in the city, in cluding such as lilium candidium, golden banded lilies, tiger lilies and lilium regale. Some of these are grown in pots and then plunged. The positive blue note of the border comes from long spikes of delphin ium for the early season and the later season from clematis jackmani, arranged on a "trellis, extending along -the terrace and acts as a screen for that part of the house. In the background and dotting the blue line are standard or tree roses of the Melanie Soupert variety, whose soft cream-colored blooms add greatly to the- picture. There are many other plants in the bor der, each placed to bring out either a positive color note -in itself or to accentuate the color of some adjacent flower, while the end of the border is effectively tied to the terrace by a planting of a large hydrangea, the -variety of which I could not identify but understand it was a special importation Mrs. Lewis made several years ago from Japan. The full border is not yet in blooms, in fact it never is all In full bloom at one time, having been designed largely for contin uity, but I think in a week or ten days much of the phlox and quite number of the lilies will flower and then it 'will present . a more charming picture than it does at present. While it is yet early I want to advise the readers of this depart ment who contemplate planting bulbs this fall to get -their orders in early or otherwise tney will suf fer disappointments. Letters re ceived from Holland and France in dicate that owing to adverse Weather conditions last spring the bylb crop is much smaller than for many years. One letter received says: A severely cold spring has been followed by horrible waves of heat, lasting a full week at times. In many nurseries the bulbs had bad roots owing to the unfavorable winter and these suffered heavily. Moreover we have had a rainless season. Lots of hyacinths show yellow and brown tops. Acres of narcissi have perished and many fields of early tulips are done for. Millions of bulbs are entirely lost and if we consider what the demand will be there will be a remarkable shortage." Here in Portland we are favored in a measure by .the avail able sifpply from the bulb farm near Salem, but in"view of the Eu ropean shortage I am afraid that our' local supply will be over-subscribed by the eastern florists and seed houses, who are now seeking everywhere to get bulbs in view of the Holland and French short- e. I heard last week that east ern buyers were working among the small plantations in the Bell- ingham district but not with -much success, as the growers there are going to keep their stock for pro pagation purposes. The retired gardener dropped in to see me a few days ago and said: I have a suggestion that may be of interest to some of the readers, particularly those who would like to have more oriental poppies. ASPIR! Insist on Bayer Package Unless you see the name "Bayer' on package or on tablets you are not getting- the g-ertuine Bayer product prescribed by physicians over twen ty-two years a,ni . proyea sate by millions for Colds Headache Toothache -Lumbago Earache Rheumatism Neuralgia Pain, Pain Accept only "Bayer" package which contains proper directions. Handy .boxes of twelve tablets cost few cents. Druggists also sell bot tles of 2t and 100. Aspirin is the trade mark of Bayer Manufacture of Monoaoeticacidester of SaHcylicacid. There is an easy way to multiply these plants. Dig up several of them now and cut off the roots jus); below the crown. Then divide each root into sections about two inches long and plant each piece of the cut root in a hole two to three inches deep. Plant these pieces where you want the poppies, be cause they rather resent trans planting. If this is done now next year you should have blooming plants. Give the planted bits of root water and if planted in sun. shade them a little when the growth f irsc appears above ground." In a letter from a London friend he makes the prediction that the new narcissus, Silver Chimes, shown for the first time at the London show last 'spring, will become the most popular narcissi in a few years. This new flower is the re sult of a cross of Tazzeta and Tri andus. In Its leathery texture is reflected the strong characteristic of Triandus, while from the fact that it has seven or more blooms on a stem is shown the influence of the Tazzeta variety. The individ ual flowers are two inches across and sweetly scented. Possibly no place in the world uses flowers lftore liberally than does Rio de Janeiro,, unless it should happen to be Buenos Aires. In Rio de Janeiro the Brazilians send flowers on the slightest ex cuse and it is said even manufac ture events to give them an oppor tunity to use flowers. .For years it has had a large flower market, but now the municipalitiy is to build a large concrete and marble market house at the principal car loop in the city, and it will be devoted tirely to the sale of flowers. What are rare and beautiful orchids to us sell for 10 and 15 cents each in the Rio de Janeiro flo.wer market, as the forests covering the mountains around the city are literally filled with orchids. For J2 or 3 a pep- son can buy an enormous basket filled with orchids and ferns. John Crachley, an English merchant, who lives at Ipanama Beach, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, cultivates orchids on an extensive scale and is said to have at his home the finest orchid garden in the world. . Edwin F. Smith, pahtologist of the department of agriculture tn Washington, has taken up an in vestigation of diseases attacking delphinium, particularly the so called leaf-spot. To aid him in his investigation Mr. Smith asks that anyone having delphiniums which have been attacked by disease and particularly the so-called leaf spot to communicate with him and send samples of the partS attacked. These should ' be sent dry, wrapped in newspapers and addressed to the laboratory of plant pathology, Washington, D. C. PROBLEMS OF THE GARDB3V. ' Geum ae'ed will germinate in two weeks If It is fresh, while if it is old it protHibly will not come up at all. This year I tried two batches for comparison. The seed I imported from England ger minated in two weeks, while some American seed was a complete failure. I planted them the same day and under the same conditions. Since there seems to be such an interest in the Mrs. Brad shaw variety of geum, perha-ps it will be a wise direction that it Is beautiful nlan-ted as a mass and not in a row. The loveliest I have ever seen In Port land was last year In a corner of the esematorium at Sellwood. It was a gor geous mass of color. R. I B. - Answer. Thanks for reporting your experience with geum seed. I quite agree with you that the ef fective way to handle this flower is in mass planting and not in specimen or line planting. Even the smallest garden should have at least six plants, for unless it has this many it will never develop enough flowers to make it worth while cultivating, for while it flowers continuously and most pro fusely the flowers are of the kind that should be handled solely for color effect. Will you nlease tell me what to do to get rid of an insect I am told is called "earwig"? Several of our neignbors in. Alameda are bothered .with them and they are beginning to attack my flow ers. I want to check them Deiore tney do erious damage. May I alo ask what you consider & good plant food for potted plants? I have several a fuchia, ferns, primrose and one or two others, and while they are doing fairly well I feel they need a food, for naturally constant watering washes away much of the nour ishment in the eath. I will be glad if. yOU Will Suggest. MUUUJ LI11IIK III at. will nourish them and how often to apply- it. AiRo. n. a. s.. Answer. .Relative to earwigs r I would suggest that you get in com munication with the state horticul tural board in the courthouse, Main 1744, and have either Mr. Stansbury or Mr. Walker advise you, as they are making a campaign to rid th-e city of earwigs. As you are in the city and probably not available to a supply of liquid manure for your house plants, suggest that you got a package of prepared plant food at any of the seed stores and follow the directions of the package. r Free to Asthma and Hay Fever Sufferers Free Trial of Method That Anyone Can Use Without Discomfort or Loss of Time. We have a method for the control of Asthma, and we want you to try It at our expense. No matter whether your case is of long standing or recent de velopment," whether it is present 1 as Chronic Asthma or Hay Fever, you should send for a free Trial of our method. No matter in what climate you live, no matter what your age or occupation, ' if you are troubled with Asthma or Hay Fever, our method should relieve you promptly. We especially want to send It to those apparently hopeless cases, where all forms of inhalers, doucheB, opium prep arations, fumes, "patent smokes." etc., have failed. 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