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Two related bits of information that came to my attention this week tempt me to wander down the emotional path that the use of chemicals for control of bugs, diseases or weeds has become.

First let me confess that I came of age in the decades just after World War II when chemicals were king. I don't remember dumping DDT into the swimming pool to control mosquitoes, but there was little chemicals couldn't do then.

I also was quick to see IPM (integrated pest management) as the wave of the future in the early 1980ies. IPM is built on regular observation, sanitation, cultural controls and the use of a minimum amount of chemicals when necessary.

That said, the first bit of information was from a study of farmer applications in Minnesota and South Carolina. They tested the applicator, the spouse and children just prior to the application, the day of and several times immediately thereafter.

Little or no evidence of chemical residue was found in the spouse and children unless they were directly involved in the preparation or application. A spike of residue occurred in the applicator directly related to the level of protective equipment used.

The key finding was that the use of long chemical resistant gloves was the chief factor in limiting exposure. Neoprene gloves were effective. Lined gloves or cloth gloves were found to be worse than using nothing.

In other words if you are using chemicals, take precautions. If chemicals have been used, keep friends, children and pets from that area for a day or so. Read the label or find out about restrictions.

My second finding was a group of four page guides from Penn State prepared for the homeowner who might be using chemicals on his property. They are listed below and should be available from the Lancaster Extension Office at 394-6851. If you strike out there give me a call and I can probably find you a set.

"Reading a Pesticide Label"

"Protecting Yourself When Using Pesticides"

"Storing a Pesticide"

"Disposing of a Pesticide"

"Choosing a Qualified Pest Management or Lawn Care Company"

As I have stated many times in the past, the advent of chemicals in gardening, lawn care or agriculture has caused us to forget many things that my grandparents knew about growing plants. That is unfortunate.

There is no question that chemicals have been over used, needlessly used and carelessly used during the decades of my life. That too is unfortunate.

I believe that there is a place somewhere in between where science should be able to rid the argument of emotion and politics. Organic growing today is a niche. Further research may make it mainstream. In the meantime, judicious use of chemicals remain part of our lives.

One of the joys of gardening is to follow the focal points of beauty that march through our landscapes as the gardening season unfolds. I will fill today's space with brief descriptions of some of the shows I observe as we slide deep into October and away from the prime gardening season.

I'll confess that I did not add any hardy garden mums to my garden this year but I am still enjoying wonderful mum blooms in parts of my garden. No it's not a miracle and I did not suddenly unlock the secret that turns today's garden mums into wonderful long living perennials.

Instead, I added some of the century old varieties now traveling with the Latin name dendranthemum. The two I have in the ground are Manchurian Queen, a tall light purple and White Bomb that is quite short. Several others varieties can be readily found.

They are quite vigorous and will be in one of my long-range projects that call for a garden of vigorous plants. Timid plants need not apply for a position there. That garden will be a war but I anticipate wonderful displays.

Moving on, I can't help but sing the praises of two shrubs: Itea virginiana and Hydrangea quercifolia. Both are near the top of all lists of must have shrubs. They are truly four season plants. You get bloom, wonderful fall foliage and interesting bark.There are several standard cultivars of the native Itea. Henrys Garnet may be a bit larger than Little Henry, but in all honesty I would be hard pressed to recognize the difference in the landscape. One is listed at three to five feet the other at four to six feet.

Itea will grow in sun, heavy shade or anywhere in between. My efforts to grow them suggest that adequate moisture is a big plus.

There are many cultivars of the Oakleaf hydrangea reflecting the size of the bush. The large conical flowers open white, fade to pink and end up a tawny brown. I also believe that in the near future we will se some cultivars with some flower variation. This one is also easy to grow, but I would avoid heavy shade, and think about winter winds when picking a site.

Hurricane Isabel played havoc with some of the tall grasses but spared one of my shorter favorites. There is nothing that beats the bright red color and large white plums of Miscanthus purpurea at this time of the year. This one reaches my waist. It often looks dismayed in the nursery pots but seems adequately happy in any sunny landscape that isn't too wet.

The secret to this and many of our most ornamental grasses is to realize that they do not establish well in cold soil. In the fall look, and make plans. Plant them in May and early summer.Last on my list is the many fall asters. My favorite is October Sky. That suggests the color. Sizes range from less than knee high to head high. Asters are vigorous and easy to grow. Poor lower leaf foliage is the most frequent complaint with asters.

With the exception of the grasses, any of the above plants could be still planted. One tip to help late planting is to mulch lightly after the ground freezes.

At this time of year, mom has an old poem she likes to recite. It goes somthing like this; the golden rod is yellow, the crabgrass is turning brown. I'm sure you realize I just destroyed that one but at least I'm correct about the crabgrass.

In my yard I am surprised at how much real grass returned. I'm also surprised at the number of bare spots. I still haven't decided what to do. The easiest way to control the crab grass is chemicals next spring when the forsythia as is in bloom.

Since all, or most, control chemicals interfere with germination, I can't both over-seed and spray next spring. My hunch is that over-seeding right now might work. The secret will be to bring the seed into contact with the dirt. That may be difficult given the thick thatch of the crab grass without mechanical methods.

Meanwhile the frost has gotten most of the garden. We had a few red beets last night, which were tough and tasteless enough that I hope we don't get any more. We have some cauliflower tied and still a bit of cabbage and broccoli lingering.

What I'm really watching there are the peas I planted about September 1. My wife keeps reminding me that she suggested, for at least two weeks, that they be planted before I got there.

I know she is right but with pods now over two inches long perhaps the weather will hold off and let both of us be right. They look nice.

Another big project for me this summer came when the neighbor approached and asked if I could use a few loads of dirt. A few turned into 60 plus and of course I leveled and made the yard even bigger. I coated it with grass seed in the final days of the wet spring that overlapped into summer. It came up like a charm but then summer came to suggest that you don't plant grass seed in late June.

That area may be ok but a bit of over seeding would certainly help there, too. Maybe two over-seeding projects will get me into action.

In conclusion, if you do not have a mother that will be 100 in a few short years and can recite most of the poems she learned as a school girl you can find my poem rendered correctly by going to Google and typing in "The golden-rod is yellow." Use the quotations.Sure, Helen Hunt's poem "September" is from a different, slower time, but isn't that what we are trying to rescue every time we lose ourselves in our gardens?

Where is Smokey the Bear? My wife and I just returned from a delightful two weeks in the western mountains and valleys searching unsuccessfully for him.

We started in Salt Lake City and worked our way north through southern Idaho to the major parks in western Wyoming and just far enough into Montana to say that we were there.

Smokey has apparently been retired. I don't think I'm that old but if a few of you don't recognize Smokey, he was the poster bear wearing a ranger hat and holding a shovel with the constant message "Only you can prevent forest fires."

His forced retirement came after the major fires in Yellowstone Park in 1988. That fire, which burned about half the park, caused a major reevaluation of fire policy at the federal parks and on other federal land. Interestingly, the federal government owns a very high percentage of the land in many western states.

After the 1988 fires it was suggested, to the horror of many, that maybe fires were a part of the natural cycle of life. That assumption is gradually being accepted. Today fires in the wild are only fought when buildings are threatened.

Back to the aftermath of the 1988 fire. In the first years, the number of plant species seen increased from something like four to 24. Those areas immediately became favored grazing areas for the animals and remained that way for five years.

After 15 years it is obvious that the dominant pine forests will regenerate. The dominant pine is one called lodge pole pine. The name is appropriate, since is looks like a very long telephone pole with a small Christmas tree perched on top.

That structure, together with tough bark, permits easy survival during a moderate ground fire. The tree also produces two kinks of pinecones. One opens immediately but the other will not open until it has been heated to 113 degrees. In other words, they wait for the next fire. They can wait twenty years if necessary.

What does this change in policy suggest to us? It makes me realize that we must work with nature because we will never control it. In the garden we do that by selecting proper plants, siting them properly, giving them the necessary space to flourish and giving them enough neglect to let them grow naturally.

Man wants to control nature, but he can't and never will. I missed our last living proof of that but am still picking up the pieces. Most likely, neither Smoky nor Isabel will be missed.

Lots of us like to garden from the first hint of spring until the ground starts to stiffen in the early winter. Even better, with a little planning we enjoy the garden almost year round.

Every landscape, to be successful in my opinion, incorporates trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and spring bulbs. My goal in the garden and in these words is to offer a few ideas to extend the enjoyment season.

I'm tempted to say trees are trees and quit. However, they come in all sizes and some are evergreen and some drop their leaves. Large trees, if they are not evergreen, should offer seasonal shade and fall color. If you, like me, enjoy the birds in the winter, the dense shelter of evergreens will bring more visitors.

We have more room to experiment with the smaller trees either as specimens or as part of the under-story. As with the flowering shrubs, look for interesting bark, fall color and possibly berries. Some berries will last most of the winter. Others will fuel birds as they head south and are quickly gone.

Shrubs and small trees add architecture to the winter garden that will usually resist the worst that Mother Nature can dish out. Mixing winter sunlight with dewdrops, frost crystals, ice or snow on our barren shrubs can rival the best summer shows.

Perennials, as they die back ahead of winter, offer an array of textures and colors. Many have interesting seedheads that will add beauty to the garden until we get several crushing snowfalls. The birds will love it if you leave the seedheads as their snack.

Besides, it is my strong belief that your plants will be happiest if you let the tops die naturally and leave them undisturbed until late winter or early spring.

As a group, the ornamental grasses are one of the highlights of the fall and early winter garden. Occasionally their plumes last all winter, but usually they begin to bow to mother nature about midwinter.

That, in itself, is a problem for the gardener trying to introduce grasses into his garden. By the time the show begins it is often too late to plant them. Many of the ornamental grasses are warm season plants and will resent late season planting.

Annuals are another way to extend the season. There is an assortment of flowering cabbage and kale. These will last until temperatures are falling into the teens. I would include hardy mums with the annuals. Some people have good success but most of us struggle to call mums a reliable perennial.

Fall pansies are becoming more widely used around here. Planted now, they give us some fall enjoyment plus a big head start in the spring. They are pretty tough and a high percentage will survive our worst winters with little protection.

The problem with fall pansies is that they may be difficult to find. To be ready now they were started in mid summer, and you remember what mid summer does to your spring planted pansies.

Adding spring bulbs in the fall is the best, if not only, way to enjoy their "let's get the season started" beauty. Plant about three times deeper than the size of the bulb.

Extending the season or year round interest is just another factor to think about as you shop for plants.