,the ,library of ,work and ,play ,,gardening ,,and ,,farming ,,by ,,ellen ,,eddy ,,shaw #aiaa ,,copyright1 #aiaa ,,this ,,book ,,is ,,dedicated ,,to ,,the ,,real ,,boys ,,of ,,this ,,real ,,club ,,and ,,to ,,the ,,girls ,,who ,,are ,,just ,,as ,,good ,,as ,,boys ,,contents ,,part ,i--,,the ,,garden ,,club ,,chapter ,i4 ,the ,garden ,club ,,ii4 ,the ,boys' ,garden ,difficulties ,,iii4 ,the ,girls' ,secret ,,iv4 ,garden ,experiments ,performed ,indoors ,v4 ,the ,work ,shop ,end of the ,garden ,,vi4 ,what the ,girls ,made ,winter ,evenings ,,vii4 ,improving the ,school ,grounds ,,viii4 ,myron's ,strawberry ,bed ,,ix4 ,jack's ,all-,round ,garden ,x4 ,albert and ,jay's ,drainage ,problem ,,xi4 ,george's ,cabbage ,troubles ,,xii4 ,peter1 ,potatoes and ,profit ,,xiii4 ,philip's ,backyard ,,xiv4 ,the ,corn ,contest ,,xv4 ,the ,girls' ,secret ,work ,,xvi4 ,more ,about the ,girls' ,work ,,xvii4 ,the ,girls' ,winter ,work ,,xviii4 ,the ,grand ,wind-,up--,girls vs4 ,boys ,,part ,,ii4--,,the ,,chief',s ,,garden ,,talks ,,chapter ,i4 ,the ,soil ,,ii4 ,plant ,food ,,iii4 ,seeds ,,iv4 ,the ,plant ,itself ,v4 ,increasing ,plants ,,vi4 ,garden ,operations ,,vii4 ,common ,weeds ,,viii4 ,garden ,pests ,,ix4 ,vegetable ,culture ,x4 ,flower ,culture ,,xi4 ,the ,wild-,flower ,garden ,,xii4 ,landscape ,gardening ,,xiii4 ,how ,boys and ,girls ,can ,make ,money from ,their ,gardens ,,illustrations ,dee's ,garden ,was a ,lovesome ,thing ,frontispiece ,the ,way ,the ,chief ,taught ,his ,boys to ,handle ,tools ,jay's ,tile ,drain ,converted a ,swamp into a ,garden ,philip's ,backyard ,made ,beautiful by ,annuals and ,quick-growing ,vines ,the ,bulb ,story ,constant ,cultivation of the ,soil ,saved ,george's ,cabbages ,jack's ,rake ,handle as a ,measuring ,stick ,albert ,sowing ,large ,seeds ,singly ,elizabeth ,sowing ,small ,seed from the ,package ,myron ,transplanting ,his ,long-rooted ,strawberry ,plants ,katharine ,transplanting ,her ,flowers by a ,method of ,lifting ,,part ,i--,,the ,,garden ,,club ,i ,,the ,,garden ,,club ,the door opened4 ,a gust of wind and rain literally swept five boys1 wet and breathless1 into the room4 ,the man at the big oak table in front of a huge open fire looked up1 smiled1 and said1 ,off with your duds1 boys6 ,bar the door securely1 ,jay1 for it's a wild night4 ,throw a fresh log on the fire1 ,albert4 ,and all line up4 ,for a few moments the big cheerful room seemed full of wriggling1 twisting boys as great coats were pulled off and hung up carefully on pegs at the far end of the room4 ,it was a rule here at ,the ,chief's home that things should always be shipshape4 ,then the line up came4 ,this was a little ceremony the boys always went through1 having dropped into it quite of their own accord4 ,they formed a line in front of the open fire with backs to it and faces toward the man4 ,then they solemnly saluted in military style4 ,at this ,the ,chief arose1 saluted1 and by a wave of the hand assigned each boy to his place at the table4 ,this little group of boys had formed itself naturally into a club4 ,it met with ,the ,chief every ,saturday night4 ,he was really no chief1 this big1 boy-loving man who had come to spend a while in this little country village1 to rest and to write4 ,the boys had named him ,the ,chief because1 as ,albert said1 ,he could lead any tribe and tame any savage4 ,at this ,albert always laughed for he himself had been called a savage so many times he almost believed he was one4 ,the boys dropped into their places4 ,jay1 or the ,little ,chief as the boys called him1 sat opposite the ,big ,chief at the end of the table and right in front of the fire4 ,he was slim and tall and light of foot4 ,he could run faster1 throw farther1 and play better than any other boy in the village4 ,he always led1 he never bullied1 he played fair1 so the other boys always followed4 ,albert1 ,jay's brother1 big and heavy and as full of mischief as he could hold1 took his place at ,the ,chief's right hand4 ,albert called this his place of honour although knowing full well that he was there so ,the ,chief might have him within reach4 ,next to ,albert came ,george1 frank-faced and bashful1 sturdy and loyal4 ,opposite him red-headed1 stubby ,peter sat always on the edge of his chair1 always with a bit of a smile on his face1 never talking much1 always agreeing good-naturedly4 ,beside ,peter and at ,the ,chief's left was ,jack1 who wriggled constantly like a young eel4 ,after the boys were seated and quiet1 ,the ,chief pushed back his work1 a plan of his summer's garden1 leaned back in his chair and said1 ,i think first we had better take up your reports4 ,then he pointed at ,jay who began3 ,well1 when ,albert and ,i asked father for a piece of the garden for our very own to work exactly as we pleased this summer1 with no questions asked or answered1 he laughed4 ,he said that ,albert wouldn't stick to it a day4 ,i will1 just the same1 shouted out ,albert quite red in the face4 ,just keep out of this1 ,savage1 until ,i get through4 ,the man laid a restraining hand on ,albert's arm and ,jay continued3 ,but ,i begged father1 and told him we'd always worked for him1 and he might let us try for ourselves4 ,besides1 ,i told him we'd not shirk his work4 ,so finally he said we each could have the ten hills in the corn patch for the experiment1 just as you wished4 ,and then-- ,and then1 broke in ,albert1 unable longer to contain himself1 what do you think he gave us8 ,it's just no use trying1 for he gave us an old piece of land below the barn4 ,it's a regular old swamp2 why1 water stands there the whole spring long1 and it takes half the summer to dry it out4 ,then it gets hard as a brick4 ,now what is the use of trying on that8 ,we'll take it just the same1 and so we told father1 continued ,jay4 ,we have just got to make that old land do something4 ,the ,chief nodded and pointed to ,george for his report4 ,same here1 began ,george4 ,my father wouldn't listen at all at the first2 then he said ,i might have the hills of corn4 ,he threw in also an old side slope which he thinks is too poor for any use4 ,george sank back in his chair in a quite dejected manner4 ,it was now ,jack's turn4 ,you see1 he began at his lightning rate1 we haven't much land anyway1 seeing as we live in the village4 ,i can have the backyard1 such as it is1 but that's precious little use4 ,it's never been used for a garden1 and it's full of rock4 ,one of our neighbours says ,i may have a piece of her corn patch for my corn1 if ,i'll take care of hers1 too4 ,of course ,i took her offer4 ,just had to4 ,peter took his turn last1 as usual4 ,we have no place at our home2 too much lawn1 and mother will not have it cut up4 ,grandfather said ,i might have any place ,i wanted in his garden if ,i'd really care for it myself4 ,my6 said ,albert1 what a snap6 ,your grandfather has the best garden land around here4 ,you'll win ,the ,chief's five dollars for the best garden2 you just can't help yourself4 ,i'd like to punch you1 ,peter1 for having such luck4 ,peter smiled a little more broadly4 ,fin sorry the garden's so good1 but ,i can't help it4 ,it's all right1 ,peter1 began ,the ,chief2 after all1 boys1 ,i believe we are not having such bad luck4 ,cheer up6 ,we are going to surprise those fathers of yours1 and have a good time out of it1 too4 ,jay and ,albert have a big problem of draining2 ,george has simply got to put that sandy slope in shape2 it looks as if ,jack would have to fill in for his garden2 and ,peter--well1 some of you may beat ,peter yet4 ,at this last ,peter smiled1 ,jack skilfully tumbled him off his chair and ,albert gave a war whoop4 ,the ,chief called his meeting to order again4 ,and now1 boys1 ,i shall see you each one separately about your garden problems4 ,remember1 not a word at home1 for we are going to surprise the people4 ,and at our next regular meeting1 and at all others this winter we shall have reports on the manner in which you are going to get at your work and the way in which you will beat conditions4 ,in this way we can keep track of each other's work4 ,we must make our plans1 too1 on paper1 which will help out4 ,we have catalogues to write for1 garden stakes to make1 and no end of things will come up4 ,but first you boys ought to understand a bit more than you do about the soil4 ,it is a storehouse of good things4 ,knowledge of the soil is a key to this storehouse4 ,we can roughly divide the soil into three classes and call these sand1 clay1 and humus4 ,the ideal soil has all three of these elements in it4 ,sandy soil is made up1 as the name itself really tells1 of broken up rock masses4 ,one can tell this sort of soil by its lightness and the ease with which a mass of it drops apart4 ,by the word lightness one does not mean colour or weight1 but looseness4 ,a clay soil may be told by its stickiness2 its power to form lumps or masses2 its tendency to crack and bake under the hot sun4 ,such a soil is called heavy4 ,humus soil is made up largely of decayed animal and vegetable matter4 ,its presence is told by a dark1 rich colour4 ,in trying to improve the soil we are dealing with1 we have first to think of its physical1 and second1 its chemical condition4 ,the great needs of the soil are air and water4 ,just think of all soils as made up of many particles2 let us say like a lot of marbles1 one placed upon another4 ,each given mass of particles has a given air space between every particle4 ,again1 if a marble is dipped in water a film of water remains on it a short time4 ,let us think of the particles as always having a film of water on them4 ,then1 as roots and root-hairs of plants strike down among these they find the two necessities1 air and water4 ,now sand is very loose and so lets the water drain down through it too rapidly4 ,how shall we improve a sandy soil8 ,just add something to bind the loose sand particles together4 ,humus is good for this binding purpose4 ,clay absorbs much water4 ,then its particles squeeze tightly together and so air is shut out4 ,add sand to clay soils1 to lighten them4 ,humus soil is very rich in nitrogen4 ,this brings us to the chemical side of soils4 ,there are many chemicals in soils which act as foods to plants1 but only three are the essentials4 ,if these cannot be unlocked from the soil1 or are lacking1 they must be supplied4 ,these plant foods are nitrogen1 potash1 and phosphorus4 ,the chief source of nitrogen is manure2 of potash1 nitrate or sulphate of potash1 and wood ashes2 of phosphorus1 bone ash or phosphates4 ,how can you tell when one of these is lacking8 ,well1 first it is well to know what each one does for a plant4 ,nitrogen makes fine1 green1 sturdy growth of leaf and stalk2 phosphorus helps blossoming plants2 while potash makes plump fruit4 ,if foliage looks sickly then nitrogen is needed4 ,if one wishes a good growth of leaves1 as in lettuce1 nitrogen is needed4 ,if the fruit is small and poor1 supply potash2 while if the flower and stalk need better growth1 add phosphorus4 ,be careful in adding nitrogen4 ,nitrogen is the plant food which is most easily lost out of the soil4 ,study the soil you are dealing with1 supply if possible what it lacks1 and try to unlock to your seedlings the goodness already in the garden soil4 ,the interesting talk ended4 ,couldn't we meet oftener than just ,saturdays8 questioned ,jack4 ,we'll see2 it all depends upon how much work there is4 ,possibly we may have to meet ,fridays1 too1 later on1 for you have no lessons that night4 ,anything more1 boys1 before the popcorn8 ,i'd like to know1 asked ,peter1 if my cousin ,philip1 who comes from the city to grandfather's to spend almost every ,saturday and ,sunday1 may join us too4 ,he wants to fix up his city backyard and doesn't know how to begin4 ,bring him along next ,saturday4 ,we'll be glad to have him1 shan't we1 boys8 ,don't know1 blurted out ,albert1 it's our club4 ,keep quiet1 ,albert4 ,let him in as long as he behaves and works4 ,isn't that right8 asked ,jay4 ,yes1 answered ,george and ,jack4 ,then1 boys1 we'll have ,jack's report next week1 as his problem is not so difficult4 ,if ,jay and ,albert drop in some day from school they shall have a book which will help them1 and ,george needs one1 too4 ,at this point ,albert dropped off his seat in mock alarm murmuring as he fell1 ,worse1 much worse than school6 ,george dropped a heavy book on top of him to add to his comfort4 ,the ,chief went on as if nothing had happened4 ,jack and ,peter1 shell and pop the corn1 ,george and ,jay1 crack the nuts4 ,and you1 ,albert1 run to the cellar for the apples4 ,get good ones1 young man4 ,why1 questioned ,albert1 as he picked himself up1 why must poor ,albert always do the hard work1 while the other fellows stay by the warm fire8 ,no one answered him and he slowly marched off4 ,soon the corn was popped1 the nuts cracked and the big red apples on deck4 ,and then it was a quiet room save for the snapping of a shell from a half-cracked nut1 and the munching of the firm apples as the boys ate4 ,the firelight played softly over the old room bringing out strongly the big oak table1 the group of boys1 the silent man1 throwing far back into the shadows the old rush-bottomed chairs1 the short-legged rockers and the pieces of furniture at all distant from the fire4 ,the clock struck nine4 ,the boys reluctantly got up from the floor and struggled into their coats4 ,jay unbarred the door4 ,the man held the light high above his head sending a stream of light after them1 ,george astride his old farm horse ready for his three-mile ride1 ,jay and ,albert trudging after him1 and ,jack and ,peter hand in hand on a run toward the village4 ,good-night6 they shouted back at the man1 ,we'll be on time next ,saturday night1 seven sharp4 ,good-night6 ,,ii ,,the ,,boys' ,,garden ,,difficulties ,it's fine to see you back1 ,myron1 began ,the ,chief1 looking at a big1 good looking fellow1 who had dropped quietly into his place by ,george4 ,are you here for all the time1 now8 ,yes1 replied ,myron1 ,i got tired of the town and am glad enough to be back again4 ,we are just as glad as you are4 ,is ,philip here for ,sunday8 ,philip wriggled happily beside ,peter and said nothing4 ,for ,peter had impressed ,philip with the fact that he must keep quiet for it wasn't very much his club anyway4 ,there is business up for discussion1 and two applications1 began ,the ,chief4 ,applications6 broke in ,albert4 ,may we have those first8 ,if you can't keep still1 retorted ,jay1 you'll get applications all right1 but of quite another sort4 ,the ,chief passed two letters to ,george4 ,george stood up1 swallowed hard1 for he was a bashful lad1 and began4 ',will the ,junior ,garden ,club give suggestions and practical help for the improvement of the ,oldfield ,centre ,school ,grounds8' ,signed ',the ,teacher4' ,crickey6 said ,albert4 ,that's white in her6 ,expert advice6 ,i guess we will6 ,what shall we do about this8 asked ,the ,chief4 ,we just ought to do it1 ,i think1 began ,jack4 ,there surely is no other public-spirited club in this place4 ,just so1 murmured ,peter4 ,we ought now to have a secretary for the club1 and a chairman1 too4 ,i believe to-night is the time to vote for these officers1 suggested ,the ,chief4 ,suppose ,jack and ,philip tear up slips of paper and pass them4 ,then ,myron and ,george collect1 and count the ballots4 ,we should vote for chairman first4 ,what does the chairman have to do8 asked ,myron4 ,a chairman always calls a meeting to order and presides1 answered the man4 ,for a few minutes they were all very busy with paper and pencil4 ,the results were given by ,myron4 ,jay has all the votes for chairman4 ,albert has four for secretary1 and so ,i suppose we'll have to have him4 ,albert1 nothing daunted1 said1 ,i guess you will1 but ,i write like a hen4 ,that's right1 you do1 chimed in ,jack to ,albert's apparent annoyance4 ,now1 ,jack1 call your meeting to order and let's have these matters voted on4 ,come to order all of you4 ,what shall we do about this school-ground business8 ,i vote1 began ,myron4 ,stand on your feet1 advised ,jay4 ,i vote-- ,no1 ,myron1 corrected ,the ,chief1 move--not vote4 ,i move1 then1 that we fix up those grounds4 ,who seconds this8 and ,jay looked hard at ,george4 ,i will1 he responded4 ,i'm not sure1 now1 appealed ,jay to ,the ,chief1 ,i'm not sure just how to go on4 ,it's this way--it has been moved and seconded that this request be granted4 ,all in favour say 'aye'2 all contrary minded 'no'4 ,it is a vote4 ,jay repeated this and the boys voted1 ,albert1 as usual1 voting no1 just for fun4 ,now1 if ,george will read the second letter----- ,i should think1 ,jack half questioned1 that the secretary should read things1 now we have a secretary4 ,so he should1 hand those papers over1 ,george4 ,george1 delighted1 gave place to ,albert1 who stumblingly read4 ,we girls wish to garden1 too4 ,we'd like to join your club4 ,we can do just as good work as boys4 ,will you take us in8 ,not much6 went on ,alfred just as if he were still reading1 ,girls in our club1 no siree1 girls never6 ,girls might do something1 began ,myron4 ,but1 ,jack broke in1 they'd after all spoil a boys' club4 ,why1 it wouldn't be a boys' club then4 ,they might have one of their own1 suggested ,peter4 ,and do different things1 continued ,philip4 ,i really don't see1 ,jay went on1 quite how we could have them4 ,but1 ,i suppose1 they might meet with ,the ,chief and we could help them sometimes4 ,no1 said ,albert1 we don't wish to get mixed up with that sort of thing4 ,they'd run the whole club in the end4 ,that's right1 agreed ,george4 ,this was put to vote properly and the girls were barred out4 ,you must write them a letter1 ,albert1 concluded ,jay4 ,write a letter6 ,a letter to those girls6 ,never6 ,yes you will2 you are the secretary and you have to1 understand1 said ,jay4 ,poor ,albert1 not long before so proud of his office1 looked as if he'd rather be whipped than be the secretary4 ,the real business to-night is to hear reports so we can do a little experimenting and testing next week1 suggested the man4 ,all right1 we'll have ,george's first4 ,i shall1 of course1 began ,george1 plant my corn1 ,country ,gentleman1 in with father's4 ,we have plenty of seed corn1 so ,i shall not have to buy any4 ,as far as my old slope goes ,i have to pick all the stone off4 ,then ,i am not sure just how to drain it1 for the rains from another slope above wash it all the spring and summer4 ,i shall then put some barnyard manure on and plant it all to corn4 ,of course1 ,i must plough and harrow it1 too4 ,now1 said ,the ,chief1 ,i guess we'd better stop right here and have a little talk1 for ,george has brought up some problems for discussion4 ,in the first place--let us consider the draining4 ,all ,george has to consider is that he has to conduct or lead the water off his land4 ,but1 said ,george1 that is what seems to me difficult4 ,have you noticed how water takes definite courses down hills8 ,that ought to give you some help4 ,i see1 cried ,jack1 ,george could make gutters for the rain to travel along and so lead the water off his garden4 ,exactly1 ,jack has the idea4 ,it is really a bit of engineering4 ,suppose ,george finds the highest point1 the greatest slope1 of his land4 ,from this point a gutter or furrow should be dug so that the water is made to flow off and away from his land4 ,how deep shall ,i dig the gutter8 ,dig it about three feet deep and fill stones right into this gutter4 ,two feet of stone in the gutter is about right4 ,water falling on a stone mass drains off properly4 ,it would sink into an earth mass4 ,bring a little sketch of this with you next week1 ,george1 showing where you are going to dig the drain4 ,now boys1 how much fertilizer do you think ought to go on this poor land of ,george's8 ,i was going to put on two inches1 said ,george4 ,i should think he ought to put at least four inches on1 half questioned ,myron4 ,i'll say eight1 began ,philip4 ,the boys shouted at this4 ,philip1 went on the man after the laughter ceased1 is very nearly right4 ,if ,george wishes to get anything from this old land at once1 he must fertilize it heavily4 ,if your father can spare a foot of fertilizer put it on4 ,the boys all whistled4 ,now about the corn6 ,did you know1 ,george1 that corn is a most exhaustive crop8 ,i don't even know what you mean4 ,i do1 said ,jack1 he means corn tires the soil4 ,just so1 continued ,the ,chief1 the soil supplies food to the plant4 ,some crops use up more of the soil's goodness than others4 ,corn is one of these4 ,now1 ,george1 what do you think about planting a crop that works the soil very hard1 especially when the soil you are dealing with is rather poor8 ,it wouldn't be the best thing1 ,i should say4 ,will you suggest good things to plant8 ,well1 potatoes1 tomatoes and cabbage demand less from the soil4 ,then ,i choose cabbage1 ,i'll plant that entire old slope to cabbage4 ,now1 ,jack1 suppose you talk4 ,i have decided to build a coldframe1 so ,i can get a little earlier start with my plants2 ,i suppose ,i should have begun this frame last fall4 ,i know this--that ,i have to dig out my whole garden spot and fill it in4 ,so ,i thought ,i could get a start with the coldframe while ,i was working at filling in4 ,i have decided to plant lettuce1 radish1 beets1 tomatoes1 peppers and some flowers4 ,i think ,i shall plant asters1 stock and sunflowers4 ,why sunflowers8 asked ,philip4 ,i want the seed for my squirrel's feed next winter4 ,then1 too1 ,i think sunflowers make a pretty nice background for a garden4 ,if you wish to drop in to see me before the next week's meeting we'll have plans for the coldframe worked out to explain to the boys then4 ,you measure the space where you are going to put the frame and ask your father about the lumber4 ,as lumber is your father's business1 ,i should almost think you could get us some soft wood1 say white-wood1 for our stakes and markers1 suggested ,the ,chief4 ,of course1 ,i can1 promised ,jack4 ,now ,peter1 said ,jay4 ,my garden is to be just potatoes4 ,peter and potatoes6 jeered ,albert4 ,oh1 ,peter6 ,i don't care1 ,i'm for potatoes and profit4 ,peter always does make money4 ,so ,i suppose his potatoes will turn into money1 too1 volunteered ,philip4 ,my stunt1 said ,myron next1 is to be strawberries4 ,i want to raise strawberries4 ,mr4 ,marsh1 on the ,longmeadow ,farm1 has offered to give me some plants4 ,i'll do the corn stunt2 aren't you going to1 ,pete8 ,of course1 that was understood1 and ,philip will have his corn at grandfather's too1 for a city backyard is no place for corn4 ,now1 ,albert1 you may talk for both of us1 said ,jay4 ,our land has to be drained1 but it is not exactly the same proposition that ,george has4 ,water stands on our land4 ,we had thought of putting a drain pipe in4 ,it seems as if there should be an easier way1 but we don't know one1 ,albert stopped and looked at ,the ,chief1 who leaned back in his chair and thought a minute4 ,i guess1 boys1 we had better stop and talk over the matter of drainage4 ,there are three kinds of drains1 namely3 the open drain1 the blind drain1 and the tile drain4 ,each one has worked out of the other4 ,the simplest sort and the one man first used is the open ditch4 ,a piece of land was covered with water4 ,a ditch was dug through the land at the place or places where water was standing4 ,usually a little stone is thrown into the bottom to help drain the water off4 ,such a drain put out of use quite a bit of land4 ,so partly because of this a second sort of drain was worked out4 ,a good body of stone was put into the drain1 then earth filled in over this4 ,water percolating down through the soil followed along these drainage courses4 ,formerly it settled in spots and made boggy land4 ,finally a more systematic sort of drain developed from this last one4 ,instead of a body of stone1 a drain tile was placed on the bottom of the trench4 ,straight off you boys can see which one of these three represents the best all around drain4 ,out in the country or where there is no need to think of utilizing every bit of land1 the open drain is often seen4 ,but where every bit of land must be used1 the open drain is out of the question4 ,all drains come under the head of one of these three types4 ,after all1 boys1 since you can put in the tile drain would it not be wiser to do so8 ,surely1 answered ,albert4 ,but ,i should think soil which has been under water for some time1 as this has1 would be a bit poor4 ,in case you find the soil is sour1 as it may be1 you can sweeten it up4 ,there is a certain farm sweetener in lime1 added ,the ,chief4 ,we shall plant on our land onions1 peas1 and tomatoes4 continued ,albert4 ,we believe that the soil is going to be especially good for onions4 ,i guess ,i shall have to break in again right here4 ,onions need a fine1 rich1 deep soil4 ,to be sure moist soil is good for certain varieties of onions4 ,that is why1 ,i imagine1 you thought your soil good4 ,you must get this soil into better garden condition before you devote it to a crop like onions4 ,try a general vegetable garden this season4 ,work out the crop value of the soil4 ,philip1 do you know what you are going to do8 ,i know that ,i have everything to do4 ,i thought perhaps ,i should do something like this4 ,we want that old backyard to be really pretty4 ,the yard is a long narrow strip of land just like most city backyards4 ,i thought ,i'd make a walk straight through it4 ,i want a little fish pond at the end4 ,i thought ,i'd lay out a few flower beds with paths in between them4 ,mother says she will buy me a few shrubs4 ,i say1 ,chief1 don't you think some of us might go up to the city and help ,philip make the cement pond8 asked ,albert eagerly4 ,we might1 murmured ,jay1 if we get invited4 ,boys1 it's late4 ,we know a little of what our stunts are to be4 ,next week each of you bring about fifty seeds of each kind you intend to plant4 ,be able to tell just how these seeds should be planted4 ,also have the dimensions of your plots4 ,jack will bring some soft wood along1 too4 ,and ,philip1 find out1 if possible just how much money you can have for shrubs4 ,now on with your coats6 ,out of my house in two seconds6 ,no food to-night is a sad blow1 ,chief1 said ,albert pretending to weep as he opened the outside door4 ,this blow is sadder1 replied ,jack1 playfully shoving ,albert clean out of the door4 ,,iii ,,the ,,girls' ,,secret ,a very timid little knock roused ,the ,chief from his study of ,jack's coldframe plans4 ,the outer door gently opened and three little girls entered and advanced to where the man sat4 ,one1 the smallest of the three1 was thrust forward as spokesman4 ,gathering herself together she began with a rush4 ,she thrust a letter into ,the ,chief's hands4 ,this is the boys' horrid letter4 ,we don't care particularly about belonging to a boys' club4 ,we wouldn't now1 any way4 ,but we'd like to show those boys a thing or two and we thought perhaps you would help us4 ,will you8 ,sit down1 and we will work out a little plot together4 ,but first tell me your names4 ,i like to know the names of people with whom ,i plot4 ,the girls came close to the man4 ,the spokesman did the introducing4 ,i am ,delia1 ,peter's sister1 and just as smart as he is4 ,this1 pointing to a quiet1 pleasant-faced girl1 is ,ethel4 ,and the other is ,jack's sister1 ,elizabeth4 ,how many more girls belong to this company8 ,they are all outside waiting1 ,i'll call them in if you say so4 ,they are behind the lilac bushes4 ,you see we were afraid some of the boys might come to see you1 so we hid4 ,for we don't wish them to know about this at all4 ,i'll call the girls in now4 ,so ,delia ran to the door1 held it wide open1 and called ,come girls1 he wants to meet you6 ,come right in1 girls4 ,this one1 pointing to a girl with light hair and bright eyes1 is ,eloise4 ,her father keeps the ,inn4 ,and this is ,josephine1 who has no yard at all2 and ,helena who has plenty of ground2 and this1 with a grand flourish1 this is the judge's daughter1 ,katharine4 ,i hate1 said ,katharine1 always being labelled2 ,i think it's pretty hard on a girl to be tagged this way4 ,if you'll sit down1 began ,the ,chief--although there are not chairs enough--we'll get right down to business4 ,and then how they talked6 ,closer and closer they drew up to ,the ,chief until the eight heads were so close together they seemed almost one huge head4 ,finally they all shouted with laughter4 ,not a word outside1 mind you1 not one word4 ,prove that girls can keep a secret4 ,we solemnly promise1 said ,katharine for the others4 ,look1 cried ,elizabeth1 there comes ,jack2 what shall we do8 ,out this way1 quietly replied the man1 almost sweeping seven happy little girls out of the door4 ,now1 cut and run4 ,and off they scampered over the fields4 ,,iv ,,garden ,,experiments ,,performed ,,indoors ,the meeting is called to order1 began ,jay4 ,to-night1 so ,the ,chief says1 each fellow has some special thing to talk about4 ,albert will have an accident with that bottle unless he begins right off1 so tune up1 ,savage4 ,this bottle is full of vinegar4 ,i might have brought a lemon or anything else acid4 ,this blue paper is called litmus paper4 ,i got it at the drug store for ten cents4 ,just look right here1 and you will see magic worked4 ,i shall put some vinegar on this piece of paper4 ,see6 ,turned red as quick as scat6 said ,jack4 ,litmus will always turn red when any acid gets on it4 ,i've tried several acids at home4 ,it works every time1 went on ,albert as if no one else had spoken4 ,i cannot see what this has to do with gardens4 began ,philip4 ,now you keep quiet until ,i finish4 ,haven't you fellows heard your fathers talk about sour ground8 ,well1 that means acid soil4 ,why1 we have a piece of ground1 where sorrel grows thick2 father says that is sour1 added ,george4 ,just a minute1 ,albert1 broke in ,the ,chief2 that is one way1 ,george1 that farmers tell a sour bit of land4 ,weeds grow thickly over such ground1 but as ,george has said1 sorrel is likely to predominate4 ,go on1 ,albert4 ,any soil may be tested with this litmus4 ,the ,chief calls this the scientific way of going at it4 ,i was able to get a little soil from our future garden plot1 and ,i'll find out right now if it's acid4 ,albert opened a small box which was full of soil that looked quite clayey4 ,he wet a piece of litmus and buried it in the soil4 ,we'll have to leave this a few minutes1 and ,i'll finish what ,i have to say4 ,if soil is very acid it has to be changed back again4 ,back again to what8 asked ,jack4 ,why1 back again1 so it isn't acid1 ,albert continued1 decidedly confused4 ,i'll help you a bit1 and ,the ,chief came to the rescue1 ,get that big bottle over there1 ,albert4 ,albert brought the bottle4 ,in it was a liquid clear as water4 ,taste it1 ,peter1 and ,the ,chief handed ,peter a little in a small glass4 ,why it doesn't taste like much of anything2 sort of flat4 ,that's it exactly1 ,peter4 ,it certainly is not an acid1 is it8 ,peter shook his head4 ,it is lime water and does not belong in the acid class1 but to one which is exactly opposite to the acids1 the alkalies4 ,soils ought to be neither acid nor alkaline1 but neutral1 as it is called4 ,an alkali will help make neutral an acid4 ,if the soil is acid it is bad for your crop4 ,put a little lime water on the litmus which the acid has turned red4 ,albert did this and the boys watched interestedly to see the effect4 ,back again1 sang out ,jack as the red litmus changed to blue4 ,now from this you see a way to overcome the acid conditions of ,albert's piece of land1 if it proves to be acid4 ,i see1 said ,jack1 lime it4 ,exactly6 ,now see1 ,albert1 if the paper has changed colour4 ,my1 ,i should say it had6 and ,albert held up the piece of litmus paper1 now quite red from its contact with the soil4 ,well1 ,albert1 it is pretty plain to see what you have to do4 ,did you find out the amount of lime to use8 ,in the book ,i read it said for clay soils #djj-bjjj pounds per acre4 ,i should say1 said ,the ,chief1 for that special piece of land use about #bj bushels to the acre4 ,how many pounds of lime1 asked ,jack1 to the bushel8 ,i can answer1 grandly went on ,albert1 there are #gj pounds to the bushel4 ,so that makes #adjj pounds4 ,quite a proposition6 said ,jay4 ,yes1 but your land is only a half acre and so that changes matters a little4 ,how much is lime a bushel1 ,jack8 ,ask your father1 will you8 ,i think1 said ,the ,chief1 that we'll have to lay a drain pipe through your land4 ,anyway ,i shall come around in early spring and have a look at it4 ,now ,peter1 we'll hear from you1 ,jay announced4 ,my work was to find out how long it took different kinds of seeds to germinate1 that is sprout4 ,i took a dozen each of different seeds1 put blotters in dishes1 wet the blotters1 and placed the seeds on these4 ,i kept them in a warm place in the dining room4 ,i have made each of you fellows a copy of the table4 ,,peter',s ,,germinating ,,table ,beans #e-aj days4 ,onion #g-aj days4 ,beets #g-aj ,peas #f-aj ,cabbage #e-aj ,pepper #i-ad ,carrot #ab-ah ,radish #c-f ,celery #aj-bj ,tomato #f-ab ,lettuce #f-h ,turnip #d-h ,i'd like to know what use a germinating table is1 anyway8 asked ,albert scornfully4 ,well1 ,peter replied thoughtfully1 it gives you an exact knowledge of the time to expect your seedlings to poke up4 ,now suppose radish came up in four days4 ,the carrot you had planted didn't come up and after twelve days1 discouraged1 you plant more seed4 ,now two days later the first carrots you sowed begin to appear4 ,if you had known that it took carrots from #ab to #ah days to germinate you'd not have made the mistake of planting again so soon4 ,i think of another reason1 went on ,peter warming up to his subject4 ,suppose you planted beet seed4 ,you waited ten days2 nothing happened2 you wait two more and still no seedling appears2 something is surely wrong and you plant over again4 ,what could be wrong1 asked ,philip4 ,the seed might be poor1 replied ,peter4 ,george has been testing seed1 said ,jay1 and he might tell us about it now1 couldn't he1 ,chief8 ,it seems to come in here4 ,the ,chief nodded4 ,i have been finding out whether certain seeds which ,i happen to have on hand are worth planting or not4 ,if any of you fellows have seed and wish to find this out1 you can easily enough4 ,so you can be sure whether old seed is worth planting4 ,now it happens that father had some of his last year's corn and some from four years ago4 ,so ,i took #ajj seeds of each4 ,if you test small seed like lettuce1 ,the ,chief says #ej seeds will do4 ,these ,i put on blotters just as ,pete did his4 ,of course1 ,i kept them separate4 ,from last year's seed #ij seeds sprouted out of the #ajj1 or #i_/aj of them4 ,and that equals #ij per cent4 ,if all seed was #ij per cent4 good it would be all right to use1 ,i think4 ,now when ,i looked at the four-year-old seed1 what do you think8 ,only five seeds had started4 ,that makes only #a_/bj1 or #e per cent4 ,of course1 no one would care to use seed where only #e per cent4 of the seed sprouted4 ,is there any real percentage of germination that seeds should have8 ,jack asked eagerly4 ,yes1 replied ,the ,chief1 although value as you see from ,george's experiment is lost by age4 ,the real standard germination value for corn is #hg per cent41 for beans #ij1 for turnips #ij1 for peas #ic1 etc4 ,you can see that the per cents4 for these vegetables run high4 ,so do not use seeds when the per cent4 has dropped too low4 ,has ,george found out the time when other seeds lose value8 asked ,peter4 ,i did not work this table out because ,i did not have the old seed to work with1 replied ,george1 but ,the ,chief gave me a book to look it up in4 ,i have printed on our press the table4 ,so you fellows may each have a copy4 ,george handed the sheets around the table4 ,it happened that ,the ,chief had a little old printing press that he had presented to the ,club4 ,club real estate1 ,albert called it4 ,,george',s ,,table ,,age ,,of ,,seeds ,,for ,,planting ,,purposes #b-c years4 #c-d years4 #e-f years4 #h-aj years4 ,corn ,tomato ,beet ,pea 7#e-f7 ,cucumber ,celery ,pepper ,lettuce ,radish 7#d-e7 ,melon ,carrot ,onion ,turnip 7#c-f7 ,squash ,bean ,parsley ,pumpkin ,now1 ,george1 ,albert begged1 give us a table of germinating per cents4 ,not much1 each fellow can work out the value of his own old seeds and see if they are worth using4 ,i think ,george is right1 began ,the ,chief after the laugh at ,albert's expense ceased4 ,perhaps you'd like to try the effect of depth of planting on corn4 ,here are some boxes of earth4 ,george1 you plant six kernels of corn one inch deep and mark the box with your name and the depth on it1 ,peter1 plant the next box with six kernels at two inches4 ,albert1 try three inches1 and ,jack1 four inches4 ,it will be your business1 ,myron1 to drop in here each half day and note the first appearance of corn in the different boxes4 ,the result of this experiment1 which took about two weeks in all1 was as follows3 ,,depth ,,of ,,planting ,,time ,,to ,,come ,,up #a in4 #h-a_/b days #b in4 #aj #c in4 #ab #d in4 #ac-a_/b ,this experiment showed the boys that seeds too deeply planted are hindered in progress4 ,myron1 you may take the floor now1 signalled ,jay4 ,i have worked out and printed for you the amount of seed necessary to plant a certain space4 ,i have printed my table just as ,george did4 ',h' stands for hills and ',d' means drills4 ,what is a drill8 asked ,philip4 ,why a drill is a furrow4 ,you can make a drill with a rake handle1 or a hoe4 ,we can show you better when we get outdoors1 ,philip1 ,myron answered quite condescendingly4 ,,myron',s ,,seed-,,estimate ,,table ,,name ,,method ,,of ,,planting ,,quantity ,,of ,,seed ,,hills ,,or ,,drills ,bean 7,bush7 ,d #a qt4 for #ajj;ft4 ,beet ,d #a oz4 #ej;ft4 ,cabbage ,h #a oz4 #bjjj plants ,carrot ,d #a oz4 #ajj ft4 ,corn ,h #a qt4 #ajj hills4 ,lettuce ,d #a oz4 #abj ft4 ,musk melon ,h #a oz4 #fj hills4 ,onion ,d #a oz4 #ajj ft4 ,parsley ,d #a oz4 #aej ft4 ,pea ,d #a oz4 #ajj ft4 ,pepper ,d #a oz4 #bjjj plants4 ,potato ,h #a peck #ajj hills4 ,pumpkin ,h #a oz4 #cj hills4 ,radish ,d #a oz4 #ajj ft4 ,tomato ,h #a oz4 #ajjj plants4 ,turnip ,d #a oz4 #aej ft4 ,this table is all right1 ,i suppose1 began ,philip1 but if a fellow doesn't know quite how far apart to plant his cabbage1 say1 ,i can't see how this table helps much4 ,i took it for granted1 ,myron answered1 that you fellows know a little about things4 ,but if a person didn't know what you ask1 ,philip1 ,i suppose this table isn't much good4 ,shall ,i call all the tables in1 ,chief8 ,not at all1 ,myron1 this is a good table so far as it goes4 ,next time each of you boys look up this matter4 ,perhaps you can work out a good scheme for such information4 ,now1 ,philip1 we'd like to hear about your shrub money and then we'll have time to see ,jack's coldframe plans1 before club time is over1 at which ,jay settled back in his chair as if club work was a strain on a fellow after all4 ,i may have one dollar to spend4 ,i have decided to buy three shrubs4 ,i shall plant one by itself2 the two others together in a clump4 ,i wanted forsythia1 but ,i have finally decided on ,japan snowball and ,van ,houtte's spirea4 ,why8 asked ,albert4 ,you see the forsythia shows up best against a dark background because of the bright yellow flowers4 ,i have no good setting for such a shrub4 ,then1 too1 it blossoms so very early in the spring1 in ,april you know1 that it seemed to me1 since ,i must plant this spring1 ,i'd disturb less a later flowering shrub4 ,i chose the ,japan snowball because it's less liable to have lice than some others and because it looks well all by itself on the lawn4 ,that spirea is a specially good variety of spirea because it does well almost anywhere1 and also it is very showy and the foliage is handsome all summer long4 ,some shrubs look scrubby after awhile4 ,where did you get all this knowledge1 ,philip8 asked ,albert1 half enviously4 ,i made it my business to know4 ,i hunted up shrubs in a catalogue1 then ,i called on a florist1 and we had a shrub talk together4 ,now1 ,i call that getting down to real work1 ,jay remarked4 ,philip looked happy and ,peter nearly tilted his chair over in his pleasure for he evidently felt the city was making good4 ,now1 ,jack1 bring on the coldframe4 ,i have my drawing right here1 began ,jack1 spreading it out on the table while the boys crowded about4 ,you look at the drawing as ,i explain4 ,myron and ,jay have promised to help me make it4 ,it will be a coldframe this year2 next fall ,i shall change it into a hotbed4 ,how8 broke in ,albert4 ,i shall dig out the soil from the coldframe4 ,then ,i shall put in two feet of manure and cover it with four inches of soil4 ,this spring about all ,i can do is to mix into the soil some well-rotted manure4 ,i guess ,i shall put in about three inches in all4 ,i guess ,i can explain1 continued ,jack1 delighted at this opportunity to air his newly acquired knowledge4 ,the ,chief has talked this over with me4 ,it all depends upon what you wish to use the frame for4 ,i want to use mine to get an early start this spring1 so ,i make the bed rich and depend on the sun's rays mostly for heat4 ,this1 then1 is a coldframe4 ,the sloping glass frame helps you see4 ,but next winter ,i hope to really get results out of this frame1 so ,i have to supply extra heat4 ,the layer of manure underneath gives this4 ,i then have a hotbed4 ,if ,i just wish to keep plants along1 ready to force next spring1 then the sun's rays would be enough for that work without the layer of heat4 ,i see1 thank you1 and why do you say layer of heat8 ,i should call it a layer of manure4 ,because it is heat1 isn't it8 ,and anyway real gardeners call it that4 ,we may as well use the right names2 don't you think so1 ,chief8 ,surely1 ,jack4 ,it's our business to know right terms4 ,each line of work has its own language4 ,jack has done a good piece of work so far4 ,we shall have most of our next meeting in the workshop4 ,jack1 ,myron and ,jay are going to work on this frame4 ,you other fellows will be able to make stakes and dibbers enough for the crowd4 ,what is a dibber8 asked ,albert4 ,that is for you to look up4 ,if you have any old rake or hoe handles bring them along for dibber making4 ,good-night1 boys4 ,off into the night they scampered--a jolly1 sound lot of lads4 ,v ,,the ,,workshop ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,garden ,before we go to the workshop we might take up the methods of planting our vegetables4 ,then if any fellow has worked out a table1 ,peter1 the star printer1 may strike off copies for all of us1 began ,jay1 after calling the meeting to order4 ,i'd be glad to hear from any of you fellows who have done anything on this matter4 ,all was quiet4 ,finally ,myron arose and began to read from a paper covered with writing4 ,the carrot--common name of the ,daucus ,carota--a biennial1 indigenous to ,europe1 believed by some botanists to have been derived from the common wild carrot4 ,where'd you copy that stuff8 ,no table can be made from that6 ,imagine a fellow out planting carrots and reading before he sows3 ,the carrot--a bi--bi what1 biped1 did you say1 ,myron8 ,albert chuckled away and ,myron dropped into his seat saying angrily1 ,i tried hard1 anyway4 ,it took me a whole evening to copy just the carrot4 ,i should think it might have4 ,has any fellow a really simple table8 ,i've worked at it1 ,peter replied modestly4 ,i think ,i have something here that will really be of use4 ,at this ,peter spread out on the big table a neat piece of work4 ,,peter',s ,,outdoor ,,planting ,,table ,,name ,,depth ,,to ,,distance ,,apart ,,plant ,,seeds ,,furrows ,bean 7,bush7 #b in4 #ab-bj in4 #c ft4 ,beet #a-a_/b in4 #d-i in4 #ab-ae in4 ,cabbage #a_/b in4 #bj-bd in4 #c ft4 ,corn #a-a_/b in4 #c ft4 #c-d ft4 7hills7 ,lettuce #a_/b in4 #f-h in4 #ab-ah in4 ,musk melon #a in4 #d-f ft4 #d-f ft4 7hills7 ,onion #a_/b in4 #d-ab in4 #aj-ab in4 ,parsley #a_/b in4 #f in4 #a ft4 ,pepper #a_/b in4 #ah in4 #b ft4 ,potato #e in4 #ab-ah in4 #bd-cf in4 7hills7 ,pumpkin #a-a_/b in4 #h-aj ft4 #h-aj ft4 7hills7 ,radish #a_/b in4 #c in4 #f-h in4 ,tomato #a_/b-a in4 #c ft4 #c ft4 7hills7 ,turnip #a_/b in4 #f in4 #ab in4 ,that's all right1 and ,the ,chief laid a hand on ,peter's shoulder and he smiled across at ,myron4 ,each one of you boys ought to know how to make a working plan of his garden4 ,i showed ,jack how to make his coldframe plan4 ,it is well done4 ,now gather about the table and ,i will make a plan of a supposed garden4 ,illustration3 ,,drawing ,i ,,drawing ,,ii ,,drawing ,,iii ,,drawing ,,iv ,this very simple plan of a garden1 used by ,the ,chief1 has in it the essentials for all your garden plan drawing4 ,follow each step as the boys did and you will be able to make a drawing of your own garden4 ,i will lend you mine and you might make a drawing of that1 craftily suggested ,albert4 ,no1 young man1 you are to make your own4 ,let us suppose for the sake of an easy problem that we claim our garden is to be on a square piece of land1 forty feet by forty feet4 ,in drawing to a scale1 one takes a certain small measure to stand for a foot4 ,if we take an inch to be a foot1 then the entire forty-foot length would have to be forty inches4 ,that is a pretty good large drawing4 ,let us take something smaller and say one-eighth of an inch equals a foot1 thus #a_/h in4 #a ft4 ,so we shall have a length and a width of five inches4 ,the first step in the actual drawing is to find the centre of your given piece of drawing paper4 ,see1 ,i just make short lines or portions of diagonals through the centre as shown right here in what ,i call ,drawing ,i4 ,draw a vertical line through the centre extending to the top and the bottom of the paper4 ,now draw a horizontal line through the centre to the extreme left and right of the sheet4 ,now measure up from the centre on the vertical line the half width of the garden4 ,if the centre is to stand for the centre of the garden1 then the garden itself would extend up1 down1 and to the right and left of its centre1 just #bj ft4 or #b-a_/b in4 in a plan with scale #a_/h in4 to #a ft4 ,so measure up from the centre along the vertical line just two and one-half inches and place a dot4 ,letter this dot ,a4 ,do this same thing down the vertical line and we have dot ,b4 ,also measure the same distance along the horizontal to left1 calling the dot ,d and along the right calling the last dot ,c4 ,now draw a horizontal line #e in4 long through ,a with #b-a_/b in4 either side of the dot4 ,this gives you one side of your garden or a #dj-;ft4 length4 ,do a similar thing through dot ,b4 ,through ,c and ,d draw similar lines4 ,we now have the outline of our garden of #dj ft4 square4 ,we have on our paper1 though1 a square #e x #e in4 ,i have decided to have a circular bed in the centre of the garden which shall be #aj ft4 in diameter4 ,therefore1 the radius of the circle should be #e ft4 or #e_/h in4 ,get a pair of compasses for that1 ,jack4 ,now ,i shall swing the circle4 ,but ,i wish a #b-;ft4 path all about this circular garden4 ,if the path is #b ft41 then ,i must set my compasses on #b_/h in4 more or now make the #e_/h in4 into #g_/h in4 ,let us swing another circle with the same point as a centre4 ,it strikes me that if ,i should lay my garden out into four squares1 the combination of squares1 central circles and straight main paths would look incongruous4 ,so ,i shall cut the central points of the four square beds off by swinging circles4 ,have patience and you will see1 for the general plan is in my mind just as it ought to be in the mind of any person who is to make a garden4 ,now swing another circle with a radius of #a in41 and still another the radius of which shall be #a-a_/h in4 ,now we come to stage two of this working drawing 7,drawing ,,ii74 ,i wish a #d-;ft4 path going down to the centre bed from the points ,a1 ,b1 ,c and ,d4 ,place your ruler1 ,jay1 on point ,a1 for you may draw now4 ,measure to the right of ,a #a_/d in4 and to the left #a_/d in41 and place dots at these points4 ,you have the width of your #d-;ft4 paths4 ,do this same thing at points ,b1 ,c and ,d4 ,number these points #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 #g and #h4 ,with very light lines connect points #a and #c1 #b and #d1 #e and #g1 #f and #h4 ,where the line #a-c cuts the second circle from the centre1 letter the intersections ,e and ,f4 ,the intersections of #b-d mark ,g and ,h1 of #e-g ,i and ,j1 and of #f-h ,n and ,l4 ,you now see the outline of these paths running through the garden4 ,let us border each path with two #a-;ft4 borders4 ,so place the ruler at point #a and mark off two #a_/h in4 spaces by dots4 ,do the same at points #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 #g and #h4 ,connect the opposite dots by light lines4 ,now let ,george take the third stage 7,drawing ,,iii74 ,go right over the inside circle so as to make it stand out boldly4 ,strengthen line #a to ,e1 #b to ,g1 #c to ,f1 #d to ,h1 #e to ,i1 #f to ,n1 #g to ,j and #h to ,l4 ,now these circles should be strengthened and lines erased that interfere4 ,that leaves curve ,,ei1 ,,gj1 ,,lh1 and ,,fn standing out clearly4 ,you see in the drawing one-half the garden plan erased and all right4 ,after ,myron has erased every line 7,drawing ,,iv71 you will see the garden plan in all its neatness4 ,place the measurements on the drawing4 ,it looks well1 does it not1 boys8 ,these are the steps4 ,any of you can work out your plan if you have one to work out4 ,now boys1 for the shop6 ,myron1 ,jay and ,jack are to work on the coldframe4 ,peter will have an evening's work printing this planting table4 ,albert will tell us the use of the dibber and make you one each from all these old handles4 ,albert1 assuming a grand oratorical manner1 gave the boys the benefit of his search for knowledge4 ,a dibber is a pointed tool1 usually a stick1 used to make holes for planting seeds1 bulbs1 setting out plants and transplanting of seedlings4 ,off they all trooped to a little workshop back of the man's home4 ,soon the boys were hard at work1 sawing1 whittling1 and setting up type4 ,illustration3 ,a sturdy dibber4 ,this needs no directions for the making4 ,the cut tells the story4 ,here are directions for what the boys made4 ,,directions ,,for ,,making ,a ,,coldframe ,hemlock was the wood ,jack used4 ,the lumber for sides and ends is one inch thick while strips marked ,a and ,b are one and one-fourth inches thick4 ,cut out pieces #ad in4 x #e ft4 #g in41 and #aj in4 x #e ft4 #g in41 for the back and the front4 ,cut two pieces #ad x #cf in4 and shape them according to drawing for the ends4 ,nail these four pieces together to form the frame4 ,the sides should be nailed to the ends4 ,use ten-penny nails and drive them slantingly4 ,illustration3 ,,working ,,sketch ,,of ,,hotbed ,jack's working drawing of his hotbed4 ,this was to serve for a coldframe temporarily4 ,saw out strips ,a two inches wide and as long as the slanting edge of the end of the frame4 ,be careful with this measurement not to measure the slanting edge of the end piece only1 but to include with it the thickness of both front and back pieces4 ,saw out two more pieces two inches wide and as long as the frame is wide at the bottom4 ,make strip ,b #b-a_/b in4 x #e ft4 #g in4 ,lay out notches marked ,a by dividing top and bottom edges of front and back into three equal spaces4 ,cut notches to receive strips marked ,a4 ,nail strips ,a in place1 also ,b4 ,to make a neat piece of work the ends of strips ,a should be planed slightly slanting to make them exactly even1 or flush with front and back boards4 ,the real object of strips ,a is to keep the frame from bulging at the centre4 ,jack had three common single window sashes1 #bb-;in4 x #c ft4 which made an excellent cover for the frame4 ,these should be placed in position and fastened to strip ,b with two-inch butts4 ,notice the sashes project over the front so as to carry the water away from the frame4 ,the sash should be fastened to the frame1 putty side out4 ,,garden ,,stake ,the stake may be made of soft wood or hard4 ,it is a good one to use in staking off the garden4 ,it is entirely a piece of knife work4 ,the dimensions are clearly given on the working plan4 ,if the stake is made #ab inches instead of #ad inches1 it may be used as a foot rule in measuring off furrows4 ,illustration3 ,a heavy stake like this one1 ,jack used in marking off his drills4 ,it is adapted to just such work4 ,,the ,,boy',s ,,garden ,,reel ,a piece of wood 7ash is suitable for this work71 #aa-c_/h x #d-a_/b x #a_/b in4 is needed4 ,draw pencil lines lengthwise and widthwise through the centre of this piece4 ,from the centre measure out one inch in both directions1 placing dots4 ,these give the central points for centre cut4 ,measure from the four corners of the piece #c inches along the length4 ,connect by line the opposite dots4 ,this gives the line marked #d-a_/b in4 in the diagram4 ,it shows the beginning of the cut to the centre line4 ,one inch above these lines draw other lines straight across the wood4 ,find centre of these4 ,place a dot one-half inch on both sides of each from centre4 ,this gives the one-inch end cuts4 ,cut this up to one-half inch of each corner4 ,this makes a large substantial garden reel4 ,illustration3 ,made of hard wood this reel will last forever4 ,a ,,plant ,,stool ,,or ,,tabouret ,the materials needed are four pieces #ah x #c x #g_/h in4 planed1 for legs2 one piece #ad x #ad x #g_/h in41 planed1 top2 two pieces #h-a_/b x #a-c_/d x #g_/h in41 planed1 lower braces2 one piece #h-a_/b x #h-a_/b x #g_/h in41 planed1 upper brace4 ,use chestnut1 white wood1 white oak1 mahogany1 cherry or birch4 ,you will need also #b-;in4 blued screws1 round head1 for fastenings4 ,illustration3 ,this looks like a pretentious piece of woodwork for a lad to make4 ,george did not think so4 ,the construction is simple4 ,note the good lines4 ,to construct the stool make with the two #h-a_/b x #a-c_/d x #g_/h in4 pieces the lower braces1 a lap joint4 ,find the mid-line of each piece by measuring #d-a_/d in4 from the ends4 ,from this line lay off two other lines parallel to it and at a distance of #g_/h in4 to the right and left4 ,this makes a #a-c_/d in4 square in the centre of each piece4 ,now transfer these lines down the edges of the lower brace pieces4 ,saw on the inside of the lines down one-half the thickness or saw and chisel down to one-half4 ,it is necessary to saw on the inside of the lines or a loose joint will result4 ,the joint must be exactly in the middle and all arms must be equal in length when completed4 ,brads or finishing nails should be used to hold the joint in place4 ,this lower brace is #g in4 up from the floor or bottom of the stool4 ,in the picture the screws1 which hold the brace1 show plainly4 ,now lay off an octagon1 with a diameter of #h-a_/b in4 on the #h-a_/b x #h-a_/b x #g_/h in4 piece1 sawing off the corner pieces so as to just fit the leg4 ,glue and screw this to the under sides of the top piece1 placing the grain across that of the top wood4 ,warping is thus prevented4 ,this brace acts as a support to which the upper ends of the legs are firmly screwed and glued4 ,a #c_/af in4 gimlet hole should be bored for each screw or the wood will split4 ,the holes should not be deeper than #a-a_/b in4 if the screws are to hold firmly4 ,try drawing the screws across a cake of soap and see if they will not be applied more easily4 ,to be sure that the legs go on exactly rigid it would be well to draw lines diagonally through the centre of the under surface of the top piece4 ,the legs are to be attached at right angles to these diagonals4 ,after the legs are screwed to the upper and lower braces sandpaper the entire stool4 ,do this lengthwise to the grain1 never across4 ,then stain and wax4 ,,vi ,,what ,,the ,,girls ,,made ,,winter ,,evenings ,while the boys were making their pieces of garden apparatus the girls were at work also4 ,they met with ,the ,chief at ,katharine's house and made a number of pieces of garden apparatus4 ,the directions for making these are given so that other children may make some too4 ,,directions ,,for ,,making ,,seed ,,envelopes ,cut paper #g-a_/b in4 by #e-c_/d in42 place it the long way of the paper going from front to back of the desk or table at which you work4 ,measure from the upper left corner down #a-c_/d in41 and place point #a2 #c-a_/d in4 farther down place point #b4 ,measure from the upper right corner down #a-c_/d in4 and place point #c2 #c-a_/d in4 farther down place point #d4 ,measure from the upper left corner toward the right #a-a_/d in4 and place point #e2 #c-c_/d in4 farther toward the right place point #f4 ,measure from the lower left corner toward the right #a-a_/d in41 and place point #g2 #c-c_/d in4 farther toward the right place point #h4 ,illustration3 ,,pattern ,,for ,,seed ,,envelope ,katharine made this seed envelope of rather stiff paper ,so it was of real service ,draw dotted lines through #a and #c1 #b and #d1 #e and #g1 #f and #h4 ,measure #a_/d in4 toward the right from points #e and #g and place a dot4 ,draw full lines toward the left to the intersection of the dotted lines4 ,measure #a_/d in4 down from #a and #c1 and place dots4 ,draw full lines upward to the intersection of the dotted lines4 ,measure #a_/d in4 up from points #b and #d1 place dots1 and draw full lines downward to the intersection of the dotted lines4 ,draw a full line from points #f and #h to the intersection of dotted lines4 ,cut on full lines4 ,fold on dotted lines4 ,fold ,a1 ,b1 and ,c1 in this order1 and paste1 leaving ,d for flap to be pasted down when the envelope has been filled with seeds4 ,,dimensions ,,of ,,markers ,the right marker is #c-a_/b in4 long4 ,the distance from head to central point of notch is #a_/b in4 ,the distance between notches1 or from the central point of one notch across the marker to the central point of the other1 is #c_/h in4 ,the width is #a_/b in4 and the thickness #a_/h in4 ,the middle marker is #d-a_/b in4 long1 #a_/b in4 wide1 and #a-a_/af in4 thick4 ,allow about #e_/h in4 for the pointing at the end4 ,the left marker is rather larger and stronger2 it1 too1 may be pointed and not notched1 so acting as a good pot-marker4 ,make it #e ins4 long1 #g_/h in4 wide1 and #c_/ae in4 thick4 ,the line between the notches measures #e_/h in4 and is #a in4 from the top of the marker4 ,illustration3 ,such labels as these1 made of thin wood1 serve as plant labels as well as being useful in the outdoor garden ,a ,,garden ,,sieve--,,materials #b small boards #ac x #b-a_/b x #a_/b in4 #b small boards #g x #b-a_/b x #a_/b in4 #b strips of wood #ab x #a_/b x #a_/d in4 #b strips of wood #h x #a_/b x #a_/d in4 ,fine wire netting #ac x #h in4 ,illustration3 ,josephine's box had too limited a drainage area ,illustration3 ,make a flat like this one of ,eloise's and so provide plenty of drainage space ,make the framework of a box without a lid1 using the #ac-;inch pieces for the sides and #g-;inch pieces for ends1 putting the ends between the side pieces4 ,use the wire netting for the bottom of the box1 nailing it on with the strips of wood4 ,paint the sieve with two coats of dark green paint4 ,a ,,bulb ,,flat ,the dimensions of the box are the same as those for the sieve except for the depth1 which is three inches instead of two and a half inches4 ,of course the bottom is wood with three drainage holes bored in it4 ,a flat may be constructed without the drainage holes as shown in the cut4 ,in this case make the bottom of small pieces of wood leaving an inch space between each piece4 ,this is ,eloise's kind of a bulb box4 ,a ,,gathering ,,basket ,,for ,,flowers ,the materials needed are3 #h spokes1 #aj ins4 long1 of number #f reed4 #c weavers of number #b reed4 #ab weavers of number #c reed4 #ca spokes1 #bj in4 long1 of number #d reed4 ,directions4--,split four spokes of number #f reed exactly in the centre1 and slip the remaining four through the slits in the first group4 ,illustration3 ,this is the basket made and used by ,katharine4 ,it is a gathering basket just right for fruit and short-stemmed flowers ,double a number #b weaver and slip the loop over the upper vertical group and with the pairing weave go around each group four times4 ,next1 separate the spokes in groups of two and continue the pairing weave until four more rows have been woven in4 ,then separate the spokes by ones and weave until the diameter is #d-a_/b in4 ,cut all off that remains of the number #b weaver1 and insert #c weavers of number #c reed4 ,continue with the triple weave to a diameter of #i in4 ,cut off the ends of the spokes and insert #ca spokes1 #bj in4 long1 of number #d reed2 one on each side of the spokes1 except the first2 in this instance insert but one4 ,use the side which has been next the weaver for the inside of the basket1 letting rough ends come on the outside of the basket4 ,turn the spokes up1 and hold in place with one row of quadruple1 weave over three spokes and back of one1 using the number #c reed4 ,with the same reed put in eleven rows of plain weave1 over one spoke and under the next4 ,next1 one row of quadruple and follow with seven rows of double weave1 over two and under one1 and finish with one row of quadruple weave4 ,for the first row of the border carry number #a spoke back to number #b spoke1 or the next spoke at the right1 and out2 number #b spoke back of number #c1 and out4 ,continue once around the basket4 ,for the second row carry number #a spoke over number #b and #c1 and down2 number #b over #c and #d and down1 and so on around4 ,for the third row carry number #a over number #b and down2 number #b over number #c and down4 ,this may be continued until you have formed a roll over the entire edge4 ,if handles are desired1 on each side of the basket insert a piece of number #i reed for the foundation of these4 ,the end of a number #c weaver is woven in at the left of the foundation under the third row from the top of the basket1 and the long end of the weaver is twisted around the foundation to the other side of the handle4 ,here it is pushed down inside the basket on one side of the handle and over again on the other side of the handle1 three rows from the top1 making a loop inside4 ,the weaver is then laid close beside the first twist and follows it across to the opposite side4 ,now it goes in under the third row on the left of the handle and out on the right side4 ,each row of twisting must follow close beside the last4 ,six or seven rows will cover the foundation4 ,the end is fastened off by bringing it inside the basket again where it is cut off4 ,this flower basket may be made without the handles4 ,but they add much to it without being a great deal of extra work4 ,a ,,sundial ,take two pieces of the wood you have chosen3 ,a1 #f-a_/b x #f-a_/b x #a_/d in4 and ,b1 #g x #g-a_/b x #a_/d in4 ,construction4--,true up each piece to the given dimensions1 and sandpaper carefully4 ,be careful to stroke the wood always with the grain--never across the fibres4 ,illustration3 ,dee's sundial kept fairly accurate time4 ,it is a real ornament to the garden4 ,illustration3 ,gnomon pattern just one-half actual size ,next make a shadow-piece1 or gnomon1 as it is called4 ,get a thin piece of the same kind of wood as is used in piece ,a1 and lay it out as follows3 ,with the fibres running in the direction ,,ab1 beginning at point ,a construct an angle equal to the latitude of the place where the dial is to be used4 ,for example1 if the latitude of a town is #da degrees construct the angle ,d #da degrees1 or if it is #db degrees1 let ,d be #db degrees4 ,then cut from ,a to ,c1 and sandpaper carefully4 ,take the wooden shadow-piece and fasten it to the centre of piece ,a4 ,fasten by two brads or small nails about #c_/d inch or #a inch long1 or glue it4 ,place piece ,a over piece ,b so that a margin of #a_/d in4 will be left on all sides4 ,place ,a so that the fibres will run at right angles to ,b to prevent the boards from warping4 ,these two pieces may be fastened together by driving a brad in each corner1 or gluing1 or both4 ,,pot-,,rest ,use almost any kind of wood1 as white wood1 cherry or white oak4 ,two pieces of wood #h x #a_/b x #a-a_/b in4 are needed for the cross pieces4 ,these should be planed4 ,there are needed also four little pieces as feet or pads4 ,the dimensions of these should be #a-a_/b x #a-a_/b x #a_/b in4 ,to make this stand1 draw a line across the two long pieces #d inches from either end4 ,lay off two other lines parallel to this #e_/h inch to the right and left4 ,transfer these lines down the edges by the aid of the try square4 ,saw on the inside of these lines down one half the thickness1 or #a_/d inch4 ,chisel out for a half-lap joint4 ,illustration3 ,a pot-rest like the above is worth making because it lasts ,the sawing and chiseling should be done carefully4 ,it is necessary to saw on the inside of the lines or a loose joint will be had4 ,doubling the passage of the saw through the wood will often make the difference of #a_/h inch4 ,after these are made to fit1 the upper ends may be rounded down by chisel and compasses1 or bevelled1 using the plane4 ,use #g_/h-;inch brads or finishing nails1 four in each pad or foot to fasten pads to the arms4 ,the pads should project #a_/h inch from ends and sides4 ,to finish the work nicely so the rest will both look well and stand exposure1 apply a suitable stain4 ,allow it to stand at least thirty minutes4 ,then rub down with a cloth to an even stain4 ,it is better to allow the stain to stand a day or so4 ,this gives time for the stain to set before applying the wax4 ,otherwise1 some of the stain will be loosened and removed when waxing and a lighter shade of stain will result4 ,,plant ,,jardini,,re ,the measurements are easy since the scale is one-half inch4 ,that is1 as you measure the line in the working plan you allow one whole inch for every one-half inch you measure on that4 ,so1 if a line measures three and one-half inches1 make the line for your box seven inches4 ,this is the real height of the box4 ,notice some lines have their real measures given at the side4 ,directions for making are as follows3 ,fold a piece of paper large enough for one of the sides and sketch one-half the outline on one of the folds4 ,cut to line and then draw the other half4 ,this will give perfect balance4 ,cut two pieces of wood from this pattern by placing it on the wood and tracing4 ,illustration3 ,from the ruler you can read off the exact size of the jardinire ,draw a line parallel to each side #c_/h inch in on the pattern for a new pattern for the other two sides4 ,these sides will need to be #c_/d inch narrower1 #c_/h inch on each side1 as they must fit between the other two sides4 ,if wood of different thickness is used it will be double the thickness4 ,use a coping saw to cut out the base4 ,the tapering sides may be cut to lines by saw1 plane or chisel4 ,the curve at the base may be bored by #a_/b-;inch auger1 and in this way a better curve may be had4 ,illustration3 ,helena used a scale of #a_/b inch in the construction of this jardinire ,so the plan is very easy to work from ,use #a-a_/d-;inch brads or finishing nails4 ,a little glue added will make a firmer box4 ,a much larger box after the same pattern will make a beautiful holder for a larger plant or shrub1 using1 of course1 thicker wood4 ,two small cleats should be nailed and glued from the inside to support a bottom4 ,the bottom will give better service if it does not entirely fill the space4 ,let it be the proper length but allow a space of an inch on both sides for dirt and leaves to fall through and out4 ,chestnut was the wood ,helena used4 ,it was stained and later waxed and polished4 ,a beautiful permanent brown stain may be had on chestnut or white oak by applying strong ammonia to it with a brush and later sandpapering down and waxing4 ,white wood is another good wood to use1 but a stain will have to be applied to white wood1 as ammonia will not act on it4 ,a strong solution of permanganate of potash put on with a brush will darken any wood2 it has no fumes4 ,,vii ,,improving ,,the ,,school ,,grounds ,during the first days of early spring ,the ,chief and his boy assistants looked over the school grounds to see what should be done for its improvement4 ,the school was situated on a triangular piece of land right in the fork of two roads4 ,the land was elevated2 so much so that the building stood on a real slope2 it was practically a road bank4 ,this slope was washed by spring rains leaving large rocks exposed to view4 ,the country road was especially poor at this section4 ,there were deep gullies in it2 the gutters were full of leaves and rock4 ,about the school building was a comparatively level spot covered with rock4 ,no trees grew here2 a little grass struggled up each year1 soon to lose heart and die4 ,it seems to me1 said ,albert thrusting his hands deep down into his pockets1 that we have our life work here4 ,not at all1 announced ,the ,chief1 this is just the sort of thing which confronts most country schools4 ,sitting on a rock ,the ,chief gathered his clan in solemn conclave4 ,at the close of the conference ,jay marched into the schoolhouse and wrote the following headings on the board3 ,i4 ,constructing a wall to form an embankment4 ,,ii4 ,cleaning the grounds and making a lawn4 ,,iii4 ,planting of trees4 ,,iv4 ,preparation and planting of the flower garden4 ,v4 ,cleaning and mending the road4 ,these headings represented the general lines of work the conclave had decided were the right ones1 the most pressing ones to begin on4 ,first all the stones were picked up4 ,the smaller boys and girls made little heaps of the small stones1 while the larger rocks1 requiring strength to move1 were left to the older boys and girls4 ,to some rocks the boys were obliged to take the pickaxe and crowbar4 ,these were rolled1 dragged and carted to the gutter at the bottom of the bank4 ,a sand bank of this description where the wash is great always needs an embankment of some sort to hold the soil in place4 ,so the boys built a stone wall4 ,they made this wall of the stones picked from the grounds4 ,first the height was decided on4 ,this was to be two feet4 ,they drove stakes1 one at the beginning1 and so on for every five feet of extent4 ,after leveling1 two inches was measured from top of each stake down and a cord was strung along from stake to stake4 ,previously1 to be sure that the stakes were at the same level1 one of the boys1 squatting down on the ground so that his eye was on a level with the stake nearest him1 looked or sighted along the stakes4 ,where one stake seemed to rise up above the others it was hammered down a little to fall into line4 ,thus a straight line or top level for the wall was obtained4 ,the wall itself was not difficult to build4 ,it meant only the selection of stones and firming them into place4 ,close to the wall there was a strip of level land2 then the slope arose from this quite gently4 ,after the stones were picked off the boys raked the ground all over fine1 free from lumps and small stones4 ,one evening in the village store ,george's father offered to plough and harrow the entire grounds if ,jack's father would give the grass seed4 ,the bargain was sealed4 ,but after all1 this sandy soil was no sort of soil to plant grass seed in4 ,the father of one of the girls gave to the school a few loads of good soil4 ,this was spread over the slope to a depth of about a foot4 ,again they raked it all over smooth1 filling in and making as pleasing a grade as possible4 ,the ,chief told them it would have been far better if they could have had two feet of good soil4 ,grass needs all of that4 ,another way to have improved the soil conditions would have been to plant corn or potatoes on this ground for one year4 ,with such a crop the boys and girls would have been constantly working it1 stirring it up4 ,this improves soil4 ,after the soil was spread the next thing was to make it firm4 ,this was done in three ways4 ,one day the teacher decided that for gymnastic work they might all turn out and tramp the soil4 ,up the bank they stamped1 then down by the old drive to the road again1 and up the bank4 ,another way was by using tamping sticks4 ,the boys made these sticks from old broom handles1 to the ends of which they fitted solid pieces of board about ten inches square4 ,some were merely nailed upon the ends of the broom handle2 but this method was insecure4 ,the others were made with holes in the centre of the boards of the same diameter as the handles4 ,these sticks were used to tamp the soil or spank it down4 ,but on the day when an old farmer1 stopping to watch the work1 offered his roller1 there was great rejoicing4 ,between classes1 during recesses and at any odd time the slope was rolled4 ,one boy in the very beginning pushed the roller but not after that1 for when it was explained to him he understood why he should pull the roller4 ,first1 because pulled there are no foot prints left2 and secondly1 one slips and makes bad places on the lawn when pushing4 ,next came the seed sowing4 ,the allowance of seed was one quart to each #cjj square feet4 ,jack's father chuckled when his son refused absolutely the variety he offered him4 ,no1 sir1 ,i do not wish ,kentucky ,blue ,grass4 ,it takes three years to get good results from it4 ,the results are all right4 ,thanks1 murmured the highly entertained father4 ,we can't wait three years1 we must have speedy results4 ,i wish a recleaned mixture1 and no chaff in it4 ,very well1 young man1 ,i wish to know two things3 ,first1 where did you get your knowledge8 ,and second1 where does my pay come in8 ,the ,chief told me what book to read to understand about lawns4 ,as for the pay1 you made your bargain with ,george's father4 ,anyway ,i should think it would be pay enough to see a fine lawn in a public place made from your grass seed4 ,right you are1 young man4 ,go on1 read and read4 ,but remember to work as well4 ,they chose a rather cloudy day for the planting1 and a day when the wind did not blow4 ,grass seed is so fine it will blow all about if the wind is stirring4 ,grass seed is sown broadcast1 that is1 scattered by the hand4 ,it is not sown in drills4 ,it was a pleasure to watch the sowing1 for it was done right4 ,first1 the sowing hand was held low1 the person stooping down4 ,some seed was taken with the fingers4 ,then the sowing arm was swung freely in a semi-circle4 ,after going over the ground once1 a second sowing was made at right angles to the first4 ,a second relay of boys and girls came out and raked the sown ground all over4 ,a third relay then rolled the ground4 ,do you see that there was little opportunity then for the seed being blown off the surface of the ground8 ,the children were delighted when a gentle rain1 followed by several warm days came right after the sowing4 ,a soaking rain or a series of cold damp days might have spoiled the work4 ,the only way to have a good lawn from a poor piece of land is to do a thorough piece of work4 ,patching up means constant patching4 ,the paths and driveway to the school were just rock masses4 ,the first thing was to clear out all the rock4 ,then loads of ashes were brought from the houses of the different children4 ,all the parents were glad to get rid of the ash-dumps in the backyards4 ,all kinds of carts were brought into use4 ,for a week no boy dared appear without a load of ashes4 ,all these ashes were dumped into the drive and paths4 ,then the whole ash layer was rolled and rolled4 ,it finally made a good solid kind of walk4 ,it was the business of the tree-planting committee to have two saplings ready by ,arbor ,day and to know themselves just how to plant4 ,in the start of this work1 committees had been formed4 ,now these committees were supposed to know exactly how to do the work and to procure the necessary material for it4 ,it was not the duty of the committee to do all the work2 by no means1 or the others would not have known how to work4 ,two trees were to be planted1 one little maple near the building2 another1 a buttonball tree1 down on the lower grade4 ,a maple was chosen because it was easy to get from the woods and also because the maple is such a good all-round tree4 ,then later1 because of a cold wind exposure on one side of the schoolhouse it was decided to plant a screen of little poplar trees4 ,this was to shut off an unsightly view which could not be remedied in any other way4 ,one of the girls on the tree committee suggested a poplar in place of the maple4 ,she was voted down4 ,now if quick results had been wished1 of course the poplar would have been the tree to have chosen4 ,that was why the poplars were chosen for screening purposes4 ,but for permanence the maple1 the oak1 the buttonball are all better4 ,the poplar shoots up quickly1 to be sure1 but again it sheds its leaves early in the season4 ,its life is not as long as the oak's4 ,there are more reasons1 too4 ,but if you must have quick results1 here is a trick4 ,plant first a poplar then a maple or some other tree and so on4 ,later the poplars may be cut out and you have left the fine sturdy1 long-lived trees4 ,at the same time the poplars have tided over that in-between period4 ,we sometimes weary of waiting for an oak to grow sizable4 ,the tree planting was left until ,may because of the state ,arbor ,day4 ,the maple and buttonball or plane-tree were dug up by the boys in the woods the morning of ,arbor ,day4 ,the trees were chosen from a rather open part of the wood4 ,it is better to choose trees from the open places than from the denser woods4 ,trees thus selected are far more likely to grow on being transplanted into a place similar to that from which they came4 ,the boys chose trees about five feet tall4 ,the smaller the tree the better4 ,the following directions were the ones agreed upon3 7#a7 ,dig a hole large enough and deep enough to accommodate the roots without cramping4 ,allow so that the tree shall sit one inch lower than it did before4 7#b7 ,place the topsoil on one side of the hole2 on the other the poorer subsoil4 ,if the topsoil is very poor1 get some good1 rich1 black soil4 7#c7 ,place good soil in the bottom of the hole4 7#d7 ,put the tree on this layer1 spreading the roots out carefully4 7#e7 ,shovel rich soil over the roots4 ,see that it goes in between the roots4 ,don't be afraid to use your fingers for this work4 7#f7 ,the poorer soil goes in on top4 7#g7 ,tramp the soil down with your feet1 making firm about the tree trunk4 7#h7 ,if the planting comes late in the warm weather make the soil into a soft mud with plenty of water1 in this form washing it in between and about the roots1 all roots and rootlets come in direct contact with the mud4 7#i7 ,last of all cut the tree back1 shortening the larger branches about one-quarter their length4 ,after planting the boys kept the trees soaked with water1 thus making it possible for the young saplings to have plenty of water4 ,as the spring went on the little maple prospered but the plane-tree started to put out a few sickly looking leaves and finally died in midsummer4 ,just what was the trouble8 ,supposedly these two trees were planted according to the same directions4 ,it finally came out that the boys who planted the plane-tree had not cut off the bruised rootlets4 ,these rootlets being in a bad condition rotted and affected the entire root4 ,another mistake was the failure of the boys to put the good soil about the roots1 and they had made the hole a little too small for the entire root area4 ,well1 it simply went to show that such a piece of work must be done right and carefully1 if success is to be certain4 ,these were the reasons why our boys lost one of their ,arbor ,day trees4 ,the ,chief told the children that it might have been done over then1 but that spring was the better time1 because the transplanted tree has the good long feeding season ahead of it1 and therefore has an opportunity to get over the shock and to get accustomed to its new surroundings before winter is on4 ,trees planted in the fall should not be cut back4 ,leave this until the next spring4 ,the children wished later that they had used something else for a screen4 ,the poplar trees grew fast but of course did not fill out as evergreens and shrubs do4 ,so1 after all1 the hedge of shrubs would have acted as a better screen4 ,had they chosen evergreens these would have made a better wind-break in the winter season for the exposure was north1 cold1 and windy4 ,such work1 though1 is worth while1 because we learn so many better ways of doing things4 ,the flower garden was almost entirely the girls' work4 ,in the first place the school had no money4 ,seeds do cost something4 ,but the amount of seed which can be purchased for one dollar is amazing4 ,peter's grandfather1 hearing of the school's needs1 gave a dollar4 ,this was money enough to buy seeds of ageratum1 zinnia1 dwarf nasturtium1 ,california poppy and verbena besides some others4 ,most schools have interested friends4 ,all along the sides and front of the schoolhouse close to the building the nasturtiums were planted4 ,the ground was hard packed4 ,the plough had left the soil untouched near the building4 ,so the boys spaded this up4 ,all the stone was picked out4 ,good soil was brought from the woods1 fertilizer from the barn and it was all worked thoroughly in4 ,stakes had to be made4 ,an easy stake to make is one from a lath4 ,mark off #ah-;inch lengths or such lengths as are required4 ,make one end pointed for about six inches2 sandpaper4 ,you have a good stake1 that is1 a good temporary one4 ,these were driven in to the outer edge of these nasturtium strips at distances of four feet and strung with three cords four inches apart4 ,the cords should be carried about the stakes in a groove made for this purpose4 ,thus the cord will be held and not slip up or down4 ,thus strung off1 border beds will not be stepped on or run over by cats and dogs4 ,the nasturtiums were planted four inches apart1 in drills one foot apart4 ,just two rows were planted4 ,the first row was six inches from the front edge1 then a foot space left1 then another drill4 ,finally one foot was left between that and the foundation of the building4 ,the girls of the fourth grade made the drills with the hoe handle4 ,the children of the first and second grades cut out pieces of paper in inch lengths4 ,four of these placed along in a row gave the right distance for planting the seeds4 ,the nasturtium seeds were soaked over night4 ,and since the soil was warm and mellow1 it helped4 ,along the walks ageratum was planted in the following manner to serve as a border4 ,a drill was made as if for lettuce planting4 ,the seeds were sown in the same way as for that vegetable4 ,when the plants were an inch high they were thinned to six inches apart4 ,the zinnia was planted according to ,helen's way of planting and told by her under the girls' planting in a later chapter4 ,the verbenas1 as the other flowers1 were planted in early ,may4 ,they were planted one-fourth inch deep and six inches apart in drills one foot apart4 ,the poppy bed was made fine1 very fine1 by much raking4 ,then the seed was sown as the grass seed was1 that is1 by the method we term broadcast sowing4 ,these plants were thinned later so as to stand about eight inches apart4 ,but the plants thinned out were not used again1 for these poppies will not stand transplanting4 ,this bed was simply one gorgeous red in ,august4 ,in the early spring days the gutters were cleaned out thoroughly4 ,the road patching was quite a different matter4 ,these country roads1 like those of many places1 were just dirt roads4 ,now earth is poor material for road construction4 ,but if drainage is properly looked out for1 and the earth road is smooth from rolling1 earth roads make1 after all1 fine roads for summer travel4 ,it was suggested that rock be filled in1 and the earth over this4 ,but when the boys considered how deep cuts would be formed in such a mend by wagon wheels1 this was given up4 ,then it was decided to fill in with layers of rock mass4 ,myron brought a load of slate for this purpose4 ,but slate1 while it makes a smooth road1 does not stand wet weather well4 ,so ,myron had to return his slate to the road-side bed from which he had taken it4 ,then ,the ,chief told the children briefly about road materials2 how soft limestone makes too weak roads for loads1 how easily they wash and wear2 how granite1 because of its being made up of several materials1 is poor1 too2 how flint and quartz1 while hard1 are brittle1 and are not sufficiently tough2 and that sandstone was impossible4 ,then he told them that good gravel1 tough limestone and trap-rock were good road materials4 ,roads need materials having hardness1 toughness and cementing qualities4 ,by taking a trip to a gravel bed1 some three miles out of town1 the boys were able to get gravel for their patchwork4 ,they did not merely fill in the breaks but dug out the road bed straight across wherever a break occurred until they came to good road4 ,coarse gravel was put at the bottom up to six inches of the top surface4 ,this was packed down and rolled4 ,at the same time it was watered until mud rose or flushed over the top surface4 ,finally pebbles from about a half-inch size to coarse sand were laid on and rolled thoroughly4 ,this is the way these lads fixed one piece of poor roadway4 ,it happened that one of the farmers near by tethered his cow on the school grounds during the summer4 ,one of the girls gave a workable solution for this problem4 ,this was it3 the boys should come back in relays all summer long and keep the grass so short that no cow could get a nibble from their new lawn4 ,this was done and it worked4 ,when the subject of the care of the flower garden arose it was easily settled4 ,the girls gladly divided themselves off into committees4 ,each committee's business was that of weeding1 picking and distributing the flowers4 ,the prophecy that there would be blossoms enough to supply the homes1 the churches and the sick proved true4 ,to be sure the garden did not look so well in the fall as in early summer1 but it took only a short time to fix up the grounds when school re-opened4 ,plans were made for another spring during the first weeks of school4 ,the lawn would need a little more work done on it1 an oak should be planted1 a group of shrubs put in4 ,but the foundation work had been done4 ,and one day when the news was brought that the town was going to put the first strip of real macadam road by the schoolhouse1 a deafening shout went up4 ,,viii ,,myron',s ,,strawberry ,,bed ,one fine day in early ,april ,myron spaded up his strawberry bed4 ,the bed was made in a sunny spot1 on moist but not soggy soil1 land excellent for strawberry culture because the year before it was part of a potato field4 ,following ,the ,chief's advice he had spread over the bed only a very light covering of well-rotted manure4 ,myron first measured off his garden bed driving stakes in at the four corners4 ,then he strung off the bed with stout garden cord4 ,now1 he said to himself1 ,i know exactly what ,i have to do4 ,then going to one corner of the space with his back toward all the rest of the bed he began his work4 ,illustration3 ,photographs by ,edward ,mahoney ,the ,way the ,chief ,taught ,his ,boys to ,handle ,tools ,he had a fine spading fork which he had bought a few days before4 ,grasping the top of the handle with his right hand1 with the left midway down the handle1 he pressed the prongs of the fork with his left foot vertically into the ground4 ,then lowering the top of the handle toward the ground and backward1 he slipped his left hand down the handle to about a foot from the prongs1 and drew up the spading fork with earth on it4 ,this earth he threw a little forward and with the prongs broke up the lumps4 ,he continued this until all the work was done4 ,then he looked at his spading fork1 his brand new fork1 and found the prongs quite bent1 ,the ,chief told us to buy decent tools1 but ,i thought ,i'd save a little money4 ,well1 ,i'll break up some of these lumps a bit with my hoe and see how that will stand a little work4 ,the land ,myron's father had given him was very good indeed1 rich and light1 so that work of lump breaking was really very slight1 yet it made the new hoe-blade rattle in its socket4 ,after this work had been thoroughly done the boy took his rake and started making fine the soil for the bed4 ,myron had learned well how to handle his tools4 ,these lessons of handling tools ,the ,chief had taught the boys for he felt that a tool should be a skilful instrument in the hand4 ,a gardener should wield his hoe as well as a surgeon does his scalpel1 ,the ,chief had often said4 ,so the boys were proud of really knowing how to work4 ,after looking proudly at the fine1 smooth bed the boy shouldered his tools and marched off to the village4 ,illustration3 ,the crosses show where ,myron set the strawberry plants4 ,the dotted lines signify the plantings of succession crops ,do not think that you can save money by purchasing poor tools4 ,it is quite impossible1 because always one has either to buy new and better ones1 or mend and remend the poor ones4 ,the lad found out that a good trowel costs at least #ej cents although a smaller one called a transplanting trowel may be had for #ae cents2 cast steel rake1 #ej cents 7#aj teeth71 #ge cents 7#ad teeth72 hoe1 #ej cents2 ,dutch hoe1 four inches1 #dj cents2 spading fork1 #a4be1 and weeder #aj cents4 ,that afternoon armed with cord1 stakes1 a tape1 and the plan of the bed1 ,myron started to mark it off for the plants4 ,after tacking his plan up on the fence post he began the measuring4 ,the piece of ground was #e-c_/d feet wide by #f feet long4 ,beginning at one edge of the garden he measured in six inches along the width4 ,the same thing was done from the opposite edge4 ,stakes were driven in at these two points and a cord stretched between4 ,the same thing was done from the other two ends4 ,so ,myron had two cords extending down the length of his garden each six inches from the edge of the patch4 ,these cords are lettered ,a ,a and ,d ,d in his plan4 ,b ,b is #ae inches from ,a ,a2 ,c ,c is #ae inches from ,d ,d4 ,the next thing was to get the position of each plant in the bed4 ,this is the way it was done3 beginning with ,a ,a1 measure from the upper stake nine inches down the line and place a small stake4 ,this is the place to set the first plant4 ,from this1 measure and place stakes at one-foot distances4 ,there will be five plants down the line4 ,down ,b ,b1 measure fifteen inches and place a stake4 ,this gives the position for the first plant1 then1 as before1 place stakes at one-foot intervals4 ,c ,c is marked off similar to ,a ,a2 and ,d ,d to ,b ,b4 ,in all ,myron then had places for twenty plants4 ,as the work was finished ,myron looked up to see ,jack's face peeping over the fence4 ,how do you like my strawberry bed8 ,it's all right1 ,jack replied1 especially the strawberry plants4 ,they look very promising4 ,quit your fooling1 and come in and see this bed face to4 ,as ,jack went over the fence he stopped to look at the plan4 ,i say1 ,myron1 this shows a plan's of some use to a man4 ,what do you mean by succession crops8 ,that stands for the sort of seed you keep sowing at intervals and so getting several crops a season4 ,i shall put in radish and lettuce4 ,i am to supply our own table all summer4 ,father is not going to sow either of these4 ,he is depending on me4 ,the trip to ,longmeadow ,farm for strawberry plants was one of pleasure and profit to ,myron4 ,the boys used to say that while old ,mr4 ,mills had a crust inches deep1 underneath this he was as fine as the strawberries he raised4 ,i4 ,constructing a wall to form an embankment4 ,,ii4 ,cleaning the grounds and making a lawn4 ,,iii4 ,planting of trees4 ,,iv4 ,preparation and planting of the flower garden4 ,v4 ,cleaning and mending the road4 ,strawberry plants are worth1 said the old gentleman1 about two cents apiece4 ,i will give you your plants if you will do two things4 ,first1 during this season1 you are to pinch all the blossoms as they appear1 off the plants4 ,secondly1 ,i wish to experiment with a new variety of berry to see if it is good for this locality4 ,i wish you to take five of these plants and try the experiment with me4 ,do you agree8 ,certainly4 ,but can't ,i leave just one blossom on each plant to see what the fruit is like8 ,and also leave one entire row blossoming as it will8 ,yes1 that will be all right4 ,the reason for pinching off the blossoms the first year is to save the strength of the young plant4 ,otherwise it all goes to fruit forming4 ,it pays to do this1 because the second year you will have a good yield4 ,remember that strawberries which flourish in certain localities may fail utterly in others4 ,that is why you and ,i are experimenting with this new berry4 ,i am going to give you five plants of ,marshall1 five of ,nick ,ohmer1 and five of ,brandywine4 ,remember1 shorten back the roots three inches before you plant4 ,i shall be around to see your strawberry bed4 ,remember to cultivate after every rain1 and in between times1 too4 ,thank you1 and good-bye1 said the boy4 ,myron set his plants after the following fashion3 he dug trenches along the cord lines previously marked out4 ,then the roots were shortened4 ,to plant1 hold the plant against one side of the trench just as ,myron did1 as illustrated in one of the pictures4 ,then push the earth in from the other side and press firmly in place4 ,the plants should sit so that their crowns are even with the top of the ground4 ,when ,mr4 ,mills came to see that bed he found two or three plants badly placed4 ,care must be taken in the placing4 ,the days after planting were very hot so ,myron covered the plants with straw to protect them from the heat4 ,as the season advanced the little plants sent out runners4 ,these were immediately cut off4 ,if they had not been1 they would have become entangled and thus formed what is called a matted row4 ,some people cultivate strawberries this way4 ,but ,myron's way1 the hill culture1 while it means constant attention1 is perhaps a better method4 ,one day1 old ,mr4 ,mills took ,myron on a little trip with him to a farm where a man was cultivating berries by the matted row method and doing it in a very slovenly way4 ,it taught me a lesson1 the boy told his mother that evening1 that lazy methods are pretty bad4 ,once or twice that season he sprinkled wood ashes on the ground of the bed4 ,just a little should be sprinkled on1 as one sprinkles salt on a potato4 ,soil gives food to a plant4 ,this food is nitrogen in various forms1 potash and phosphorus4 ,sometimes we help the soil supply one or more of these chemicals4 ,the wood ash adds a little extra potash which is very good for the strawberry4 ,it turned out after a second year that the new variety gave very small and flavourless berries4 ,so the old gentleman and ,myron wasted no more space on that variety4 ,the second year ,myron obtained excellent results4 ,from some of his plants he got one quart of berries each1 during the season4 ,that was good1 but no better than a strawberry plant should do under good cultivation4 ,as far as his lettuce and radish went there was nothing new or startling in his experience4 ,he tried this little trick of lettuce sowing with some success3 ,instead of sprinkling the seed in the drill1 he placed each seed separately and four inches apart4 ,by this method one need not transplant to get good heads4 ,he tried the ,black ,tennis ,ball seed4 ,this forms a good head4 ,did you ever try the ,icicle radish8 ,myron recommends it4 ,it is long and white and so gets its name4 ,along with the radish he planted parsley4 ,this is a good way to do as these vegetables do not interfere one with the other4 ,grow any more lettuce and radish8 exclaimed ,myron's father one evening in the village store1 not while ,i have a boy who can do it as ,myron can4 ,he beats me all right4 ,and ,i am glad4 ,,ix ,,jack',s ,,all-,,round ,,garden ,just as soon as the ground was workable ,jack set his coldframe4 ,he chose a southern exposure1 back of the barn1 so that the frame should sit up against the stone foundation of the ,i4 ,constructing a wall to form an embankment4 ,,ii4 ,cleaning the grounds and making a lawn4 ,,iii4 ,planting of trees4 ,,iv4 ,preparation and planting of the flower garden4 ,v4 ,cleaning and mending the road4 building4 ,first he dug down about a foot deep4 ,as he dug1 he knocked up the lumps and picked out the stone4 ,then he went to the barn and got a barrow load of horse manure1 not fresh1 but old1 rotted manure4 ,this he very carefully mixed in with the soil already made fine4 ,now ,i shall put the frame on4 ,come1 ,elizabeth1 and give me a lift with this4 ,after some tugging the frame was set4 ,i thought frames were usually sunk in the ground1 commented ,elizabeth4 ,i shall do that this fall and make a real hotbed out of it4 ,you see this spring ,i just want to give my seeds a little extra start4 ,that's why ,i made the soil so rich and so deep4 ,now ,i am going to bank the frame about with manure4 ,then ,i shall put dirt over that4 ,you see ,i get some extra heat that way4 ,just see the fine slope of the glass4 ,i guess ,old ,sun will get caught all right4 ,jack busily banked the frame1 spanking the fertilizer down hard with the back of his spade4 ,he sloped it up some four inches along the sides and front4 ,now ,i am going to make drills for my seed4 ,in the first partition ,i shall plant lettuce and tomato2 then pepper and onion go in1 and the third is for flower seed4 ,jack bent over the frame1 and began to scratch lengthwise of the beds with the edge of his trowel4 ,red-faced from bending over1 and hot from his former exertion1 his trouser knees covered with earth and manure1 he stood off and looked at his work4 ,i'm precious glad ,elizabeth has gone1 for if those aren't the worst1 crookedest old rows ,i ever saw4 ,and so they were4 ,they were all distances apart1 of different depths and entirely untidy-looking4 ,jack picked up his rake and again raked the little beds over1 so that no trace of his poor work was left4 ,then he found a board which stretched across the frame widthwise1 so that he could kneel upon this and work to advantage in the bed4 ,he next whittled out two little pointed sticks to act as stakes1 and tying to these a piece of cord just the right length for the drills1 he was ready for work4 ,with one stake stuck in the bed at the upper end1 the other at the lower1 the cord between gave ,jack a good string line for the drill4 ,then1 with the end of a small round stick held close against the taut line1 the drill was made4 ,so he continued making drills at distances of four inches apart4 ,pouring out some lettuce seed in his hand1 ,jack began to sprinkle it rather unevenly in the first little drill4 ,elizabeth1 having returned1 stood by watching and shaking her head4 ,i didn't know you were here4 ,you make me nervous1 began ,jack4 ,i feel more nervous than you possibly can1 for you are wasting seed and sowing in a poor way4 ,see1 here you have a little pile of seed1 and there you have none1 and ,elizabeth bent eagerly over the bed4 ,well1 if you think you can do better1 just try this next drill4 ,jack straightened up1 and gave way to ,elizabeth4 ,wait a minute1 and ,elizabeth ran into the house4 ,soon she came out with some small seed envelopes in her hand4 ,from the bag of lettuce seed--for ,jack had bought his seed by bulk--,elizabeth poured some into a small envelope4 ,then by shaking the envelope she carefully and sparingly sowed the lettuce in the drill4 ,i say1 that is good6 said ,jack admiringly4 ,now ,i'll do some myself4 ,i should think you would wish only one more row2 then have a row1 or perhaps two1 to transplant in4 ,for ,i believe you'll have to prick out the plants before the garden is ready4 ,you talk like the real thing1 ,elizabeth4 ,what do you mean by pricking out8 ,why1 pricking is just lifting out the seedlings with a pointed stick from one row to another1 or from a box or hotbed into the outside garden4 ,what else are you going to plant1 ,jack8 ,i thought ,i'd put in--say two rows of tomatoes1 one row of onions1 and one of peppers4 ,in the third partition ,i'd start asters4 ,i just love asters4 ,so ,i've made up my mind to make a kind of specialty of these4 ,that's fine6 ,may ,i help8 ,you certainly may1 for you are a help4 ,elizabeth chuckled away to herself1 for ,jack evidently was not questioning where she got her knowledge4 ,it seems to me1 she rather timidly suggested1 that it would look more shipshape to label these rows1 and put in little sticks where each row begins and ends4 ,well now1 that is a fine suggestion4 ,so ,jack stuck in some little sticks he got from the woodshed4 ,elizabeth did not dare offer some nicely made little markers laid away in her desk for future use4 ,she feared those would call forth questions4 ,jack brought out a hammer and tacks4 ,then writing the names of the seeds on the little envelopes ,elizabeth had brought out1 he tacked one over each row onto the inside of the frame4 ,they both stood off and admired the work4 ,warm days ,jack opened the frame1 at first only a little1 and later1 wide open for all day4 ,one night he forgot to close it1 and a slight frost made a sorry looking set of seedlings next morning4 ,he lost every single plant except a few little asters1 which were protected by the inner partition of the frame4 ,these seedlings he watered at intervals all day4 ,this was at ,elizabeth's suggestion4 ,by this treatment these were saved4 ,so ,jack1 sadder and wiser1 started over again4 ,when the lettuce plants had four little leaves ,jack1 with ,elizabeth's help1 transplanted some into the drills left for them4 ,when they were larger yet1 they transplanted the lettuce to the real garden4 ,this is the way they did it4 ,in the first place the children chose a cloudy day for the work4 ,a cloudy day is far better than a bright sunny one because bright sun is too strong for little lettuces which have been disturbed from their places and put into new ones4 ,to transplant1 dig up a number of plants and plenty of earth with them4 ,use a trowel for this work1 gently lifting plants and earth4 ,a drill may be made2 or1 perhaps better yet1 make holes with the dibber4 ,pour a little water into the hole4 ,then gently separate a plant taking as much soil with it as you can keep on its roots4 ,place the little plant in the hole or drill1 and cover the roots with soil4 ,with the fingers press the soil firmly about the plant4 ,water the earth1 not the leaves of the plant4 ,next day1 and for several days1 cover the transplanted plants with strawberry baskets4 ,these are far better than newspaper coverings1 because light and air freely come through the crevices of the basket4 ,the newspaper makes a covering too tight and close for the tender lettuces4 ,between plants the children left six inches4 ,jack raised ,boston lettuce4 ,he not only had enough for his mother all summer long1 but sold some1 too4 ,the way he happened to sell it was merely an accident4 ,not far from the village was a large summer hotel4 ,one day the proprietor had driven around to the house to see ,jack's father on business4 ,as the men were talking ,jack and ,elizabeth came from the garden with two fine heads of lettuce4 ,have you any more lettuce than what you can use yourself8 asked the proprietor1 after feeling of the heads of lettuce and admiring the good firm centres4 ,yes1 replied ,jack1 ,i have now1 and shall have all along1 more than we can use4 ,you see ,i keep making sowings every ten days in the coldframe1 and transplanting4 ,i'll take all the extra lettuce you have at five cents a head4 ,that is what ,i pay all summer long for it4 ,to-morrow bring me up what you can4 ,thank you1 sir4 ,ten heads will walk up to-morrow4 ,the first time ,i've ever heard of heads walking1 laughed ,jack's father1 well pleased with his lad4 ,but we are away ahead of the story1 for we have planted and sold lettuce before ,jack has had a chance to really make his garden4 ,the soil in the backyard was very poor1 so ,jack decided to cultivate only a strip twenty feet long and eight feet wide4 ,he dug out all the soil to the depth of two feet4 ,his father lent him the use of a horse and wagon1 and gave him from the barns whatever fertilizer he needed4 ,the digging was a long1 tedious piece of work4 ,it was hard1 too2 but the boy kept at it4 ,any piece of land can be used if a boy has a mind to work hard over it4 ,some of the poorest of the soil was carted off1 then into the top of the remaining soil he mixed the old manure4 ,then into the garden space six inches of manure was spread1 and over this was filled in the old top soil and fertilizer1 that mixture which he had previously prepared4 ,about one foot of this was put in4 ,jack's father lent him the horse again and the services of a man4 ,they drove to the ,longmeadow ,farm and got a load of top soil4 ,old ,mr4 ,mills said he would give the soil if ,jack could answer three garden questions correctly4 ,all right1 said the boy1 you'll probably knock me over1 for ,i don't know much about gardening1 but ,i'm trying hard4 ,question number one3 suppose your backyard had been clay soil--what would you have done with it then8 ,i should have mixed in sand1 using about one-quarter the amount of sand as ,i had of clay4 ,good6 ,question number two3 suppose you had no sand--what then8 ,i'd have used ashes2 old clinkers ,i guess would be best4 ,everyone has ashes4 ,question number three3 what is the object of mixing sand or coal ashes or clinkers with clay4 ,the reason is to break up the clay4 ,clay bakes hard1 becomes sticky1 and little air or light gets into it4 ,ash or sand breaks it up4 ,i think that's about all ,i know about this4 ,the soil is yours1 young man1 ,i shall be around to see your garden some day4 ,remember good gardening means working your muscles hard4 ,thank you1 ,mr4 ,mills4 ,by the way my arms and legs ache1 ,i guess ,i know about muscles4 ,and remember too1 continued ,mr4 ,mills1 that certain vegetables are very closely related and will intermingle4 ,for example1 do not plant different kinds of corn close together4 ,the pollen from one kind will fertilize another kind and so you get a crossing which results in a mongrel sort of corn4 ,melons and cucumbers will do the same thing4 ,and so care must be taken in order that this sort of intermingling does not take place4 ,you see1 ,jack1 that there are many things a real good gardener has to consider4 ,gardening is not only a matter of soil preparation but it is also a matter of understanding plants and their relations one to the other4 ,so the good soil was put on and ,jack was ready for business4 ,straight across the back was planted a row of sunflowers4 ,sunflower seeds belong under the head of large seeds1 and should be planted one inch deep and one foot apart4 ,two seeds were placed in together4 ,this is a safe plan1 because if one fails to come up1 the other doubtless will come up4 ,if both appear1 when the plants get about three inches high1 pull out the weaker one4 ,then the boy planted a second row two feet from the first one4 ,the first row was planted close up to the fence4 ,jack found out that this was a mistake4 ,always leave all about the garden a space of a foot or so1 in order that one may walk about freely and get at the rear row of plants without trouble4 ,again1 do not plant too close to a fence1 unless the planting be some vine or climbing plant1 which you desire to have cover the fence4 ,next the aster plants were transplanted4 ,this was done after the same manner as the lettuce4 ,they were placed about one foot apart each way4 ,these were put across the entire spot just as the sunflowers had been4 ,thirty-two little aster plants were set out and still ,jack had a number left over4 ,it is amazing the amount of aster plants one can raise from a little packet of seeds4 ,i'm going to sell the rest of these aster plants1 he declared4 ,and he did4 ,the boy tramped about until he found a lady desiring the plants1 to whom he sold #ej little plants for #a and set them out for #ej cents4 ,the rest of the garden space was used for the onions1 peppers1 lettuce1 tomatoes and radish4 ,the onions transplanted from the coldframe gave fine early onions with a mild flavour4 ,when ,jack was making furrows for the sunflower seed ,jay came along and leaned over the fence4 ,jack1 he drawled1 you look like a kangaroo all humped over making that furrow4 ,why don't you use your hoe right8 ,i thought ,i was using it right4 ,come in here and show me how1 will you8 ,so ,jay jumped the fence and picked up the hoe4 ,stand this way6 ,straddle the furrow with your back in the direction you are going to hoe2 or else stand on the left side of the furrow facing it4 ,grasp the handle of the hoe in the right hand near the upper end4 ,the back of your hand should be up4 ,now the left hand should be a foot or more below the other hand4 ,and see the back of my hand4 ,it is toward the left and my thumb points down the handle1 just so with the rake handle4 ,all summer long the boy worked or cultivated his piece of land4 ,he kept hoeing and weeding constantly4 ,one of the ,august pieces of work was to fix the hotbed for winter4 ,now the frame was taken up and the pit dug deeper--about two feet this time4 ,previous to this a great pile of manure had been heaped up near by4 ,jack had sprinkled it with hot water to start fermentation4 ,steam rising from the heap was proof of this1 and it may be used at this time4 ,then the manure was put into the pit4 ,an eighteen-inch bed of it was made and firmly tramped down4 ,at first the temperature of this was over one hundred degrees4 ,when it dropped to ninety-five degrees soil was put on4 ,the temperature was taken by means of a thermometer buried in the manure4 ,the frame was placed after two inches of soil had been put in2 then four more inches went on4 ,the surface of the soil was made to slope at the same angle as the glass4 ,all about the frame was banked1 again1 manure covered with earth and leaf matter4 ,jack transplanted violet plants into one compartment4 ,these were good violets and were placed four inches apart4 ,in the second bed he sowed foxglove1 pansy and stock4 ,the third was left for radish and lettuce1 a bit later4 ,elizabeth helped him sew together several thicknesses of straw matting as covering for the winter nights4 ,they had decided that newspapers next the glass1 then the mats1 and finally a rubber blanket1 would be protection sufficient4 ,but ,jack's hotbed work is quite another story4 ,however1 ,i can tell you that the next winter he added two other frames to this one4 ,x ,,albert ,,and ,,jay',s ,,drainage ,,problem4 ,the problem of draining which ,albert and ,jay had to consider1 was perhaps the biggest piece of work that was done all that spring4 ,in the first place1 it should have been done in the fall4 ,that is the time to do such work1 for if put off until spring it delays greatly the spring planting4 ,it was a wet spring1 too4 ,the boys1 rather impatient of waiting1 started digging one day1 but it ended in disaster4 ,the ground was soft and wet and hence very heavy to handle4 ,this piece of land was one hundred feet wide or deep4 ,it had a frontage of one hundred and fifty feet4 ,a slope rose up in front of it1 which accounted for the water being drained onto this land4 ,the water naturally would have run off the land into a brook at the back4 ,but in about the centre was a hollow1 and beyond that the ground rose a little1 and then dropped toward the brook4 ,the depression made a kind of drain hole and the water settled there all the spring through4 ,this strip of land of the boys was not by any means the entire piece of land1 which was much larger1 but the boys' father had given them this largely to try their mettle4 ,he felt so certain they could not do it that he said they might have all they needed from a pile of drain pipe he intended to use himself on a piece of wet land the next fall4 ,i shall have all my drain pipe left to me1 he said to the boys' mother one night4 ,she smiled1 for the boys had talked matters over a bit with her4 ,myron's strawberry bed was all made1 ,jack's garden-filling work done1 ,george's ploughing and planting finished1 before the boys could lay the drain4 ,it's no use1 said ,albert1 ,i'm ready to give up4 ,now ,savage1 there's to be no quitting4 ,i'd be ashamed of you1 at least we can surprise father4 ,all right1 ,jay1 ,i'm with you4 ,finally the day came when ,the ,chief and the boys started work4 ,a drain pipe should be laid ordinarily anywhere from twenty inches to three feet deep4 ,one may dig or plough to make the trench4 ,it is wise to dig as narrow a trench as possible and so lift as little soil as possible4 ,then1 too1 the bed of the drain should slope gradually from the upper or highest point to the lowest4 ,the drop in level should be about four inches per hundred feet4 ,so the boys had to consider just this4 ,this is the way they sighted to get the drop in level4 ,they drove a stake into the ground at some twenty feet from the place where the drain was to begin4 ,previously a cord had been stretched from one end of the centre of the field to the other end4 ,since the centre of the field seemed to be the place for the deposit of water the drain was to go directly through the centre4 ,if you ever have a piece of draining to do the problem may not be so simple as this4 ,you may find several natural drainage areas4 ,then you must lay drains through these4 ,or instead of separate drains make side ones which empty into a main drain4 ,going back again to the sighting for the drain bed level--the boys have driven a stake into the ground4 ,it stands five feet above the ground level4 ,if a tree had been in line with the drain line this might have been used and saved driving the stakes4 ,across the stake1 at right angles to it1 a board with a perfectly straight edge was nailed4 ,this board was about four feet long1 one end pointed at the drain line4 ,at the other end ,jay placed his eye looking across this to where ,albert had driven stakes4 ,one stake had been driven into the ground at the beginning where the drain was to be dug2 another at the extreme end or outlet of the drain4 ,albert stood at the first stake and ran a little piece of paper slowly up and down the stake until ,jay raised his hand4 ,this meant that the paper was on the same line with the sighting board4 ,then ,albert ran to the other stake and did the same4 ,the difference in these two points gives the difference in level of the ground4 ,albert measured from the ground to his mark on the first stake1 and1 doing the same in the case of the other stake1 found the difference to be eight inches4 ,this was too great a drop4 ,then the boys drove two stakes in between these others and did the same work of level finding4 ,from stake #a to #b1 or for the first twenty-five feet there was no difference in level4 ,for the first fifty feet there was four inches drop2 for the next twenty-five feet1 five inches rise2 and the last twenty-five feet1 six inches drop4 ,they marked all this on the stakes in order to make sure they got the level right4 ,the bed must1 you see1 drop one inch for every twenty-five feet4 ,for the first fifty feet of the line the drop was just twice too much2 then came the abrupt rise and drop4 ,albert ploughed a furrow straight along the line and ploughed back again4 ,then he reploughed4 ,the boys then began to dig1 making a ditch three feet deep right through the land4 ,in order to get the right level they used a home-made device and plumb-line which can be made as follows3 ,nail the ends of two six-inch boards ten feet long1 so as to make a right angle2 then across the open end of the triangle1 nail another six-inch board having the lower edge about a foot from the ends of the boards4 ,cut off the ends of the boards on a level1 so that they will rest evenly on the ground4 ,next drive a nail into the apex of the triangle1 and to it tie a line long enough so that when the triangle is stood on its legs1 the plumb-bob1 which you will tie on the other end of it1 will almost reach the ground4 ,the centre must next be determined4 ,to do it1 set the triangle up on its legs on a level place and when the plumb-line comes to rest1 mark the place4 ,a lead-pencil mark will do1 but as it is liable to become obliterated by the dirt1 a saw mark is more permanent4 ,now you know what the grade of the bottom of your ditch will be4 ,reproduce this on a level place by means of a board with a large enough block under one end to give the right pitch2 put the triangle on this and when the plumb-line comes to a rest1 mark the place on the cross piece4 ,reverse the ends of the triangle to get a similar mark on the other side of the centre or level mark4 ,this makes a level by which a fairly accurate grade can be made4 ,the tile pipes were laid upon a bed of gravel4 ,this prevents the clogging up of the loosely put together joints4 ,to fit tiles place the small end of one into the large end of the next1 and so on4 ,over the end of the last tile1 which emptied into the brook1 they wired a bit of rather fine-meshed chicken wire4 ,then the trench was filled in4 ,by test ,albert had found the soil of this land acid4 ,lime was to be put on it4 ,now lime must be in a crumbling state for this purpose4 ,so after they had bought the lime they dumped it in a heap on a corner of the plot4 ,after it had become air slaked1 or reduced to a powder by the action of air upon it1 it was spread over the lot4 ,this and considerable fertilizer was ploughed in4 ,the boys then had an ideal sort of planting soil for almost anything4 ,the drain actually worked4 ,now some boy may ask1 suppose a fellow has no tile and cannot afford to buy any4 ,in such a case there are two alternatives or choices4 ,a wooden trough may be made by nailing together boards six inches wide4 ,then make a gravel bed and tip this trough over on it peak up4 ,the wooden drain1 however1 is likely to rot4 ,the other way is to put a double row of stones right through the centre of the bed slope4 ,these stones--perfectly flat ones--should be placed on end with a foot between the rows4 ,in this space put small stones4 ,the chief thing to remember in the drainage problem is that one wants a gradual flow of water from inlet to outlet4 ,any boy can fix his wet1 soggy garden spot even though he has no tiles4 ,stones can be found surely1 and1 if no gravel beds are near1 all the little brothers and sisters can pick small stones4 ,the boys had decided on planting what they called a general vegetable garden--corn1 pumpkins1 beans 7bush71 melons1 tomatoes1 beets and carrots4 ,this combination of vegetables was a happy choice as they all can well wait until rather late for planting4 ,the boys used the planting table that ,peter had worked out4 ,illustration3 ,photograph by ,h4,l4 ,schultz b,jay's ,tile ,drain ,converted a ,swamp ,into a ,garden_/b ,many times boys and girls are bothered by the word hill4 ,i have seen boys make nice little heaps of earth and then make a hole in the top of these like a crater in a volcano4 ,down into this crater they poke seeds4 ,now a hill merely means a place4 ,this place is not to be heaped up above the level of the ground4 ,place five seeds to the hill4 ,do not1 of course1 make a little pile of these seeds but lay them on the ground with a little space between seeds1 say an inch4 ,when planting beans place the eye of each bean down against the ground4 ,the bean stands up on edge4 ,the pumpkins were planted in between the hills of corn4 ,this is just the place to plant pumpkin or squash because there is opportunity sufficient for the vines to run4 ,remember not to plant these two together4 ,soon after the pumpkins began to come up the boys noticed one morning that the leaves had been eaten4 ,some were completely riddled1 looking like lace work4 ,digging about the ground ,albert found a black and white striped beetle4 ,its name is the ,striped ,beetle4 ,the boys killed these in the course of three days4 ,they bought five cents' worth of white hellebore1 which is a powder1 and sprinkled it on the ground in a circle about the stems of the young plants4 ,they made the circles some six inches from the plant stalk4 ,doing this at night1 the evening dews prevented the scattering about of the powder4 ,they put this on for three nights4 ,afterwards sand was sprinkled lightly over the hills and at the end of the runners4 ,this makes a discouraging sort of prospect for the beetle who is hunting for something good to eat1 not sand to walk over4 ,if instead of sand they had used lime it would have been better4 ,for the lime is quite likely to form a sticky mass on the legs of the insect pest4 ,the moisture from dew or rainwater helps this along1 while sand is far more likely to drop off the victim's legs4 ,the ,chief felt sure that besides the beetles there were slugs in the garden4 ,slugs are very likely to bother4 ,they appear early in the season1 feed chiefly at night and after rains1 and lay eggs throughout the summer and autumn4 ,these eggs are laid in the ground and in rubbish heaps4 ,the treatment suggested above and started just as soon as there are signs of slugs1 will work4 ,the boys treated their melons in the same way and had no further trouble with beetles and slugs4 ,the tomato plants were started inside4 ,they were transplanted into strawberry baskets4 ,these are excellent to use1 because in transplanting to the ground the little strawberry baskets may be knocked apart without disturbing the plant nearly so much as if it were planted in a compact box4 ,be sure to line the basket with paper before filling with earth4 ,when the plants began to straggle about and bend over stakes were driven into the ground and the plants tied to these4 ,jay used hoops and made a sort of cage for the separate plants4 ,he drove four stakes into the ground at distances of eighteen inches from the stalk and in a circular form4 ,then slipping hoops over the plant he nailed these hoops to the stakes4 ,some plants had two hoops about them1 some three2 it all depends on the size and needs of the plant4 ,only keep this in mind2 that the object in staking tomatoes is not only to keep the plant erect1 and the fruit off of the ground1 but to allow plenty of light and air to get at all parts of the plant4 ,the bean culture resulted in a little private contest between ,albert and ,jay4 ,that winter ,the ,chief had given the boys a talk on inoculation of soil4 ,one day while they were working on their land ,jay suggested that they separate the bean section of their garden1 having a bean plot at one end and another of the same size at the extreme other end2 that one of them should inoculate the soil of his plot and the other should not4 ,these plots being so far removed would not be in danger of soil washing one from the other4 ,albert1 who rather scorned inoculation of soil1 willingly agreed to make the experiment1 stipulating that he have the uninoculated plot4 ,by inoculation of the soil is meant introducing into the soil a germ4 ,this germ makes it possible that the nitrogen already in the soil be given to the plant in such a form that it may be absorbed1 and absorbed in greater quantities than it otherwise could be4 ,jay sent to the nearest ,state ,agricultural ,experiment ,station1 asking for the soil4 ,this was sent free of charge4 ,it was a soil1 fine in texture and brown in appearance4 ,according to the directions sent with it ,jay spread it evenly over the top of his bean patch4 ,a piece of land for inoculation should be prepared all ready for planting2 then the inoculated soil is merely put over this1 as frosting on a cake4 ,after this the seeds are planted4 ,they planted bush limas4 ,of course they had to plant the same kind of bean for the sake of the experiment4 ,beans are not hard to cultivate4 ,they should be kept free from weeds and the soil well stirred up4 ,albert1 fearful of his beans becoming affected by spots or anthracnose1 sprayed them from the start4 ,this disease is likely to affect beans about ,july4 ,so in order to get ahead of the inoculated crop the boy did what he later found there was no need of4 ,to be sure beans are liable to this trouble1 but it is not a surety4 ,it is never likely to appear unless the weather be very moist4 ,this summer happened to be a dry one4 ,the spray he used was the ,bordeaux mixture4 ,his father offered to supply him with the mixture if he would do mixing for both4 ,so he used this receipt3 ,dissolve six pounds of copper sulphate in six gallons of water4 ,it is an excellent plan to crush up this chemical in a mortar and put this powder into a bag4 ,hang the bag up so it just touches the surface of the water4 ,add twenty-five gallons of water to this4 ,to four pounds of slaked lime add twenty-five gallons of water4 ,then add this solution to the other4 ,the boy's father had a spraying machine4 ,so ,albert used this4 ,i have known boys to use a corn broom to spray with4 ,dip this in the spraying mixture and shake over the foliage4 ,the only spraying rule ,albert used was to keep the foliage covered with the mixture2 this does not mean many applications4 ,at the close of the bean season ,jay had the finer1 larger1 beans with a better flavour4 ,his yield was one-third greater than ,albert's4 ,and think1 too1 how ,i worked1 ,albert moaned4 ,hereafter ,i shall not make fun of inoculation4 ,there is not much more to tell of this garden4 ,the poppies yielded well4 ,these were supported as they grew by stakes1 as tomatoes are4 ,carrots need rather mellow1 upland soil4 ,the boys found that their carrots did not do so well as the other vegetables4 ,the soil was a bit heavy and moist for them4 ,they found this out about beets3 beets should not be transplanted4 ,transplanting puts them back4 ,albert transplanted a few and learned this fact4 ,,xi ,,george',s ,,cabbage ,,troubles ,george had a long task in stone picking4 ,the old slope seemed to be full of stone4 ,george would pick continuously from school to supper time1 and next morning declare that new stones had grown in the night4 ,the ditching was very little work4 ,it meant digging a ditch about two feet deep and then making at either end of this gutter a side ditch at a very severe angle to the main ditch4 ,these side ditches were directed along the sides of the hill for about six feet1 and the water thus directed would conduct itself off4 ,of course the angle was such that the ditch led away from the garden spot4 ,illustration3 ,,slope ,,slope --------------------- _/ ,,ditch ,,side _/ -------------------- ,,side ,,slope _/ _/ ,,slope _/ _/ ,,garden _/ _/ ,picture this as the ditch ,george dug right above his garden4 ,the water passed through the side slopes away from the garden4 ,as the stones were picked off he piled them into the gutter1 where this stony bottom also helped the drainage problem4 ,george was a master hand at ploughing1 for he had always done his share of it1 so ploughing meant nothing to him4 ,first1 you will remember ,george had one foot of dressing to put on the land4 ,this he ploughed in2 and then reploughed4 ,after this the slope was harrowed4 ,you all know that the harrow simply makes fine the soil after the plough has done its work of throwing up the earth4 ,the rake is a kind of harrow4 ,of course1 when the garden plot is large1 the rake is impossible1 and then the harrow1 really a big rake dragged by a horse1 must do this work4 ,it took the boy longer than some of the others to do his work1 for ,george did more work at home than the others4 ,he was probably better informed on farm matters1 however4 ,his father was a real farmer2 the other boys' fathers farmed1 too1 but not as a business4 ,anticipating the amount of time this preparatory work would take he had not started his cabbage inside4 ,to get an early crop of cabbage1 seed must be planted in ,january or ,february2 then one may start in ,march4 ,but for the late crop plant in the open in ,may or ,june4 ,this is just what ,george did4 ,he made furrows straight down his sunny southern slope4 ,these furrows were two feet apart4 ,the seed1 of ,savoy cabbage1 was sprinkled in the furrows4 ,this was done after rain4 ,cabbage needs much moisture for quick germination4 ,george might have poured water into the furrows and puddled or stirred the earth a bit1 if the garden had been small1 but his was too large for this1 so he took advantage of ,nature's watering4 ,when the plants were about two inches above ground they were thinned out to stand two feet apart in the furrow4 ,cabbage1 you know1 is quite likely to become infested by pests4 ,perhaps the most common of which are lice or aphis and the cabbage worm1 a green caterpillar4 ,therefore it is well to try a little prevention4 ,so all over the ground about the plants sprinkle unslaked lime4 ,tobacco dust or soot may be used for this purpose1 too4 ,good cultivation also helps prevent these pests4 ,one row of cabbage began to develop worms4 ,these ,george picked off1 but he found that he could not keep up with them2 so ,the ,chief advised him to buy a little pyrethrum powder at the store4 ,this he mixed with five times its bulk of dust4 ,putting the mixture into an old potato sack he shook it over the infested heads of cabbage4 ,except for this drawback the cabbage did well4 ,he lost the infested row of cabbage4 ,for he pulled them all up1 spaded the ground over1 and sprinkled it with the poison mixture4 ,all the other cabbage heads were sprinkled with it1 too4 ,one may easily lose all his cabbage from these worms4 ,in the fall the cabbages were harvested4 ,this was about the last of ,october4 ,george pulled them up by the roots4 ,he found some of the heads rather soft1 some bursting open4 ,as it does not pay to keep such cabbage over1 these were fed to the cattle--a gift1 ,george called it1 to pay for the fertilizer4 ,all the fine solid heads are worth storing4 ,in order to get nice white inner leaves1 as the head begins to form break and bend over the outer leaves and those that protect the inner ones4 ,it is a sort of blanching or bleaching process4 ,two hundred fine firm heads were the result of the work of this boy4 ,what are you going to do with all these1 ,i'd like to know8 asked ,jack4 ,i expect to store a number of them--one hundred and fifty1 ,i should say4 ,i'm going to give away fifty4 ,in the winter ,i hope to sell about one hundred of my stored ones4 ,george's way of storing cabbages is a good one4 ,a spot was ploughed in the orchard between the rows of trees4 ,then the cabbages were piled in a neat pile roots up1 one cabbage fitting into the other4 ,all about and over this heap a layer of straw about four inches thick was placed4 ,to hold the pile in place stakes were driven in about its base4 ,to hold the straw1 branches were placed over the whole and boards put on last4 ,the straw packing kept the cabbage from freezing4 ,if ,george's father had had a good tight shed the cabbage could have been stored on shelves in this4 ,the ordinary home cellar is no place for storage of cabbage4 ,later in the winter he sold one hundred heads of cabbage to the markets in a near-by city4 ,these he sold at two cents per head4 ,they kept fifty at home4 ,the boys tried long and hard to find out where the other fifty went4 ,but ,george would not tell4 ,there was an orphans' home some few miles from the village4 ,it seems that at one time an appeal had been made at the school to the boys and girls to give whatever they could to this home4 ,at that time ,george had nothing to give4 ,no one knew how badly the boy felt1 so as his cabbages grew the lad made a pledge with himself to give one quarter of his cabbage to this home4 ,one evening in late ,october1 ,george had hitched up an old farm horse1 loaded his cabbage in1 and had driven over to the home4 ,the ,chief learned of his kindness one ,december evening1 when he visited the matron to see about ,christmas gifts for the children4 ,she told him that one evening in the fall a bashful lad had brought a load of cabbage to her1 but would not tell his name4 ,as the man walked home he thought of the really splendid ending of ,george's cabbage experiment4 ,after all a garden reaches its real work when some of its product is given to those who are in need4 ,now ,i see1 said ,the ,chief out loud1 as he walked past ,george's house on his homeward way1 why ,george made out of his garden so much less than the others4 ,i never could understand why he lost the prize4 ,i am glad there are boys who care less for money than for other things4 ,,xii ,,peter1 ,,potatoes1 ,,and ,,profit ,peter had a mile to go to his garden1 which was on his grandfather's farm4 ,this farm land1 you will remember1 was especially good4 ,the ploughing1 fertilizing and harrowing were done for ,peter4 ,the soil was just the sort potatoes thrive on1 a sandy loam4 ,after the furrows had been made about six inches deep and two feet apart1 ,peter put a sprinkling of chemical fertilizer into the bottom of each furrow4 ,this was sprinkled on as one puts salt on potato before eating it4 ,over this he placed some dirt so the fertilizer would not burn the potato4 ,early the morning of planting ,peter cut his seed potatoes4 ,the date was the #ast of ,april1 not a bit too soon to get in early potatoes4 ,the seed potatoes chosen were fair1 smooth specimens of good size4 ,these he cut so that only one eye was left to a piece of potato the size of a hen's egg4 ,these pieces were dropped into the furrows at distances of fifteen inches apart and four inches deep4 ,after covering1 the man went over the potato patch with a harrow4 ,a boy might use a rake for this work1 but as ,peter's patch was a small part of his grandfather's field the harrowing of the whole was done by the man4 ,when the little potato plants were well up ,peter sprayed them with ,paris green4 ,this was wise because he thus got ahead of the potato bug4 ,some one may like to know how to mix up ,paris green4 ,the proportion used was one tablespoonful to a pail of water4 ,this was put on with a watering pot every two weeks1 thus ,peter kept his potatoes quite free from bugs4 ,although the rest of the potato patch was cultivated by the horse1 ,peter used the hoe4 ,he could not plough1 for ,peter was a rather small boy for his age and not very muscular4 ,the secret of potato culture is to cultivate well and keep the bugs down4 ,he dug his potatoes about the middle of ,june4 ,from the one quarter acre his grandfather had lent him for his garden ,peter dug seven bushels of potatoes4 ,at the time new potatoes were selling for #a4be per bushel4 ,his father bought three bushels and the other four were sold in the city to ,philip's mother and friends4 ,the constant working of the soil for potato culture gets it into a fine mellow condition exactly right for celery4 ,peter's grandfather suggested that the boy put this in1 and so have another crop1 a fall one4 ,although this soil had been well fertilized in the spring for the potatoes this was yet not sufficient for celery culture4 ,celery ought to be started either indoors in flats1 or in a hothouse or seed bed late in ,february--transplanted to other flats1 and again finally to the open ground4 ,to prepare for the celery trenches were dug three feet apart and one foot wide4 ,the earth thrown out in trench digging was piled between the ditches to be used later in banking up the celery4 ,these trenches were six inches deep4 ,in the bottom of the trench was put some enriched manure4 ,this was of different materials4 ,peter used well-rotted barnyard dressing1 a little hen manure1 and about the same quantity of chemical fertilizer4 ,hen manure is rich1 so he did not use the bulk of that4 ,over this was put an inch of soil4 ,celery plants should be set about six inches apart in the trench4 ,first cut them back2 that is1 cut off about one quarter of the root and one-third of the top4 ,this cutting back increases the spread of root-growth later and decreases the amount of respiration of water from the leaves4 ,the top alone grows more stocky and bulky4 ,firm the plants well4 ,that is1 press the soil firmly about the roots and stalk4 ,when the plant has received its growth it must be blanched4 ,this process not only whitens celery1 but also takes the bitter taste out of it4 ,this may be done in various ways1 but ,peter used the earth process4 ,he tied the bunches up together with bits of raffia4 ,this was done merely to keep the earth from pressing in between the stalks4 ,then the earth which had been left in between the trenches was drawn up with the hoe about the stalks until only the top leaves poked out above4 ,do not do all this banking at once4 ,take several days at it4 ,boards may be placed along the sides of the banked celery hills4 ,peter having heard of the self-blanching kinds told his grandfather that he would plant this kind to obviate blanching4 ,but there were two drawbacks4 ,in the first place1 he had waited too late to start seed4 ,and secondly1 these varieties1 too1 should be bleached to take out the bitter taste4 ,so ,peter bought young celery plants from his grandfather4 ,he paid #a for two hundred small plants4 ,later in ,november he sold these to the same market where his potatoes had gone4 ,fifty bunches he sold to his father4 ,these were left protected in the ground for use when needed4 ,the rest he sold in the city4 ,from his celery he made #a4hj4 ,in all the lad made #i4ee4 ,this was a pretty good sum to make4 ,so ,peter's saying of potatoes and profit actually worked out4 ,,xiii ,,philip',s ,,backyard ,on a beautiful ,saturday in late ,april one might have seen ,the ,chief and his boys boarding the train for the city4 ,it was the day set apart for helping ,philip4 ,the boy had cleared up the yard ready for work4 ,you will remember shrubs were to be planted1 a walk and cement pond made1 and a little gardening done4 ,the shrubs were planted as the school trees were4 ,one must be careful to dig the hole large enough to receive the roots of the shrub4 ,if old shrubs are transplanted be sure to cut out all the old wood1 and also cut the top back severely2 that is1 reduce it to one-third its former size4 ,it was great fun to make the little pond4 ,such a pond may be used for fish or for water plants or for both4 ,do not make too large a one1 unless you have a very large yard4 ,the smaller ones are easier to care for1 and more pleasing in appearance4 ,first stake off the outside limits for the pond4 ,philip's was to be four feet by two and one-half feet4 ,dig down three feet4 ,fill in the bottom of the pond up to fifteen inches of the top with large stones4 ,then in between and over these put small stones so that you have filled in about six to eight inches of the cavity4 ,now it is time to mix cement4 ,mix only a little at a time4 ,get a board about two feet square4 ,with a trowel put on the board one part of ,portland cement to three parts of sand4 ,have a watering pot full of water at hand4 ,add water enough each time to the cement and sand to make a soft but not running mass4 ,if it be possible for you to have small stones to put in1 it will improve the mortar you are mixing4 ,these stones should not be larger than one inch in size4 ,add four parts of these to the mixture4 ,now over the bottom of the pond put on the paste about three inches thick4 ,fill in with the trowel and smooth it off with the back of this same tool4 ,the sides are the next job4 ,put a board slantwise against the bottom of the pond so there is a space between the board and the side you are to plaster4 ,drop the mortar down into this space and press the board against the sides4 ,this firms the mortar4 ,keep up this work all around the sides of the pond4 ,another way to do this work is to make a box that will fit approximately into the pond1 but that gives a space all around over three inches from the sides4 ,then the mortar may be dropped in4 ,after three days knock out the box and you have the inside all right4 ,if you wet the sides and bottom of the box the mortar will cling to it less4 ,if the mortar looks rather rough after you finish1 mix cement with water1 take a whisk broom and with this brush the paste all over the bottom and sides of the pond4 ,all around the ground by the pond1 mortar for about six inches4 ,this prevents the breaking in of the edges4 ,albert and ,george1 who worked on this job1 did the mortaring the first way4 ,the pond was left unfilled for a week to dry thoroughly4 ,then after placing two inches of sand in the bottom it was filled with water4 ,philip bought two pond lily roots4 ,he tied stones with string on the roots of the plants to keep them down3 otherwise they would have bobbed up and floated on the surface of the water4 ,some one gave him two water hyacinths4 ,in the middle of the yard a round bed was made4 ,to do this take a cord and tie a stake at either end4 ,the cord should be whatever length you have decided shall be the radius of the circle4 ,the radius of a circle1 you remember1 is the distance from the centre to the circumference4 ,now drive one of the stakes into the ground at the exact centre4 ,grasp in your hand the other stake and swing a circle with it4 ,the stake will scratch a well-defined line so that you have the outline of the circle1 the boundary of the bed4 ,jay spaded down to about six inches all along the outlines of bed4 ,after that the bed itself was spaded4 ,philip insisted on outlining it with brick which had been given him4 ,some children use whitewashed stones1 some use shells4 ,either plan gives a spotty effect4 ,the idea fails of being artistic4 ,a neat cutting of the turf and a slight heaping up of a round bed toward the centre gives after all a far more pleasing effect4 ,try to keep as near to ,nature's own plan as you can4 ,shells belong on the seashore or in a collection2 keep stones for road making1 wall building1 cement work and curbs2 bricks are for foundations and buildings4 ,rarely use things for what they were not intended4 ,it is better usually to border a bed with low-growing flowers4 ,ageratum1 candytuft and dwarf nasturtiums are good for the purpose4 ,along a walk to an old outhouse they planted asters on one side and four o'clocks on the other4 ,asters1 as all boys and girls know1 are better if started inside early4 ,then they may be transplanted to the outside4 ,in his way one gets a bit ahead of the season4 ,but ,philip was obliged to plant seed for both4 ,so he planted it in a drill as one plants lettuce4 ,later the little seedlings were thinned out to stand six inches apart4 ,this thinning was done when the plants were four inches high4 ,four o'clocks need lots of room as they grow bushy4 ,plants in narrow strips are quite likely to drop over their limits4 ,to keep these in bounds ,philip later built a fence4 ,for this he used stakes driven into the ground at intervals of every four feet4 ,to these he nailed strips of railing4 ,sometimes cords are used instead of railings4 ,an old fence was all about the yard and an old unused outbuilding in the rear4 ,these were both unsightly in appearance1 so they had to be hidden4 ,vines were used for this purpose4 ,about six inches from the fence a furrow was made four inches deep4 ,climbing nasturtium seeds were dropped into this furrow at distances of every four inches4 ,the seeds had been soaked over night4 ,this was because the ground was very dry and the weather was now quite settled and warm4 ,if the ground is wet and the weather cold1 never soak seed4 ,it just adds to the general soggy condition to do this4 ,illustration3 ,photograph by ,mary ,h4 ,northend4 ,philip's ,backyard ,made ,beautiful by ,annuals and ,quick-growing ,vines4 ,morning-glory seeds were planted along the end of the fence by the outbuilding and all around it4 ,after these climbing things began to grow the pretty effect of the vines was amazing4 ,many times one has to train vines so they will grow where one wishes4 ,in such cases drive small stakes into the ground back of where the vine is planted4 ,tie a cord or string to the stake and carry this up to where you wish the vine to go4 ,the string may be attached in the best way1 according to the place4 ,if it is to an old building1 drive a nail into the side1 roof or peak of this4 ,some people make latticed trellises4 ,these may be made from laths4 ,a neighbour gave ,philip some canna bulbs which he planted in an old sieve filled with rich dirt4 ,canna bulbs look much like sweet potatoes4 ,usually a bit of stalk is left on the bulb4 ,leave this in planting above ground for about one-half inch4 ,dig a hole large enough to place the canna bulb and deep enough so the stalk comes above the ground4 ,place one big1 fat bulb1 or two or three little chaps in one spot4 ,leave about one foot between plantings4 ,in the fall after frost cut off the stalks about two inches above the ground1 dig up the bulbs1 shake all dirt off1 and put into a box with a little thoroughly dry dirt until spring4 ,leave this box where it is dark and cool4 ,it would have been far better had ,philip planted the cannas either in the round bed or against the fence as a screen4 ,as a general rule the planting in tubs1 kettles1 kegs and similar receptacles is not only inartistic1 but gives the plant very confined and cramped quarters4 ,when possible plant right out in the ground4 ,window boxes and roof gardening in boxes is another story4 ,the cost of ,philip's flower garden was #be cents4 ,he bought five-cent packages of each of the flower seeds4 ,the cannas cost nothing4 ,the shrubs were #a1 the cement #gj cents1 and the water-lily roots #ej cents4 ,so the total cost for changing an ugly yard to a mass of flowers was #b4df4 ,philip's clearing up seemed to be catching for the girl across the street started in with her work4 ,for ten cents she bought a collection of flower seed4 ,these seed were planted in three-foot beds4 ,the beds were banked up or supported by strips of board4 ,this same girl planted flowers in two old kettles and set one upon an empty cask and the other on an old drain tile4 ,but she later decided very wisely that this was not after all so very pretty4 ,kettles are better for potato boiling than for flowers4 ,but such a good time as she had all summer in her own green1 pleasant backyard6 ,and so had ,philip1 too6 ,just a few cents and some hard work will change your backyard into something beautiful1 ,philip was heard to say one day to a group of city boys4 ,,xiv ,,the ,,corn ,,contest ,each boy was to take a certain number of hills of corn in his father's corn patch4 ,he was to select his seed corn after a few suggestions given him by ,the ,chief4 ,these hills of selected corn were to be cared for by the boy himself1 but it was perfectly legitimate that the soil be prepared for him1 since most of the boys were to plant in their fathers' cornfields4 ,in the growing of corn the first matter for a boy or girl to consider is the selection of the seed4 ,corn should be selected carefully by the individual stalk2 that is1 choose ears from stalks bearing an ear or ears at1 or a little below1 the middle of the stalk4 ,the stalk itself should be thick and free from suckers or any evidence of disease4 ,the ear should be cylindrical4 ,the kernels should be deep setting1 uniform and compact4 ,then the cob should not be too large4 ,look at some samples4 ,see how some ears have too large a cob1 others too small1 while still others show a right amount of cob4 ,the butt and tip of the ear should be well filled out4 ,look for a perfect ear4 ,the kernels are uniform in size1 in even rows1 with only a slight space between rows4 ,see the tip and butt4 ,very little space is lost at the butt4 ,you have seen ears where the butt was all space4 ,there is still another sort of corn4 ,it might be called mongrel4 ,any one can raise such corn4 ,good care shows in corn as good breeding does in boys and girls4 ,one more point the boys were told to consider in selecting seed ears1 that was the relation of the circumference of the ear to its length4 ,an ear should have a fairly large circumference at the base and taper toward the tip4 ,to estimate relation of circumference to length1 which should be as three is to four1 measure the ear one-third the distance from butt to tip4 ,so if the ear is eight inches long the circumference should be about six inches4 ,all the boys but ,jack and ,myron tested their seed corn to be sure of its vitality4 ,peter went a little further than the other boys4 ,he not only tested for general vitality1 but he tested for vitality among the ears he had selected as good seed ears4 ,this he did in the following manner3 ,he chose twenty-five ears1 and used four kernels from each ear4 ,first a soup plate was filled with sand4 ,this was moistened by dropping a little water on the sand4 ,sand must not be too wet for this work4 ,he partitioned off the sand-bed into rows with cardboard between them4 ,on the cardboards was marked over each row of four kernels the number of the ear from which they came4 ,the sand was moistened each day4 ,peter worked out from this the best ears for quick germination4 ,the next point to be considered in corn culture is that of the soil4 ,soil for corn should be mellow and fine4 ,if it has vegetable matter or humus in it1 then its value as a corn-growing soil is increased4 ,fertilize well and plough1 or if the plot is small1 spade4 ,you ought to have surely eight inches of good1 mellow soil4 ,in planting corn place five kernels in a hill4 ,you will remember that a hill means a place4 ,for corn which grows high make the hills four feet apart2 while for the low growing varieties place three feet apart4 ,cover the early varieties with one inch of soil2 the later varieties with one-half inch4 ,as the corn shoots begin to appear every boy should appear with his hoe or cultivator1 for one secret of good gardening is constant cultivation or stirring of the soil4 ,water1 as you know1 rises in the ground and coming to the surface evaporates4 ,now the point is to keep the moisture in the ground for the plant's food supply4 ,so if one keeps stirring the soil he makes a layer of earth which stops the water as it rises4 ,we call this a mulch4 ,when the shoots are six inches high choose the three finest little corn seedlings in the group of five4 ,pull the others out4 ,the reason for putting in five kernels in the first place1 instead of three1 is that some may not come up4 ,and1 too1 some that do come up may be poor and sickly4 ,myron did a very stupid thing4 ,at least he called it stupid4 ,some one sent him a packet of seed popcorn4 ,myron thought it would be pretty interesting to raise some and supply the club with popcorn at its meetings all the next winter4 ,now ,myron did not know that from the corn tassels the pollen when ripe or dry blows all over the corn field4 ,this pollen falls on the silk of corn plants anywhere in the field4 ,the pollen fertilizes the plant and the ear of corn sets and grows4 ,because the pollen being light is blown to such distances and because different kinds of corn can interpollinate1 is reason enough for not planting different varieties of corn in one patch4 ,myron's popcorn and sweet corn fertilized each other and he got a corn which was a cross between the sweet corn and popcorn4 ,he learned a lesson of pollination1 but at the expense of the corn crop4 ,one may plant early and late corn in the same patch but otherwise he should stick to one kind of corn4 ,the boys in the fall were to submit twelve of the finest ears they had raised4 ,these were to be scored or sized up as follows3 ---------------------------------------- ------------------ ,,name ,,of ,,contestant ,,variety ,,of ,,dates ,,of ,,planting ,,corn 444444444444444444 44444444444444 44444444444444444 ---------------------------------------- --------------- 7#a7 ,ear3 ,a4 ,trueness to type #aj ,b4 ,shape #aj #bj ---------------------------------------- -------------- 7#b7 ,filling of3 ,a4 ,tip #aj ,b4 ,butt #aj #bj ---------------------------------------- -------------- 7#c7 ,kernels3 ,a4 ,shape #f ,b4 ,arrangement of cob #ab ,c4 ,depth #f ,d4 ,colour #f #cj ---------------------------------------- -------------- 7#d7 ,measurements of ear3 ,a4 ,length #aj ,b4 ,circumference #aj #bj ---------------------------------------- -------------- 7#e7 ,proportion of ,corn to ,cob3 #aj #aj ---------------------------------------- -------------- ,total #ajj ---------------------------------------- ---------------- ,this score card needs a little explanation4 ,take up 7#a7 ,ear1 first4 ,all the twelve ears presented ought to be much alike2 that is1 like the type or parent ear you are striving to produce again4 ,so if1 out of twelve specimens1 six were fine ears and the other six were rather poor1 then surely ten credits or points could not be given4 ,the shape of an ear should in general be tapering1 well rounded a little below the centre1 and tapering not too abruptly toward the tip4 ,the second point is the ,filling of the ,tip and ,butt4 ,the tip should be filled with even1 regularly arranged kernels4 ,it should not be too pointed nor too blunt4 ,the butts should be covered over with kernels except where a deep1 clean-cut depression is left4 ,here1 as in the tips1 the shape has to be considered1 for flattened and blunted butts are bad form4 ,as to ,kernels1 they should be uniform and well-shaped1 not only on the single cob1 but in all the specimens4 ,the furrows must be uniform1 regular1 and with only a slight space between4 ,to determine depth cut a square inch right out of an ear4 ,all kernels should be of one colour4 ,if a red kernel is in with the white then there has been an intermixing4 ,all kernels on all ears ought to have the colour of those of the type form4 ,not only should there be a proper proportion between ,length of ,ear and ,circumference1 but an ear may be too long4 ,the usual length of ears is from eight to twelve inches1 according to variety4 ,we have spoken of cob-relation before4 ,this cannot be determined accurately by your eye but must be done by weight2 so shell the corn1 weighing the ear first4 ,now weigh the cob4 ,the difference is weight of corn4 ,divide the weight of the corn by the weight of the ear4 ,this gives per cent4 of corn4 ,for the exhibit the boys afterward used half their samples submitted and reckoned per cent4 on this4 ,the proper percentage of corn to cob should be #hf or #hg per cent4 ,you can easily find out if you come up to standard4 ,myron brought in some corn merely to show his mistake but of course did not submit any4 ,jack1 you will remember1 did not test his corn and results showed this4 ,out of his twelve samples there were two good ears4 ,the others showed many changes4 ,the poorly filled tips1 irregular rows1 and wide space between rows--all these scored against ,jack4 ,george's corn was thrown out because black kernels were found here and there in with the others4 ,albert's and ,jay's ,peep-o-day came out in fine shape4 ,but ,peter's ,country ,gentleman after all had the record4 ,philip dropped out of the race because he went on a summer vacation4 ,so for a slight amount ,peter took over ,philip's corn hills4 ,that fall the boys made very careful selection of seed corn4 ,after all1 ,myron said one night at club meeting1 although ,peter's corn was the only really fine specimen1 ,i think some of the rest of us got fully as much out of the corn contest4 ,so do ,i1 added ,jack2 and ,i1 for one1 shall test corn after this4 ,i think our corn was pretty good1 ,albert went on in a half-injured way2 but we are going to beat that record next year4 ,we shall rotate our crop1 planting our corn where the beans were this season4 ,that's a thing fellows ought to know2 that it's a mighty good thing to rotate crops4 ,what's that8 asked ,philip4 ,rotating crops means not always planting the same crop on the same piece of land1 but changing every two or three years4 ,it happens that beans are very good to plant before corn4 ,they do not take from the soil1 ,the ,chief says1 what the corn needs4 ,so a piece of soil planted to beans gets in shape for corn planting another year4 ,it would not be well to plant corn on a certain piece of land more than two successive years4 ,then something else should be planted on this land and the corn put somewhere else4 ,good6 said ,the ,chief4 ,some day we shall discuss rotation of crops more fully4 ,there are no end of topics for us to work over this next winter4 ,,xv ,,the ,,girls' ,,secret ,,work ,the girls were each to raise something special at their own home and then each was to have a share in a big garden4 ,katharine1 who had quite a lovely yard1 was to give the space for the general garden4 ,this was largely because ,katharine's home was on the river road1 a bit out of the village and near none of the boys' places1 for the girls wished to keep the knowledge of their work from the boys as long as possible4 ,helena lived next house to ,george and the land she might have used for this big garden would have bordered ,george's corn patch4 ,so that1 of course1 would never do4 ,the garden while formal was ornamental4 ,the girls were all to work on the staking out and preparation4 ,but each girl was then to take a section of it and plant and care for that4 ,katharine was to take the centre portion of grass and cannas4 ,now a grass plot is very pleasing in a garden4 ,it is restful to the eye and is much more harmonious with the other colours in a garden than a mass of brilliant blossoms4 ,cannas have some height1 a delicate splash of colour in the blossom and so work in well4 ,it is always well to put some tall-growing plant in the centre4 ,the effect is that of working up to a climax4 ,one should not immediately jump from very low flowers in the beds to a few tall ones in the centre4 ,this is ludicrous4 ,make the gradation gradual from low to high4 ,this garden of the girls may seem almost to violate this principle4 ,not so1 for the nasturtiums merely acted as a border4 ,then all around the garden were the zinnias1 poppies and marigolds a step up to the cannas4 ,one may buy tall or rather low growing cannas4 ,these latter grow about four feet high4 ,they chose these low ones with yellow and orange in the blossom to harmonize with the yellow and orange of the nasturtiums4 ,note the proportional amount of grass space in the girls' garden4 ,observe too that it is the centre of interest4 ,the nasturtium border was ,elizabeth's4 ,zinnias were chosen by ,helena1 and ,katharine was to help in this work4 ,eloise loving the mignonette had asked for it1 poppies were ,josephine's and marigold was for ,dee4 ,ethel wanted the border of sweet alyssum although it represented a long strip to work4 ,illustration ,diagram3 ,scale #a_/h in4-#a ft4 ,note the proportional amount of grass space in the girls' garden4 ,observe1 too1 that it is the centre of interest4 ,if you think over this garden with its brilliant poppy colour1 the heavy yellow of the marigold1 the lighter colour effect of yellow in the nasturtium1 the dark red zinnia--quite a splash of colour1 was it not8 ,in order to have great masses of brilliant colour in the same garden one must break them in some way4 ,there are two possibilities that are good3 first1 paths between beds1 and second1 borders of white or inconspicuously coloured plants4 ,sweet alyssum is good for this purpose and so too is mignonette4 ,mignonette has such a small and modest little flower that one thinks always of mignonette in terms of green4 ,the mignonette was massed at the entrance of the garden for pleasing and subdued effect4 ,in staking out a garden it is well first to put heavy stakes1 like the ones the boys made1 in each of the four corners of the entire plot and put a string around4 ,this strings off the outline of the entire garden4 ,sight along the lines as ,jay and ,albert did to be sure the lines are straight4 ,in sloping land true up with great care4 ,on a level bit of land sighting is easy4 ,next if there is a main path string that off using twine1 stakes and always sighting4 ,if the garden is a large one of many small plots the next thing to do is to string lengthwise the entire garden1 measuring off plots and paths4 ,then widthwise measure off paths4 ,the side paths give you the width-boundary of the plots4 ,but the paths have cords through portions of them4 ,so put stakes in the corners of the plots4 ,cut the cord in the centres of cross paths and tie to stakes4 ,if carefully done each plot is marked off shipshape4 ,in general make the main paths four feet wide1 plot paths or side paths eighteen inches4 ,plots with widths about one-third of the lengths are right4 ,this did not hold true for this garden since the beds were long narrow strips4 ,in such cases the width should be a comfortable one to lean over and work across4 ,in staking such a garden plot as the girls' it is well to first line off with stakes and cord the entire outline of the garden4 ,then next string off main paths and intermediate ones4 ,it is very easy then to string off the beds1 for the path boundaries have done most of the work for you4 ,the girls planted all their seeds except poppy and grass seed in drills just as one plants lettuce and radish4 ,this is a far easier way to plant since as the little seedlings come up one can easily distinguish the nice even row of little plants from weeds4 ,they decided later that it would have been easier if the poppy had come up in drills4 ,for it came up in little tufts here and there4 ,and1 sad to say1 the poppy does not stand transplanting4 ,in making drills take two stakes and a string4 ,to either end of the string tie a stake4 ,the length of the string after tying should be the length of the drill one wishes to make4 ,this will be usually either the length or width of the bed4 ,this1 then1 is your line for the drill making4 ,another thing the girls did which makes garden measurements easy is the following3 mark off on the rake or hoe handle three feet4 ,one of these feet measure off into inches4 ,this saves carrying a measuring rod into the garden4 ,the marking should be done on the edge of the handle and not on either the under or upper surface of it4 ,if garden stakes are made one foot in length they can be used in measuring4 ,nasturtium culture needs some explanation4 ,nasturtiums are the most accommodating of flowers4 ,they will live on almost any soil4 ,the seeds are large and so are very easy for little girls to handle4 ,they may be placed two seeds together six inches apart in the furrow4 ,if the soil is very dry and the weather very warm1 soak the seeds over night4 ,plant the seeds about one inch deep1 cover over the soil and firm it well4 ,it is easy enough to keep the nasturtium bed weeded for the seedlings are large and not to be mistaken4 ,keep the flowers well picked all summer and you will have numberless blooms4 ,sweet alyssum is a charming border plant4 ,this1 too1 grows in almost any soil4 ,it is well to sow the seed in a box indoors4 ,transplant when the little seedlings are two inches high4 ,but alyssum may be sown right outdoors in the garden plot4 ,sprinkle the seeds along in the drill4 ,after the seedlings come up and are about an inch high thin out until the seedlings stand six to twelve inches apart4 ,marigolds are very gay sort of flowers4 ,many do not like them on account of their disagreeable odour4 ,but a strong point about these flowers is this3 they bloom and bloom1 and then they bloom again4 ,there are three kinds of marigolds one might plant4 ,these are the ,african1 ,french and dwarf4 ,they differ in height and also bushiness4 ,the ,african varieties must be thinned out to stand fifteen inches apart1 the ,french ten inches and the dwarf six inches4 ,these seeds are dry1 dead looking chaps1 but are not so small that they cannot be handled separately and placed carefully in the drill4 ,plant them nearer together than they are to stand later4 ,for instance1 put the ,african five inches apart1 the ,french five inches1 too1 and the dwarf three inches4 ,then you have extras1 so if some do not come up your garden is not crippled4 ,mignonette1 again1 is accommodating and will grow in almost any kind of soil4 ,these seeds are small and may be sprinkled along in the drill4 ,later thin out so the plants stand from six to twelve inches apart4 ,in choosing mignonette seed remember that there is a great difference in mignonette4 ,some is very sweet1 some is not3 some have large sturdy spikes1 while others have rather small spikes4 ,it pays to buy good seed4 ,poppy is a trifle more particular about the soil it grows in4 ,it requires a rather rich1 sandy loam4 ,again remember that poppies never stand transplanting4 ,poppy may be planted broadcast or in drills4 ,the tall growing varieties should finally stand eighteen inches apart and the smaller ones nine inches4 ,in order that poppies may blossom freely you should never let a seed capsule form4 ,for you see that if one wishes bloom1 one must not let the strength of a plant go to any other work except blossom making4 ,zinnias are satisfactory just as marigolds are4 ,to be sure they are not a very graceful flower4 ,but what of that8 ,we need all kinds of flowers4 ,when you buy the little packets of seed you usually get a mixture of colour4 ,in order to have just the colour one wishes1 seed must be bought from the seedsman by the ounce4 ,the girls wanted dark red zinnia4 ,one ounce planted this space4 ,it is not as expensive to buy seed this way4 ,a number of people may club together for seed4 ,helena's method of planting zinnia was to sow the seeds in a drill4 ,later she thinned her seedlings so that they stood eight inches apart in the row4 ,cornflowers or bachelor's buttons are lovely too4 ,they are far lovelier if bought by bulk so one may have the one colour1 that lovely blue4 ,these seeds may be planted in drills two seeds every six inches apart4 ,later thin to twelve inches apart4 ,most people start cannas from the bulb4 ,when one does this1 plant a good sized bulb and leave about an inch of stalk above ground4 ,if the bulbs are smaller use two to a hole or planting4 ,if cannas are started from seed follow this direction3 ,file holes in the canna seed4 ,the reason for this is that the outer crust is tough and filing helps the young plant to get out4 ,these seeds should be soaked in warm water for a day4 ,plant in pots4 ,when the plants are six to eight inches tall transplant to the garden4 ,cannas should stand two to six feet apart4 ,it depends on variety1 whether tall or dwarfed1 how far apart to place them4 ,when the flower garden was first started the question arose3 ,shall we plant annuals1 biennials or perennials4 ,for my part1 said ,josephine1 ,i don't know at all what these words mean4 ,katharine got a dictionary and soon she and ,eloise had these botanical terms worked out as follows3 ,a perennial is a plant which lives year after year in the soil4 ,it usually blossoms its second season4 ,trees and shrubs are hardy perennials4 ,a biennial is sown one year1 blossoms the next and then dies4 ,biennials should be covered lightly with straw or leaves through the winter4 ,an annual blossoms and dies its first season4 ,but some annuals sow themselves and so come up again the next season4 ,the girls worked out a table of planting by months which ,ethel called the plant time-table4 ,besides the garden which the girls all had together each one did something to improve things at home4 ,,the ,,flower ,,time-,,table ---------------------------------------- ------- ,,name ,,sowing ,,time ,,blossoming ,,time ---------------------------------------- ------- ,ageratum ,may ,june-,october ,aster ,may ,until frost ,balsam ,may ,june-,september ,calendula ,may ,june-,october ,cal4 ,poppy ,may ,august ,candytuft ,may ,june-,september ,coreopsis ,may ,june-,august ,cornflower ,april ,june ,cosmos ,may ,august-,september ,four o'clock ,may ,july-,august ,foxglove ,may ,june ,gaillardia ,may ,july-,october ,helianthus ,may ,august-,september ,hollyhocks ,august ,august ,iceland ,poppy ,may ,june-,september ,larkspur ,may ,june-,july ,marigold ,may ,until frost ,mignonette ,may ,until frost ,morning-glory ,may ,july-,august ,petunia ,may ,july-,september ,phlox ,may ,july-,october ,scabiosa ,may ,july-,august ,stock ,may ,june-,july ,sunflower ,april ,july-,september ---------------------------------------- ------- ,ethel and ,dee set up a sundial in ,ethel's own backyard4 ,the directions that follow will help other girls and boys in setting up theirs4 ,sun-time and clock-time are not quite the same4 ,there are four days in the year when1 if you work out the sun-shadow time1 your dial will be almost accurate4 ,this is because on these days the sun-time and the clock-time practically coincide4 ,these dates are ,april #aeth1 ,june #aeth1 ,september #ast1 and ,december #bdth4 ,before you go outdoors draw on the platform of the sundial a straight line from angle ,b of the gnomon to the front edge of the platform4 ,set the dial out in direct sunlight4 ,the shadow cast must fall right on the straight line which you previously drew4 ,when the shadow and the line coincide1 mark the extreme end of the line ,,xii4 ,this stands for twelve o'clock4 ,now screw the sundial in this position to the column you have made for it to rest upon4 ,at one o'clock mark where the shadow points1 and keep on with this for every hour4 ,you remember the gnomon angle was the number of degrees corresponding to the degrees in latitude of your special place4 ,poughkeepsie boys and girls will be interested to know that if a sundial be brought to them from ,rome1 it will be right for them4 ,and if ,new ,york ,city boys and girls could get one from ,florence1 they would find it accurate for their own use4 ,these girls lived near ,poughkeepsie4 ,elizabeth planted a border of nasturtium1 sunflower and zinnia along her sidewalk4 ,it cost eight cents for seed to plant these two by ten feet strips4 ,helena made a bed of different kinds of flowers right back of her father's field4 ,the garden was thirteen and one-half feet square4 ,the edges her father helped her sod1 this making a terrace effect4 ,nine little flower beds were marked off with paths between4 ,in the beds were asters1 celosia1 balsam1 nasturtiums1 marigold1 zinnia1 carnation1 schizanthus1 sweet peas1 dahlias1 gladiolus1 candytuft1 lilies1 scabiosa1 stocks1 salvia1 snapdragon1 phlox1 mignonette1 four o'clocks and petunias4 ,helena's mother worked with her in the garden as did one of the boys across the street4 ,he was not a club member but was hoping to be one the next year4 ,and so ,leston worked with ,helena all summer long4 ,he finally won his place in ,the ,chief's club4 ,eloise decided she would have a window garden and so before all the front windows of the inn1 window boxes were placed4 ,most of the trouble with the window box is a lack of drainage space4 ,estimate off the bottom of the box something like this3 ,to every foot bore six holes4 ,this is none too much4 ,the great trouble usually is lack of drainage1 or lack of air1 or sour soil4 ,over each drainage hole put a bit of broken pot4 ,then it is well to put a half-inch of drainage material in the box4 ,stone1 broken pot1 sphagnum moss1 or hay will do for this4 ,the soil should be good1 rich1 garden soil4 ,with this one might mix in some sand to help drainage4 ,window boxes should be watered with care2 they should not be flooded4 ,eloise had very effective boxes4 ,vincas trailed over the edges2 dwarf cannas were in the back of each box2 and red and white geraniums were a glory all summer long4 ,josephine's gardening was a little difficult4 ,she had no space at all4 ,the backyard at her house was seeded down and her mother did not wish it spaded up4 ,she had no front yard4 ,josephine thought and thought for some time1 then decided she would just simply have to make a way to have a garden4 ,so one day she went to the grocery store and bought a soap box for ten cents4 ,this she filled with soil from ,eloise's garden4 ,then she bought a five-cent package of parsley seed4 ,these seeds were soaked over night in warm water1 for parsley seeds are slow to germinate4 ,then the seeds were planted in neat little rows in her box garden4 ,this garden was most convenient4 ,it stood out near the house in the backyard all summer4 ,it went to the exhibit in the fall4 ,it stayed on the piazza until frost and then went into the kitchen for the winter4 ,josephine had parsley enough for her mother's table all the year around4 ,,xvi ,,more ,,about ,,the ,,girls' ,,work4 ,in late ,september the girls began agitating the matter of bulb planting for the school grounds and their homes4 ,the boys were rather scornful of it4 ,i believe in gardens1 said ,albert with great finality1 but bulb work seems to me like fancy work4 ,and then too1 bulbs are pretty expensive4 ,very well1 answered ,dee1 we girls are quite able1 as you boys know1 to work alone4 ,but spading is pretty hard1 and ,i should think some of you would be glad to help4 ,i'll help any time1 ,myron volunteered1 and ,i promise to bring two of these other chaps whenever you say4 ,thank you1 ,myron4 ,we'll not bother you boys further now4 ,off the girls ran to ,katharine's home to study bulb catalogues4 ,katharine's father gave five dollars for bulbs for the school grounds4 ,this he stipulated was for outdoor planting4 ,elizabeth and ,ethel were going to plant outdoors at home4 ,the other girls had each some money for indoor work4 ,you may all like to know what the girls found out from their search in bulb catalogues4 ,in the first place very good and perfectly reliable information is obtained from the catalogue of any reputable seed house4 ,the girls found out that certain bulbs are better adapted to outside planting1 while others do equally well indoors or out4 ,take tulips first2 these are suited to the outdoor conditions4 ,to be sure the florist1 whose business it is to raise them inside does so with great success4 ,but boys and girls are more likely to have trouble with inside planting of tulips than of other bulbs4 ,oftentimes lice cover them when the bulb is first brought up from the cellar4 ,then when treated with kerosene emulsion or some other insecticide the bud becomes blasted1 for the blossom is close under the folded outer leaves1 so is in a very precarious position4 ,then1 too1 tulip bulbs rot easily and the buds blast easily4 ,so it is wise not to run so many risks but try the kinds of bulbs which are less prone to trouble4 ,the easiest and safest bulbs for children to work with are narcissus 7including daffodils1 jonquils1 ,chinese lily bulbs and paper narcissus71 and hyacinth4 ,hyacinth has one bad habit when planted indoors4 ,this is the tendency to unfold its blossom too soon4 ,so the beautiful hyacinth blossom appears dwarfed and stunted close down near the ground4 ,to avoid this condition do not take the bulb from the dark until the leaves are about an inch to two inches above the earth and until they have spread apart4 ,this gives the blossom a chance to shoot up4 ,tip the pot over and see if the roots are visible through the drainage hole4 ,the time to buy bulbs is in late ,august or early ,september4 ,after this bulbs through shrinkage depreciate in value2 by which value is meant not one in price but in soundness and ability to produce blossoms4 ,do not buy cheap or cut-rate bulbs4 ,buy good1 big1 sound ones4 ,the ,roman hyacinths are excellent for forcing4 ,they are small flowered1 quite different from the large sturdy ,dutch hyacinths more commonly planted4 ,in choosing hyacinths you have to decide upon the colour and whether you wish double or single varieties4 ,in general most people enjoy single flowers better4 ,if you are to use the hyacinths for outdoor planting or bedding it is perfectly safe just to write for bulbs which are to be bedded4 ,la ,grandesse is a beautiful white2 ,king of the ,blues speaks for itself and the ,sarah ,bernhardt is a salmon pink4 ,these do well inside1 too4 ,charles ,dickens is a fine rose colour1 ,prince of ,wales1 violet1 and ,l',innocence1 a fine white4 ,these are good for inside planting4 ,some may like the smaller ,roman hyacinths1 which do splendidly indoors4 ,very good hyacinths are bought for fifteen cents4 ,tulips do especially well outdoors4 ,a capital one for either bedding or indoor forcing is the ,isabelle4 ,it is a beautiful red tulip which is bought for five cents4 ,the ,summer ,beauty1 a hardy white tulip1 is well worth the ten cents asked for each one4 ,some of you may like to raise some freaks2 then try parrot tulips at about thirty-five cents a dozen4 ,a thing to remember about the indoor planting of tulips is this--tulips1 more than other bulbs1 are likely to have plant lice1 so watch out6 ,in daffodils you may be sure of the ,van ,sion4 ,these are worth forty cents a dozen4 ,you can buy daffodils for twenty4 ,if you wish to lay in a stock of bulbs for water planting choose1 of course1 ,chinese lilies1 but try1 too1 the paper white narcissus4 ,these bulbs cost forty cents a dozen4 ,buy from the five-and-ten-cent store a glass dish1 and gather stones for it4 ,about three weeks before you wish blossoms plant a dozen of these narcissi in the glass dish with the stones as a foundation1 and water enough to come up around the base of the bulbs4 ,it is a good plan to set the dish of bulbs in the dark for four or five days4 ,you can grow hyacinths in water too4 ,for this a special glass is sold1 although ,i have seen children place a bulb in the top of a preserve jar4 ,it works all right4 ,bulbs must never drop low into water or they decay4 ,these1 too1 should be placed in the dark for about a week4 ,suppose you have a quarter to spend4 ,you can make all kinds of interesting combinations4 ,three daffodils for ten cents1 a hyacinth for ten1 and a tulip for five1 give you a chance to experiment4 ,a word more about narcissus4 ,this is a large family1 ,one gets confused sometimes with the names daffodil1 jonquil and paper white narcissus4 ,all these are of the family narcissus4 ,the daffodils are the bulbs with large single or double cups4 ,the jonquil has a cluster of small blossoms of from three to six single flowers4 ,the paper white narcissus has four to twelve single blossoms to the flower head4 ,ethel and ,dee had good lawns at home which their mothers were not willing to have spaded up1 but they gave consent to the girls putting crocus bulbs here and there over the lawns4 ,these bulbs should be planted about an inch deep and three inches apart in the group4 ,these were dotted about in clusters of six4 ,the dibble is a good instrument to use in dotting bulbs around the turf4 ,crocuses are good for indoor planting as well4 ,they may be planted in flats or in indoor boxes4 ,remember crocuses are of practically no use for cut-flower purposes4 ,the school tulip bed was made just as ,philip's round bed was made4 ,the time to plant depends on the weather4 ,it is always well to get all outdoor planting done before the time of frost4 ,why8 ,because you wish to get the bulbs in while the earth is still warm4 ,bulbs lie in the ground all winter slowly putting out roots1 slowly starting to push up toward the light above4 ,for good root forming they need this long time of slow growth4 ,get the outdoor bulbs in the ground during ,september4 ,before this the ground may be prepared4 ,in all the beds dig down about two feet4 ,work over the soil well4 ,make it fine and free from lumps and stones4 ,ordinary garden soil will be right for these beds4 ,put no fertilizer in4 ,if your ground is clayey1 mix sand with it4 ,use one-quarter sand in a mixture of this sort4 ,this makes a lighter soil4 ,clay soil is what we call a heavy soil4 ,bulbs require light soils4 ,now comes planting4 ,different kinds of bulbs require different depths of soil4 ,place the tulip bulbs four inches deep1 and six inches apart4 ,hyacinths were planted by ,elizabeth in a strip beside the house4 ,jack also planted daffodils in a corner sheltered by the house foundation and an old high fence4 ,the daffodils were planted exactly as the tulips1 but the hyacinths were planted six inches deep1 instead of four4 ,in buying bulbs for outdoor planting ask for bedding bulbs1 while for indoor work buy forcing varieties4 ,one bright day in ,october the girls met at ,katharine's house to pot their bulbs for winter4 ,some had made wooden boxes or flats during the winter2 others had bought low pots2 while still others had the ordinary high pot4 ,in potting bulbs or any other plant two things are to be kept in mind--first1 the soil1 and second1 the drainage4 ,the soil may be any good garden soil4 ,to a given quantity one may add one-fourth rotted manure and one-fourth sand4 ,this last helps lighten the material1 allowing more air to get at the entire mass and making good drainage easier4 ,mix all this together4 ,if one lacks the well-rotted manure and sand1 any good garden soil may be used4 ,sift the soil until it is perfectly fine4 ,a simple sieve1 which works well1 may be made from a small soap or starch box4 ,knock the bottom out and use in place of this wire netting4 ,helena and ,eloise made two sieves which did for all the girls4 ,eloise also made some very good flats as described before under the chapter on the girls' winter work4 ,you can easily see how excellent this style of flat is from a drainage point of view4 ,more trouble1 in potted bulbs and all kinds of plants1 comes from too little drainage space than from any other one thing4 ,most boys and girls think it enough if one little stone or piece of pot is put in the hole of the flower pot4 ,not so2 there should be from one to two inches of drainage material in the pot4 ,that seems a great deal1 doesn't it8 ,but it will give not only drainage but air space1 too1 and this keeps the plant in good healthy shape4 ,with too little drainage area the earth in a pot gets clogged and very often sour4 ,a high pot needs more drainage matter in it than a low one4 ,first use a piece of broken pot to place over the drainage hole4 ,but put this in such a position that the drainage hole will be kept open4 ,then put in two inches of coarse material like broken pot4 ,it is now a good plan to place over this a layer of coarse material4 ,this gives a greater opportunity for air4 ,over this goes the soil you have already prepared4 ,place bulbs just below the surface and have soil one inch below the top of pot4 ,narcissus and hyacinths may be planted with their tops out of the soil4 ,a low pot needs less drainage material4 ,some pots have sphagnum moss over the drainage4 ,instead of this use old sod finely torn up or coarse soil4 ,see1 too1 that the bulb comes nearly to the top of the soil4 ,when indoor bulbs are planted at some distance below the surface of the soil they have too much work to do to force their way up and out4 ,it takes too long4 ,after the girls had finished potting the next step was to make arrangements for the resting time4 ,bulbs should stay in the dark and cold from five to ten weeks4 ,it is difficult to give an exact time as conditions differ and bulbs too4 ,bulbs may take their retirement in a dark cold cellar where there is no danger from mice4 ,some attics are suited for this4 ,eloise put hers in an old bureau4 ,this bureau was in an unused1 cold room4 ,the bulbs were placed in the drawers which were then closed1 but not tightly4 ,ethel1 ,dee and ,josephine put theirs in the cellar4 ,helena1 ,elizabeth and ,katharine tried another plan4 ,they had a trench dug outdoors two feet deep and eighteen inches wide4 ,in this they placed their pots and flats4 ,then the trench was filled in with dirt and over this a layer of ashes was put4 ,the pots were given a good watering before they were sunk into the ground4 ,unless the winter is a very dry and open one the bulbs will need no more water4 ,if there should be little snow-fall then it may be necessary to water the ground where the bulbs are1 but this is not usual4 ,little sticks were put into the ground just where the bulbs were4 ,these help in locating them when digging-up time comes4 ,the girls left them in the ground for six weeks4 ,then they were taken in and put in a cold north window for a week4 ,helena put hers in the dark a week and then brought them to a north window for another week4 ,then she put them in a south window4 ,bulbs should go very slowly from dark and cold to warmth and light4 ,this is a point to be remembered4 ,the girls who stored their pots in attic and cellar of course had to water them4 ,this should be done as often as the plant needs it1 perhaps three times a week4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,bulb ,,story #a4 ,ample ,drainage #b4 ,depth of ,planting #c4 ,perfect ,root ,development #d4 ,ready to ,come to the ,light ,photographs by ,h4,e4 ,angell and ,henry ,schultz4 ,when the plant is about an inch above the ground1 as one of the pictures shows1 it is the time to bring it to the light4 ,be sure the outer leaves have spread apart in the ease of hyacinths and tulips2 also invert the pot and see if the roots are poking through2 this is another way to be sure that the bulb is ready to come to the light4 ,a way to help a hyacinth or tulip develop its stems properly and so prevent blossoming low down in the box is to put a cone over the bulb as soon as you bring it to the light4 ,make the cone of paper and have one opening at the top two inches in diameter4 ,the flower stem and leaves of the bulb will quickly start to grow up to the light4 ,take this cone off when the leaves are several inches high4 ,the girls did some water-planting1 too4 ,for this purpose hyacinths1 ,chinese lilies1 paper narcissus and jonquils are good4 ,some people put these dishes and glasses immediately in the light4 ,but it is better if they are set away in the dark until the shoots start and the roots1 too1 begin development4 ,the girls bought glass dishes at the five-and-ten-cent store4 ,into these dishes were put small stones which they had gathered in the fall for this purpose4 ,stones should be small for this work1 from one-half inch to an inch in diameter4 ,josephine had a lot of fine white sand which she packed in all about the stones4 ,the sand was kept thoroughly wet all the time4 ,this is a good method of treatment4 ,paper white narcissus1 if planted early1 will blossom by ,thanksgiving4 ,they may be held back until ,christmas4 ,these blossoms are sweet smelling and very graceful in appearance4 ,eloise tried the same method with jonquils with excellent results4 ,in ,february they had a bulb exhibit and their display was really fine4 ,in the spring they all felt that the outdoor work1 too1 had paid4 ,the beds were uncovered as early as possible4 ,the outdoor bulb will stand considerable cold1 even after it is well up4 ,cut worms may trouble the hyacinths2 if so try the paper collar treatment4 ,finally remember then three things about bulbs3 good bulbs1 good drainage1 plenty of time in the dark4 ,after bulbs are through blooming let the blossom dry thoroughly and the leaves get yellow and dry4 ,one need not keep these homely looking plants in the living room in plain sight4 ,put them away down cellar to finish drying out4 ,then cut the leaves and blossoms off to one inch of the bulb itself4 ,take bulb out of pot1 shake all dirt off1 and dry thoroughly4 ,these may be put into paper bags and hung up in a dry place or just packed in a pasteboard box4 ,these indoor bulbs may be planted outdoors in the fall4 ,they will do better for the change4 ,indoor bulb culture means forcing1 a hard strain and demand on a bulb4 ,outdoor planting gives a long winter's rest1 not entire rest1 to be sure1 but the growth during the winter is slow4 ,,list ,,of ,,bulbs ,,by ,,colours ,,white ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,name ,,depth ,,outdoor,,indoor ,,height ,,special ,,points ,,to ,,plant ,,bloom ,,bloom ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,snowdrop #b in4 ,march ,christmas #c-d in4 ,earliest of spring flowers4 ,likes cool and shady spots ,crocus #b in4 #c-e in4 ,buy ,crocus biflorus4 var4 argenteus ,white #c-d in4 ,april ,january #aj in4 ,increases very crowned rapidly daffodils ,poet's #c-d in4 ,may #ab in4 ,excellent for narcissus outdoor work ,grape #c in4 ,march #d-f in4 ,plant in shady hyacinth places in the lawn ,bell- #c in4 ,may ,christmas #ab in4 ,poet's narcissus flowered and this scilla scilla planted together bloom at same time ,star of #c in4 #ab in4 ,most satisfactory ,bethlehem for bloom ,tulips #d in4 ,april ,january #f-ab in4 ,try ,duc ,van ,thol and d',immacule ,hyacinths #e in4 #f-ab in4 ,plant ,baroness ,van ,thuyl1 very large and very early ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,yellow ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,name ,,depth ,,outdoor,,indoor ,,height ,,special ,,points ,,to ,,plant ,,bloom ,,bloom ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,crocus #b-c in4 ,march ,christmas #c-e in4 ,plant ,cloth of ,gold ,trumpet daffodils #d in4 ,april ,january #ae in4 ,van ,sion is especially satisfactory4 ,flowers double ,jonquil #d in4 #ab in4 ,flowers sweetly fragrant ,daffodil #c in4 #d in4 ,variety ,narcissus ,bulbocodium ,tulips #d in4 #ab in4 ,due ,van ,thol1 yellow ,hyacinths #e in4 #ab in4 ,choose from those called bedding varieties ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,blue ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,name ,,depth ,,outdoor,,indoor ,,height ,,special ,,points ,,to ,,plant ,,bloom ,,bloom ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,common crocus #b-c in4 ,march ,christmas #e in4 ,good for lawn effects ,grape ,hyacinths #b-c in4 ,april ,january #ae in4 ,good for pot culture ,iris #d in4 ,may #ab-bd ,plant in groups 7,spanish7 in4 for garden effect ,iris #c in4 ,june #ab-bd ,if planted outdoors in 7,english7 in4 ,september1 cover well with leaves ,bulb- #b-c in4 ,may #ab in4 ,satisfactory for flowered bloom scilla ,hyacinths #e in4 #ab in4 ,king of the ,blues ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,red ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,,name ,,depth ,,outdoor,,indoor ,,height ,,special ,,points ,,to ,,plant ,,bloom ,,bloom ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,peony #d in4 ,may #b - ,plant outdoors #b-a_/b ft4 in ,september4 ,increases and lives a long time ,late #f in4 ,july #c ft4 ,showy and peony attractive ,red #f-h in4 ,august #c ft4 ,protect through speciosum the winter1 lily leaving bulbs in the ground ,tulips #d ,april ,january #f-ah in4 ,isabelle ,choose variety ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ,,xvii ,,the ,,girls' ,,winter ,,work4 ,we want some plants at school this winter1 and we each should like some plants of our own at home4 ,this remark greeted ,the ,chief one day in late ,september as he entered his home after a long tramp in the woods4 ,the slant rays of the late afternoon sun and the low fire in the fireplace were not able to give ,the ,chief any clue as to the speakers4 ,who are 'we'8 he demanded4 ,i am ,dee1 was the reply1 and 'we' are all the girls4 ,dear me said the man1 ,i thought ,i had settled your case by recommending bulb culture to you4 ,not much6 shouted the girls all together4 ,we have finished our bulb work1 ,katharine went on to say1 and now we are very anxious to do something with house plants4 ,we have a good six weeks or more to wait for our bulbs1 and so we thought possibly you would be willing to help us4 ,i did think1 grumbled the man1 that after ,i had invited you to a series of talks this winter you would leave me in peace4 ,and then they all laughed gaily together4 ,well1 what is your stock you have to work with1 girls8 ,i shall have to know that before ,i can help you4 ,we have--that is1 most of us have--a lot of old straggly geraniums in our gardens4 ,then ,katharine's mother has some fuchsias and begonias which she has promised us1 replied ,miriam4 ,up at the hotel where ,jack sold his lettuce there are a few things ,i have been promised1 added ,elizabeth4 ,do you know what these are8 asked ,ethel4 ,yes4 ,there are some heliotrope plants1 marguerites1 some lovely rose geraniums1 and a few flowering maples or--,i have forgotten the long name for them4 ,abutilon is the other name1 added ,the ,chief4 ,well1 that is a start1 surely4 ,i'll do some potting with you next ,saturday afternoon4 ,that will give ,elizabeth time to get her hotel plants4 ,i guess ,dee will drive you up4 ,you are to take a big basket with you1 and your trowels4 ,carefully lift each plant from its resting-place4 ,water the soil a bit before you take up the plants4 ,they come up easier for this1 and soil is more likely to remain clinging to the roots4 ,if it should rain ,friday you will be saved the trouble of taking a watering pot with you4 ,be sure to take up with the plant some of its own soil4 ,then pack all these soil-encased plants in your basket4 ,do not let the sun get at them before we get at potting4 ,come all of you at two in the afternoon4 ,bring your plants with their own earth1 your straggly geraniums1 pots1 and each a trowel4 ,now perhaps you will be willing to trot home so ,i may eat my supper4 ,next ,saturday at two a grand collection of girls1 plants1 big pots1 little pots1 and trowels arrived4 ,the ,chief took girls and all out into his potting shed4 ,this was once an old woodhouse2 now a shed with benches running along two sides of it4 ,under the benches were great heaps of soil4 ,pots and pans were piled in one corner and garden implements were neatly put up on the walls4 ,i call this a pretty nice place for work1 said ,eloise in tones full of real interest4 ,the ,chief nodded smilingly at her1 for there was a bond of sympathy between the man and this real outdoor girl4 ,eloise had a greater appreciation of the work than any one of the others4 ,where did that splendid window box come from8 asked ,josephine4 ,that is one the boys made last winter especially for the school4 ,i shall have to give you girls some group work first4 ,then ,i'll demonstrate potting and slipping to you all together4 ,eloise and ,josephine will start to put the drainage material into the pots4 ,ethel and ,dee may do the same for the window box4 ,put in your curved pieces of pot over the drainage hole1 then about an inch of drainage material4 ,there is a wooden mallet4 ,crack up some bits of old flower pot as you need them4 ,outside is a half barrel of old pots4 ,instead of using all pot for this half inch of drainage material1 use some charcoal4 ,in that barrel marked charcoal you will find plenty of pieces4 ,the charcoal is not only good for drainage but helps keep the soil sweet4 ,helena1 ,miriam and ,katharine will mix the soil4 ,here are some firkins and peck measures4 ,to every three measures of soil from that pile there1 which is nothing but garden soil1 add one measure of sand and one of leaf mould4 ,now1 my leaf mould over there in that tub isn't real mould from the woods4 ,you see the part desired in leaf mould is vegetable matter4 ,i can get that from old rotted leaves and rotted sods4 ,notice1 girls1 that you see no green grass in that soddy matter ,i have shaved off with my spade--only the under surface of the sods4 ,this surface is full of vegetable matter in the form of young roots4 ,stir up all these portions thoroughly4 ,now1 ,elizabeth1 look at these pots4 ,some are brand new1 some are clogged with soil and green matter4 ,soak the new ones in a pailful of water and clean and wash the dirty ones4 ,i'd like to ask why ,i am to soak the new pots1 and why1 since soil is going right back into these old pots1 ,i have to clean them4 ,i should think the soil clinging to the sides would help out4 ,yes1 ,i should like to know that1 too1 said ,miriam1 stopping her work4 ,if new pots are not soaked the soil in them dries out very rapidly4 ,you can see that would be bad4 ,old soil clinging to plants interferes with the new root growth while the green affects the porosity of the pot4 ,the girls stirred1 scraped1 and placed bits of pot in boxes and pots for a time without speaking4 ,are we putting the right amount of drainage into these pots8 finally questioned ,eloise4 ,not quite enough into those large pots4 ,in the small ones the inch of drainage you have in the pots is quite sufficient1 but in those pots over six inches in size put an inch and a half of drainage material4 ,there should be two inches of drainage in that window box4 ,katherine1 you are taking those new pots out of the water too soon4 ,leave them in until the bubbling is all over4 ,wait a minute1 you mixing girls over there4 ,you mustn't put such coarse soil into your mixture4 ,that could well go into the pots and window box above the drainage material4 ,but it is far too coarse for a good potting soil4 ,what soil you need for potting one of you should sift4 ,if the lumps were not so large it would have been all right4 ,what is that you are saying1 ,dee8 ,i wanted to know what you were going to use in place of sphagnum moss4 ,we have the drainage fixed in the box4 ,shall we put on the coarse material next8 ,helena said you always used sphagnum moss4 ,so ,i do when ,i can get it4 ,but ,i can't always1 so ,i just take some old thin sods and put them on1 green side down1 next to the drainage4 ,to be sure1 the coarse material could go on next1 but it is very apt to settle badly in the pot or box4 ,you will find that sod just outside4 ,pick out the very thinnest pieces2 any others will be too thick4 ,now1 said ,elizabeth1 if you will bring your pots over1 we'll fill them up with soil for you4 ,wait a little1 ,elizabeth4 ,what is going to happen with that pot already full of soil when you put the plant in8 ,just how are you going to work that8 ,why1 ,i had intended to make a hole in the soil and put the plant in4 ,that is no way to pot plants4 ,come here1 girls1 and let us talk this point out4 ,i will pot a plant for you4 ,i guess this begonia would be a good one4 ,see1 it has quite a ball of earth of its own4 ,now look at ,elizabeth's full pot4 ,trying to plant in a pot already full of soil is beginning entirely wrong4 ,hand over another pot1 ,josephine4 ,thank you4 ,see1 here is a pot with its drainage1 and a very little bit of old sod over this4 ,the soddy matter takes up only about a quarter inch4 ,give me a trowel full of the potting soil1 or a little coarse soil first4 ,now ,i lower into the pot my plant with its own earth still about it4 ,see1 it is going to be about right4 ,now1 while ,i hold the plant in position in the pot with my left hand1 ,i shake the potting soil in all about the plant4 ,here is a stick4 ,i made it and call it my potting stick4 ,it is about the length of a foot ruler4 ,see1 it is about an inch thick and has a rounded end4 ,with this end ,i gently poke the soil into place4 ,occasionally1 ,i give the pot a little shake1 which settles the soil into crevices and crannies4 ,but never do this jerkily or violently4 ,when the soil is within a half inch of the top of the pot1 press it down all about the plant stem2 that is1 firm the plant4 ,you should be able to take up a potted plant by the plant stalk without uprooting it4 ,the florist can do this with any of his potted plants4 ,if the plant is loose in its new home it will not do well4 ,you said to have a half-inch space between top of soil and top of pot4 ,i should like to know why1 because all the plants at my aunt's house are done the other way1 eagerly inquired ,helena4 ,the purpose of the half-inch space is for watering the plant4 ,i should be willing to wager that when your aunt waters her plants she has a bad time with water spilling over and soil washing out4 ,the space allows for this and prevents its happening4 ,i shall tell her about that when ,i go to see her4 ,i am to go next week4 ,don't you think ,i might carry her a plant nicely potted8 ,indeed ,i do4 ,i think we can spare a begonia for her4 ,just let me water this plant a little4 ,notice that ,i do not flood it4 ,now1 set it outside1 ,elizabeth1 right by my back door where it will be sheltered4 ,why put it outside8 asked the child1 as she took the pot2 ,i'd have left it here under shelter4 ,it goes out because good fresh air is as important for newly potted plants as good soil1 careful handling1 and watering4 ,now for a slipping geranium lesson6 ,old1 stocky geraniums in the fall garden are exactly right to slip4 ,these properly slipped and started1 if well cared for1 will blossom by ,january or ,february4 ,if closely crowded into the window box1 you may be certain of bloom provided you have good1 strong sunlight on them4 ,florists slip geraniums and put them into sand2 many people put the slips into water to form roots2 but it is far easier for you children and for schools to place the slips immediately into the earth of the window box4 ,the slipping process itself is easy4 ,suppose we have a big1 old geranium from which to take our slips4 ,it is full of branches4 ,these branches or stems have around them at intervals rings called nodes4 ,the space between two nodes is called an internode4 ,on the nodes are what seem to be small leaves4 ,press one aside1 notice between it and the stem what appears to be a very small bud4 ,here a new shoot can start4 ,so choose a branch1 pick off all the large leaves except two at the extreme end4 ,if there are more than two1 choose the two smallest leaves4 ,now it is ready to cut4 ,about four inches down the stem cut it off between two nodes4 ,do not cut straight across the stem but cut slantwise4 ,you have now as ,i have in my hand1 a geranium slip which is four inches long4 ,at one end of the stalk are two leaves2 the other end is cut obliquely across4 ,before you plant this slip look between the two leaves and see if there is a small bud4 ,if so1 and it is all green1 leave it4 ,for this green means that as the bud develops only leaves will unfold4 ,if you see any other colour in the bud1 pinch it out with your fingers4 ,the colour tells us that the bud is a flower bud4 ,if this be left on the slip1 all the strength of the little plant will be taken up in forming the blossom4 ,a new plant is not strong enough to stand this4 ,it needs all its power for plant growth4 ,plant the slip in your window box1 burying it in earth above the first node2 that is1 the node just above the cut4 ,thus you have buried in the earth the place where roots will form4 ,crowd the slips in1 three or four inches only apart4 ,they should not be exposed to the full glare of the sun at first4 ,some gardeners say to let the slips wilt before watering4 ,but it is quite safe to water a little from the first4 ,do not soak the soil1 however1 or the young plants will decay4 ,now the slips may be put right into a window box1 or into these flats4 ,i would not place them immediately in a sunny window4 ,but place them where the sun does not shine directly4 ,it is excellent to leave window boxes and newly potted plants outdoors for a time1 until in the fresh air they get accustomed to their new living conditions4 ,shall we fix up the school window boxes now8 asked ,josephine4 ,yes1 we will get right at that4 ,but first ,i will give you a window-box talk4 ,the most satisfactory way to grow plants in the schoolroom and in many cases1 at home1 is in the window box4 ,the window box means the possibility of easily caring for a number of plants in a small space4 ,plants in pots take much more space than the same number of plants in a window box4 ,it is the cleanest way1 too4 ,you are all familiar with the sight of a pot covered with crpe paper stained and discoloured from water spilt upon it and moisture given off from the porous pot4 ,the window box1 if properly watered1 need never leak4 ,its freshly painted sides need never be covered with any material4 ,it stands for just what it is--a well-made1 well-painted wooden box4 ,it is quite impossible to give dimensions for the construction of the window box1 since it must fit the space one wishes to use4 ,it is wise to keep in mind this--that these boxes when filled with soil are very1 very heavy and awkward to handle4 ,so if your window is large1 why not have two small boxes for the space rather than one large one8 ,when these are placed end to end the effect is of one long box4 ,the ordinary house window may well have the single box4 ,other things to keep in mind for the constructing of the box are depth1 drainage1 holes1 joints and paint4 ,just as bulb boxes need no great depth1 so with window boxes4 ,if the depth be great the plants spend too much energy in root growth4 ,a shallow box means1 if properly filled1 a compact root mass4 ,so if your box is to be1 say three and a half feet long make it not more than ten inches deep4 ,as we make drainage holes in the bottom of the bulb box1 so we do in the window box4 ,many people make window boxes without drainage holes4 ,it seems rather better to have them since they offer exit for surplus water1 and places for the roots to get at the air4 ,these holes may be bored six inches apart down through the centre of the box2 or they may be bored in two lines1 thus doubling the number of holes and the amount of air space4 ,take this rule1 for every square foot of space have four drainage holes4 ,a box filled with soil all winter constantly in a state of moisture is quite likely to spring or spread apart at the joints4 ,the better fitted the joints the better the box1 and the better it stands the inside pressure and moisture continually brought to bear upon it4 ,as to paint1 of course the box must have one coat 7perhaps two7 on the outside4 ,a dark green is all around the best4 ,green is always the best setting for plants4 ,nature made this colour scheme4 ,we only follow her lead4 ,after the box is made1 and the paint dry1 it must be filled4 ,do any of you girls happen to know just where in the school room the boxes are to be placed8 ,one goes into a south window1 and ,i believe the other is to be in a north one1 replied ,dee4 ,that certainly tells us enough to help us in selecting plants for these boxes4 ,the kind of plants to place in the box depends upon whether the box is to go into a bright sunny window or into one which gets little or no sun4 ,everyone knows the most satisfactory plant of all for sunny windows is the geranium4 ,it is easy enough to get them for schools without money1 because this is the time when everyone's mother is taking up plants for the winter1 some of which are always thrown away4 ,many large1 old plants slipped make six or more good little chaps4 ,begonias are most satisfactory2 you can plant these either in sun or shade4 ,a good one for a shady window is the one called the 'beefsteak' begonia4 ,fuchsias make a fine show4 ,if you wish to have a plant of some height do not choose a fern or palm1 for these plants need so much water they should always be planted by themselves in single pots or in fern dishes4 ,the amount of water required for a palm would cause ordinary plants1 like geraniums1 to decay4 ,so choose plants which take up about the same quantity of water4 ,for height1 then1 one might plant a flowering maple4 ,these are fine in leaf and blossom4 ,so they add much to the box4 ,dracenas are good for both sun and shade2 so1 too1 is pandanus4 ,the foliage of this is pleasing4 ,much is added to the general effect if some plants which form long hangers are put in1 and planted close to the front side of the box4 ,in sun or shade the ,wandering ,jew grows4 ,a bit breaks off2 it is stuck back into the earth and again it grows4 ,pieces cut and put into water grow equally well4 ,trailing over the sides of the vessel they are in1 they make a pleasing effect in a corner1 or by the side of a window4 ,an important thing to be remembered in connection with window boxes is that the closer you plant the better the growth of the plants4 ,it sounds wrong4 ,we think that plants ought to have space to grow in4 ,they should1 usually2 but space defeats the object of the window box1 because the idea is to have top growth and blossom4 ,if you give plants a chance to grow under the ground they will do it at a sacrifice to their growth above ground4 ,so crowd the plants in4 ,the root growth1 thus limited and checked1 gives added strength above4 ,this is true too1 in a measure1 of planting in pots4 ,most people put plants in too large pots1 and so fail often to get good top growth and blossom4 ,notice next time you drop into a florist's shop the large palms in comparatively small pots4 ,why is this8 ,just to get good growth of foliage4 ,finally1 as to sunny and sunless windows3 put into the boxes for the shady windows plants which run to foliage1 and into those for the sunny windows plants from which you expect blossom4 ,for blossoms1 sun is necessary4 ,the last thing of all is the placing of the box4 ,shall it go on the sill8 ,not if you wish to keep the sill in good condition4 ,shall it be screwed to the casement8 ,it may be1 but it is hard to place each year1 and often the strain is too great on the screws4 ,the best arrangement is that of iron brackets screwed to the casement beneath the window sill4 ,these brackets when not in use may be folded in against the wall and so are quite out of the way and do not have to be removed from schoolrooms each spring when the box goes outdoors4 ,the weight of the box is sufficient to hold the brackets out1 and so steadies them that it is not necessary to even screw the box on4 ,two boys holding the brackets straight1 two others placing the box on1 is all the labour needed to make that box permanently secure4 ,it remains here now until its journey outdoors next spring4 ,i would like to add the ,english ivy to the list of trailing plants for the window box4 ,some people have candytuft and others marguerites in the indoor box4 ,they do not look as well through an entire indoor season as geraniums1 fuchsias and begonias4 ,i think ,i'll ask ,miriam1 ,elizabeth1 and ,helena to work on the shady window box4 ,we will use dracena1 vincas1 pandanus1 begonia and ,wandering ,jew4 ,ethel1 ,katharine1 and ,josephine fix up the sunny window box--the fuchsia1 heliotrope1 marguerite1 geraniums1 ,wandering ,jew1 and ,english ivy4 ,this will be a charming box4 ,dee1 you and ,i will plant the rest of these geranium slips for the girls4 ,they all worked away busily for some time4 ,then ,the ,chief asked the girls to come into the house for a time4 ,as they entered the living room they noticed an array of plants on the big table4 ,sit down1 girls1 ,i have a little gift for each of you4 ,i wish you to study and nurse these plants throughout the winter4 ,this first tall1 rather stiff-looking plant is called an aspidistra4 ,it is the best all-around plant for the house or schoolroom4 ,it does not need much or special care4 ,be sure to keep the leaves clean4 ,see that you do it1 ,miriam4 ,this little ,norfolk ,island pine is the only one of the cone-bearing trees that you can bank on4 ,notice that the method of branching is by whorls4 ,you are to have this plant1 ,elizabeth4 ,i imagined that ,eloise would love this little lemon tree called ,ponderosa4 ,you can raise lemon trees from seed1 but like the apple tree1 they need special attention before they grow good fruit4 ,the ,jersualem cherry tree is for ,josephine4 ,it does not absolutely need sun4 ,it1 too1 stands a great deal of neglect4 ,remember ,i am not recommending neglect to you4 ,i am giving you the house plants that are of easiest culture4 ,you will be glad to make note of this entire list4 ,of course1 the berries are the charm of this ,jerusalem cherry tree4 ,to ,ethel ,i will give this lovely genista4 ,it is the finest of all yellow-flowered winter plants4 ,as the blossoms fade they should be taken off4 ,since this is a good winter flower1 it should be allowed to rest in the summer4 ,the azalea is for ,dee4 ,it needs the same care as ,ethel's plant4 ,these need not be thrown away next spring4 ,but put them in a shady spot laid on their sides4 ,helena's plant is a palm called the ,cocos ,weddelliana1 and ,katharine's is a fern1 the holly fern4 ,i wish to tell you a bit about ferns and palms4 ,in most school buildings and homes these two kinds of plants hold chief place4 ,this doubtless is because they1 too1 stand lack of attention4 ,most people keep them water-logged because supposedly they are accustomed to and need lots of water4 ,we must keep in mind that while ferns for instance are found outdoors in very damp spots1 they are not in places undrained and choked off from air4 ,so the jardinire half full of water does not quite represent the real environment of the fern4 ,going on with the fern there are a few points to hold in mind4 ,do not permit the room temperature to fall below #ee degrees4 ,neither should it rise above #gj degrees4 ,direct sunlight injures the delicate fronds of ferns4 ,a north window where there is light without direct sunshine is the right fern place4 ,keep the leaves clean by spraying with clear water on bright days4 ,if bugs appear1 spray weekly with tobacco water4 ,this solution should be very weak4 ,the best varieties to grow are the sword1 ,boston1 holly1 and maidenhair4 ,use spider ferns for a fern dish4 ,palms require great quantities of water1 even temperatures1 little direct sunlight1 and daily sponging of the leaves4 ,a sponge dampened in clean water is the best thing to use for this purpose4 ,the most popular and easiest-to-grow palms are the following3 ,cocos ,weddelliana1 date palm1 kentia1 and the arcea4 ,will you tell us about the watering of plants8 asked ,ethel4 ,surely1 although ,i can say but little since it depends largely upon good judgment4 ,water a plant when it needs it4 ,keep the soil moist but not soaked4 ,if plants are beginning to decay or a mould is coming on the surface of the soil1 the trouble usually is over watering4 ,at such a time let the soil of the pot or box dry out4 ,then water carefully after that4 ,if the pot is always damp or has become green you may know that the trouble is either too much water or poor drainage4 ,what pests are likely to attack our plants8 questioned ,elizabeth4 ,lice and scale troubles are the chief pests of the house plants4 ,you all know plant lice4 ,use kerosene emulsion for these4 ,the scale appears as a scaly mass1 usually on the stems of plants4 ,these scales are living animal forms4 ,the best way to get rid of them is to wipe them off with a rag soaked in kerosene emulsion4 ,why didn't you give some one a rubber plant8 was the next question from ,miriam4 ,i guess because of its bad habit of growing so tall and losing its lower leaves4 ,they look like giraffes at the circus4 ,but one may top these plants4 ,what is topping8 and ,how do you do it8 burst from ,dee and ,helena at the same time4 ,i suppose you see that if one could get that nice-looking top off and start again the old rubber plant would be all right4 ,so about a foot below the last leaf on the stalk--,i mean the last leaf numbering from the top--- you should start the operation4 ,cut a slit in the bark at this place4 ,pack soil about the stem4 ,then encase this with sacking4 ,so you have a nice ball of earth packed about the stem4 ,let the ball be about six inches in diameter4 ,keep it moist4 ,you can sprinkle the water on4 ,after a time roots will appear coming through the sacking4 ,the roots have started to develop at this incision of the stem4 ,now the stalk may be cut below these new roots and the new rubber plant potted4 ,that is very interesting1 began ,katharine4 ,i should so like to try it1 broke in ,dee4 ,now1 girls1 ,i believe you'd better pick up your new plants and scamper4 ,we certainly have done a good afternoon's work4 ,the chief things to try for in indoor plant culture are cleanliness of the plant1 proper drainage1 and freedom from abrupt changes in temperature and draughts4 ,good-by1 girls4 ,we meet again soon at our exhibits4 ,good-by1 and thank you so much1 cried the girls in chorus4 ,,xviii ,,the ,,grand ,,wind-,,up--,,girls ,,vs4 ,,boys ,one day in late ,september the ,boys' ,garden ,club received an invitation to ,katharine's house for four o'clock the following ,saturday4 ,never were boys more astonished than these as they were ushered into the girls' garden4 ,well1 ,albert said quite frankly1 you have beaten us as far as beauty goes4 ,you try vegetables next summer1 and we fellows will race you4 ,thank you6 answered ,dee1 ,you are very kind to us1 very6 ,you may possibly have noticed those beautiful window boxes at the ,inn4 ,eloise made those herself1 stocked the boxes1 and has cared for them1 too4 ,elizabeth's borders have grown as well1 ,i should say1 as ,jack's flowers4 ,peter will tell you of our sundial4 ,helena has a beautiful garden4 ,to be sure ,leston has helped her but only because he wanted to so badly4 ,girls are not such bad gardeners1 are they8 ,not bad8 shouted the boys1 you are wonders6 ,every fellow here give three cheers for the girls1 commanded ,jay4 ,this was done with a hearty good will4 ,a week later the girls received an invitation to attend the boys' fall exhibit1 held at ,the ,chief's house4 ,early that morning the boys had gone to the woods to gather autumn boughs4 ,the walls were a blaze of bright-coloured leaves4 ,about the room were placed tables upon which the boys' products were exhibited4 ,fathers and mothers had come to the exhibit2 in fact1 the whole village had turned out4 ,the prize went to ,peter1 for he had made the most money out of his garden4 ,just a word from a talk given by ,the ,chief about the arrangement of exhibits and matters in general4 ,he said1 ,there are as many ways to prepare vegetables and flowers for an exhibit as there are boys and girls to exhibit4 ,it is not enough to bring the articles to be exhibited4 ,the real art of showing one's things comes in artistic and attractive arrangement4 ,vegetables should be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned4 ,dirt clinging to the roots needs sometimes a brush to get it entirely off4 ,carrots1 beets1 radishes1 turnips1 celery and other vegetables where the edible part is beneath ground1 need this sort of attention1 not only to make them clean1 but to bring out the colours in each case4 ,the foliage of a vegetable plant often adds much to its appearance in exhibition4 ,for instance1 the carrot has quite lovely lacey leaves4 ,beet leaves have such good red colours in them that they1 too1 add something to the general effect4 ,the colours of the leaf and the colour of the fruit itself are a harmony4 ,when radish leaves are taken off there is no good way of bunching the radishes4 ,they are cut quite off from kith and kin4 ,the only objection to the foliage is its wilting1 drooping1 tired looking leaves certainly add nothing lovely to the exhibit4 ,if the exhibition is of short duration there is no trouble along this line2 if it is one of several days the problem is different4 ,children's exhibits1 however1 usually last but a short time4 ,but if the products can be put away in cold storage over night1 or in water in a cool place1 then it is possible to keep them in good shape4 ,an outdoor exhibit is not wholly satisfactory because of the effect of the air on the products4 ,they wilt badly4 ,a tent is far better than the open-air table for exhibiting4 ,with care the exhibition may always be made attractive4 ,the arrangement of products is one of the main features4 ,generally children's exhibits are pretty messy and mussy looking4 ,this is because of two things3 first1 the children have so many little separate exhibits2 second1 we do not stop to discuss carefully the matter of arrangement and preparation4 ,if the children understood fully that no products would be admitted for exhibition unless these were cleaned1 were of uniform size1 and of the requisite number1 there would be little trouble4 ,with them1 arrangement would have to be worked out largely on the scene of action1 although colour effects1 bunching1 and general matters could be taken up beforehand4 ,let us think out a few general directions for exhibiting4 ,first1 all products must be thoroughly cleaned4 ,heading vegetables1 as cabbage and lettuce1 should be cleaned well1 and perhaps two heads of each kind shown by the exhibitor4 ,radishes1 carrots1 young onions and small vegetables which are to be bunched should have anywhere from twelve to twenty specimens in the bunch4 ,leave the foliage on such bunches4 ,the large vegetables like beets and parsnips may have from four mammoth specimens to eight smaller ones4 ,potatoes are exhibited by the plate and so are tomatoes4 ,there are supposed to be seven large specimens to the plate4 ,flowers are usually shown cut and arranged in vases4 ,the vases should be of clear1 white glass for the best effects4 ,rose bowls may be used1 too4 ,do not put grand collections of all varieties and colours of flowers together4 ,suppose the exhibit of a certain person is to be one of asters4 ,then put the purple ones together in a vase1 the pink ones together in another vase4 ,another mistake of exhibitors is the huddling of products into close quarters4 ,give your individual specimens plenty of room4 ,let the things stand out as individual4 ,the entire exhibit is spoiled when it looks messy and huddled up4 ,the labelling is often done poorly4 ,any little piece of paper is stuck on the vases or under a bunch of vegetables4 ,the child's name is written in abominable handwriting4 ,write or neatly print a little card4 ,put on this the date1 name of the exhibitor 7or number7 and his place of residence1 if required4 ,these1 in brief1 show the real educative lines along which one ought to conduct a children's exhibit4 ,the aesthetic side enters in largely1 and a proper bit of the commercial is here1 too4 ,well1 this exhibit of the boys' was pretty good4 ,each boy had a set of photographs showing the round of his work4 ,these had been made into books4 ,some of the boys had kept diaries4 ,the diaries had in them not only an account of experiences1 but also the tables worked out with ,the ,chief4 ,jack had what he called an improvement section1 which gave ways by which he might improve over his present methods of work4 ,the garden plans drawn to a scale were on the walls4 ,myron had brought his set of real garden tools4 ,the pieces of hand work made by the boys were there1 too4 ,george had made a collection of garden pests1 while ,philip and ,peter had made collections of weed pests4 ,all the pamphlets from ,washington which they had used in their work and those from their own state experiment station were on a little table4 ,each boy told briefly the difficulties he had encountered and how he had met them4 ,after a talk by ,jay1 ,albert spoke of the experiment in inoculation of soil4 ,then he and ,jay disappeared1 and returned with plates1 one for each guest1 and on each plate were two spoonfuls of beans1 one of the inoculated and the other of the uninoculated beans4 ,the visitors were not told which were which4 ,then a vote was taken as to which were the better4 ,of course1 the inoculated beans won out4 ,after this1 the real refreshments were served4 ,i should like to ask1 ,dee made bold to say1 where you boys got strawberries to make ice cream of8 ,strawberries in ,october6 ,you certainly do not expect us to believe you raised them4 ,i did1 said ,myron1 striking an attitude before her4 ,i did in my own little patch4 ,did you make a few cakes of ice and thus have a cold storage plant8 ,dee continued sarcastically4 ,dear me1 no6 ,i'm much more clever than that4 ,one day1 with a few baskets of berries tucked under this noble right arm of mine1 ,i walked to this house4 ,i knocked at the door4 ,a man let me in4 ,he tied an apron about this waist4 ,we actually canned these same berries which you are now eating as a frozen delicacy4 ,you boys are altogether too smart1 and ,dee turned her back on ,myron to accept a second dish of cream from ,philip4 ,that didn't disturb ,myron any1 for he cakewalked back to the kitchen for more cream4 ,well1 it was a fine exhibit for mere lads1 ,jack's father was heard to say on his way home2 ,if we could bring into this little village a few more men like our boys' ,chief there would be no question about a boy's coming up all right4 ,it makes me ashamed to think that we parents have left this work to an outsider4 ,i feel1 answered ,george's father1 that this man is a real 'insider'4 ,after all the guests had left ,the ,chief's once again the boys formed their line and saluted the man4 ,is there nothing for us this winter1 ,o ,chief8 asked ,albert4 ,plenty4 ,we are going to have a beautiful winter1 and next spring better work4 ,laden with their trophies the boys reluctantly started for home4 ,they stood in the road in front of ,the ,chief's gate1 and the moon shone down on seven happy1 manly boys4 ,the three cheers to ,the ,chief arose clear and shrill on the still evening air4 ,as it died away the boys seemed to melt into the shadows of the road4 ,the man stood motionless in his doorway until the last sound of the boys died away4 ,then he went back into the room to dream over the fire dreams for his boys4 ,,part ,,ii ,,the ,,chief',s ,,garden ,,talks ,i ,,the ,,soil ,the following winter ,the ,chief gave ,friday afternoon talks to his boys and girls4 ,these meetings did not in any way interfere with the boys' regular ,saturday evening club4 ,immediately after school each ,friday afternoon they all trooped round to ,the ,chief's little house1 which had become a centre of village interest4 ,finally the men came too1 for they had found out that this man knew of what he spoke4 ,but we are wandering away from those ,friday afternoons4 ,there was the strangest collection of stools and benches in ,the ,chief's side entry1 all belonging to the boys and girls4 ,you must each one bring your own seat1 because you all know that ,i haven't chairs enough to go around4 ,and this called forth the collection4 ,it was an odd sight that first ,friday in early ,november4 ,a long straggly line of boys and girls1 each one with a seat of some kind1 wound its way up to ,the ,chief's hospitable door1 where he stood waiting1 laughing aloud at the sight4 ,in they came1 and made a semi-circle about the big fireplace4 ,i just love this room1 said ,albert1 voicing the feelings of them all4 ,i have thought1 began ,the ,chief1 that since our really successful first year of gardening1 we ought to be in a position to undertake and to desire to know more about certain subjects which ,i shall discuss4 ,each ,friday ,i am going to take up a topic such as ,i should if ,i were teaching you in school4 ,you do not mean that we'll have to remember and answer questions just like school8 ,you surely do not mean that1 ,big ,chief1 broke in ,albert4 ,no1 replied the man laughing1 no1 you may forget it all if you like4 ,remember it1 if it seems to you useful4 ,but if it's a strain on you1 ,albert1 make it your business to forget4 ,they all laughed at this1 but none so heartily as ,albert himself4 ,that's one on this old head of mine1 he said1 banging that member up against the side of the chimney4 ,my first talk ,i have given you in part1 but ,i have more ,i wish to add4 ,i believe even ,albert can stand it4 ,the subject is the soil4 ,soil primarily had its beginning from rock together with animal and vegetable decay1 if you can imagine long stretches or periods of time when great rock masses were crumbling and breaking up4 ,heat1 water action1 and friction were largely responsible for this4 ,by friction here is meant the rubbing and grinding of rock mass against rock mass4 ,think of the huge rocks1 a perfect chaos of them1 bumping1 scraping1 settling against one another4 ,what would be the result8 ,well1 ,i am sure you all could work that out4 ,this is what happened3 bits of rock were worn off1 a great deal of heat was produced1 pieces of rock were pressed together to form new rock masses1 some portions becoming dissolved in water4 ,why1 ,i myself1 almost feel the stress and strain of it all4 ,can you8 ,then1 too1 there were great changes in temperature4 ,first everything was heated to a high temperature1 then gradually became cool4 ,just think of the cracking1 the crumbling1 the upheavals1 that such changes must have caused6 ,you know some of the effects in winter of sudden freezes and thaws4 ,but the little examples of bursting water pipes and broken pitchers are as nothing to what was happening in the world during those days4 ,the water and the gases in the atmosphere helped along this crumbling work4 ,from all this action of rubbing1 which action we call mechanical1 it is easy enough to understand how sand was formed4 ,this represents one of the great divisions of soil--sandy soil4 ,the sea shores are great masses of pure sand4 ,if soil were nothing but broken rock masses then indeed it would be very poor and unproductive4 ,but the early forms of animal and vegetable life decaying became a part of the rock mass and a better soil resulted4 ,so the soils we speak of as sandy soils have mixed with the sand other matter1 sometimes clay1 sometimes vegetable matter or humus1 and often animal waste4 ,illustration3 ,constant ,cultivation of the ,soil ,saved ,george's ,cabbages ,photograph by ,karl ,w4 ,helmer ,clay brings us right to another class of soils--clayey soils4 ,it happens that certain portions of rock masses became dissolved when water trickled over them and heat was plenty and abundant4 ,this dissolution took place largely because there is in the air a certain gas called carbon dioxide or carbonic acid gas4 ,this gas attacks and changes certain substances in rocks4 ,sometimes you see great rocks with portions sticking up looking as if they had been eaten away4 ,carbonic acid did this4 ,it changed this eaten part into something else which we call clay4 ,a change like this is not mechanical but chemical4 ,the difference in the two kinds of change is just this3 in the one case of sand1 where a mechanical change went on1 you still have just what you started with1 save that the size of the mass is smaller4 ,you started with a big rock1 and ended with little particles of sand4 ,but you had no different kind of rock in the end4 ,mechanical action might be illustrated with a piece of lump sugar4 ,let the sugar represent a big mass of rock4 ,break up the sugar1 and even the smallest bit is sugar4 ,it is just so with the rock mass2 but in the case of a chemical change you start with one thing and end with another4 ,you started with a big mass of rock which had in it a portion that became changed by the acid acting on it4 ,it ended in being an entirely different thing which we call clay4 ,so in the case of chemical change a certain something is started with and in the end we have an entirely different thing4 ,the clay soils are often called mud soils because of the amount of water used in their formation4 ,the slate that ,myron brought for road making belongs to the clay family1 and so does shale4 ,the third sort of soil which we farm people have to deal with is lime soil4 ,remember we are thinking of soils from the farm point of view4 ,this soil of course ordinarily was formed from limestone4 ,just as soon as one thing is mentioned about which we know nothing1 another comes up of which we are just as ignorant4 ,and so a whole chain of questions follows4 ,now you are probably saying within yourselves1 how was limestone first formed8 ,at one time ages ago the lower animal and plant forms picked from the water particles of lime4 ,with the lime they formed skeletons or houses about themselves as protection from larger animals4 ,coral is representative of this class of skeleton-forming animal4 ,as the animal died the skeleton remained4 ,great masses of this living matter pressed all together1 after ages1 formed limestone4 ,some limestones are still in such shape that the shelly formation is still visible4 ,marble1 another limestone1 is somewhat crystalline in character4 ,another well-known limestone is chalk4 ,perhaps you'd like to know a way of always being able to tell limestone4 ,i'll drop a little of this acid on some lime4 ,see how it bubbles and fizzles4 ,now ,albert will drop some on this chalk and on the marble1 too4 ,the same bubbling takes place4 ,so lime must be in these three structures4 ,one does not have to buy a special acid for this work1 for even the household acids like vinegar will cause the same result4 ,albert will prove this to you4 ,then these are the three types of soil with which the farmer has to deal1 and which we wish to understand4 ,for one may learn to know his garden soil by studying it1 just as one learns a lesson by study4 ,i believe the boys from their last winter's work feel fairly familiar with soils1 ,i have in these three tumblers the three types of soil4 ,as ,i pour water on them just see what happens4 ,observe how little water it takes to saturate sand4 ,the limy soil holds more water and the clayey an amazing quantity4 ,i do not know whether you are much acquainted with the sea shore1 ,i doubt it4 ,i am1 broke in ,katharine1 for each summer1 except this last one1 ,i have spent a month at the beach4 ,then possibly you can tell us1 ,katharine1 whether1 or not1 the sand takes in1 or absorbs1 much heat during the day4 ,indeed it does absorb heat2 why some days we used to go barefooted on the beach right after dinner4 ,i can tell you there were times when we couldn't stand the heat of the sand4 ,that is quite true1 continued ,the ,chief1 sand absorbs heat to a remarkable degree4 ,this heat is1 to be sure1 in the upper layers of the sand4 ,had ,katharine burrowed down with her toes below those upper layers she would have found moist1 cool sands4 ,but an upper layer of soil1 made up of particles which fall apart easily because of the loose make-up1 a layer which has absorbed little water and much heat--well1 to me that sort of soil doesn't sound quite right for good gardening4 ,add to such a soil1 humus in the shape of stable manure in large quantities and this same poor soil becomes very good4 ,now here is the lime soil tumbler4 ,this soil has taken up rather more water than the sand took4 ,but it1 too1 surely needs to develop greater power to take in and hold water4 ,so the same sort of medicine which we gave the sandy soil may be dealt out to the lime soil4 ,lime is a pretty good substance to have in soil4 ,lime is a kind of fertilizer in itself2 it's a soil sweetener2 it helps to put plant food in shape for use1 and causes desirable bacteria to grow4 ,this sounds a bit staggering but all of these things ,i am going to talk over with you4 ,so just at present forget it1 ,albert1 if it is a heavy burden4 ,the clay soil1 you observe1 has taken in quite a quantity of water4 ,that seems like a good thing4 ,it is4 ,but clay has a mean little habit of squeezing tightly its particles together with the aid of water so that air is excluded from the mass4 ,it forms huge lumps2 it bakes out and cracks badly2 and it is also very damp1 cold and soggy in early spring4 ,as the problem with sand is to add something so that more water may be held in the soil1 so the problem with clay is to overcome that bothersome habit of baking and caking and cracking4 ,to do this we might add sand or ashes4 ,but perhaps it would be better yet to add manure with a lot of straw in it4 ,this is the easiest kind of thing for country boys and girls to get1 because the bedding swept out of horses' stalls is just the thing4 ,when ,i speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing1 ,i always have to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils4 ,one is the need for water2 the other1 for air4 ,a soil cannot exist without these two things any more than we can4 ,without these1 or poorly supplied with them1 a soil is as if it were half-starved4 ,that trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite sufficient to prove to us that these are essential4 ,just see how sand lacks water1 as does lime soil too6 ,but there is plenty of air space1 unless these soils are too finely powdered4 ,now look at clay6 plenty of water1 but how about the air8 ,when clay begins its packing1 then air is excluded4 ,so one of the questions to be asked in soil improvement concerns the water and air problem4 ,we must have air spaces1 and we must have water-holding capacity4 ,before we go home ,i must just speak of soil and subsoil4 ,when you strike your spade down into the earth and lay bare a section of the soil this is what you see3 on top is the plant growth1 the soil beneath this1 dark in texture and about our locality of a depth of from six to eight inches4 ,this layer is called the topsoil4 ,in sections of the ,west it is several feet in depth4 ,now below the topsoil is a lighter coloured1 less fertile1 more rocky layer1 the subsoil4 ,beneath comes a layer of rock4 ,and finally you may be a bit confused by the word loam4 ,it is often given as one of the classes of soils4 ,by loam we mean clay1 sand and humus4 ,you will often hear people speaking of a sandy loam or a clayey loam according as there is a greater percentage of sand or clay in the soil4 ,next ,friday ,i shall talk about soil fertility4 ,so trot home lively now6 ,,ii ,,plant ,,food ,a soil1 as ,i have said before to the boys1 may contain all the food necessary for plant growth and still not support any good growth at all4 ,that means then we ought to be able in some way or other so to understand the soil that it will be possible to unlock these good things for the plants to live on4 ,i see a question in ,josephine's and ,miriam's faces4 ,i guess that this question is concerning what the plant food is in soils4 ,that is right1 is it not8 ,well1 ,i'll take that up first1 then2--different ways of improving and increasing the goodness of the soil4 ,the foods that are necessary and essential to plants and most likely to be lacking in the soil are nitrogen1 potash and phosphorus4 ,now by no means must you think that these are the only chemicals which are foods1 for there are something like thirteen1 all of which do a share in the food supply4 ,oxygen and carbon are very necessary indeed4 ,oxygen is both in the air and in water4 ,carbon plants take entirely from the air4 ,i might go on and tell you of iron1 of sulphur1 of silicon and all the others4 ,but you would only get confused1 so ,i am going to make you acquainted with these three entirely necessary ones4 ,they are capricious2 often missing1 and when not missing hard to make into available food for plants4 ,the soil contains many bacteria1 small living organisms4 ,these may be divided into two classes1 the good ones and the bad ones4 ,the good ones acting on nitrogenous matter put it in shape for the plant to absorb or feed upon4 ,you see nitrogen may be in soil in quantities sufficient for nourishment4 ,but unless it is in a compound available for use1 it is of no value to the plant4 ,then there are the bad bacteria which act upon nitrogen in such a way as to form compounds which escape from the soil as a gas4 ,that is pretty bad1 is it not8 ,how can the good bacteria be encouraged to grow1 and the bad ones prevented from forming8 ,the necessary conditions for the growth of good bacteria are air1 water1 darkness1 humus matter and freedom from acid condition of the soil4 ,if the soil is acid then these other 'chaps' set up their work2 so we must see to it that our soils are well cultivated1 well aired1 have plenty of manure1 and1 if acid1 have a liming1 so that these bacteria missionaries can start their good work4 ,the manure ,i spoke of above is the great source of nitrogen upon which most plants depend4 ,there is nitrogen sufficient right in the air1 but that again is not available4 ,certain plants like beans1 peas and clovers belonging to the family of legumes are a great deal more fortunate than the rest of the plant families1 for1 under favourable conditions1 they develop bacteria which make it possible to take into themselves free nitrogen4 ,just look here6 ,see this narrow box2 ,i can drop down one side of it4 ,here is a sheet of glass put on so you may look at the roots of the beans which are planted close to this glass side4 ,just observe the great extent of root system4 ,now see on the roots these white lumps1 or nodules as they are called4 ,these contain nitrogen-gathering bacteria4 ,some farmers in order to get more available nitrogen in the soil plant a crop of some legume4 ,then these root masses with their treasures on them are spaded into the soil4 ,but most plants depend for nitrogen on manure4 ,whenever you see sickly looking foliage know that nitrogen is lacking1 and supply manure in order to obtain it4 ,the next element is potash4 ,its most common source of supply is wood ashes1 not coal ashes4 ,one may buy potash in the form of the muriate or sulphate4 ,i told the boys before that potash was good for seed and fruit4 ,pretty necessary to have in the soil1 is it not8 ,stunted fruit and poor seed mean lack of potash4 ,phosphorus helps in this work too1 and also assists in the forming of fine flowers4 ,bone ash and phosphates are the sources of this food element4 ,so if we just consider the classes of soils with which we have to deal1 remember the foods that must be had1 and the effects on plants where one 7or all7 of these is lacking1 we have in our hands a help to soil troubles4 ,take sandy soil--what is its greatest need8 ,i should say humus4 ,it certainly should have more nitrogen4 ,so add humus in the form of manure4 ,spread it on your piece of garden plot anywhere from two to six inches deep4 ,this spaded in will1 ,i think1 do the work4 ,you see sand allows water to trickle away too fast4 ,water must be held properly in the soil4 ,the clay soil really needs air4 ,the good bacteria will not work without this4 ,so spade the soil up in the fall1 and leave it weathering in huge lumps4 ,sand or ashes added in the spring helps the air question too4 ,a sprinkling of lime over the surface tends to sweeten the entire soil2 for clay soil1 so often too wet1 is liable to get sour4 ,lime also adds another plant food called calcium4 ,it would not be bad to add some humus in order to have an even greater supply of nitrogen4 ,the lime soil1 light and sweet1 needs humus too4 ,it should have this to add body and ability to hold water4 ,sometimes it is well to add in the spring a sprinkling of phosphates2 that is a chemical fertilizer4 ,chemical fertilizers are like tonics to the soil4 ,all this very briefly puts us in touch with plant foods4 ,i think you all know from your school work that plants take their foods in liquid form4 ,these solutions of foods are very1 very weak4 ,that is another reason why we should see that1 if possible1 there is plenty of nourishment available in the soil1 and plenty of water too4 ,these bean roots and rootlets show the feeding area or places of plants4 ,notice the small roots which apparently have a fringe on them4 ,these fringes we call the root hairs4 ,these absorb1 soak up the dilute food which is in the soil4 ,it is very wonderful what power they have of penetrating the soil4 ,see the bit of blotter ,i have put down the path of one bean's root course4 ,it would seem to shut the rootlets entirely off from the soil4 ,jay will gently press the bit of blotter away from the soil4 ,see here and there how these root hairs have wound their way through the blotter to the soil1 their feeding place4 ,it is well that plants have this power of seeking and finding food4 ,because it greatly increases their food chances4 ,so much very briefly for plant food4 ,i have not told you very much to be sure1 but it is quite enough1 ,i think1 for a 'starter1' ,i wish to tell you a bit about the plant itself soon4 ,a few experiments may liven up the subject4 ,so ,i shall ask ,josephine1 ,miriam1 and ,ethel to attend to those for us4 ,we can take turns at demonstrating as ,jay and ,albert have to-day4 ,so you girls must remember to drop in to see me--say1 ,wednesday of next week4 ,,iii ,,seeds ,now before we begin just have a look at these geraniums4 ,they have turned entirely around again and are looking out of the window at the sun4 ,the power which plants have to move is very clearly shown1 is it not8 ,i am going to talk a little this afternoon about seeds4 ,any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds2 but even so1 there is a great risk in seeds4 ,a seed may to all appearances be all right and yet not have within it vitality enough1 or power1 to produce a hardy plant4 ,if you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully4 ,suppose you are saving seed of aster plants4 ,what blossoms shall you decide upon8 ,now it is not the blossom only which you must consider1 but the entire plant4 ,why8 ,because a weak1 straggly plant may produce one fine blossom4 ,looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the seeds4 ,but just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the parent plant4 ,so in seed selection the entire plant is to be considered4 ,is it sturdy1 strong1 well shaped and symmetrical2 does it have a goodly number of fine blossoms8 ,these are questions to ask in seed selection4 ,if you boys and girls should happen to have the opportunity to visit a seedsman's garden1 you will see here and there a blossom with a string tied around it4 ,these are blossoms chosen for seed4 ,if you look at the whole plant with care you will be able to see the points which the gardener held in mind when he did his work of selection4 ,last winter we had quite a discussion on corn seed selection4 ,so we will not discuss that further4 ,only let me say this for the benefit of the girls in order to show them the care which must be exercised in selection4 ,should a finely formed ear of corn have one or two black kernels on it1 then that shows a cross or taint1 do not use such an ear for the old trouble may crop out4 ,take an ear of seed corn1 notice the small and rather undersized kernels at the top2 do not use these4 ,select kernels1 the largest1 plumpest and best shaped4 ,in seed selection size is another point to hold in mind4 ,suppose ,peter had bought a package of bean seed4 ,pull the little envelope out of your pocket1 young man1 and open it up4 ,just look at those seeds as ,peter spreads them out here4 ,now we know no way of telling anything about the plants from which this special collection of seeds came4 ,so we must give our entire thought to the seeds themselves4 ,it is quite evident that there is some choice2 some are much larger than the others2 some far plumper1 too4 ,by all means choose the largest and fullest seed4 ,the reason is this3 ,when you break open a bean--and this is very evident1 too1 in the peanut--you see what appears to be a little plant4 ,so it is4 ,under just the right conditions for development this 'little chap' grows into the bean plant you know so well4 ,this little plant must depend for its early growth on the nourishment stored up in the two halves of the bean seed4 ,for this purpose the food is stored4 ,beans are not full of food and goodness for you and me to eat1 but for the little baby bean plant to feed upon4 ,and so if we choose a large seed1 we have chosen a greater amount of food for the plantlet4 ,this little plantlet feeds upon this stored food until its roots are prepared to do their work4 ,so if the seed is small and thin1 the first food supply insufficient1 there is a possibility of losing the little plant4 ,you may care to know the name of this pantry of food4 ,it is called a cotyledon if there is but one portion1 cotyledons if two4 ,thus we are aided in the classification of plants4 ,a few plants that bear cones like the pines have several cotyledons4 ,but most plants have either one or two cotyledons4 ,some plantlets1 as they develop and start to push above the ground1 bear along the cotyledon4 ,this is true in the case of the bean4 ,jack and ,peter have planted corn and beans in this box1 not to have succotash but to show you about the habits of seeds4 ,see the bean plantlet1 big1 sturdy1 fellow1 is still clinging to its seed leaves or cotyledons1 its baby nourishment4 ,now look at the corn3 there is absolutely no sign above ground of its one seed leaf4 ,so from large seeds come the strongest plantlets4 ,that is the reason why it is better and safer to choose the large seed4 ,it is the same case exactly as that of weak children4 ,look at ,myron1 great strapping fellow6 ,hasn't he a fine chance in the world8 ,do you remember that little sickly boy who was in school last spring8 ,he was as old as ,myron1 yet see how handicapped he is4 ,try not to bring weak little plantlets into the plant world4 ,bring strong1 sturdy1 healthy ones by careful seed selection4 ,there is often another trouble in seeds that we buy4 ,the trouble is impurity4 ,seeds are sometimes mixed with other seeds so like them in appearance that it is impossible to detect the fraud4 ,pretty poor business1 is it not8 ,the seeds may be unclean4 ,bits of foreign matter in with large seed are very easy to discover4 ,one can merely pick the seed over and make it clean4 ,by clean is meant freedom from foreign matter4 ,but if small seed are unclean1 it is very difficult1 well nigh impossible1 to make them clean4 ,the third thing to look out for in seed is viability4 ,we know from our testings that seeds which look to the eye to be all right may not develop at all4 ,there are reasons4 ,seeds may have been picked before they were ripe or mature2 they may have been frozen2 and they may be too old4 ,seeds retain their viability or germ developing power1 a given number of years and are then useless4 ,there is a viability limit in years which differs for different seeds4 ,this matter1 along with directions for testing1 the girls may get from our club secretary1 ,albert4 ,all of this we took up last year in our preliminary garden work before we started outdoor work4 ,from the test of seeds we find out the germination percentage of seeds4 ,now if this percentage is low1 don't waste time planting such seed unless it be small seed4 ,immediately you question that statement4 ,why does the size of the seed make a difference8 ,this is the reason4 ,when small seed is planted it is usually sown in drills4 ,most amateurs sprinkle the seed in very thickly4 ,so a great quantity of seed is planted4 ,and enough seed germinates and comes up from such close planting4 ,so quantity makes up for quality4 ,but take the case of large seed1 like corn for example4 ,corn is planted just so far apart and a few seeds in a place4 ,with such a method of planting the matter of per cent1 of germination is most important indeed4 ,small seeds that germinate at fifty per cent4 may be used but this is too low a per cent4 for the large seed4 ,suppose we test beans4 ,the percentage is seventy4 ,that per cent4 would pass you in school1 but it does not pass muster here4 ,for if such low-vitality seeds were planted1 we could not be absolutely certain of the seventy per cent4 coming up4 ,but if the seeds are lettuce go ahead with the planting4 ,peter will pass around these germinating per cent4 tables which he has printed for you4 ,i'd advise you to paste these in your garden diaries4 ,after a test refer to this table which is from a ,united ,states ,agricultural ,dept4 list for seeds not over one year old4 ,you then know at once whether the seed is worth using4 ---------------------------------------- ---------------- ,,per ,,cent4 ,,of ,,germination ---------------------------------------- ---------------- ,beans #ij ,leek #hj ,pumpkin #hg ,cabbage #ij ,lettuce #he ,radish #ij ,carrots #hj ,muskmelon #hg ,spinach #hd ,cauliflower #hj ,okra #hj ,squash #hg ,celery #fj ,onion #hj ,tomatoes #he ,corn #hg ,parsley #gj ,turnips #ij ,cucumber #hg ,peas #ic ,watermelon #hg ,eggplant #hj ,peppers #hj ---------------------------------------- ---------------- ,after being sure of good seed the next step to consider is when to plant the seed4 ,it is well to start certain seed inside and so get a bit ahead of the season4 ,other seed may as well wait1 and be planted out in the open when the ground is warm4 ,such vegetable seed as the following may be started inside4 ---------------------------------------- ---- ,,indoor ,,planting ,,time-,,table ---------------------------------------- ---- ,,february ,,march ,,april ---------------------------------------- ---- ,artichoke ,cabbage ,celery ,cucumber ,egg plant ,egg plant ,lettuce ,lettuce ,muskmelon ,onion ,pepper ,radish ,radish ,tomato ,tomato ---------------------------------------- ---- ,flower seeds ,i will take up later because ,i wish to think over the flower garden by itself4 ,when shall we plant seeds outdoors8 ,now no one under the sun can say plant such and such a seed on ,may #cjth or ,april #ast4 ,it is the same absurd case as saying change your winter clothes for summer ones on ,may #ast4 ,many writers will cover this subject by saying plant seeds when the earth is warm4 ,but even that is a pretty general sort of direction4 ,nature has given us a planting guide4 ,she tacks her notice on the fruit trees4 ,when those early blooming trees1 the peach and the plum1 put out their beautiful blossoms the first planting time is on4 ,to be sure the temperature then is a bit low1 only about #de degrees1 so the planting is not of the more tender vegetables4 ,get your seed of beet1 carrot1 cabbage1 cauliflower1 endive1 kale1 lettuce1 parsley1 parsnip1 onion1 pea1 radish1 turnip and spinach4 ,these may all be planted4 ,the next signal to watch for is given by the blooming of the apple trees4 ,this is the planting time for the more tender seed4 ,these need a temperature of about #fj degrees in the shade1 real apple-blooming time4 ,corn1 beans1 egg plant1 melon1 squash1 cucumber1 pumpkin1 tomato and pepper seeds may be planted4 ,but when is the time to put out the hotbed1 or indoor-started seedlings8 ,when the apple blossoms drop their petals and have passed by is the signal for them to go into the ground4 ,of course1 they naturally would be the last1 for they are made very tender from their glass-grown coddling4 ,when it comes to the planting of seed there are certain things to remember always4 ,first the ground should be made very fine4 ,this is an easy matter if the planting is done in the hotbed1 but more of a problem in the outdoor garden4 ,it is foolish to plant at all if one does not intend to do things right4 ,so work over the seed bed thoroughly4 ,after all is fine and deeply worked1 say to about a foot deep1 the next thing to consider is this--how deep should a seed be planted8 ,the depth depends upon the size of the seed4 ,take such small seed as poppy1 parsley1 even lettuce1 and these may be just sprinkled on the surface of the ground4 ,then tread them in with the foot or place a board over them and walk on the board4 ,in this way the small seed are pressed into the soil quite sufficiently4 ,for seeds in general the following might answer for a rule3 ,there are seeds like corn1 oats1 wheat and the grasses which come up unhampered by their seed leaves4 ,such seed may be planted deeply--say ten times the thickness of the seed4 ,other seed like beans1 squash1 radish1 etc41 push and carry their seed leaves up through the soil with them4 ,so these1 because of this extra work1 should be planted nearer the surface4 ,four or five times the thickness of the seed is a safe rule to follow4 ,when the seed becomes entirely or nearly saturated with water then germination begins4 ,sometimes people soak their corn in tepid water before planting4 ,this hastens germination4 ,but on the other hand if the soil is very wet and cold the soaked seeds may rot in so much moisture4 ,certain seeds have very thick coverings4 ,canna1 date and nut seeds are examples4 ,their cases are so hard and absorb moisture so slowly that germination is a long process4 ,to hasten this little holes may be drilled in the case1 thus giving the plant germ a chance to get out4 ,nurserymen crack the nuts in order to help matters along4 ,you can readily see what a really difficult piece of work it is for a tiny embryo or baby plant to break open a thick case4 ,if seeds are planted too deeply again1 a tremendous piece of work is imposed upon the little plant4 ,to push up through1 say one inch of soil1 would be quite a task for a lettuce seedling4 ,finally in seed planting1 the soil must be safely compacted or pressed about the seed4 ,the object of this is to bring in contact with all parts of the seed soil particles with their films of water4 ,suppose a radish seed is planted and no soil happens to come in direct contact with the seed4 ,that distance1 so slight to us1 is a well-nigh impossible one for the rootlets to extend to4 ,there is a possibility of course1 of too close compacting4 ,this occurs when the soil is very wet4 ,do not compact at all then4 ,in fact1 such soil condition represents a very bad time for planting1 anyway4 ,moisture is necessary for germination1 but superabundance of water is fatal4 ,it is simply ideal when after a planting a gentle rain comes--germination4 ,i remember once seeing a garden which school children had planted so close to the surface that after a rain most of the seeds were lying all sprouted on the surface of the soil4 ,take care not to plant in such a manner4 ,this talk has been largely for the purpose of bringing to your minds certain necessary points4 ,let me sum them up3 ,cheap seed are expensive because they are often full of impurities and lack vital power4 ,buy good seed and test them4 ,plant large seed1 because the storage of food is greater4 ,make the soil conditions right in order to give every help to the seed4 ,plant neither too deep1 nor too near the surface4 ,compact the soil1 and so aid germination4 ,the first start of work must be right2 otherwise1 trouble comes4 ,,iv ,,the ,,plant ,,itself ,to think of a plant as a breathing1 growing thing is wonderful1 but it is far more wonderful to think of it as something possible for even boys and girls to train and improve4 ,here is a bed of petunias1 let us say2 do you know just how it is possible to have larger1 finer petunias next year8 ,a slight operation performed1 and behold magic has been worked6 ,first1 we will go over the life history of a plant1 and then ,i'll tell you of this magic and how to work it4 ,or better yet my assistants here1 ,josephine1 ,miriam and ,ethel1 will do the trick4 ,a plant really goes through much the same operations in life as does an animal4 ,only to be sure1 these operations are performed in a rather different way4 ,a plant has a digestive1 or feeding1 system1 a breathing apparatus1 the power to rid itself of waste and to make seed2 it moves1 and it grows1 too4 ,philip looked a bit skeptical when ,i said it moves4 ,well1 it does4 ,of course1 a plant does not walk about1 and move from spot to spot4 ,but a plant can and does move4 ,why it can turn itself around back to1 even4 ,just look at my geranium slips there6 they seem to be breaking their backs to peep out of the window and look at their best friend1 the sun4 ,turn all of them around1 ,george4 ,see1 they face us now6 remember to look at them next ,friday4 ,but to start over again4 ,a plant has just three necessary and important parts3 these parts are the roots1 stem1 and leaves4 ,no1 ,elizabeth1 the fruit and flowers are not separate parts4 ,why8 ,well1 merely because by some queer provision of the plant world1 the leaves are responsible for making or forming both the flower and the fruit4 ,if you watch a bud form and unfold1 you will notice that the entire little bud seems to be a series of leaves4 ,and if your fingers were clever enough you could take tiny leaves and fold them into the parts which go to make up the flower and the fruit4 ,this last1 like most of the rest of that ,i am telling you1 is just one of the miracles of nature4 ,the root1 rootlets and root hairs all go to make up the root-system of a plant4 ,this system is a feeding and food storage system2 cold storage1 we might call it4 ,i have spoken before about how the root hairs absorb food4 ,food is soaked up something as a blotter soaks up ink4 ,underground plant food must be liquid in nature4 ,this is because plants1 like babies1 must have very dilute food4 ,plants can no more get food out of a dry lump of soil than a little baby can get its food from a hunk of bread or a thick slice of corn beef4 ,but let that soil be water-soaked1 and have the proper bacteria at work1 and the material is in plant-food form4 ,josephine has here an old1 old experiment4 ,what was a white pink is now a red one4 ,it has been in that glass of red ink and a little water4 ,and lo1 up the stem the red fluid climbed until it suffused the white flower and made it red4 ,notice as ,miriam holds that lump of sugar only just touching the surface of the water1 the water moves up that lump4 ,in this way water and liquid food rise up the stems of plants4 ,just so1 too1 water rises in the soil from the lower layers up to the feeding place of the roots1 and even up to the surface of the ground4 ,as the roots are feeding and storing places1 so the stem is a sort of passage way for the passing back and forth of liquids4 ,take a stem of a big plant1 like an oak tree1 and you see in the wood where storage of fibre has gone on4 ,but the great work is that of interchange4 ,leaves are very active portions of the plant4 ,they represent a great1 busy manufactory4 ,manufacturing what8 ,that question ,i see stamped on ,myron's face so plainly he need not speak it out4 ,manufacturing real food out of raw material--that is the work of these plant shops4 ,let me tell you about this4 ,ethel has in her hands two little plants4 ,the one in her right hand has been growing in the light2 the other1 in her left hand1 has been put away in the dark to grow4 ,the absence of green colour is very marked in this latter plant4 ,so you see it takes light to form this green1 or chlorophyll as it is called4 ,the chlorophyll-saturated cells1 absorbing carbonic acid and the water-diluted food from the soil1 literally break them up4 ,and when broken1 food is found suitable for plants to absorb4 ,wonderful1 is it not8 ,i spoke of carbonic acid2 well1 this is a gas1 as some of you have found out before1 made up of carbon and oxygen4 ,it is a gas which we of the animal kingdom breathe out as waste from our bodies4 ,the plant takes it in through the leaf--and1 by the way1 ,i ought to explain that4 ,it is this way3 if we had a magnifying glass we should find over the inner surface of leaves1 pores1 or stomata as they are called4 ,they open in the presence of light2 and from these openings what the plant has no use for passes out1 and gases from the air may pass in4 ,some call these openings breathing pores4 ,quantities of water pass out through these pores4 ,when this process goes on too rapidly a plant will wilt4 ,so1 to go back1 we will suppose that carbonic acid gas has passed into the leaves4 ,straightway the chlorophyll bodies get to work4 ,the gas is broken up1 and oxygen and carbon are left4 ,the carbon is wood the plant builds4 ,some of the oxygen passes out into the air and some is kept for plant food use4 ,it is a good thing for us that some of the oxygen does escape into the air for we need it4 ,so you see we1 in our respiration1 and the plant1 in its breathing1 are doing each other a good turn4 ,of course1 there is the dilute food from the soil1 which is largely mineral matter and water4 ,the chlorophyll bodies work away on these minerals1 and make them into foods4 ,a great body of water1 as ,i have said before1 passes out of the plant through the stomata4 ,i have told you a thing that the plant can do which we are not capable of doing4 ,a plant takes a mineral and makes it over into food4 ,you and ,i1 unless we happen to be circus glass-eaters1 are not built to do this work4 ,but the vegetables which we eat do the work for us4 ,a great deal of plant food is in the form of sugars and starches4 ,i remember ,katharine and ,peter told me last winter that in their physiology they learned how sugars and starches were made in our own bodies4 ,and lo and behold1 the geranium can do a similar thing4 ,some plants store up lots of starch1 as the potato4 ,others store quantities of sugar1 as the ,southern sugar cane and the beet4 ,wonderful8 ,well1 ,i guess it is4 ,if we could hear and see all the work these energetic little chlorophyll bodies are doing1 we should be amazed4 ,you will remember that ,i told you some plants could take the very necessary chemical nitrogen from the air2 most of them1 however1 must get it from the soil4 ,and so again this from the soil solution is worked over into available food4 ,after all we must not fail to see that water is most important4 ,it floats all the important food elements to the leaves for the work to be done there4 ,the food carbon1 of course1 is an exception to this rule and ,i will say again in certain cases nitrogen is1 also4 ,thus you boys and girls now understand how necessary it is that a soil should be of the right texture to hold water4 ,if it is not1 it must be helped to be so4 ,sand1 you will remember1 had to be doctored to hold water4 ,clay needed treatment in order to make it quit its bad habit of baking out4 ,here is a rather interesting experiment set up by ,josephine and ,ethel4 ,look at the first piece of apparatus--a tumbler partly full of water1 a piece of cardboard over the top of the tumbler1 and passing down through a hole in the cardboard a piece of plant just stem stripped of leaves1 and finally a second tumbler clapped over the first4 ,the second piece of apparatus is exactly like the first1 only that the stem1 one end of which is in the water1 has leaves on the other end4 ,notice that the upper glass in the second case has moisture on it4 ,the upper tumbler of the other set is perfectly dry4 ,whence1 then1 came the moisture8 ,it must1 of course1 be the leaves which gave it off1 since they represent the only difference in the two pieces of apparatus4 ,i wish we might go on with whole sets of experiments1 but for that we have not time4 ,you understand a little of the mission of root1 stem and leaf4 ,the root does a good work in holding a plant in place4 ,it is the foundation material of the plant4 ,there is much1 much more to be learned about all these subjects4 ,this little is just to open your eyes to the wonders of the work each plant is performing all the time4 ,i said ,i would show you some magic4 ,well1 this magic has to do with plant improvement4 ,it is not much of a trick to raise a plant1 but it is a great one to be able to improve that plant4 ,let me tell you of a friend of mine whom we will call ,rodney1 because that is his real name4 ,one day ,rodney noticed the gardener doing something with a little flat knife to a pansy4 ,then he tied a little paper bag over the pansy1 of course leaving the whole thing on the plant4 ',what are you doing8' asked the lad4 ',i am fixing that pansy so that the seed from it shall be finer seed than they otherwise would be4' ,then the old gardener explained this to ,rodney3 ,there are two parts to flowers which are very necessary1 absolutely necessary to making seed4 ,one part is the pistil1 the other the stamen4 ,some flowers have both pistils and stamen1 while others have just the pistil and one has to hunt for another plant having the stamen4 ,you can tell the stamens in this way3 they are the parts which have in their care the pollen4 ,most of you know pollen as a yellow powder or dust4 ,sometimes it is a sticky gummy mass4 ,the pistil is that part of the flower which ends in the seed vessel4 ,it very often takes a central position in the flower1 standing up importantly as if it were the 'part' of the flower4 ,and after all1 it is4 ,now1 when this pollen powder falls on the pistil it does not explode4 ,the pistil merely opens up a bit and down travels the powder into the seed vessel to help form seed4 ,there would be no real fertile seed without the pollen4 ,sometimes the pollen from one flower falls on its own pistil1 sometimes the wind1 the bees1 the birds carry the pollen to flowers far off and drop it on their pistils4 ,marvelous1 is it not8 ,everything has to be just right1 or the pollen does not do its work nor the pistil1 either4 ,pollen has to be ripe to help make the seed4 ,but how can the work of the wind and the bees and the birds be improved on8 ,just as the old gardener was doing it4 ,he had one pansy1 oh such a large one1 but not at all beautiful in colour4 ,he had another one1 small but exquisite in colouring4 ,if he could but grow those two together1 shake them up1 say a magic word and get a pansy both beautiful and large6 ,rodney's gardener used magic but not a magic wand4 ,he took a little knife called a scalpel4 ,he carefully took some pollen from the beautiful pansy and then rubbed it gently over the pistil of the big pansy4 ,the pollen was all ready to drop1 and by this he knew it was ripe4 ,why did he place a bag over the pansy8 ,well1 simply because he didn't wish that pansy interfered with4 ,suppose the bag were not on2 suppose after he had put the pollen on1 the wind had blown other pollen to this same pistil8 ,let us suppose that this other pollen came from a very inferior flower4 ,the experiment would have been spoiled4 ,any of you can try this plant improvement4 ,i see by ,katharine's eyes and ,dee's also that they are going to try it4 ,it is well if you have a pair of forceps4 ,then you need not use your fingers against the plant at all4 ,gently pull the pistil a bit forward1 gently place the pollen on with the scalpel and you have performed the operation entirely with the proper instruments4 ,the girls did some saving of fine specimens of flowers this fall1 but the kind of work of which ,i have just told you means far more4 ,in the one case you choose from what you have2 in the other case you make what you want4 ,good-by1 again1 until next ,friday afternoon6 ,v ,,increasing ,,plants ,this last garden season we have tried two methods of raising plants3 one was by seed2 the other by slips or cuttings4 ,the girls will typify still another method with their bulbs4 ,this last method is by division4 ,a bulb as it stores up its nourishment after the blossoming time forms new little bulbs4 ,these may be separated from the parent tuber if large enough4 ,you all saw me dividing my peonies4 ,those peonies doubtless were started years ago from one or two roots4 ,and now when ,i dug them up it looked as if ,i were laying in a stock of sweet potatoes so great was the increase4 ,there are just three other methods of propagating or increasing plants4 ,these are layering1 budding and grafting4 ,layering is done in several ways4 ,suppose you have a gooseberry bush you wish to layer4 ,the time to do the work is after the flowering season is past4 ,choose a branch which has not flowered4 ,strip off the lower leaves4 ,now where the old and new wood meet is the place for the cut4 ,make a cut right into the stem which will be like a tongue4 ,let this be about an inch long4 ,hold this to the ground with the cut side down4 ,bank soil over this4 ,at and under the tongue the new shoots will start1 and the new gooseberry bush grow from this4 ,this new plant may be cut off from the parent4 ,if the twig will not stay bent down in this position1 cut a forked piece of wood which shall act as a pin4 ,do you picture this8 ,a branch bent so that not far from the parent plant it is buried under ground with the rest of the root protruding from the ground4 ,a rubber plant may be layered or topped as it is called4 ,rubber plants have an ugly habit of going to top1 dropping off their lower leaves as they do this4 ,so they look as if they were trying to develop into huge bushes1 and they become very ugly in so doing4 ,the top looks all right and many a person wishes that top were off all by itself and nicely potted4 ,this is the way it is topped4 ,a slit is cut in the bark about where you would like to see roots growing4 ,then soil and florists' moss is bound about the wound4 ,these may easily be kept moist4 ,a paper pot could be put about the soil if one wished4 ,the soil mass should be a ball of about six inches in diameter4 ,when the new roots appear through the moss or poking out of the paper pot1 cut the stem of the plant below the pot4 ,and behold you have a little rubber plant just as good as new1 ,i have told this before to the girls4 ,another method of layering is to cut the parent off down to the ground4 ,what is left is called the stool4 ,this stool should be covered with about six inches of earth4 ,let us suppose this is done in early spring4 ,when fall comes around uncover the stool4 ,there will be found a number of new shoots or plants all nicely protected4 ,these may be transplanted4 ,do you know that stool can be used over again8 ,this work of layering is really very simple4 ,myron used it with his strawberries4 ,the runners were bent and buried just as those of the gooseberry ,i spoke of4 ,in this way new strawberry plants were obtained4 ,one shoot may be bent and buried more than once4 ,so one may get just as easily two or more new plants from one shoot4 ,this seems as much a miracle as the cross fertilization of plants4 ,the fifth method is that of budding4 ,apple1 peach1 plum1 cherry and pear trees may be budded2 so1 too1 may roses4 ,in a word1 a bud is taken from some desirable tree and inserted within the bark of a tree either less desirable or young4 ,young fruit trees1 as you know1 need some help before they produce good fruit4 ,now if ,george had at home a peach tree which bore very fine fruit he would be glad to cross a young tree with this4 ,budding is a kind of crossing4 ,this work should be done in the spring1 although it may be done in the fall4 ,but the spring is a more limber time with ,nature4 ,sap is begining to flow2 life is new and fresh again2 all the plant world is ready to start up and do something4 ,then1 too1 the bark of trees should be in as flexible a condition as possible4 ,the two things really necessary for the work are mature buds and bark easy to peel4 ,buds should be taken from the very strongest and best twigs of the last year's growth4 ,the little seedlings in which the buds are to be inserted should be one year old4 ,these are called the stock4 ,this is the manner of inserting the bud3 first make a ,t-shaped cut in the bark of the stock4 ,this cut should be made on the north side of the little tree1 because it will thus be more sheltered from the sun's rays4 ,the cut should not be far from the ground on the main trunk1 although it may be at the base of strong shoots4 ,but make it in the former position for these yearlings4 ,then loosen the bark with the flat handle of a regular budding knife4 ,not many boys and girls own such knives4 ,some of you have scalpels4 ,the handles of these are flat enough to use4 ,again1 you could easily whittle a piece of wood thin and flat enough for this work4 ,the next question is how to sever a bud from its parent shoot4 ,suppose you have chosen a nice full bud4 ,about a quarter of an inch below the base of the bud start cutting into the wood4 ,run the knife up to about one quarter of an inch above the bud4 ,do not cut out through to the surface1 but rather from the upper surface cut the bark loose and peel this carefully down until you can see the under surface of the bud4 ,you still have the wood attached to the twig at its upper edge4 ,if as you look at the under surface of the bud you see that it is hollow1 throw the whole thing away4 ,if it has fibres then it is all right4 ,the proper layer is left to reunite with the stock4 ,now the bud and peeled-off bark may be inserted in the ,t-shaped slip4 ,bind the bud in place with raffia4 ,do this raffia bandaging both above and below the slit4 ,in about ten days the bandage may come off1 for the knitting of fibres is well under way4 ,now the top of the little tree should be cut right back to about two inches above the bud1 because you wish all the growth to go to the bud4 ,this is the part of promise to the tree4 ,all its hope lies in this new bud4 ,the best method of increase is that of grafting4 ,a graft or scion1 which is a shoot with two or more buds on it of last year's growth1 is inserted on the stem of another plant called the stock4 ,by means of this process of grafting1 trees bearing poor fruit are made to bear good fruit4 ,wild fruit trees are brought under cultivation1 and a given tree may bear several varieties of its given fruit4 ,for example1 ,i have in mind a tree1 the marvel of my childhood1 which bore big sour apples1 beautiful ,gravensteins1 and a good quality of ,baldwins4 ,this sort of experimenting with trees is not only as good as a puzzle1 but is of great value4 ,to make a wild apple tree with its gnarly1 little sour apples into a really truly1 well-behaved tree bearing good fruit is worth while1 is it not8 ,grafting is not only a method of improvement but of taming stock1 which is after all improvement4 ,there are certain necessary precautions to take in this operation of grafting2 for this1 like budding1 is a surgical operation4 ,in all woody branches the outer layer is the bark2 next comes the green layer4 ,between this layer and the real wood is a mass of fibres which go by the name of 'cambium'4 ,the cambium layer of the stock and the scion must be one against the other in grafting in order that the sap may flow freely as before4 ,this layer of cambium might be likened to our blood system4 ,the two cambium layers must be pressed closely together so that the operation may be successful4 ,and finally no cut surface should be left exposed to the air4 ,it is air1 you know1 that plays havoc with flesh wounds4 ,more and more we see that tree doctors have a work something like our own physicians4 ,grafting is usually done in the spring--in ,march or ,april--about the time sap begins to flow4 ,the grafts or scions may be cut before this4 ,choose the tree from which you wish to take a scion4 ,you choose it because of its fine-flavoured1 sound fruit4 ,perhaps the fruit is especially large1 too4 ,size of fruit1 however1 does not denote fine fruit4 ,i once had an apple that weighed a pound4 ,it was a beauty1 fair to look upon4 ,but what a tasteless1 pithy piece of fruit it was4 ,appearances in fruit are often deceitful4 ,the scions were to be of the last year's growth with two or more buds4 ,the shoots should be clean1 healthy and vigorous4 ,you must transmit no disease along with the scions4 ,these may be cut off in ,january or ,february1 and stuck into the soil for about four to six inches4 ,keep away from direct sunlight4 ,the buds of scions cut at this time are dormant as they should be4 ,grafting is named according to the manner in which the scion is put into the stock4 ,there is whip grafting1 and cleft grafting4 ,whip grafting is sometimes spoken of as tongue grafting4 ,this latter method is accomplished in this way3 ,suppose you have a scion in your hand4 ,cut across the end of it diagonally4 ,use a sharp knife for this1 and make a clean cut1 as ,i now cut across this twig4 ,about two-thirds of the distance back from the narrow or more pointed end of the cut make a vertical cut of about an inch right up into the scion4 ,cut the stock in a similar way4 ,then insert the tongue of the stock into the slit of the scion4 ,press these together carefully4 ,bind with raffia4 ,whenever this work is done outdoors1 as it would be in the case of any of you who try this experiment1 the union must be sealed over4 ,as official documents are sealed with wax1 so this union is legally sealed in wax4 ,one can buy a regular grafting wax4 ,sometimes people mix clay and grease together4 ,that is simple1 but pretty sticky sounding4 ,realgrafting wax is made this way3 ,to two parts of beeswax1 add four of resin4 ,melt these together with one pound of tallow or linseed oil4 ,when all are melted together1 pour into cold water4 ,pull like molasses candy until it is light coloured4 ,one's fingers should be greased to apply this wax properly4 ,cleft grafting is almost described by its name4 ,a cleft or cut is made in the stock after the stem has been neatly cut across4 ,the cleft is a vertical cut of about an inch in length4 ,this is made through the centre of the stock4 ,the scion is made to fit down into this1 so naturally it is cut like a wedge4 ,but there should be cuts made on both sides of the scion diagonally to form this wedge4 ,so two cut surfaces of cambium are laid bare to fit against two similar surfaces of the stock4 ,if the stock is several times thicker than the graft or scion1 there should be two of these latter inserted4 ,place one at either end of the cleft4 ,bind and wax4 ,if the stock is the same thickness as the graft then these two fit perfectly one into the other4 ,this is only a little bit about grafting2 but ,i trust this is enough to get you all interested in this work4 ',is grafting really necessary8' ,i heard ,albert whisper a while ago4 ,it does seem like a great deal of work4 ,the trouble with starting fruit from seed and expecting to get good results lies in this point3 ,fruit trees seems to lose in their development from seed the ability to produce fruit as fine as the parent stock2 and so grafting becomes a necessity4 ,strange that this should be so1 but it is4 ,start with a peach stone or seed4 ,it came from a fine tree2 the fruit was luscious4 ,and yet the little seedling which comes from that very stone as a rule must be grafted to bear fruit of equally fine flavour as that of the original peach4 ,fruit trees have a tendency to revert to old wild poor forms4 ,and so we must save them and help them4 ,if any of you should start a little orchard he would wish to know how far apart the trees should be4 ,apple trees should be set thirty to forty feet apart each way2 pear trees twenty to thirty feet each way2 plums and peaches sixteen to twenty feet each way4 ,trees need room in which to spread out and develop2 hence the distance given them4 ,i am glad that ,myron has made a start on small fruits4 ,his strawberries were a success4 ,i'd like to think that next season each of you was to have in his garden1 vegetables1 flowers1 one small fruit and one of the larger ones1 such as a seedling apple or peach4 ,,vi ,,garden ,,operations ,i suppose the talk to-day will seem to you all merely a repetition of things you already know4 ,beginnings1 however1 are most important4 ,results often take care of themselves1 but beginnings never do4 ,gardens started wrong always go wrong2 that is1 unless one tears up one's work and begins over again4 ,the first thing in garden making is the selection of a spot4 ,some of us are saved that trouble1 since we have no choice2 or like ,josephine1 have nothing at all in the way of space4 ,without a choice1 it means simply doing the best one can with conditions4 ,with space limited it resolves itself into no garden1 or a box garden4 ,surely a box garden is better than nothing at all4 ,at least1 ,josephine felt this to be true1 and proved that parsley grows 7with care7 as well in a box as in the garden4 ,i claim that everyone may have something of a garden if he be willing to take what comes to hand4 ,but we will now suppose that it is possible to really choose just the right site for the garden4 ,what shall be chosen8 ,the greatest determining factor is the sun4 ,no one would have a north corner1 unless it were absolutely forced upon him2 because1 while north corners do for ferns1 certain wild flowers1 and begonias1 they are of little use as spots for a general garden4 ,if possible1 choose the ideal spot--a southern exposure4 ,here the sun lies warm all day long4 ,when the garden is thus located the rows of vegetables and flowers should run north and south4 ,thus placed1 the plants receive the sun's rays all the morning on the eastern side1 and all the afternoon on the western side4 ,one ought not to have any lopsided plants with such an arrangement4 ,suppose the garden faces southeast4 ,in this case the western sun is out of the problem4 ,in order to get the best distribution of sunlight run the rows northwest and southeast4 ,the idea is to get the most sunlight as evenly distributed as possible for the longest period of time4 ,from the lopsided growth of window plants it is easy enough to see the effect on plants of poorly distributed light4 ,so if you use a little diagram remembering that you wish the sun to shine part of the day on one side of the plants and part on the other1 you can juggle out any situation4 ,the southern exposure gives the ideal case because the sun gives half time nearly to each side4 ,a northern exposure may mean an almost entire cut-off from sunlight2 while northeastern and southwestern places always get uneven distribution of sun's rays1 no matter how carefully this is planned4 ,the garden1 if possible1 should be planned out on paper4 ,the plan is a great help when the real planting time comes4 ,it saves time and unnecessary buying of seed4 ,last winter we drew some plans to a scale4 ,peter1 ,philip1 and ,myron did this work in fine shape4 ,they offer to take groups of you girls and show you how to do it2 so whenever you are ready for this1 the boys are ready1 too4 ,sometimes we do change our plans some1 anyway a change is easily made when a plan has been drawn as a basis4 ,new garden spots are likely to be found in two conditions3 they are covered either with turf or with rubbish4 ,in large garden areas the ground is ploughed and the sod turned under2 but in small gardens remove the sod4 ,how to take off the sod in the best manner is the next question4 ,stake and line off the garden spot4 ,the line gives an accurate and straight course to follow4 ,cut the edges with the spade all along the line4 ,if the area is a small one1 say four feet by eighteen or twenty1 this is an easy matter4 ,such a narrow strip may be marked off like a checkerboard1 the sod cut through with the spade1 and easily removed4 ,this could be done in two long strips cut lengthwise of the strip4 ,when the turf is cut through1 roll it right up like a roll of carpet4 ,but suppose the garden plot is large4 ,then divide this up into strips a foot wide and take off the sod as before4 ,what shall be done with the sod8 ,do not throw it away for it is full of richness1 although not quite in available form4 ,so pack the sod grass side down one square on another4 ,leave it to rot and to weather4 ,when rotted it makes a fine fertilizer4 ,such a pile of rotting vegetable matter is called a compost pile4 ,all through the summer add any old green vegetable matter to this4 ,in the fall put the autumn leaves on4 ,a fine lot of goodness is being fixed for another season4 ,the girls1 ,i suppose1 think this is a wretched heap to have in the corner of a garden4 ,so it is4 ,but it is possible to screen it4 ,plant before the space allotted to this1 castor beans1 tall cannas or sunflowers4 ,perhaps the castor beans would be the best of all4 ,sunflowers get brown and straggly looking before the season is past its prime4 ,even when the garden is large enough to plough1 ,i would pick out the largest pieces of sod rather than have them turned under4 ,go over the ploughed space1 pick out the pieces of sod1 shake them well and pack them up in a compost heap4 ,what is to be done with the rubbish often found on new garden sites8 ,if this be only weeds and other vegetable matter it may be very easily burned on the garden spot4 ,but suppose it is a grand collection of tin cans1 bottles and such things as cannot be burned8 ,what can we do with them8 ,cities have public dumps where lots are to be filled in4 ,all such trash may go to these4 ,oftentimes it is possible to find suitable places in the country for dumping4 ,but do not dump where the rubbish is to be unsightly for others as it has been for yourself2 far better have a dump heap on your own land and screen this as the compost heap was to be shielded from view4 ,we take the wrong point of view if we dump rubbish anywhere1 for the sake of getting rid of it4 ,you remember your plan is to help make a more beautiful village4 ,how must the small garden be spaded8 ,a method called trenching1 is good because it is so thorough4 ,here is a diagram ,george has made4 ,just get your heads around this1 and ,i'll explain it4 ,illustration3 ,from this plan see the scheme of trenching4 ,top soil from ,,aa' is carted to ,,ee'4 ,then the top soil from ,,bb' goes into ,,aa'4 ,continue this method and see that the soil on ,,ee' finally goes into trench ,,dd'4 ,so all the top soil in this given area is worked over and is still kept on top4 ,this rectangle is supposed to be the plot which needs digging4 ,line it off into strips one foot wide4 ,have your wheelbarrow right beside ,,aa'4 ,dig one foot of top soil out of strip ,a' along all its length4 ,put this into the barrow and dump it into the strip marked ,,ee' outside of the garden proper4 ,do the same thing to strip ,,bb'1 only throw the soil into trench ,,aa'4 ,the top soil from ,,cc' goes into ,,bb'2 that of ,,dd' into ,,cc'4 ,now the soil that was dumped outside the garden upon the strip ,,ee' of course is already to go right into trench ,,dd'4 ,the value of this work is to get the soil of the bed entirely worked over4 ,most people dig but poorly4 ,digging is hard work2 so a boy digs a little here1 and a little there1 throughout the seed bed and thinks the work is all done4 ,it is really done when the above method is used4 ,and after all we have said about the necessity for airing soil1 and the need of stirring things up so that the good bacteria may do their work1 ,i know you will all see the point immediately4 ,mere spading of the ground is not sufficient4 ,the soil is still left in lumps4 ,always as one spades one should break up the big lumps4 ,but even so the ground is in no shape for planting4 ,ground must be very fine indeed to plant in1 because seeds can get very close indeed to fine particles of soil4 ,but the large lumps leave large spaces which no tiny root hair can penetrate4 ,a seed is left stranded in a perfect waste when planted in chunks of soil4 ,a baby surrounded with great pieces of beefsteak would starve4 ,a seed among large lumps of soil is in a similar situation4 ,the spade never can do this work of pulverizing soil4 ,but the rake can4 ,that's the value of the rake4 ,it is a great lump breaker1 but will not do for large lumps4 ,if the soil still has large lumps in it take the hoe4 ,many people handle the hoe awkwardly4 ,get up1 ,jay1 and show us just how to hold it6 ,walk along as you hoe1 drawing the hoe toward you4 ,the chief work of this implement is to rid the soil of weeds and stir up the top surface4 ,it is used in summer to form that mulch of dust so valuable in retaining moisture in the soil4 ,i often see boys hoe as if they were going to chop into atoms everything around4 ,hoeing should never be such vigorous exercise as that4 ,spading is vigorous1 hard work1 but not hoeing and raking4 ,after lumps are broken use the rake to make the bed fine and smooth4 ,now the great piece of work is done4 ,to be sure ,i have said nothing of fertilizing4 ,the kind and amount of fertilizer depends on the kind of soil4 ,well-rotted manure being the best all-around fertilizer1 we will say that we have spaded that into the seed bed after the trenching operation is over4 ,now the plan made on paper comes into practical use1 and garden stakes1 cord and a means of measuring are the things necessary to have on hand4 ,jay and ,albert have made their garden stakes one foot in length4 ,they will serve as a good rule in furrow making4 ,on their hoe handles ,jack and ,elizabeth have marked two feet off into inches4 ,this is another scheme for measuring4 ,george has a pole four feet long which he uses4 ,this has inches marked on one foot of its length4 ,katharine has a seventy-five foot tape measure4 ,and ,leston and ,helena have made this tool ,i have here in my hand4 ,it looks like a wooden toothed rake with its teeth eight inches apart4 ,this dragged over the surface of a nice1 fine garden bed marks off furrows4 ,it makes the most regular furrows you ever saw because it cannot help itself4 ,miriam used a board last summer4 ,she laid this across her seed bed1 kneeling on it1 then she drew a dibber along the board's straight edge1 pressing firmly into the soil with the dibber4 ,this also made a good straight furrow4 ,peter and ,philip always use a line and two stout garden stakes4 ,their hoes do the rest4 ,we usually think of furrows1 or drills1 as they really should be called when little soil is removed1 as being about a half inch or even less in width4 ,sometimes certain seed1 beans and peas1 for example1 are placed in double rows in a wide drill4 ,i think you all understand hill making4 ,then you remember how we planted certain seeds broadcast1 as grass and poppy seeds4 ,remember that seeds thus sown need only a dusting of soil over them4 ,but in general1 drill sowing for both vegetables and flower seeds is the most satisfactory method4 ,most boys and girls sow seeds too thickly4 ,the seedlings as they come up are too crowded for proper amounts of sunlight1 air and food4 ,you have seen lettuce seedlings crowded together growing small and weak4 ,why8 ,lack of light and air1 lack of moisture and food are the reasons for this4 ,thin out pretty severely4 ,wait1 of course1 until the seedlings are an inch or more high4 ,then look over the little plants and gently take out the weakest and smallest specimens4 ,press the soil firmly about those which remain4 ,if the first planting has been very thick have two times of thinning4 ,it is a bit easier on those seedlings remaining if too many comrades do not go at once4 ,illustration3 ,jack's ,rake ,handle as a ,measuring ,stick ,illustration3 ,albert ,sowing ,large ,seeds ,singly ,photographs by ,edward ,mahoney ,of course1 some of these seedlings may be transplanted4 ,they should be about two inches above ground for this purpose4 ,lettuce1 cabbage and peppers transplant beautifully2 so do asters4 ,i would not try to transplant beets1 radish or turnips4 ,the reason is that these plants have long tap roots4 ,usually a portion of the root is left in the ground and the transplanted seedling has an injured root4 ,so you either lose it1 or it does poorly4 ,beets may be allowed to grow thickly for a time4 ,then when the thinning is done1 the tender beet tops may be used for greens4 ,transplanting is a delicate operation4 ,a trowel or a thin garden marker1 a can of water and dibber are the necessary tools for the business4 ,a cloudy day is a good thing to have on hand1 also4 ,if this is impossible1 place the sun behind a cloud4 ,the little seedling should be taken up with great care from its old home4 ,a little soil should come with the roots4 ,this gives the little plant a home feeling in its new quarters4 ,the thin stick is often better to use than the trowel4 ,if the soil is watered a bit about the small plant1 one is far more likely to get the soil up with the roots4 ,now make the hole in the ground with the dibber just where you wish4 ,a motion1 like that of a revolving top1 is the one to use in working the dibber4 ,water the hole4 ,drop a little soil in the bottom of the hole4 ,you see the dibber leaves an awkward little peak there at the bottom of the hole4 ,water lodges there and stays4 ,the tiny rootlets do not quite reach into the bottom of the hole1 and perhaps dangle in the water and begin to decay4 ,a little soil dropped in prevents all this4 ,now a little plant goes in4 ,do not place it too low1 nor too high in the hole4 ,have the roots uncramped4 ,drop soil in gently and finally firm it all with both hands4 ,the sun must not shine too hotly for the first few days on these little plants in their new home4 ,they are not yet used to their surroundings and must be coddled a bit if they are to do well4 ,the remaining garden operations are weeding and constant cultivation4 ,a part of the work in the flower garden is close picking1 if constant bloom is wished4 ,i have said nothing about how to plant different seeds because each of you had tables to cover all of that4 ,the object of this talk is to impress upon you the necessity for careful preparation4 ,well-prepared soil1 carefully handled tools and plants are ways to success4 ,good tools1 good seed1 good hard work make for results such as will satisfy your highest hopes4 ,but it is not the result only that is worth the struggle2 the knowledge and the power are the greater glories4 ,,vii ,,common ,,weeds ,what a delight it would be if we could garden without weeds4 ,but that is well-nigh impossible4 ,for these rascals1 the weeds1 are such persistent fellows1 so clever in their devices for getting over the surface of the earth1 so able to live where nothing else in the plant world can live1 that it is a discouraging matter to attempt to exterminate them4 ,they always seem to me like pushing sort of people trying to live among those who do not want them4 ,then1 too1 they crowd the better class of inhabitants out4 ,there are a certain number of plants which we always looked upon as weeds1 such as burdock and wild carrot1 for example4 ,but if a beautiful garden plant should persist in living and spreading itself over our vegetable garden1 then that1 too1 would become a weed4 ,over across the sea in ,england the poppy grows wild in the fields4 ,it looks very beautiful to the traveler1 because it makes lovely red splashes of colour through the field4 ,but ,i doubt very much if it looks really attractive to the farmer4 ,these things depend largely1 do they not1 upon one's point of view8 ,even a question like weeds we have no right to look at from one point of view only4 ,the good points of weeds do not balance up the bad points2 but it is well to give even weeds their due4 ,rid the world of weeds and unless these despoiled spots were cultivated1 think of the great waste places there would be over the earth's surface4 ,the weeds shade the ground thus preventing too great surface evaporation4 ,then the weeds are a signal to farmers and all gardeners to get busy4 ,we people of the world are lazy1 just naturally so1 and perhaps if there were no weeds we might cultivate the soil too little4 ,years ago certain weeds were much used in medicine4 ,this is more or less true1 to-day4 ,the dandelion with its bitter secretion was good1 it was believed1 for the liver1 a sort of spring tonic4 ,the ,department of ,agriculture has printed a pamphlet on ',weeds ,used in ,medicine' 7,farmers' ,bulletin1 ,no4 #ahh74 ,jack and ,jay each sent for a copy last spring4 ,you all might start a garden library with these pamphlets for a basis4 ,they are sent to you free and are invaluable in your work4 ,get together all the helps you can on the subject you are studying4 ,boys and girls receive free so much in the present day that it seems a shame not to make use of these things4 ,the boys have written to the ,department of ,agriculture and each month it sends to the club a list of the publications sent out or reprinted during the previous month4 ,you girls might follow this good example set you by the boys4 ,well1 we have wandered a bit from the subject in hand4 ,weeds are again discouraging because they have such facilities for travel4 ,talk about flying machines--weeds are centuries ahead of men along these lines4 ,look at a milkweed seed2 it is a complete flying apparatus4 ,with its perfect ballast it flies beautifully along over field and river ready to alight in proper seed style1 end down4 ,there is a piece of mechanism in the end of each burdock seed that seems to make travel possible1 and dissemination sure4 ,never was fish hook more cleverly made than this hook of the bur seed4 ,it catches on to your clothing and travels until you feel its pull4 ,then you pick it off and cast it aside4 ,so it goes4 ,it sticks to the furry and hairy coats of animals and again is carried along4 ,did you ever observe the seed of wild carrot8 ,it1 too1 is arranged with clinging points all around and about its seed4 ,if you should give just a little attention to the subject of the means of distribution of wild seeds you would have a greater respect for the ways and means of ,nature4 ,here is another discouraging side to the weed question4 ,weeds produce so many1 many seeds6 ,look at a single stalk of plantain4 ,this stalk does not stand for one seed capsule1 but all up and down the stalk are the seeds2 again1 not one seed here and one there1 but each capsule or seed case holding many seeds4 ,when these become ripe1 then the top of the capsule comes off just like the cover of a box1 or the top of a salt cellar1 and the seeds are sent out4 ,it would not be a useless thing to count sometimes the number of seeds on one plantain stalk1 and thus gain an idea of the tremendous possibilities of increase which the weeds have4 ,a lad ,i once knew counted the number of seeds in a milkweed pod which he had1 and found very nearly two hundred4 ,i do not remember the exact number4 ,it was between one hundred and ninety-five and two hundred4 ,think of one pod scattering that number of seeds6 ,think again of the number of pods on one milkweed plant6 ,it is staggering1 is it not8 ,to be sure we can remember the parable of the sower and have some hope1 for some seed may fall on soil in which they will never come to maturity4 ,weeds1 like the wild morning glory1 form new plants not from their seed only1 but from their travelling1 trailing branches4 ,if1 then1 the chances are so good for renewal of weeds1 what is the plan of campaign which we should follow8 ,once a ,german gentleman who loved and cultivated roses was asked how to get rid of rose bugs4 ',kill them1' he said4 ',pick them off by hand and kill them by foot is the sure method6' he continued4 ,so1 to get rid of weeds1 just destroy them4 ,persistently and constantly weed them out and cultivate the soil4 ,clean cultivation is the only sort for good crops and freedom from weeds4 ,weeds1 as flowers1 drop in the three classes of annuals1 biennials and perennials4 ,any annual is easy enough to hold down4 ,just pull such weeds up4 ,some merely cut the weed off at the surface of the ground1 but it is a better way to be rid of the thing entirely4 ,and should you not be quite sure of the kind of weed1 then pulling up is the only really safe plan4 ,for if the weed happened to be a perennial1 leaving the root in the ground would be the worst possible thing to do4 ,the greatest business of all annuals is to form seed4 ,now ,i know you wish to say that this is the business of all plants4 ,it is4 ,but with annuals there is only one chance to produce seed4 ,that chance is the one short year of their lives1 and this is doubtless the reason why these chaps work so hard at seed forming1 and produce so many seed4 ,therefore1 the thing evidently to be done is to make it impossible for annuals to form seed4 ,the biennials and perennials must have further treatment than just that of preventing seed formation4 ,the underground part of such weeds must be destroyed4 ,for these live in the ground ready to come up again4 ,biennials may be killed out by deep hoeing4 ,get rid of all the young plants1 keep at the older ones with the hoe and prevent seed formation1 too4 ,biennials are found most abundantly in waste places along woodsides and where the soil for a long time has been left undisturbed4 ,perennials need about the same treatment as biennials4 ,but even greater persistency should be exercised in destroying the underground portion4 ,for these underground plants produce new plants as surely as seeds do4 ,the bindweed has a creeping root1 wild garlic has a bulb1 and such forms are always producing new forms underground while the seed above the ground is able to do the same thing4 ,ploughing helps destroy perennials1 as the roots are exposed to direct sunlight and so destroyed4 ,another method of treatment is that of cutting off the top down to the root and putting salt on the freshly cut root tap4 ,then again these roots may be starved out by never allowing the top or leafy part to form4 ,you will remember that it is the leaf which makes the food4 ,and if there is no food then there will be none to store away in the root for new root formation4 ,some farmers smother roots4 ,this is done by planting such crops as hemp1 clover or cowpeas4 ,these crops choke out the weeds4 ,they cover the ground very completely1 and so the weeds have less of a chance4 ,i give the following table of a few very common weeds in order that you may know just how to handle them4 ,i must speak especially about snapdragon or butter and eggs4 ,it came to our country as a garden flower4 ,it has spread and spread1 partly by its seeds and partly by its root stalks1 which are creeping ones1 and now it is a perennial weed4 ,for since it has become a nuisance it must be classed as a weed4 ,as it spreads along it tends to force out other plants4 ,this weed1 like the wild carrot1 is really very lovely4 ,could such weeds be properly held down in small garden areas they would be very ornamental4 ,i saw a little flower garden once1 quite beautiful1 with two small clumps1 one of wild mustard and one of field daisy1 among the other flowers4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------- ,,common ,,name ,,class ,,seed ,,time ,,colour ,,of ,,flower ---------------------------------------- ------------------------- ,burdock ,biennial ,aug4-,oct4 ,purple ,bur-marigold or ,annual ,july-,nov4 ,yellow beggar ticks ,canada thistle ,perennial ,chickweed ,annual ,mar4-,july ,white ,cocklebur ,july-,oct4 ,green ,dandelion ,perennial ,may-,oct4 ,yellow ,english bindweed or ,aug4-,oct4 ,white morning glory ,moth ,mullein ,biennial ,july-,nov4 ,yellow ,narrow-leaved ,annual ,july-,oct4 ,blue stickseed or beggar tick ,ox-eye daisy or ,perennial ,aug4-,oct4 ,white white daisy ,pigweed ,annual ,aug4-,nov4 ,green ,prickly lettuce1 ,july-,nov4 ,yellow milkweed ,purslane1 pursley ,june-,dec4 ,rib-grass1 plantain ,biennial ,july-,nov4 ,white ,ragweed1 ,roman wormwood ,annual ,aug4-,nov4 ,yellow ,russian thistle ,purplish ,smartweed ,perennial ,aug4-,sept4 ,pink ,sorrel ,perennial ,june-,nov4 ,red ,wild carrot1 ,biennial ,july-,nov4 ,white ,queen ,anne's lace ,wild garlic1 onion ,perennial ,july-,oct4 ,wild mustard ,annual ,june-,oct4 ,yellow ,wild parsnip ,biennial ,july-,oct4 ,yellow daisy1 ,july-,sept4 ox-eye daisy1 brown-eyed ,susan ,yellow dock ,perennial ,aug4-,oct4 ,green ---------------------------------------- ------------------------- ,the seeds of the wild mustard1 like those of the plantain and other weeds1 get in with the grain seed and so cause constant trouble4 ,farmers feel that such weeds must be thoroughly gotten out of the fields4 ,it is not our own native weeds which are so troublesome but the foreign ones4 ,most of our worst weeds are foreigners4 ,they have come to this country as stowaways from across the seas4 ,they have fought for centuries and can keep the fight up over here4 ,i am not going to give you a description of each weed we have4 ,this table1 a copy of which is for each of you1 will be1 ,i think1 of true help4 ,the study of weeds is something quite by itself4 ,it is for you to help prevent the seeding of weeds everywhere4 ,do not carelessly scatter seeds4 ,keep your own garden plots free from these pests by clean and careful cultivation4 ,remember1 too1 the value of cover crops4 ,there is another pest to fight4 ,this pest is of the animal kingdom and not of the plant kingdom4 ,next ,friday our talk is on animal pests1 and how to destroy them4 ,,viii ,,garden ,,pests ,if we could garden without any interference from the pests which attack plants1 then indeed gardening would be a simple matter4 ,but all the time we must watch out for these little foes--little in size1 but tremendous in the havoc they make4 ,as human illness may often be prevented by healthful conditions1 so pests may be kept away by strict garden cleanliness4 ,heaps of waste are lodging places for the breeding of insects4 ,i do not think a compost pile will do the harm1 but unkempt1 uncared-for spots seem to invite trouble4 ,there are certain helps to keeping pests down4 ,the constant stirring up of the soil by earthworms is an aid in keeping the soil open to air and water4 ,many of our common birds feed upon insects4 ,the sparrows1 robins1 chickadees1 meadow larks and orioles are all examples of birds who help in this way4 ,some insects feed on other and harmful insects4 ,some kinds of ladybugs do this good deed4 ,the ichneumon-fly helps too4 ,and toads are wonders in the number of insects they can consume at one meal4 ,the toad deserves very kind treatment from all of us4 ,each girl and boy gardener should try to make her or his garden into a place attractive to birds and toads4 ,a good birdhouse1 grain sprinkled about in early spring1 a water-place1 are invitations for birds to stay a while in your garden4 ,if you wish toads1 fix things up for them too4 ,during a hot summer day a toad likes to rest in the shade4 ,by night he is ready to go forth to eat but not to kill1 since toads prefer live food4 ,how can one fix up for toads8 ,well1 one thing to do is to prepare a retreat1 quiet1 dark and damp4 ,a few stones of some size underneath the shade of a shrub with perhaps a carpeting of damp leaves1 would appear very fine to a toad4 ,suppose a certain crop in your garden has had an insect pest4 ,do not plant this same crop next year1 for it would doubtless have the same pest4 ,don't let the soil get full of insect troubles2 therefore1 keep the soil open and aired and study it well4 ,there are two general classes of insects known by the way they do their work4 ,one kind gnaws at the plant really taking pieces of it into its system4 ,this kind of insect has a mouth fitted to do this work4 ,grasshoppers and caterpillars are of this sort4 ,the other kind sucks the juices from a plant4 ,this1 in some ways1 is the worst sort4 ,plant lice belong here1 as do mosquitoes1 which prey on us4 ,all the scale insects fasten themselves on plants1 and suck out the life of the plants4 ,now can we fight these chaps8 ,the gnawing fellows may be caught with poison sprayed upon plants1 which they take into their bodies with the plant4 ,the ,bordeaux mixture which ,peter used is a poison sprayed upon plants for this purpose4 ,so1 too1 is ,paris green4 ,in the other case the only thing is to attack the insect direct4 ,so certain insecticides1 as they are called1 are sprayed on the plant to fall upon the insect4 ,they do a deadly work of attacking1 in one way or another1 the body of the insect4 ,the kerosene emulsion made by the girls for their infested house plants worked this same way4 ,tobacco water and tobacco dust sprinkled on act in similar manner4 ,lime1 soot1 and sand are other means of blocking and choking off insects4 ,sometimes we are much troubled with underground insects at work4 ,you have seen a garden covered with ant hills4 ,here is a remedy1 but one of which you must be careful4 ,carbon bisulphid comes in little tin cans4 ,it is a liquid of a vile smell1 something like onions and rotten eggs mixed4 ,the girls' noses are going up sky-high now4 ,but it does the work of ant killing4 ,you must be careful in handling this4 ,it has a horrid explosive habit4 ,pour about a teaspoonful down an ant hole4 ,do not use a good silver spoon from the dining room4 ,get an old spoon1 or buy a tin one4 ,for you will never use it again except it be for carbon-bisulphid work4 ,after this liquid has been poured down the hole1 place a bit of a chip over it1 for there may be a slight volcanic action underground4 ,it is well to do this on a damp1 cloudy day when all the ants are at home4 ,remember this stuff is not to be fooled with1 as it is poisonous and also takes fire readily4 ,never open the can inside by a fire1 in too great a heat1 or near a lighted match4 ,invite your fathers to help in this4 ,by no means do anything silly4 ,keep the can closed except when pouring out a teaspoonful4 ,this question is constantly being asked1 ',how can ,i tell what insect is doing the destructive work8' ,well1 you can tell partly by the work done1 and partly by seeing the insect itself4 ,this latter thing is not always so easy to accomplish4 ,i had cutworms one season and never saw one4 ,i saw only the work done4 ,if stalks of tender plants are cut clean off be pretty sure the cutworm is abroad4 ,what does he look like8 ,well1 that is a hard question because his family is a large one4 ,should you see sometime a grayish striped caterpillar1 you may know it is a cutworm4 ,but because of its habit of resting in the ground during the day and working by night1 it is difficult to catch sight of one4 ,the cutworm is around early in the season ready to cut the flower stalks of the hyacinths4 ,when the peas come on a bit later1 he is ready for them4 ,a very good way to block him off is to put paper collars1 or tin ones1 about the plants4 ,these collars should be about an inch away from the plant4 ,of course1 plant lice are more common4 ,those we see are often green in colour4 ,but they may be red1 yellow or brown4 ,kerosene emulsion is the medicine for plant lice4 ,lice are easy enough to find since they are always clinging to their host4 ,as sucking insects they have to cling close to a plant for food1 and one is pretty sure to find them4 ,but the biting insects do their work1 and then go hide4 ,that makes them much more difficult to deal with4 ,rose slugs do great damage to the rose bushes4 ,they eat out the body of the leaves1 so that just the veining is left4 ,they are soft-bodied1 green above and yellow below4 ,since they are eating insects ,paris green will kill them4 ,but the kerosene emulsion penetrates their soft bodies2 so this also may be used4 ,a beetle1 the striped beetle1 attacks young melons and squash leaves4 ,it eats the leaf by riddling out holes in it4 ,this beetle1 as its name implies1 is striped4 ,the back is black with yellow stripes running lengthwise4 ,white hellebore powder kills these pests4 ,ask the druggist for five cents' worth and you will have a great plenty for any of your gardens4 ,it1 too1 is a poison4 ,this poison is also good to use for the caterpillars that eat many of our garden plants4 ,make a circle four inches from the stalk of an infested plant and sprinkle the powder in this4 ,evening time is good for this1 because the dew moistens the powder just enough to make it a nuisance to the insect4 ,then there are the slugs1 which are garden pests4 ,the slug will devour almost any garden plant1 whether it be a flower or a vegetable4 ,they lay lots of eggs in old rubbish heaps4 ,do you see the good of cleaning up rubbish8 ,the slugs do more harm in the garden than almost any other single insect pest4 ,you can discover them in the following way4 ,there is a trick for bringing them to the surface of the ground in the day time4 ,you see they rest during the day below ground4 ,so just water the soil in which the slugs are supposed to be4 ,how are you to know where they are8 ,they are quite likely to hide near the plants they are feeding on4 ,so water the ground with some nice clean lime water4 ,this will disturb them1 and up they'll poke to see what the matter is4 ,beside these most common of pests already mentioned1 pests which attack many kinds of plants1 there are special pests for special plants4 ,discouraging1 is it not8 ,beans have pests of their own2 so have potatoes and cabbages1 as ,george well knows4 ,in fact1 the vegetable garden has many inhabitants4 ,in the flower garden lice are very bothersome1 the cutworm and the slug have a good time there1 too1 and ants often get very numerous as the season advances4 ,but for real discouraging insect troubles the vegetable garden takes the prize4 ,if we were going into fruit to any extent1 perhaps the vegetable garden would have to resign in favour of the fruit garden4 ,a common pest in the vegetable garden is the tomato worm4 ,this is a large yellowish or greenish striped worm4 ,its work is to eat into the young fruit4 ,a great1 light green caterpillar is found on celery4 ,this caterpillar may be told by the black bands1 one on each ring or segment of its body4 ,the squash bug may be told by its brown body1 which is long and slender1 and by the disagreeable odour from it when killed4 ,the potato bug is another fellow to look out for4 ,it is a beetle with yellow and black stripes down its crusty back4 ,the little green cabbage worm is a perfect nuisance4 ,it is a small caterpillar and smaller than the tomato worm4 ,these are perhaps the most common of garden pests by name4 ,it might be well to take up the common vegetables and flowers mentioning the pests which prey on each one4 ,let us take the vegetables first4 ,none of us have grown asparagus yet2 but it will be well to know about this vegetable4 ,there is a beetle which may trouble asparagus plants4 ,it is red with markings of black4 ,the grub of this beetle is dark green4 ,look out for the asparagus beetle during ,april and ,may1 for these are the months when it appears4 ,the eggs are laid on young shoots of the plant4 ,such shoots should be cut right off4 ,after the cutting season is over the plants should be sprayed4 ,this may be done in ,august4 ,very dilute ,bordeaux mixture or ,paris green may be used for a spray4 ,next in the alphabet come beans4 ,the most common trouble that beans have is one called anthracnose4 ,that staggering word means that the leaves become covered with spots which are round with purple borders4 ,again1 a spray of ,bordeaux mixture should be used4 ,the plants should be sprayed until the pods form4 ,look for this trouble in ,july4 ,beets are prone to leaf spots4 ,as soon as such spots appear1 the plants should be sprayed with the ,bordeaux mixture4 ,every two weeks give the plants about three sprayings4 ,the cabbage worm ,i have spoken of4 ,this worm works all summer4 ,cabbages1 if neglected1 become literally alive with the little caterpillars4 ,they eat and eat the foliage1 riddling it completely4 ,they eat into the heads so that the cabbage plant is completely spoiled4 ,george treated his with pyrethrum powder4 ,this he mixed with five times its bulk of dust4 ,it was then dusted or shaken over the cabbage plant4 ,a very good thing to do before trouble begins is to dust the soil and tender plants with lime4 ,after the plants have begun to head use hellebore powder4 ,lice appear on cauliflower4 ,the kerosene emulsion which we use on our indoor plants is all right for this work1 too4 ,the lice appear on the foliage in great white masses4 ,they suck the life and goodness from the plant4 ,they come all through the summer at any time4 ,whale oil soap is another good spray to use4 ,peter has typewritten receipts for these sprays which you may have at the close of this talk4 ,sometimes the root of the cauliflower is attacked4 ,little white maggots mine or burrow through the root4 ,they are quite likely to begin their bad work in ,june or ,july4 ,that rather dangerous carbon bisulphid is the medicine for this trouble4 ,make a hole in the soil as you did when treating the ant4 ,do not make this too near the plant4 ,i should say six inches away would be about right4 ,pour a teaspoonful of the poison into the hole and it will take care of itself4 ,cover the hole over as you would in the case of the ant4 ,when cauliflower plants begin to look sickly pull one up4 ,if it is full of maggots that is easy to determine4 ,but it may be that you will find great lumps or knots on the root4 ,since these knots appear during the same months as the maggots1 you can only be sure of the real cause by pulling up a plant4 ,if these knots are on the root1 then you have a very serious trouble to contend with4 ,so serious is the club root condition that the only safe thing to do is to pull up and completely destroy the diseased plants4 ,dig the soil up after this4 ,then lime it4 ,put a lot of lime on1 not just a dusting over the surface of the soil4 ,this represents soil that is in trouble1 so do not plant cauliflower here again1 or its coarser cousin1 the cabbage4 ,sometimes a little red or orange and black bug appears4 ,this is called the harlequin bug from its fantastic appearance4 ,this bug may come all summer long at any time4 ,the whale oil soap spray is the one to use4 ,celery may be troubled with the light green caterpillar with the black bands before spoken of4 ,this caterpillar arrives in ,august4 ,it is not difficult at all to see1 so many may be picked off just by hand4 ,one may use ,paris green as a spray4 ,none of you had any trouble with corn being infested4 ,but sometimes a worm1 called the earworm1 which is like the tomato worm1 will appear during ,june and eat the tips of the young ears4 ,a little ,paris green sprinkled on the leaves1 at their base will kill them4 ,cucumbers and melons1 as ,i have before said1 are prone to be preys of the cutworms1 squash bugs1 striped beetles1 and lice or aphis4 ,you know treatment for cutworms and lice4 ,the squash bug may be destroyed by hand4 ,sometimes when bits of sticks are placed on the ground the bugs will crawl under them4 ,next morning a small harvest of bugs can be killed4 ,the squash bug lays its eggs on the under surface of the plant's leaves4 ,these leaves should be removed and burned4 ,the striped beetle is kept off by the ,bordeaux mixture spray4 ,this beetle appears in ,june4 ,a spraying during this month often prevents a blight of the leaves in ,july4 ,this blight appears first as a spotting on the leaves1 after which the leaves soon wither up4 ,onions1 as well as radishes1 are affected by maggots which will mine through the onion bulb as well as the stems of the young1 tender plants4 ,a solution made from carbolic soap and water is excellent with which to water the soil about the plants4 ,peas have green lice as melons and cucumbers do4 ,the lice appear early in ,may and ,june1 and are killed and kept down by the regulation treatment4 ,many times during the latter part of summer peas may become mildewed4 ,you can tell this by a growth of white down on stem and leaves4 ,put some soap in the ,bordeaux mixture and spray4 ,from ,may to ,october potato bugs flourish4 ,paris green is the spray to use4 ,in the start they may be hand picked4 ,but do not let them get ahead of your hand4 ,a very serious potato disease is that of scab4 ,scales appear on the potatoes themselves4 ,to prevent this1 uncut seed potatoes are soaked in poison4 ,but this is not a work for you to do alone by any means4 ,the squash bug naturally seeks out the squash vine4 ,he should be treated as we said when we talked of the same bug and melons4 ,tomatoes have numerous troubles4 ,the cutworm1 the tomato worm1 the horn worm1 potato beetle and various blights may come to tomatoes4 ,the horn worm is a large green worm named from the horn at one end of its body4 ,it appears in midsummer4 ,such large worms usually may be hand picked4 ,if you should see a tomato plant wilting for no reason at all1 pull it up and burn it2 it probably has an infectious trouble which is carried from one plant to another by insects4 ,it is really an infectious disease4 ,these are the most common vegetable garden pests and their remedies4 ,as the girls know1 the flower garden is not without pests1 too4 ,plant lice are plenty enough4 ,these may appear at one time or another during the entire year4 ,some plants become covered with a little red spider4 ,it attacks the foliage and does great damage4 ,this may be due to lack of moisture with house plants4 ,i do not mean lack of watering1 but a dry condition of the air of the room4 ,often just a spray of clear water is sufficient to rid the plant of the mites4 ,roses have more troubles than any one other flower4 ,the rose bush may have lice or it may have a little green bug that jumps very quickly and so gets its name of leaf-hopper4 ,kerosene emulsion is good to use4 ,often slugs will feed upon the surface of the leaves4 ,a dusting of lime over the leaves keeps these feeders away4 ,there is a brown beetle called the rose chafer1 which eats the flower itself4 ,hand picking is about the best weapon to employ against this enemy4 ,a scale sometimes comes on the stems4 ,this scale looks like a white crust4 ,it is wise to spray such rose bushes with kerosene emulsion4 ,and better still1 if possible1 cut off and burn such scale-encrusted parts4 ,cutworms bother the early bulbs and the violets1 too4 ,a great many of the larger pests may be hand picked4 ,the lice should be sprayed4 ,and for the remedies4 ,the following will be the ones you will need the most3 ,,kerosene ,,emulsion ,soap 7,ivory7 #a_/d pound ,boiling water #b quarts ,kerosene #d quarts ,the soap should be shaved up and dissolved in the water4 ,to this add the kerosene 7of course not when the soap and water is on the stove7 a little at a time4 ,beat it with an egg beater to be kept for that purpose2 or shake it vigorously4 ,for use against plant lice add to one cup of this emulsion #h cups of water4 ,for scale insects dilute with four cups of water4 ,,bordeaux ,,mixture ,i4 ,copper sulphate 7blue vitriol7 #a lb4 ,water #a gal4 ,dissolve the sulphate in the water4 ,,ii4 ,slaked lime #a lb4 ,water #a gal4 ,dissolve the lime in the water4 ,to one bucket 7#b-a_/b gallons7 of fresh water add four pints of the first solution4 ,to another bucket of fresh water add six pints of the second solution4 ,stir these together4 ,keep the rest of the solutions ,i4 and ,,ii4 for later mixing when it is needed4 ,,whale ,,oil ,,soap ,,hot ,,water ,,solution ,whale oil soap #a pound ,hot water #f quarts ,this is the right dilution for plant lice but for scale insects it is too weak2 for them use about two quarts of water to one pound of soap4 ,the best way to apply liquid sprays in small gardens is to use a whisk broom4 ,just dip the little broom into the mixture needed and shake the brush over the plant4 ,then the hands need never come in contact with the poison4 ,careful children can use sprays without any trouble4 ,josephine has used kerosene emulsion in this fashion3 she pours a little into a saucer1 takes a bit of cheese cloth and dipping it into the emulsion wipes the lice off an infested part4 ,usually one application is enough4 ,this sounds like a much more disagreeable task than it really is4 ,a plant syringe may be used4 ,but personally ,i like the hand method4 ,of course if there are lots of lice on many plants this would not be practical at all4 ,it stands to reason that sick plants need medicines of some kind4 ,sometimes to be sure they need better living conditions4 ,often the soil is sour1 water-logged1 unaired and totally unfit for a self-respecting plant to live in4 ,the whole thing resolves itself into a study of conditions1 and a desire to help the plant have as comfortable a time as possible in life4 ,,ix ,,vegetable ,,culture ,as a rule1 boys and girls choose to grow bush beans rather than pole beans4 ,i cannot make up my mind whether or not this is from sheer laziness4 ,in a city backyard the tall varieties might perhaps be a problem since it would be difficult to get poles4 ,but these running beans can be trained along old fences and with little urging will run up the stalks of the tallest sunflowers4 ,so that settles the pole question4 ,there is an ornamental side to the bean question4 ,suppose you plant these tall beans at the extreme rear end of each vegetable row4 ,make arches with supple tree limbs1 binding them over to form the arch4 ,train the beans over these4 ,when one stands facing the garden1 what a beautiful terminus these bean arches make4 ,beans like rich1 warm1 sandy soil4 ,in order to assist the soil be sure to dig deeply1 and work it over thoroughly for bean culture4 ,it never does to plant beans before the world has warmed up from its spring chills4 ,there is another advantage in early digging of soil4 ,it brings to the surface eggs and larvae of insects4 ,the birds eager for food will even follow the plough to pick from the soil these choice morsels4 ,a little lime worked in with the soil is helpful in the cultivation of beans4 ,bush beans are planted in drills about eighteen inches apart1 while the pole-bean rows should be three feet apart4 ,the drills for the bush limas should be further apart than those for the other dwarf beans--say three feet4 ,this amount of space gives opportunity for cultivation with the hoe4 ,if the running beans climb too high just pinch off the growing extreme end1 and this will hold back the upward growth4 ,among bush beans are the dwarf1 snap or string beans1 the wax beans1 the bush limas1 one variety of which is known as brittle beans4 ,among the pole beans are the pole limas1 wax and scarlet runner4 ,the scarlet runner is a beauty for decorative effects4 ,the flowers are scarlet and are fine against an old fence4 ,these are quite lovely in the flower garden4 ,where one wishes a vine1 this is good to plant for one gets both a vegetable1 bright flowers and a screen from the one plant4 ,when planting beans put the bean in the soil edgewise with the eye down4 ,beets like rich1 sandy loam1 also4 ,fresh manure worked into the soil is fatal for beets1 as it is for many another crop4 ,but we will suppose that nothing is available but fresh manure4 ,some gardeners say to work this into the soil with great care and thoroughness4 ,but even so1 there is danger of a particle of it getting next to a tender beet root4 ,the following can be done2 ,dig a trench about a foot deep1 spread a thin layer of manure in this1 cover it with soil1 and plant above this4 ,by the time the main root strikes down to the manure layer1 there will be little harm done4 ,beets should not be transplanted4 ,if the rows are one foot apart there is ample space for cultivation4 ,whenever the weather is really settled1 then these seeds may be planted4 ,young beet tops make fine greens4 ,greater care should be taken in handling beets than usually is shown4 ,when beets are to be boiled1 if the tip of the root and the tops are cut off1 the beet bleeds4 ,this means a loss of good material4 ,pinching off such parts with the fingers and doing this not too closely to the beet itself is the proper method of handling4 ,i throw this in for the benefit of our future cooks1 the girls4 ,there are big coarse members of the beet and cabbage families called the mangel wurzel and ruta baga4 ,about here these are raised to feed to the cattle4 ,they are a great addition to a cow's dinner4 ,the cabbage family is a large one4 ,there is the cabbage proper1 then cauliflower1 broccoli or a more hardy cauliflower1 kale1 ,brussels sprouts and kohlrabi1 a cabbage-turnip combination4 ,george has worked out cabbage culture successfully4 ,i refer to him for full particulars4 ,cauliflower is a kind of refined1 high-toned cabbage relative4 ,it needs a little richer soil than cabbage and cannot stand the frost4 ,a frequent watering with manure water gives it the extra richness and water it really needs4 ,the outer leaves must be bent over1 as in the case of the young cabbage1 in order to get the white head4 ,the dwarf varieties are rather the best to plant4 ,kale is not quite so particular a cousin4 ,it can stand frost4 ,rich soil is necessary1 and early spring planting1 because of slow maturing4 ,it may be planted in ,september for early spring work4 ,brussels sprouts are a very popular member of this family4 ,on account of their size many people who do not like to serve poor1 common old cabbage will serve these4 ,brussels sprouts are interesting in their growth4 ,the plant stalk runs skyward4 ,at the top1 umbrella like1 is a close head of leaves1 but this is not what we eat4 ,shaded by the umbrella and packed all along the stalk are delicious little cabbages or sprouts4 ,like the rest of the family a rich soil is needed and plenty of water during the growing period4 ,the seed should be planted in ,may1 and the little plants transplanted into rich soil in late ,july4 ,the rows should be eighteen inches apart1 and the plants one foot apart in the rows4 ,kohlrabi is a go-between in the families of cabbage and turnip4 ,it is sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage4 ,just above the ground the stem of this plant swells into a turnip-like vegetable4 ,in the true turnip the swelling is underground1 but like the cabbage1 kohlrabi forms its edible part above ground4 ,it is easy to grow4 ,only it should develop rapidly1 otherwise the swelling gets woody1 and so loses its good quality4 ,sow out as early as possible2 or sow inside in ,march and transplant to the open4 ,plant in drills about two feet apart4 ,set the plants about one foot apart1 or thin out to this distance4 ,to plant one hundred feet of drill buy half an ounce of seed4 ,seed goes a long way1 you see4 ,kohlrabi is served and prepared like turnip4 ,it is a very satisfactory early crop4 ,before leaving the cabbage family ,i should like to say that the cabbage called ,savoy is an excellent variety to try4 ,it should always have an early planting under cover1 say in ,february1 and then be transplanted into open beds in ,march or ,april4 ,if the land is poor where you are to grow cabbage1 then by all means choose ,savoy4 ,carrots are of two general kinds3 those with long roots1 and those with short roots4 ,if long-rooted varieties are chosen1 then the soil must be worked down to a depth of eighteen inches1 surely4 ,the shorter ones will do well in eight inches of well-worked sandy soil4 ,do not put carrot seed into freshly manured land4 ,another point in carrot culture is one concerning the thinning process4 ,as the little seedlings come up you will doubtless find that they are much1 much too close together4 ,wait a bit1 thin a little at a time1 so that young1 tiny carrots may be used on the home table4 ,these are the points to jot down about the culture of carrots4 ,i am saying very little about depths and distances because these were all worked out by the boys last winter and tables may be had for the asking4 ,peter covered the ground of celery raising4 ,one or two points only ,i will speak of4 ,a very rich1 workable soil is a celery soil4 ,in the process of getting such a bed ready it ought to have a thorough wetting down a day before planting4 ,celery seed is small1 and1 as is the case with other small seed1 it is quite likely to be planted in clumps or bunches4 ,to avoid this the seed should be mixed with sand and then sprinkled in drills4 ,these drills should be six inches apart1 and very shallow4 ,sow the seed1 cover1 and water4 ,this bed should be screened from direct sunlight4 ,a careful1 gentle1 daily watering is necessary4 ,thin the little plants to four inches apart4 ,peter can tell the rest of the story4 ,the only other thing ,i need add is this1 that in transplanting the work should be done quickly4 ,one should not take up celery plants and perhaps leave them a long time before placing in new quarters4 ,plant immediately4 ,it takes little to upset a celery plant and check its growth4 ,so never take up a whole lot of celery plants at one time4 ,take up a few1 keep them moist1 plant them1 and then start again4 ,illustration3 ,elizabeth ,sowing ,small ,seed ,from the ,package4 ,photograph by ,helen ,w4 ,cook4 ,i am not going to say a word about corn4 ,you all remember the boys' work of last year4 ,your teacher has planned next ,friday afternoon for the boys to discuss this at school4 ,so we shall not have our meeting1 but ,i shall come to the school to hear their report4 ,i hope our girls will take notes on this4 ,for ,i know that ,eloise has decided to raise corn next year2 ,helena is going to2 and ,leston will not be out of the corn contest this season4 ,the cucumber is the next vegetable in the line4 ,this is a plant from foreign lands4 ,some think that the cucumber is really a native of ,india4 ,it is believed that it was brought here by the ,negro1 and that a species of cucumber from ,africa became finally at home in this country4 ,a light1 sandy and rich soil is needed--,i mean rich in the sense of richness in organic matter4 ,when cucumbers are grown outdoors1 as we are likely to grow them1 they are planted in hills4 ,nowadays1 they are grown in hothouses2 they hang from the roof1 and are a wonderful sight4 ,in the greenhouse a hive of bees is kept so that cross-fertilization may go on4 ,but if you intend to raise cucumbers follow these directions3 ,sow the seed inside1 cover with one inch of rich soil4 ,in a little space of six inches diameter1 plant six seeds4 ,place like a bean seed with the germinating end in the soil4 ,when all danger of frost is over1 each set of six little plants1 soil and all1 should be planted in the open4 ,later1 when danger of insect pests is over1 thin out to three plants in a hill4 ,the hills should be about four feet apart on all sides4 ,egg plant is another vegetable we have not tried4 ,it is another of those which has been improved by crossing1 usually with peppers and tomatoes4 ,but as we are not ,burbanks yet1 ,i shall not talk of that side of egg plant culture4 ,some varieties of egg plant grow to a large size but the smaller fruits1 on the whole1 have the better flavour4 ,a good1 well-worked1 rich garden loam is the soil for this vegetable4 ,the seed may be planted out in the open in little drills six inches apart4 ,the seed should be scattered along as lettuce seed is4 ,when the plants are about six inches high1 transplant them to their permanent place4 ,they should then stand about two feet apart on all sides4 ,more often the seeds are started inside in ,march4 ,when the little plants are about two inches high they should be transplanted into boxes or pots4 ,screen from too hot sunshine4 ,about the time of corn planting the plants should go into the open4 ,a rich soil is now quite necessary4 ,again ,i would suggest as a good method the placing of a little well-rotted manure under each place where an egg plant is to go4 ,there is a rather interesting parasite which sometimes fastens itself upon the egg plant4 ,a parasite is a form which clings to another and takes its nourishment from this latter or host4 ,the parasite is a lazy shirk4 ,so in this case the parasite grows on the egg plant and absorbs the food which the egg plant needs for itself4 ,this is not an uncommon thing in nature4 ,when such a thing happens first pull up and destroy the poor egg plant1 for the parasite is clinging too closely and persistently to be removed4 ,nearly everyone in our country clings to lettuce as the only plant for a salad4 ,over across the sea in old ,england this is not so4 ,other plants are used in this way and called salad plants4 ,endive is one of these4 ,some of the endives are curly-leaved1 and when blanched are attractive to look upon2 and surely there is no reason why we should not consider the side of beauty in vegetables4 ,endive is a very hardy plant4 ,one-half an ounce of the seed will sow one hundred feet of drill4 ,sow it as you would lettuce seed in soil which should be moist and rich4 ,the plants finally should be about eight inches apart in the drill4 ,the outer leaves should be tied over the top in order to blanch the inner ones for table use4 ,in the fall the plants from summer sowings may be taken up with balls of earth on the roots and placed in the coldframes ready for use through the winter4 ,the coldframe is a blessing4 ,it is a place of storage all the fall and early winter4 ,it is a place for early work in the late winter and first part of spring4 ,lettuce with children has always been a prime favourite for cultivation4 ,before the time of ,christ1 lettuce was grown and served4 ,there is a wild lettuce from which the cultivated probably came4 ,there are a number of cultivated vegetables which have wild ancestors1 carrots1 turnips and lettuce being the most common among them4 ,lettuce may be tucked into the garden almost anywhere4 ,it is surely one of the most decorative of vegetables4 ,the compact head1 the green of the leaves1 the beauty of symmetry--all these are charming characteristics of lettuces4 ,not all form heads4 ,there is a mistaken idea abroad among children that by transplanting1 any lettuce can be made to head4 ,only such varieties as are called heading lettuces will head4 ,and these must be transplanted in order to have really good heads4 ,there are two general types of lettuce--the ,cos and the cabbage4 ,the cabbage grows more like a cabbage with great tendency toward heading4 ,the ,cos grows longer1 narrower1 and has spoon-shaped leaves1 which have a big1 coarse midrib4 ,the inner leaves cling more closely together after a heading fashion2 the outer leaves spread apart4 ,we grow in our ,american gardens more of the cabbage type than of the ,cos4 ,should we go to see our ,french cousins next summer1 the ,cos lettuce would be served to us with plenty of oil as a dressing4 ,as the summer advances and as the early sowings of lettuce get old they tend to go to seed4 ,don't let them4 ,pull them up4 ,none of us are likely to go into the seed-producing side of lettuce4 ,what we are interested in is the raising of tender lettuce all the season4 ,to have such lettuce in mid and late summer is possible only by frequent plantings of seed4 ,if seed is planted every ten days or two weeks all summer1 you can have tender lettuce all the season4 ,when lettuce gets old it becomes bitter and tough4 ,melons are most interesting to experiment with4 ,we suppose that melons originally came from ,asia1 and parts of ,africa4 ,watermelons grow wild in ,africa4 ,the ,negroes and wild animals feed upon them4 ,perhaps that is the reason why the coloured people so love them4 ,anyway1 melons belong to these countries4 ,melons are a summer fruit4 ,over in ,england we find the muskmelons often grown under glass in hothouses4 ,the vines are trained upward rather than allowed to lie prone4 ,as the melons grow large in the hot1 dry atmosphere1 just the sort which is right for their growth1 they become too heavy for the vine to hold up4 ,so they are held by little bags of netting1 just like a tennis net in size of mesh4 ,the bags are supported on nails or pegs4 ,it is a very pretty sight ,i can assure you4 ,over here usually we raise our melons outdoors4 ,they are planted in hills4 ,eight seeds are placed two inches apart and an inch deep4 ,the hills should have a four foot sweep on all sides2 the watermelon hills ought to have an allowance of eight to ten feet4 ,make the soil for these hills very rich4 ,as the little plants get sizeable--say about four inches in height--reduce the number of plants to two in a hill4 ,always in such work choose the very sturdiest plants to keep4 ,cut the others down close to or a little below the surface of the ground4 ,pulling up plants is a shocking way to get rid of them4 ,i say shocking because the pull is likely to disturb the roots of the two remaining plants4 ,when the melon plant has reached a length of a foot1 pinch off the end of it4 ,this pinch means this to the plant3 just stop growing long1 take time now to grow branches4 ,sand or lime sprinkled about the hills tends to keep bugs away4 ,onions are about as popular a vegetable as we have4 ,some people are quite scornful of onions because of their truly disagreeable odour4 ,but ,i do not know what we should do without the onion for flavourings4 ,peter is to plant onions where he last had celery4 ,that is very wise1 because onions do especially well coming after a crop for which the land was heavily fertilized4 ,onions like moisture of soil1 too4 ,if the soil is not rich enough1 nitrate of soda may be added4 ,the most discouraging thing about chemical fertilizers is the fact that advertisements say to have a certain quantity for an acre of land4 ,few boys and girls are planting entire acres1 to just one thing4 ,now1 suppose you write down this3 ,add #a_/d pound of nitrate of soda to #ajj square feet of land then use the proper fractional amount4 ,to buy #a_/dj of a pound for example sounds absurd4 ,buy your quarter pound and put the approximate amount on4 ,sprinkle chemical fertilizer over the surface of the soil and rake it in just under the surface4 ,there are two methods for the planting of onions4 ,one way is to use seed2 the other1 sets4 ,sets mean little onion bulbs4 ,these are placed in drills about six inches apart and so that the little bulb may be just beneath the surface of the soil4 ,do not set too low4 ,these bulbs are ready before seed onions4 ,seeds are rather slow in development4 ,if you make sowings pretty thick the tender tops may be used1 and so the thinning process is done to advantage4 ,i believe that all your gardens should have some parsley in them4 ,it can be planted as a border1 since it grows low and has a fringy1 decorative effect4 ,if you were ,italian girls and boys you would have parsley if you had nothing else2 for the ,italians always use it in their soups4 ,there is a ,european variety1 not as pretty as the common variety1 which grows taller and ranker4 ,it has a stronger smell4 ,an ,italian boy who was living in ,america had a garden in which he grew both kinds of parsley4 ,he was asked which he liked the better4 ,straightening up1 he pointed to the ,european saying1 ',smells stronger4' '',i believe none of us have raised parsnips4 ,it takes #a_/d of an ounce of seed to plant #ajj feet of drill4 ,any deep1 rich1 moist garden soil will do4 ,just as early as the ground is workable1 the seed should be sown4 ,sow in drills of #a_/b inch depth and #f inches apart4 ,the plants should finally stand about eight inches apart4 ,they may be dug before or after frost4 ,some people think that the early frosts improve the flavour of parsnips4 ,i suppose there is no vegetable so well liked as peas4 ,who would wish a ,fourth of ,july dinner without peas8 ,the early varieties of peas go into the ground just as early as possible4 ,i like best to dig trenches six inches deep and about eighteen inches apart4 ,as the peas are dropped into the trench1 cover over with about two inches of soil4 ,as the plants grow1 fill soil into the trench4 ,of course1 peas have to be brushed4 ,so as soon as the little runners form put brush behind the plant and start the twiners about the brush stalks4 ,a variety of pea called ,gradus is very excellent in flavour4 ,as for potatoes--well1 now1 just see ,peter grin6 ,he has covered that subject4 ,of course1 ,i can add nothing to an expert's advice4 ,peppers are worth trying4 ,if you do not care for them in your home gardens1 add them to the school garden4 ,they work in with the courses in cooking4 ,just as egg plants are started inside1 so ought peppers to be4 ,whenever the soil is warm and the weather settled1 the pepper plants may go out4 ,the best soil for them is a rich1 sandy one4 ,the little plants should have about one and a half foot of space on all sides4 ,at first they look pretty lonesome so far apart but soon they will grow to large1 bushy plants4 ,a little hen manure mixed with soil and put on top of the ground about the little peppers gives them a good start in their new quarters4 ,there are many interesting kinds of peppers to grow4 ,if a pepper with a little sting is wished try such varieties as ,bird's ,eye1 ,red ,cluster1 and ,tobasco4 ,suppose the peppers are to be used for stuffing4 ,then large1 rather more mild-flavoured kinds are needed4 ,ruby ,king pepper is a bouncing beauty4 ,the ,red ,etna1 ,improved ,bull ,nose and ,golden ,king are other good ones4 ,the word pumpkin stands for good1 old-fashioned pies1 for ,thanksgiving1 for grandmother's house4 ,it really brings more to mind than the word squash4 ,i suppose the squash is a bit more useful1 when we think of the fine ,hubbard1 and the nice little crooked-necked summer squashes2 but after all1 ,i like to have more pumpkins4 ,and as for ,jack-o'-lanterns--why they positively demand pumpkins4 ,in planting these1 the same general directions hold good which were given for melons4 ,and use these same for squash-planting1 too4 ,but do not plant the two cousins together1 for they have a tendency to run together4 ,plant the pumpkins in between the hills of corn and let the squashes go in some other part of the garden4 ,we have very nearly worn out the subject of radish4 ,about the only cultural point ,i would add is this3 ,make radish develop quickly4 ,if growth is slow1 the radish is likely to be poor4 ,sometimes all the growth goes to top4 ,fine1 green leaves result1 but no good radishes4 ,then doctor the soil in order that fruit development may be quickened4 ,radishes are the quickest in maturing of all vegetables4 ,that is why your teacher had radish beds for the lower grades in the school4 ,the children got a result and got it quickly4 ,josephine might have raised radishes as well as parsley in the box garden she had4 ,people in cities could raise these two vegetables on their roofs just as well as not4 ,they are worth the effort it takes in trying4 ,there is one point ,i wish to speak of in tomato culture4 ,the great trouble in cultivating comes in the overgrowth of vines4 ,each plant becomes a large1 overgrown1 unwieldy sort of affair unless looked out for4 ,use a stake for each vine4 ,tie the main stalk of the plant to this4 ,let the development of fruit come from the top of the plant4 ,so pinch back the lateral branches and remove these4 ,in this way the tomato garden is a neat and pretty one4 ,this treatment is similar to that given grapes4 ,there is a tomato called the dwarf champion4 ,this is a dwarf variety and so gives less trouble than the other kinds4 ,it does not get troublesome and often does not need staking4 ,if you were little boys and girls1 ,i should say plant this kind of tomato every time4 ,i have little more to say about turnips4 ,they are an old vegetable1 for over two thousand years ago1 the ,greeks dined on turnips4 ,i usually plant mine right out in the open4 ,the soil may be a sandy one4 ,x ,,flower ,,culture ,in planting the flower garden there are a few things always to be considered4 ,these are matters of colour1 of time and of persistency4 ,the subject of colour is not so trying1 after all1 as many gardeners seem to think4 ,if you people wish to plant a few of a good many gay-blooming plants1 then ,i guess colour is a problem4 ,the chief thought in a flower garden should be1 how ,i can make a beautiful picture of this garden of mine4 ,you see right off how tiring and dazzling the garden of too many little dots of colour could be4 ,look about in nature--see the beautiful range of the butterfly weed1 the pinky purple of ,joe ,pye1 the scarlet of cardinal flowers1 the blue of certain asters1 the pink of bouncing ,bet1 the yellow of tansy and goldenrod4 ,nature is constantly presenting perfect splashes of brilliant colour here and there4 ,and yet it is not inharmonious4 ,why8 ,one reason is that much of the colour is in great masses1 and what is not has been softened by stretches of soft green4 ,let us take a hint from this for our small gardens4 ,plant colours in masses1 and have breaks of green in between4 ,not a bad idea6 ,i seem to hear you say4 ,then a garden should have a strong time element about it4 ,by this ,i mean that one should plan a garden for a round of bloom4 ,why have all the blooms in ,august8 ,if you look at this bulb time-table ,i shall have ready for you1 you will find that it is possible to start with bulbs4 ,snowdrops and crocuses will gladly usher in a continuous round of bloom for you4 ,i do not mean that these two will bloom continuously4 ,not at all6 ,but ,i mean they are the starters4 ,there are conditions1 where spring bloom and fall bloom alone is desired4 ,this is the case with all school gardens where summer care is impossible4 ,another table called a garden of continuous bloom will help you plan this4 ,another point to think of is persistency4 ,why not plant some seed which will produce plants that come up year after year8 ,why not have some hardy perennials and some self-sowing annuals8 ,poppy and cornflower sow themselves4 ,these are annuals4 ,think of the perennials1 which come year after year to welcome us4 ,i think you should have hardy matter in your gardens4 ,peonies come up year after year1 iris takes care of itself1 helianthus or perennial sunflower bobs up each year4 ,george asked me one day1 what ,i meant when ,i spoke of herbaceous plants4 ,a herbaceous plant is one with a non-woody stem1 as geraniums4 ,mock orange is not herbaceous1 because it has a woody stem4 ,when ,i speak of hardy plants1 ,i mean those which can stand living outdoors through their existence1 from start to finish4 ,a half-hardy plant is one that requires fostering before being planted outdoors4 ,we consider asters half-hardy1 because they need the extra heat for start which the nasturtium does not need4 ,you would not think of starting nasturtiums indoors4 ,but asters and stock really need this sort of a start in life4 ,the tall flowers must go toward the back of the garden1 for if they were placed in the foreground they would screen the others4 ,the plants of medium height make up the main part of the garden2 while the low plants are in the foreground as borders4 ,perhaps it would be wiser to put some tall perennials or self-sowing annuals in the background1 and among the shrubbery4 ,then save bed spaces for the annuals4 ,this will cause less disturbance in the garden than the sowing of annuals in with the perennials4 ,i cannot take up all the garden flowers with you1 because it is an impossibility4 ,but a certain number of the more common ones ,i will talk of4 ,there are certain plants rather easier to grow than others1 and very satisfactory in results4 ,one of these all-around plants is the pansy4 ,it likes best of all cool1 moist places but it will do well1 under rather reverse conditions4 ,pansies are the easiest of plants to grow from seed1 and they offer a ready response to experiments with cross-fertilization4 ,the very best time to sow plants is after midsummer4 ,anyway1 the work must be done before ,october the first4 ,let us claim then that the middle of ,august is a good time4 ,make little drills a quarter of an inch deep for the seed2 or better1 sprinkle it on a fine seed bed4 ,over the seed sift a little soil4 ,pansy seed is fine and small1 so great care must be taken in the early waterings2 better far to cover the bed with old sacking1 and water the sacking4 ,in this way1 the seed is not washed away4 ,the little sturdy plants should be covered over with leaves or straw for the wintertime4 ,when early spring comes1 you will be delighted with plants which are well along4 ,pansy flowers should always be kept well picked4 ,do not let the seed pods form if you desire continuous bloom4 ,it is well to hold this in mind--that if plants are hurried along too fast1 the flowers suffer in size4 ,small1 inferior flowers result from such treatment4 ,pansies have a habit of running out--that is1 the flowers grow smaller each year4 ,it is merely a warning to keep making new sowings in order that one may always have large1 vigorous blooms4 ,choice seed of this flower is very expensive4 ,it is a plant that some florists have put all their time upon4 ,it has seemed to certain men that one of the greatest things in the world1 is to find out ways of improving the plants of the earth4 ,so certain fruits are crossed to make new and better ones2 and certain flowers are being constantly worked over to get superior strains4 ,sweet peas1 pansies1 stock1 and dahlias are plants which have been much improved by man's skill4 ,larkspur is one of those plants which children so rarely try4 ,i have wondered often why4 ,it is not hard to raise1 and so ,i am hoping that some of you will try it another season4 ,the larkspur is a hardy plant1 and there are both annuals and perennials in this family4 ,some varieties are dwarfed1 and grow only a foot and a half high1 while others grow five feet in height4 ,this latter growth is very charming in the background of the garden4 ,the flower spikes are showy and the foliage pretty4 ,the larkspur likes a pretty rich sort of soil4 ,the seed is very slow in germinating1 and that is reason enough for fall planting4 ,the stay over winter gives these fussy seeds time to make up their minds to germinate4 ,this sowing should be done after the middle of ,october4 ,really charming blue flowers are a bit difficult to find because we have fewer blue flowers than those of the reds and yellows4 ,do not get the impression that larkspurs are only blue in colour4 ,there are yellow1 pink1 red1 and white varieties4 ,but the blue is very fine4 ,so when you are thinking of high flowers for backgrounds1 keep the larkspur in mind4 ,hollyhock is another good background plant1 because of its height and sentinel-like effect4 ,it sows itself1 so will take care of itself4 ,perennial phlox is well to put into the garden4 ,helianthus1 ,i have mentioned1 as suitable for backgrounds4 ,it has a rather bad habit of too free spreading4 ,peonies are very satisfactory4 ,i am sure you will all want some of them4 ,they look their best planted in clumps4 ,a certain pink and white peony is called the rose peony4 ,it is sweet scented1 and when in blossom it scents the portion of the yard where it is placed4 ,these look well planted in wide borders4 ,the roots1 or bulbs1 should go about three inches below ground in nice1 rich1 garden soil4 ,do not plant where they get the full blaze of early sun4 ,i'd put some iris in the border1 too4 ,it requires no care4 ,you need not bed it over1 even1 in the fall4 ,it likes a certain amount of moisture1 but grows readily under almost all conditions4 ,the ,german iris is an easy grower2 the ,french fleur-de-lis is lovely with its more delicate blossom4 ,certain irises1 to be sure1 are particular about their quarters1 but the two kinds mentioned are not4 ,they like a certain amount of open space4 ,do not hide them in the shrubbery1 although they may be planted near it4 ,you might put in some hardy chrysanthemums4 ,these need good rich garden soil4 ,they should also be placed near the back of the garden for good effect4 ,you may choose almost any colour in these4 ,some of the little button chrysanthemums are good for backgrounds4 ,the yellow ones make good splashes of colour1 while the dull reds are most beautiful4 ,these bloom after frost4 ,when the frost has made havoc with the foliage1 cut the plant down to about one inch of the ground4 ,it is well to cut the flowers before frost4 ,you have now a few good background plants which are hardy4 ,the biennials can be so planted as to behave like perennials4 ,these plants1 you remember1 are doing their best blossoming work the second summer4 ,so by yearly sowings you may always have good effects4 ,i have mentioned some already for your garden3--,canterbury bell1 cornflower and foxglove are biennials4 ,cornflower tends to self sow1 but needs help in this work from you4 ,sweet ,william is an old favourite4 ,of course1 it is pretty gaudy4 ,but ,i like old sweet ,william in spite of his gay tendency4 ,they are rather stiff1 but so easy to raise1 being not very particular about anything4 ,when it comes to annuals there is a multitude of these to plant each season4 ,there are candytuft and alyssum for borders4 ,then mignonette is absolutely necessary to keep the garden sweet4 ,coreopsis is easy to raise1 and so is godetia4 ,if a great big bold mass of colour is desired1 put in ,shirley poppies4 ,these grow well even on sandy soil4 ,it is well to remember1 that these do not lend themselves kindly to transplanting4 ,suppose there is a bit of sandy ground which needs a low-growing plant4 ,put in this spot portulaca4 ,the bright little blossoms1 constantly blooming1 add a bit of cheer to that old sandy place4 ,there are the old stand-bys which are good bloomers--nasturtiums1 zinnias1 marigolds and petunias4 ,in the case of zinnia1 it is better to buy these seeds by the ounce4 ,children's penny packages and the regular five-cent packages are filled usually with seeds which produce variously coloured blossoms4 ,one can plan for no good effects in this way4 ,if you get a seed catalogue1 and look through the zinnia list1 you can choose just what you like4 ,certain plants are spoken of as plants for bedding4 ,these plants are placed in a formal bed after the spring flowers have finished their blooming4 ,you sometimes see in the park fine beds of tulips and hyacinths early in the season4 ,after these have finished their blooming1 plants which are all started are put in their bed4 ,if seeds were planted they would take so long to develop that the bed would look bad for a long time4 ,so bedding plants are put in4 ,geraniums are the most popular of all4 ,begonias1 fuchsias1 heliotrope and coleus are often used4 ,geraniums will stand almost any kind of soil1 and therefore have great advantages over most plants4 ,begonias will flourish in the shade2 while the strong point about coleus is that of beauty of foliage4 ,to those of you who have started outdoor bulb beds1 the bedding list will be of some service4 ,marguerites look well in such a bed4 ,often one sees a border of ageratum about such a one4 ,there is always a sort of stiff effect about such borders1 however4 ,a canna bed is after the same order1 yet is effective4 ,salvia1 or scarlet sage1 looks well in wide borders1 or near the underpinning of the house4 ,both these may act as bedding plants4 ,there are three other kinds of gardens ,i should like to bring to your minds--the rock garden1 the herb garden and the wild-flower garden4 ,this last we shall have to leave for another time1 however4 ,whenever a rockery is mentioned to some people they shrug their shoulders1 and murmur something about a mere heap of rocks4 ,now1 a rock garden may be very pretty1 or very ugly4 ,such a garden should never be stuck out in the front yard to hit one in the face4 ,but if you have a place in your yard1 which is near the woods or in the vicinity of trees1 or by a rocky ledge--in short1 if you have any place with a bit of wildness surrounding it1 use this for a rockery4 ,if your yard is just a plain1 tame1 civilized yard1 you'd better leave the rock garden out4 ,i know of a lady living in a city1 whose backyard is a rocky ledge4 ,that ledge itself told her what her garden ought to be4 ,it just cried out to her1 ',build a rock garden on me4' ,and she did it4 ,any other kind of a garden would have been out of place and taste there4 ,wherever a rocky ledge is found1 there is a possibility for a rock garden4 ,to have a good garden of this sort1 one must have earth as well as rocks4 ,earth must be put into all the crevices of rock1 so that there is some depth to it1 and at such an angle that it won't be washed out by hard rains4 ,a rock garden should have an earth foundation4 ,i mean that there must be much of earth about it4 ,i saw a charming one1 which had only climbing nasturtiums planted over it4 ,it was a great rock jutting out1 and extending back into the yard--a big1 flat1 irregular affair--and all over it were these running vines4 ,it was very simple and very effective4 ,go to the woods and seek out ferns which are growing in rocky places4 ,take what little earth they have about them1 and try to give them a similar position in your own rockery4 ,bring back some leaf mould from the woods1 and mix the garden soil for the rockery4 ,candytuft1 dwarf phlox1 stonecrop1 morning glory1 saxifrage1 bleeding heart1 rock cress1 myrtle1 thrift1 columbine1 bell flower1 and moss pink4 ,get some moss1 too1 for chinks between rocks4 ,if we could go back to old colonial days1 and visit a dame's garden1 ,i am sure we should find a little herb garden there4 ,our mothers might call these herbs pot herbs4 ,here all the flavourings for the soups were raised4 ,here sweet lavender might be found1 its flowers used to make fragrant the bed linen4 ,horehound1 anise and others were used in medicines2 while little caraway seeds made delicious the cakes and cookies4 ,i can see bunches of dried sage hung in the attic4 ,even with us there might be good use made of this garden both at home and at school4 ,we do1 of course1 grow parsley1 which is an herb1 but the others seem to have dropped out of our gardens4 ,we might at least grow next summer the sage and savoury for the turkey stuffing4 ,herbs need a sandy1 well-worked soil4 ,seed should be sown in drills about twelve inches apart4 ,the seed should be sown in early spring1 as soon as the ground is warm4 ,sprinkle the seed just below the surface1 and cover lightly with soil4 ,a list of common herbs includes the following3 ,anise1 balm1 basil1 borage1 caraway1 catnip1 coriander1 dill1 fennel1 horehound1 hop1 hyssop1 lavender1 pot marigold1 sweet and pot marjoram1 parsley1 pennyroyal1 rosemary1 rue1 sage1 savoury1 tansy1 sorrel1 thyme1 and wormwood4 ,it would be of little use to plant all of these1 even to see what the plants were like4 ,i would suggest your trying lavender1 sage1 savoury1 and dill4 ,lavender seed is very slow to germinate1 so sow the seed plentifully in early spring4 ,the soil should have a dusting of lime over it as lavender plants enjoy lime4 ,the flower is the part you wish4 ,pick these flower stalks before the flowers get old4 ,dry1 and then sprinkle the dried flowers in the linen chest4 ,lavender is very sweet1 and is often spoken of as sweet lavender4 ,to this day one will hear women singing in the streets of ,london1 ',sweet lavender1 buy my sweet lavender4' ,sage likes a good1 well-drained soil4 ,it1 too1 likes lime4 ,the little seedlings should be thinned out to stand about ten inches apart4 ,when you see flowers forming cut the sage plant and quickly dry4 ,it makes a pretty border plant in the garden4 ,savoury is also a border plant4 ,but this is a hardy annual1 while lavender and sage are perennials4 ,it likes a light but rich soil4 ,both the leaves and flowers are used in soup flavouring4 ,dill is also sown in early spring4 ,it is the seed of the dill plant1 and not the leaves and flowers1 which is the useful part4 ,the seeds are used in the making of pickles4 ,i shall hope to see something in the herb line1 in your gardens next year--a hardy garden started1 and a good bit of taste displayed by all of you4 ,you girls might raise mint to put in lemonade4 ,next time we shall have our talk on wild flowers4 ,some of you know and love many of these wild flowers4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,for ,,sandy ,,soils ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,clarkia ,rose ,june #a-a_/b ft4 ,good to use for a border ,white ,oct4 plant4 ,purple ,use single varieties4 ,poppy ,white ,july #a-a_/b ft4 ,do not transplant4 ,fine for ,red ,aug4 mass effects4 ,nasturtium ,yellow ,june ,most satisfactory1 especially to ,maroon ,oct4 #a-e ft4 for cut flowers4 ,blooms freely4 ,portulaca ,white ,june #a_/b ft4 ,blooms freely -- grows close ,red to the ground4 ,yellow ,zinnia ,red ,june #a-a_/b ft4 ,grows without great care4 ,magenta ,frost ,blooms freely4 ,looks best when massed4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,for ,,heavy ,,soils ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,godetia ,red ,july #a-b ft4 ,easy to grow4 ,an ,english ,white ,oct4 favourite3 blooms freely4 ,sweet ,pea ,variety ,july #d-f ft4 ,plant early in the spring in ,oct4 a sunny spot4 ,keep flowers well clipped for constant bloom4 ,petunia ,magenta ,may #a-b ft4 ,mass or use in borders4 ,give plenty of sun4 ,good for the outdoor window box4 ,sweet ,white ,july #a_/b ft4 ,sow thickly in the borders4 ,alyssum ,sept4 ,blooms freely4 ,grows in every soil4 ,pot ,orange ,june #a-a_/b ft4 ,blooms freely4 ,looks well ,marigold ,yellow ,frost in masses4 ,stiff effect as a cut flower4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,seven ,,favourite ,,annuals ,,for ,,cut ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,sweet ,white ,july #a_/b ft4 ,use in low bowls for table ,alyssum ,red ,sept4 decorations4 ,china ,aster ,white ,july #a ft4 ,lasts long after cutting4 ,blue to ,oct4 ,purple ,baby's ,white ,june #b-c ft4 ,use in bouquets with other ,breath ,rose ,oct4 flowers4 ,coreopsis ,yellow ,june #a-b ft4 ,place by themselves in tall ,brown ,nov4 vases4 ,nasturtium ,scarlet ,june #a-e ft4 ,cut freely for constant ,yellow ,oct4 bloom4 ,use in great masses in low vases4 ,pansy ,purple ,may #a_/b-a ft4 ,cut closely4 ,place in low ,blue ,june dishes4 ,yellow ,white ,pink ,white ,may #a ft4 ,lasts well after cutting4 ,maroon ,aug4 ,rose ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,that ,,bloom ,,after ,,frost ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,sweet ,alyssum ,white ,july #a_/b ft4 ,withstands early frosts4 ,sept4 ,good border plant4 ,candytuft ,red ,june to #a_/b ft4 ,sow at intervals through ,white ,sept4 the summer4 ,good cut flower4 ,cornflower ,rose ,june #b-c ft4 ,good for cut flowers4 ,blue ,blooms freely4 ,white ,marigold ,yellow ,june #a_/b - #b ,better for garden effects ,browns ,aug4 ft4 than for cut flowers4 ,annual ,phlox ,yellow ,may #a_/b - #a ,self sows4 ,good all round ,reds ,aug4 ft4 plant4 ,white ,ten-weeks ,white ,june #a #a_/b ,a second sowing made in stock ,purple ,july ft4 ,may flowers the same ,pink season4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,fragrant ,,annuals ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,mignonette ,green ,may #a ft4 ,beautifully fragrant4 ,do ,oct4 not transplant4 ,good to use as a break for clashing colours4 ,sweet ,peas ,white ,july #d-f ft4 ,free bloomer4 ,try variety ,scarlet ,oct4 ,lathyrus odorata4 ,blue ,yellow ,ten- weeks ,pink ,june #a ft4 ,good for cut flowers4 stock ,purple ,july ,fragrant at night4 ,white ,sweet ,sultan ,white ,june #b ft4 ,centaurea moschata good ,yellow ,aug4 for cut flowers4 ,purple ,sweet ,alyssum ,white ,july #a_/b ft4 ,alyssum maritimun4 ,low ,sept4 growing1 border plant4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,that ,,re-,,sow ,,themselves ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,morning glory ,reds ,july #ae-cj ft4 ,grows rapidly4 ,makes a ,blues ,oct good screen4 ,whites ,poppy ,pink ,june #a_/b-b ft4 ,papaver ,rhocas and ,p4 ,scarlet ,sept4 somniferum4 ,white ,phlox ,yellow ,may l_/#b-a ft4 ,phlox ,drummondii4 ,reds ,aug4 ,need much water4 ,white ,pot ,marigold ,orange ,june #a-b ft4 ,calendula officinalis ,yellow ,oct4 ,likes a warm soil4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,that ,,climb ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,balloon ,vine ,white ,aug4 #aj ft4 ,grows rapidly4 ,good screen4 ,japanese ,hop ,incon- ,july #h-bj ft4 ,rapid grower4 ,looks well spicuous ,oct4 growing along old fences4 ,moon-flower ,white ,july #ae-cj ft4 ,night bloomer4 ,grows ,sept4 rapidly4 ,morning ,glory ,purple ,june #bj ft4 ,rapid grower4 ,good ,white ,aug4 screen4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,for ,,shady ,,places ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,godetia ,white ,july #a-b ft4 ,the flowers are showy4 ,red to ,oct4 ,musk ,yellow ,june #a_/b-a ft4 ,need moisture and coolness4 to ,aug ,nemophila ,blue ,june #a-c ft4 ,moisture1 partial shade and ,white to ,oct4 coolness4 ,pansy ,white ,may #a_/b-a ft4 ,sow under same conditions ,yellow to ,oct4 as musk in early spring4 ,purple ,blooms freely in the fall4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,for ,,sunny ,,places ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,balsam ,red ,june to #a-b ft4 ,plant in rich sandy loam ,yellow ,oct4 under direct rays of sun4 ,white ,cornflower ,blue ,may to #b ft4 ,full flower4 ,resows itself ,sept4 ,cosmos ,white ,july to #d ft4 ,overrich soil retards ,pink ,sept4 bloom4 ,crimson ,gaillardia ,red ,july to #c ft4 ,good cut flower4 ,blossoms ,yellow ,oct4 freely4 ,marigold1 ,yellow ,july to #c ft4 ,blooms profusely2 stiff ,african ,frost flower head4 ,nasturtium ,yellow ,june to #a-e ft4 ,both dwarf and tall varieties ,scarlet ,oct4 are rapid growers and free bloomers4 ,rose moss ,white ,june #a_/b-c_/d ft4 ,portulaca grandiflora4 ,magenta ,aug4 ,plant in position direct sunshine4 ,verbena ,various ,july to #b ft4 ,start inside for early ,sept4 bloom4 ,wallflower ,orange ,june #a-a_/b ft4 ,sown in ,sept4 blooms in ,july ,may4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,annuals ,,for ,,rocky ,,places ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,phlox ,red ,june to #a-a-a_/b ft4 ,variety ,phlox ,drumondii ,white ,oct4 ,duration of bloom depends on richness of soil4 ,candytuft ,red ,may #a_/b-a-a_/b ft4 ,plant in the fall and cover ,white ,frost for early spring bloom4 ,clarkia ,purple ,june #a-a_/b ft4 ,use ,clarkia elegans4 ,red ,oct4 ,thrives in both sun and ,white partial shade4 ,nasturtium ,reds ,june #a ft4 ,tropoeolum minor2 blooms 7,dwarf7 ,yellows ,oct4 very early4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,fragrant ,,perennials ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,winter ,lilac ,dec4 #a ft4 ,blooms outdoors in winter4 ,heliotrope ,feb4 ,flowers small4 ,russian ,violet ,march #a_/b ft4 ,double flowers4 ,hardy4 ,violets ,lily-of- ,white ,may #c_/d ft4 ,plant by middle of ,march the-,valley for that season's bloom4 ,needs part shade4 ,spreads4 ,valerian ,pinkish ,june #c ft4 ,finely cut foliage4 ,easy to grow4 ,lemon ,lily ,yellow ,june #b ft4 ,flowers #d in4 long4 ,tubers which multiply rapidly4 ,fringed ,pink ,lilac ,july #a ft4 ,blooms until autumn if prevented from seeding4 ,bee ,balm ,scarlet ,july #b ft4 ,odour of mint4 ,good for ,aug4 mass effects4 ,white ,day ,white ,aug4 #b ft4 ,lilies #d-f in4 long4 ,fine1 ,lily ,sept4 broad-leaved foliage4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,perennials ,,for ,,cut ,,flowers ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,christmas ,rose ,white ,nov4 #a_/b ft4 ,blooms outdoors in the ,feb4 snow4 ,no fragrance4 ,charming in masses4 ,california ,violet ,march #a_/b ft4 ,large flowers but single4 ,violets ,fragrant4 ,foxglove ,purple ,june #c-d ft4 ,large flowers1 long stems4 ,oriental ,blue ,june #b-c ft4 ,beautiful colour1 long ,larkspur ,white stems4 ,let no flowers go to seed4 ,japan ,iris ,variety ,july #c-d ft4 ,short lived when cut4 of ,fine blooms4 ,japan ,anemone ,pink ,sept4 #c ft4 ,finest ,september flower4 ,white ,plant in spring4 ,plant for afternoon sun4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,tall ,,perennials ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,hollyhock ,variety ,july #f ft4 ,single varieties are the of hardier2 double varieties last longer4 ,plume ,poppy ,pinkish ,july #f ft4 ,spreads rapidly4 ,fine for massing and screening4 ,do not plant on the west as it shuts off sun4 ,golden ,glow ,yellow ,aug4 #f ft4 ,multiplies rapidly4 ,fine bloomer4 ,liable to pest lice4 ,spray with soap solution4 ,double ,yellow ,aug4 #e ft4 ,largest double flower of ,sunflower any perennial4 ,likely to run out unless divided ,late ,yellow ,sept4 #aj-ab ft4 ,tallest of perennials2 ,sunflower blooms till ,october4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,low ,,growing ,,perennials ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,crested ,blue ,april #i in4 ,earliest of iris4 ,good for ,dwarf ,iris edgings4 ,plant the middle of ,march4 ,dwarf ,flag ,purple ,april #i in4 ,increases rapidly4 ,large flowers4 ,good colouring ,english ,pink ,april #f in4 ,good for spring budding ,daisy ,white purposes4 ,tufted ,blue ,june #f in4 ,more but smaller flowers ,pansies or ,yellow than pansies4 ,after ,violets ,white ,july cut back1 manure and they will bloom again in ,september4 ,carpathian ,blue ,july #h in4 ,bloom for #f weeks4 ,easy ,harebell to grow4 ,coral ,bells ,red ,aug4 #ab in4 ,grow in sandy1 well-drained soil4 ,coral red flowers4 ,popp-mallow ,crimson ,sept4 #i in4 ,blooms nearly #ab weeks4 ,colour does not harmonize with others4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,perennials ,,of ,,medium ,,height ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,time ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,bleeding ,pink ,may #a-a_/b ft4 ,long lived and long of ,heart bloom4 ,graceful4 ,european ,crimson ,may #c ft4 ,earliest of peonies4 ,poor ,peony ,white appearance in the fall4 ,sweet ,red ,june #ab in4 ,self sows4 ,flowers at their ,william ,pink best the second year4 ,white ,chinese ,crimson ,june #b-a_/b ft4 ,long-lived4 ,very ,peony ,pink satisfactory4 ,plant ,white in ,september4 ,foxglove ,purple ,june #c-c-a_/d ft4 ,spire-like cluster ,white of flowers4 ,oriental ,blue ,june #b-c ft4 ,best blue perennial4 ,cut ,larkspur flower spikes as soon as they fade4 ,oriental ,red ,june #c ft4 ,self sows4 ,flowers #f in4 ,poppy across4 ,gaillardia ,red ,june #a ft4 ,flowers more freely than ,yellow ,nov4 any other perennial4 ,cover plants after ground freezes4 ,late ,phlox ,all best ,aug4 #a-a_/b ft4 ,fragrant in the evening4 ,blue ,sept4 ,many colours of bloom4 and ,yellow ,hardy ,blue ,sept4 #c;ft4 ,long season of bloom4 ,chrysanthemum ,scarlet ,nov4 ,deep rich soil and sunny exposure for best results4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,xi ,,the ,,wild-,,flower ,,garden ,a wild-flower garden has a most attractive sound4 ,one thinks of long tramps in the woods1 collecting material1 and then of the fun in fixing up a real for sure wild garden4 ,if the wild garden is to be a school affair1 then ,i certainly should plant the different kinds of flowers together4 ,the north corner near the building is a suitable place4 ,but if the garden is to be at home--your own private little garden--,i am inclined to think it would be better to plant the wild flowers here and there among the cultivated ones4 ,a wild-flower garden is a joy each year1 because up it comes without constant replanting of seed4 ,it is a hardy garden4 ,as ,nature often covers her wood-flowers over with leaves preparatory to winter1 so you might copy her and do the same4 ,many people say they have no luck at all with such a garden4 ,it is not a question of luck1 but a question of understanding1 for wild flowers are like people and each has its personality4 ,what a plant has been accustomed to in ,nature it desires always4 ,in fact1 when removed from its own sort of living conditions1 it sickens and dies4 ,that is enough to tell us that we should copy ,nature herself4 ,suppose you are hunting wild flowers4 ,as you choose certain flowers from the woods1 notice the soil they are in1 the place1 conditions1 the surroundings1 and the neighbours4 ,suppose you find dog-tooth violets and wind-flowers growing near together4 ,then place them so in your own new garden4 ,suppose you find a certain violet enjoying an open situation2 then it should always have the same4 ,you see the point1 do you not8 ,if you wish wild flowers to grow in a tame garden make them feel at home4 ,cheat them into almost believing that they are still in their native haunts4 ,wild flowers ought to be transplanted after blossoming time is over4 ,take a trowel and a basket into the woods with you4 ,as you take up a few1 a columbine1 or a hepatica1 be sure to take with the roots some of the plant's own soil1 which must be packed about it when replanted4 ,the bed into which these plants are to go should be prepared carefully before this trip of yours4 ,surely you do not wish to bring those plants back to wait over a day or night before planting4 ,they should go into new quarters at once4 ,the bed needs soil from the woods1 deep and rich and full of leaf mold4 ,the under drainage system should be excellent4 ,then plants are not to go into water-logged ground4 ,some people think that all wood plants should have a soil saturated with water4 ,but the woods themselves are not water-logged4 ,it may be that you will need to dig your garden up very deeply and put some stone in the bottom4 ,over this the top soil should go4 ,and on top1 where the top soil once was1 put a new layer of the rich soil you brought from the woods4 ,before planting water the soil well4 ,then as you make places for the plants put into each hole some of the soil which belongs to the plant which is to be put there4 ,i think it would be a rather nice plan to have a wild-flower garden giving a succession of bloom from early spring to late fall2 so let us start off with ,march1 the hepatica1 spring beauty and saxifrage4 ,then comes ,april bearing in its arms the beautiful columbine1 the tiny bluets and wild geranium4 ,for ,may there are the dog-tooth violet and the wood anemone1 false ,solomon's seal1 ,jack-in-the-pulpit1 wake robin1 bloodroot and violets4 ,june will give the bellflower1 mullein1 bee balm and foxglove4 ,i would choose the gay butterfly weed for ,july4 ,let turtle head1 aster1 ,joe ,pye weed1 and ,queen ,anne's lace make the rest of the season brilliant until frost4 ,let us have a bit about the likes and dislikes of these plants4 ,after you are once started you'll keep on adding to this wild-flower list4 ,there is no one who doesn't love the hepatica4 ,before the spring has really decided to come1 this little flower pokes its head up and puts all else to shame4 ,tucked under a covering of dry leaves the blossoms wait for a ray of warm sunshine to bring them out4 ,the last year's leaves stay on through the winter brooding over the little fresh sprouts4 ,these embryo flowers are further protected by a fuzzy covering4 ,this reminds one of a similar protective covering which new fern leaves have4 ,in the spring a hepatica plant wastes no time on getting a new suit of leaves4 ,it makes its old ones do until the blossom has had its day4 ,then the new leaves1 started to be sure before this1 have a chance4 ,these delayed1 are ready to help out next season4 ,you will find hepaticas growing in clusters1 sort of family groups4 ,they are likely to be found in rather open places in the woods4 ,the soil is found to be rich and loose4 ,so these should go only in partly shaded places and under good soil conditions4 ,if planted with other woods specimens give them the benefit of a rather exposed position1 that they may catch the early spring sunshine4 ,i should cover hepaticas over with a light litter of leaves in the fall4 ,during the last days of ,february1 unless the weather is extreme take this leaf covering away4 ,you'll find the hepatica blossoms all ready to poke up their heads4 ,the spring beauty hardly allows the hepatica to get ahead of her4 ,with a white flower which has dainty tracings of pink1 a thin1 wiry stem1 and narrow1 grass-like leaves1 this spring flower cannot be mistaken4 ,you will find spring beauties growing in great patches in rather open places4 ,plant a number of the roots and allow the sun good opportunity to get at them4 ,for this plant loves the sun4 ,the other ,march flower mentioned is the saxifrage4 ,this belongs in quite a different sort of environment4 ,it is a plant which grows in dry and rocky places4 ,often one will find it in chinks of rock4 ,there is an old tale to the effect that the saxifrage roots twine about rocks and work their way into them so that the rock itself splits4 ,anyway1 it is a rock garden plant4 ,i have found it in dry1 sandy places right on the borders of a big rock4 ,it has white flower clusters borne on hairy stems4 ,the columbine is another plant that is quite likely to be found in rocky places4 ,standing below a ledge and looking up1 one sees nestled here and there in rocky crevices one plant or more of columbine4 ,the nodding red heads bob on wiry1 slender stems4 ,the roots do not strike deeply into the soil2 in fact1 often the soil hardly covers them4 ,now1 just because the columbine has little soil1 it does not signify that it is indifferent to the soil conditions4 ,for it always has lived1 and always should live1 under good drainage conditions4 ,i wonder if it has struck you1 how really hygienic plants are8 ,plenty of fresh air1 proper drainage1 and good food are fundamentals with plants4 ,it is evident from study of these plants how easy it is to find out what plants like4 ,after studying their feelings1 then do not make the mistake of huddling them all together under poor drainage conditions4 ,i always have a feeling of personal affection for the bluets4 ,when they come ,i always feel that now things are beginning to settle down outdoors4 ,they start with rich1 lovely1 little delicate blue blossoms4 ,as ,june gets hotter and hotter their colour fades a bit1 until at times they look quite worn and white4 ,some people call them ,quaker ladies1 others innocence4 ,under any name they are charming4 ,they grow in colonies1 sometimes in sunny fields1 sometimes by the road-side4 ,from this we learn that they are more particular about the open sunlight than about the soil4 ,if you desire a flower to pick and use for bouquets1 then the wild geranium is not your flower4 ,it droops very quickly after picking and almost immediately drops its petals4 ,but the purplish flowers are showy1 and the leaves1 while rather coarse1 are deeply cut4 ,this latter effect gives a certain boldness to the plant that is rather attractive4 ,the plant is found in rather moist1 partly shaded portions of the woods4 ,i like this plant in the garden4 ,it adds good colour and permanent colour as long as blooming time lasts1 since there is no object in picking it4 ,i suppose little children would not have a perfect spring without the dog's tooth violet4 ,the leaves are attractive and almost make the beauty of a bouquet4 ,it is sometimes called trout lily4 ,the mottled effect of the leaves accounts for the trout part of the name1 and as for lily1 it is a lily1 and never belonged to the violet family at all4 ,dig the plant up1 and the bulbous root tells the story4 ,it really does belong to the lily family4 ,the nodding yellow flower is pretty1 too4 ,these1 when picked1 last a long time in water4 ,they like to grow in the neighbourhood of the brook4 ,a moist1 half-shaded half-open piece of land is their delight1 and therefore in many gardens the trout lily might have to be left out4 ,there is a sweet little flower called the wood anemone1 or wind-flower4 ,it is another modest little flower1 white in colour4 ,the constant nodding of the petals stirred by even a breath of wind gives it the name of wind-flower4 ,these also grow in colonies4 ,have you noticed how social1 but clannish1 our wild flowers are8 ,especially is this true of the real woods flowers1 rather than of the wayside flowers4 ,the anemone grows in open places by the woods or the hillside4 ,they are a sort of border plant evidently trying to leave the woods1 but still bound to it4 ,if in your yard there happens to be a big old fatherly tree or a decaying stump1 plant wind-flowers all about it4 ,you may make the flowers feel that they are on the edge of the woods4 ,while ,i have numbered bloodroot among ,may flowers1 it often does appear in ,april1 and before the wood anemone4 ,the silvery1 white blossom pushes its head above the leaves in a fine fashion4 ,they are sensitive flowers1 closing partly in cloudy weather1 and actually dropping to pieces in a rainstorm or under severe winds4 ,the leaves are large1 rather coarse1 but pretty with their light under surfaces4 ,the stems have tinges of red on them1 a dark red sap in the roots4 ,these roots bleed when disturbed4 ,the ,indians used to stain their faces with this orange sap-blood4 ,you will find bloodroot growing in rich soil either in open woods or on rocky slopes4 ,in a nice1 rich1 moist place put a few ,jack-in-the pulpits4 ,this flower is much like a child's jack-in-the-box4 ,it is so different from most of our plants that it has the effect of the joker in a pack of cards4 ,push back the flap over ,jack's face and you will see a club like a policeman's billy4 ,along this club the inconspicuous flowers are borne4 ,later1 in the fall1 the fruit forms1 and inside1 instead of rather uninteresting flowers1 are bright red berries4 ,so ,jack jokes again4 ,there is always a great feeling of joy when the first trilliums1 or wake robins1 appear4 ,walking in the deep1 moist woods suddenly one sees a mass of big leaves and white flowers4 ,the same irresistably lovely trilliums have come again4 ,three big leaves1 then a flower stalk shooting up from the centre of this whorl of leaves1 and on top the crowning glory--the three-petaled trillium flower4 ,a fragrant white or pink form is called the nodding wake robin4 ,these in a glance tell their wishes4 ,the plant sometimes is nearly two feet high4 ,so a clump of these could easily go toward the back of the wild-flower garden in shade and moist soil4 ,another wild flower of striking beauty is the ,may apple or mandrake4 ,it comes very early in ,may1 often in ,april4 ,this plant grows to about the same height as the trillium4 ,only the big spreading leaves of the mandrake are visible at first sight4 ,beneath these1 and daintily hung in the junction of the leaf stalks1 is the lovely1 waxy1 white blossom4 ,late after the fading of the blossom the fruit appears4 ,so its name of ,may apple comes from this fruit1 which has a sickly sweet taste4 ,the leaf and stalk part of the ,may apple are of a poisonous nature4 ,this flower1 too1 likes rather low1 moist1 shaded places4 ,the false ,solomon's seal is found in woods where moisture is4 ,during ,june and ,july this plant is in blossom4 ,after the white flowers the fruit1 or berry1 appears4 ,the berry changes from green1 to white1 to red4 ,there is a two-leaved ,solomon's seal called the false lily-of-the-valley which is found at this same time4 ,it has usually two little lily-like leaves and a blossom stalk running up from these4 ,tiny fragrant flowers are borne on this stalk4 ,these plants grow in moist woods1 also4 ,one might plant these two near together in the garden1 for the soil conditions are the same for both4 ,who would wish a wild-flower garden without violets8 ,the little sweet wood ones1 the big horse shoes1 the rare white1 and more rare yellow--any and all are worth our while6 ,violets1 at least the most of them1 prefer not to be huddled away4 ,i wonder why1 when people think of transplanting violets1 a dull1 dark1 moist spot immediately comes to mind8 ,violets like the sun1 like good soil1 and plenty of air4 ,some violets are found in the swamps1 but did you happen to notice what long stems they have8 ,why8 ,the reason is to raise the lovely flowers into the light4 ,nothing could be sweeter or more satisfactory than a violet bed4 ,i rather like violets bedded by themselves4 ,they fill in corners beautifully4 ,they grow gladly about trees4 ,they adorn borders4 ,you may cover them1 in the fall or not as you like4 ,they are not fussy4 ,take a north corner at school1 a corner not wholly shaded by any means--fill that in solid with violet plants in the fall4 ,that corner always will be a thing of real beauty4 ,the bellflower coming in ,may blooms on until ,september4 ,the flower is blue1 purple or violet4 ,it is a flower found in dry places1 on grassy slopes1 along hillsides1 and is common to most localities4 ,i have a sneaking fondness for mullein4 ,one or two stalks of it give a charming effect in the garden4 ,its yellow flowers1 its tall flower stalk1 the thick1 hairy leaves--all these are its charms4 ,it is said that these same hairy leaves were used as wicks by the ancients4 ,anyway1 the flowers themselves on the tall stalks that often reach to seven feet1 look like gleaming lights on a torch4 ,the mullein has a simple dignity4 ,it grows in the dry fields and along roadsides4 ,so you see it is by no means particular about its habitat1 its place of abode4 ,another tall plant is the foxglove4 ,the flowers are gathered together in a sort of spike at the end of the stalk1 are large and yellow and really lovely4 ,the plant grows to about four feet in height4 ,it has a bad habit1 this downy false foxglove1 of absorbing some of its nourishment from the roots of plants near which it stands4 ,this plant1 too1 is fond of dry places4 ,a very gay flower1 intensely red1 is the bee balm4 ,it is an herb1 and a perennial4 ,it is often called ,oswego tea1 because the ,indians are supposed to have used it for tea4 ,then1 again1 you will hear it called ,indian's plume4 ,this name seems most suitable4 ,i can just imagine a chief strutting around with this gay plume on his head4 ,it likes a somewhat secluded1 moist1 shady1 cool place4 ,i think it would be possible for some of you to make it grow at home4 ,for colour it would be invaluable4 ,the cardinal flower is the only flower more gaudy in red than this bee balm4 ,when one comes to orange colour the butterfly weed takes the prize4 ,this flower has a variety of names3 it is called pleurisy root1 and wind root1 and orange root4 ,would you think that this gay little beggar was a member of the milkweed family8 ,it is4 ,when seed time comes it produces a seed pod like unto the milkweed pod only more slender than this4 ,all summer long the insects hover about it4 ,it is just like a signal to them4 ,come over here to me6 it calls to them all4 ,it is found in dry places1 in the fields and pastures1 along the dusty road sides1 and by the sooty railroad track it flashes its signal4 ,you can make this plant feel at home surely4 ,and think of the butterflies that will visit your garden all summer long4 ,then later comes old ,joe ,pye weed4 ,joe ,pye was an ,indian doctor but that doesn't seem to have anything to do with his weed4 ,yes1 it has its connection4 ,for when old ,joe ,pye went out on a case of typhoid fever he carried this plant along2 hence1 its name4 ,the plant sometimes grows to ten feet in height4 ,really the swamp is its home4 ,so if you are to use it at all remember that it must have this condition of great moisture1 even to swampiness4 ,the flower clusters are of a charming colour1 a beautiful dull pink4 ,another inhabitant of wet places is the turtle head4 ,the flower resembles in shape a turtle's or a snake's head1 and so receives both names4 ,when it comes to ,queen ,anne's lace1 you say that is a troublesome weed4 ,yes1 it is4 ,but it is truly beautiful with its lacy flower head4 ,a great bouquet of these on the porch1 the dining table1 or the school piano is a real picture4 ,a clump of these in the garden1 if held in check1 is simply stunning4 ,how can they be held down8 ,the only way is to let no flower heads go to seed4 ,the little1 clinging1 persistent1 numerous seeds are seeds of trouble4 ,this lovely bother grows in any sort of soil4 ,there are numbers and numbers of wild flowers ,i might have suggested4 ,these ,i have mentioned were not given for the purpose of a flower guide1 but with just one end in view--your understanding of how to study soil conditions for the work of starting a wild-flower garden4 ,if you fear results1 take but one or two flowers and study just what you select4 ,having mastered1 or better1 become acquainted with a few1 add more another year to your garden4 ,i think you will love your wild garden best of all before you are through with it4 ,it is a real study1 you see4 ,,xii ,,landscape ,,gardening ,the subject to-night is a very pretentious one1 for no one would expect boys and girls to be landscape gardeners4 ,but many boys and girls have excellent taste and taste is the foundation stone of landscape gardening4 ,this work has often been likened to the painting of a picture4 ,your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest1 and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea1 or to form a fine setting for it4 ,look at that picture over ,miriam's head4 ,see that lone pine1 the beautiful curve of the hillside1 the scrub undergrowth about the tree1 the bit of sky beyond6 ,as soon as one looks at that picture one's eye rests on the pine1 and the other features seem to appear afterward4 ,so in landscape gardening there must be in the gardener's mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his work4 ,take1 for example1 your school grounds4 ,you did a bit of landscape work there1 although we never called it that before4 ,the little schoolhouse itself was our centre of interest4 ,how could we fix up the grounds so that the little building should have a really attractive setting8 ,that1 ,i believe1 was the thought in each of your heads1 although no one of you ever put this into words4 ,notice now with me the good points about that work1 and from this study we shall be able to work out a little theory of landscape gardening4 ,first there is a good extent of lawn about the building1 the path to the door is slightly curved and pleasingly so1 a fine little maple stands out rather interestingly on the side lawn1 the flower garden has a good mass effect1 the screen of poplar trees at the back acts as a stately rear guard1 and the vines over the outbuilding hide what was once a blemish4 ,let us go back to the lawn4 ,a good extent of open lawn space is always beautiful4 ,it is restful4 ,it adds a feeling of space to even small grounds4 ,so we might generalize and say that it is well to keep open lawn spaces4 ,if one covers his lawn space with many trees1 with little flower beds here and there1 the general effect is choppy and fussy4 ,it is a bit like an over-dressed person4 ,one's grounds lose all individuality thus treated4 ,a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn4 ,do not centre the tree or trees4 ,let them drop a bit into the background4 ,make a pleasing side feature of them4 ,in choosing trees one must keep in mind a number of things4 ,you should not choose an overpowering tree2 the tree should be one of good shape1 with something interesting about its bark1 leaves1 flowers or fruit4 ,while the poplar is a rapid grower1 it sheds its leaves early and so is left standing1 bare and ugly1 before the fall is old4 ,mind you1 there are places where a row or double row of ,lombardy poplars is very effective4 ,but ,i think you'll agree with me that one lone poplar is not4 ,the catalpa is quite lovely by itself4 ,its leaves are broad1 its flowers attractive1 the seed pods which cling to the tree until away into the winter1 add a bit of picturesqueness4 ,the bright berries of the ash1 the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple1 the blossoms of the tulip tree1 the bark of the white birch1 and the leaves of the copper beech--all these are beauty points to consider4 ,place makes a difference in the selection of a tree4 ,suppose the lower portion of the grounds is a bit low and moist1 then the spot is ideal for a willow4 ,don't group trees together which look awkward4 ,i never should have ,peter and ,myron march together in school4 ,why8 ,because they look wretchedly together4 ,myron makes ,peter look short and ,peter causes ,myron to look overgrown4 ,so it is with trees4 ,a long-looking poplar does not go with a nice rather rounded little tulip tree4 ,a juniper1 so neat and prim1 would look silly beside a spreading chestnut4 ,one must keep proportion and suitability in mind4 ,i'd never advise the planting of a group of evergreens close to a house1 and in the front yard4 ,the effect is very gloomy indeed4 ,houses thus surrounded are overcapped by such trees and are not only gloomy to live in1 but truly unhealthful4 ,the chief requisite inside a house is sunlight and plenty of it4 ,there are no shrubs on the school grounds4 ,you had spoken of doing that but bulbs took up the attention of the girls this fall4 ,and as for you boys--you were attending to your own crops4 ,shrubbery is very pleasing if properly placed4 ,it is just the thing to fill in corners near buildings1 to help define the turns in walks1 and to use as hedges4 ,usually one shrub standing by itself is not nearly so pleasing as one tree by itself4 ,it has a squatty and isolated appearance4 ,there is a corner close by the school building where shrubs should go4 ,why8 ,because the place looks bare and staring1 and the building is very ugly at that point2 the shrubs would fill in the space1 and make the building look much better4 ,as trees are chosen because of certain good points1 so shrubs should be4 ,in a clump ,i should wish some which bloomed early1 some which bloomed late1 some for the beauty of their fall foliage1 some for the colour of their bark and others for the fruit4 ,some spireas and the forsythia bloom early4 ,the red bark of the dogwood makes a bit of colour all winter1 and the red berries of the barberry cling to the shrub well into the winter4 ,this list of shrubs which ,philip has made out will be a help to you in this work4 ,,philip',s ,,shrub ,,table ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,common ,,name ,,botanical ,,name ,,height ,,colour ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,march ,spice ,bush ,benzoin #f-ae ft4 ,yellow ,flowers appear odoriferum before leaves4 ,crimson fruit in fall4 ,aromatic odour4 ,daphne ,daphne ,mezereum #d ft4 ,purple ,the only hardy deciduous daphne4 ,plant in light soil and in shade4 ,april ,barberry ,berberis- #b-d ft4 ,yellow ,prefers dry soil4 ,berries ,thunbergii all winter4 ,golden ,bell ,forsythia #e-h ft4 ,yellow ,flowers appear before suspensa leaves4 ,hardy2 free from insects4 ,may ,red-osier ,cornus #d-h ft4 ,white ,red branched4 ,plant ,dogwood stolonifera in moist soil4 ,japanese ,snow ,deutzia #a-c ft4 ,white ,very beautiful when ,flower gracilis flowering4 ,needs well drained soil4 ,japanese ,viburnum #h ft4 ,white ,not as likely to have ,snowball plicatum lice as common snowball4 ,larger balls4 ,lilac ,syringa #ae ft4 ,purple ,very fragrant4 ,will vulgaris grow anywhere even in some shade4 ,june ,deutzia ,deutzia #a-c ft4 ,white ,hardy2 flowers showy4 ,lemoinei ,weigela ,diervilla #f ft4 ,pink ,may have white or red ,florida ,white flowers4 ,flowers under ,red trees4 ,lives where other shrubs die4 ,spirea ,spira #d ft4 ,white ,most showy of spireas4 ,van ,houttei ,grows anywhere4 ,mock ,orange ,philadelphus #aj ft4 ,varieties ,fragrant2 ,coronarius of different makes good screen4 colours4 ,smoke ,bush ,rhus cotinus #d-aj ft4 ,purplish ,hardy4 ,beautiful all summer4 ,purple colour changes to smoke colour4 ,july ,spirea ,spirea #c ft4 ,white ,flowers run from white ,bumalda1 to deep pink4 ,late var4,anthony flowering4 ,hardy4 ,waterer ,sweet ,pepper ,clethra #c-aj ft4 ,white ,moist soil or sandy4 ,bush alnifolia ,late blooming2 fragrant flowers4 ,august ,althea1 ,rose ,hibiscus #ab ft4 ,white to ,very hardy4 ,plant in of ,sharon ,syriacus purple any good garden soil4 ,september ,hardy ,hydrangea #h ft4 ,white to ,a showy shrub4 ,flowers ,hydrangea paniculata pink remain on all winter4 ,october ,witch ,hazel ,hamamelis #f-bj ft4 ,yellow ,grows anywhere4 ,likes ,virginiana moisture4 ,fruit explodes4 ,certain shrubs are good to use for hedge purposes4 ,a hedge is rather prettier usually than a fence4 ,the ,californian privet is excellent for this purpose4 ,osage orange1 ,japan barberry1 buckthorn1 ,japan quince1 and ,van ,houtte's spirea are other shrubs which make good hedges4 ,you have to remember that not only should grounds look well to the passerby but they should look equally well from the inside of the building4 ,as your mother is working in the kitchen during the hot summer or sewing during a long dull winter afternoon1 would it not be a joy to her to look out at a syringa sweet with blossom or a barberry with nodding red berries8 ,landscape gardening is not only for the purpose of adding beauty to the earth's surface1 but also for the putting joy into the heart of a person as well4 ,i forgot to say that in tree and shrub selection it is usually better to choose those of the locality one lives in4 ,unusual and foreign plants do less well1 and often harmonize but poorly with their new setting4 ,i spoke of the path to the schoolhouse with its slight curve4 ,landscape gardening may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines4 ,the first would have straight paths1 straight rows in stiff beds1 everything1 as the name tells1 perfectly formal4 ,the other method is1 of course1 the exact opposite4 ,there are danger points in each4 ,the formal arrangement is likely to look too stiff2 the informal1 too fussy1 too wiggly4 ,as far as paths go1 keep this in mind1 that a path should always lead somewhere4 ,that is its business--to direct one to a definite place4 ,now1 straight1 even paths are not unpleasing if the effect is to be that of a formal garden4 ,the danger in the curved path is an abrupt curve1 a whirligig effect4 ,it is far better for you to stick to straight paths unless you can make a really beautiful curve4 ,no one can tell you how to do this4 ,garden paths may be of gravel1 of dirt1 or of grass4 ,one sees grass paths in some very lovely gardens4 ,i doubt1 however1 if they would serve as well in your small gardens4 ,your garden areas are so limited that they should be re-spaded each season1 and the grass paths are a great bother in this work4 ,of course1 a gravel path makes a fine appearance1 but again you may not have gravel at your command4 ,it is possible for any of you to dig out the path for two feet4 ,then put in six inches of stone or clinker4 ,over this1 pack in the dirt1 rounding it slightly toward the centre of the path4 ,there should never be depressions through the central part of paths1 since these form convenient places for water to stand4 ,the under layer of stone makes a natural drainage system4 ,a building often needs the help of vines or flowers or both to tie it to the grounds in such a way as to form a harmonious whole4 ,vines lend themselves well to this work4 ,it is better to plant a perennial vine1 and so let it form a permanent part of your landscape scheme4 ,the ,virginia creeper1 wistaria1 honeysuckle1 a climbing rose1 the clematis and trumpet vine are all most satisfactory4 ,just close your eyes and picture a house of natural colour1 that mellow gray of the weathered shingles4 ,now add to this old house a purple wistaria4 ,can you see the beauty of it8 ,i shall not forget soon a rather ugly corner of my childhood home1 where the dining room and kitchen met4 ,just there climbing over1 and falling over a trellis was a trumpet vine4 ,it made beautiful an awkward angle1 an ugly bit of carpenter work4 ,of course1 the morning-glory is an annual vine1 as is the moon-vine and wild cucumber4 ,now1 these have their special function4 ,for often1 especially in school work1 it is necessary to cover an ugly thing for just a time1 until the better things and better times come4 ,the annual is 'the chap' for this work4 ,along an old fence a hop vine is a thing of beauty4 ,one might try to rival the woods' landscape work4 ,for often one sees festooned from one rotted tree to another the ampelopsis vine4 ,flowers may well go along the side of the building1 or bordering a walk4 ,in general1 though1 keep the front lawn space open and unbroken by beds4 ,what lovelier in early spring than a bed of daffodils close to the house8 ,hyacinths and tulips1 too1 form a blaze of glory4 ,these are little or no bother1 and start the spring aright4 ,one may make of some bulbs an exception to the rule of unbroken front lawn4 ,snowdrops and crocuses planted through the lawn are beautiful4 ,they do not disturb the general effect1 but just blend with the whole4 ,one expert bulb gardener says to take a basketful of bulbs in the fall1 walk about your grounds1 and just drop bulbs out here and there4 ,wherever the bulbs drop1 plant them4 ,such small bulbs as those we plant in lawns should be in groups of four to six4 ,daffodils may be thus planted1 too4 ,you all remember the grape hyacinths that grow all through ,katharine's side yard4 ,the place for a flower garden is generally at the side or rear of the house4 ,the backyard garden is a lovely idea1 is it not8 ,who wishes to leave a beautiful looking front yard1 turn the corner of a house1 and find a dump heap8 ,not ,i4 ,the flower garden may be laid out formally in neat little beds1 or it may be more of a careless1 hit-or-miss sort4 ,both have their good points4 ,great masses of bloom are attractive4 ,you should have in mind some notion of the blending of colour4 ,nature appears not to consider this at all1 and still gets wondrous effects4 ,this is because of the tremendous amount of her perfect background of green1 and the limitlessness of her space1 while we are confined at the best to relatively small areas4 ,so we should endeavour not to blind people's eyes with clashes of colours which do not at close range blend well4 ,in order to break up extremes of colours you can always use masses of white flowers1 or something like mignonette1 which is in effect green4 ,the old-fashioned flowers are lovely--sweet ,william1 phlox1 old-fashioned pinks1 petunia1 verbena1 zinnia1 marigold1 mignonette1 and poppy are always dear and sweet4 ,hollyhocks are charming4 ,they represent a kind of guard for the garden4 ,stand this hollyhock phalanx up against a wall like naughty boys1 close to the house1 or by an old fence4 ,they are so tall that they must be in the background4 ,they grace it4 ,otherwise they would overtop and shadow the other garden plants4 ,if there is an old ash pile1 an old dump or anything else unsightly1 plant something tall before it4 ,hollyhocks would not do for this1 since their foliage is too scanty4 ,castor beans are just the thing1 however2 and sunflowers1 the old giant ones1 are good1 too4 ,a screen is for screening1 so that the foliage is of first consideration4 ,a wild-flower garden is a good scheme1 too4 ,what is lovelier8 ,bank in a north corner full of these4 ,hepatica1 columbines1 anenome1 bellflower1 butterfly weed1 turtle head and aster represent wild flowers which bloom from ,march through ,october4 ,i can see that north corner now4 ,miriam has planned to have one1 and has really done the work this fall4 ,the water garden is another good thing to try with just the right setting4 ,a place at the end of a slope of land1 near some drooping trees1 a bit shaded would be right4 ,the garden ,philip made is a pattern for you all to follow4 ,finally1 let us sum up our landscape lesson4 ,the grounds are a setting for the house or buildings4 ,open1 free lawn spaces1 a tree or a proper group well placed1 flowers which do not clutter up the front yard1 groups of shrubbery--these are points to be remembered4 ,the paths should lead somewhere1 and be either straight or well curved4 ,if one starts with a formal garden1 one should not mix the informal with it before the work is done4 ,at one time we said a little about poor taste in garden furnishings4 ,painted kettles1 old drain pipes1 whitewashed bricks1 and edgings of shells seemed to us then a bit fussy and crude4 ,so1 too1 is a summer house stuck out on the front lawn1 a rustic seat all by itself in an open spot1 an archway which forms an arch over nothing4 ,the summer house should be placed in the side yard1 or in the rear in a spot where trees lend it a background4 ,if its use is that of a resting spot for your mother1 she certainly would not wish it right out on the front lawn4 ,if the house is for children to play in1 then again it is not for the front of the house4 ,an appropriate place is near the garden where it makes a cool place to rest after labour1 a spot from which to view the beauties of the garden1 and a charming place to serve afternoon tea4 ,a good general plan to follow in this landscape work is to see what natural charms your place has1 and then try to increase and help these4 ',help ,nature' is a good watchword4 ,even though the garden plan is to be a formal one1 the natural resources and setting of your place should be kept in mind4 ,the little we did last year on the school grounds was a bit of landscape garden work4 ,i did not call it that to you then1 for if ,i had you would have been scared off4 ,philip's work in his backyard was of the same nature4 ,the girls' flower garden was a bit of formal work4 ,i guess1 too1 the outdoor bulb planting which ,albert scorned might come under the same head4 ,so you see you have been landscape gardeners without knowing it4 ,to continue to be1 all we have to do is to go on somewhat along the general lines ,i have spoken of to-night4 ,different committees have prepared a number of tables which should help you much in matters of selection4 ,,garden ,,of ,,constant ,,bloom ,,by ,,months ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,march ,columbine ,red #a ft4 ,grows on rocky places4 ,graceful flower4 ,hepatica ,white #f in4 ,early spring flower4 ,ready to blossom ,blue under the snow4 ,last year's ,pink leaves shelter flower4 ,saxifrage ,white #h in4 ,grows in rocky1 sandy places4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,april ,bluebell ,blue #af in4 ,likes rock soil and sun4 ,dwarf ,iris ,blue #a ft4 ,a good border plant4 ,does not require any special soil4 ,spreads4 ,moss ,pink ,pink #f in4 ,likes full sun4 ,spreads rapidly4 ,violet ,blue #f in4 ,good soil4 ,plant in either sun or shade4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,may ,lily-of- ,white #i in4 ,grows under trees1 spreads rapidly4 the-,valley ,flowers fragrant4 ,cut flower effect4 ,german ,iris ,different #b ft4 ,the best of flags for general planting purposes4 ,forget- ,blue low ,thrives on moist soil4 ,planted with me-not tulips follows them in bloom4 ,chinese ,different #d ft4 ,the earliest of peonies4 ,good in ,peony borders4 ,myrtle ,blue low ,grows even in shade and poorly drained soils4 ,spreads rapidly4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,june ,bleeding ,pink #b ft4 ,a hardy plant4 ,needs moist1 good ,heart soil4 ,good border plant4 ,foxglove ,purple #d ft4 ,perennial which self sows4 ,effective in backgrounds4 ,likes shade4 ,garden ,peony ,crimson #c ft4 ,the real old-fashioned peony4 ,good border plant4 ,large blossoms4 ,larkspur ,blue #d ft4 ,good for borders and backgrounds4 ,the finest of blue flowers4 ,sweet ,different #b ft4 ,a self sewing perennial4 ,bright ,william colours4 ,good for massing4 ,sweet and constant bloomer4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,july ,baby's ,white #c ft4 ,grows in rocky soil4 ,use for formal ,breath bouquets4 ,butterfly ,orange #b ft4 ,likes full sunlight and dry soil4 ,fine ,weed colour effect4 ,perennial ,different #b-e ft4 ,good for borders and cut flowers4 ,phlox ,spiked ,pink #c ft4 ,belongs in wet swamp lands4 ,will ,loosestrife grow in borders4 ,hollyhock ,different #f ft4 ,use for backgrounds and borders4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,august ,aster1 ,new ,blue #d ft4 ,grows in any soil4 ,the best of tall ,england asters4 ,golden ,glow ,yellow #f ft4 ,grows in any soil and spreads rapidly4 ,good background4 ,japanese ,white ,climber ,rapid flowering vine4 ,use on trellis4 ,clematis ,sweet flowers4 ,sunflower ,yellow #f ft4 ,fine for backgrounds and screens4 ,any dry soil4 ,turtle ,head ,rose #b ft4 ,flowers on spikes4 ,any soil1 but wet ,purple preferred4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,september ,hardy ,white #f ft4 ,blooms till frost4 ,blossom heads ,hydrangea effective4 ,japanese ,carmine #c ft4 ,good border plant4 ,blossoms last ,anemone till frost4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,water ,,and ,,bog ,,plants ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,common ,,name ,,scientific ,,name ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,arrowhead ,sagittaria latifolia ,one of the most popular water plants4 ,spreads badly4 ,arum 7water7 ,calla palustris ,popular water plant4 ,grows less than #a ft4 high4 ,blooms in ,june4 ,blue ,flag ,iris versicolor ,grows from #b-c ft4 high4 ,grows in bogs and gardens4 ,cat-tail ,typha latifolia ,grows to #h ft4 or more4 ,spreads rapidly4 ,floating ,heart ,limnanthemum ,grows less than #a ft4 high4 nymphoides ,good plant for a pond4 ,spreads readily4 ,forget-me-not ,myosotis ,palustris ,grows less than #a ft4 high4 ,prefers half-shady places4 ,lotus1 ,american ,nelumbo lutea ,good for a pond4 ,marsh ,marigold ,caltha palustris ,grows #a-a_/b ft4 high4 ,blooms in ,may4 ,pickerel ,weed ,pontederia ,grows #c-d ft4 high4 ,blooms in cordata ,july4 ,pitcher ,plant ,darlingtonia ,grows less than #a ft4 ,good for ,californica bog planting4 ,sweet ,flag ,acorus ,calamus ,height is #b ft4 ,flowers in early summer4 ,water-lily ,nymphaea odorata ,sweet-scented1 most popular water-lily4 ,water ,mint ,mentha ,aquatica ,one of the popular mint family4 ,low growing4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,four ,,water-,,lilies ,,for ,,beginners ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,nymphaea ,gladstoniana ,white ,this is a hardy variety ,marliacea ,yellow dentata ,white ,tender1 night blooming plant ,zanzibariensis ,blue ,tender1 day blooming plant4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,water-,,lilies ,,for ,,small ,,ponds ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,name ,,colour ,,required ,,depth ,,of ,,water ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,nymphoea alba 7hardy7 ,white ,more than #b ft4 tuberosa 7hardy7 ,white ,marliacea rosea 7hardy7 ,pink odorata1 var4 minor ,white ,less than #a ft4 7hardy7 tetragona 7hardy7 ,yellow ,laydekeri1 var4 ,pink rosea 7hardy7 ,zanzibariensis 7tender7 ,white ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,note3--,any of these forms may be grown in from #a to #b ft4 of water4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,tree ,,table ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,name ,,height ,,special ,,points ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,carolina ,poplar #ajj ft4,grows in a dry soil4 ,fastest growing street tree4 ,its dropping fruit is a nuisance4 ,sheds leaves early4 ,catalpa #ej;ft4 ,lovely white blossoms in ,june4 ,seed pods stay on into winter4 ,quick growing4 ,good lawn tree4 ,english ,hawthorn#cj;ft4 ,flowers in ,june4 ,red berries4 ,grows on dry soils4 ,slow grower4 ,sharp thorns4 ,linden #ij;ft4 ,easy to grow4 ,fragrant flowers4 ,rapid grower4 ,european species smaller than ,american4 ,live ,oak #ajj ft4,not hardy in the ,north4 ,grows south of ,virginia4 ,beautiful evergreen oak4 ,likes moist soil4 ,locust #hj;ft4 ,fragrant flowers in ,may and ,june4 ,rapid grower4 ,seeds in pods4 ,thorny bark4 ,lombardy ,poplar #ij;ft4 ,quick grower4 ,stiff1 straight and tall4 ,dignified but melancholy tree4 ,fine for pathway effect4 ,norway ,maple #ajj ft4,tall1 well rounded tree4 ,yellow foliage in the fall4 ,pin ,oak #ajj ft4,fastest grower among oaks4 ,you cannot grow plants under it4 ,red ,maple #ajj ft4,earliest flowering maple4 ,good for lowlands4 ,bright red foliage in the fall4 ,sugar ,maple #ajj ft4,moist soil4 ,bright foliage in the fall4 ,best street tree among maples4 ,horse ,chestnut #fj ft4 ,fine white flowers in ,june4 ,attractive buds and leaves4 ,foliage grows very dense4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,,xiii ,,how ,,boys ,,and ,,girls ,,can ,,make ,,money ,,from ,,their ,,gardens ,naturally1 we are all interested in ways and means of earning money4 ,it is not a bad thing at all for a boy or girl to wish to turn work into cash4 ,not always is it possible for one to find a market next door for products4 ,no1 it is rarely as easy a matter as that4 ,one has to really work a bit4 ,let me tell you one boy's story4 ,this lad1 let us call him ,newton1 had a nice vegetable and flower garden4 ,he had worked so hard over it1 it did seem to him as if he ought to be able to sell some of his produce4 ,one day he loaded a little cart with vegetables and went down the street to a corner market4 ,i imagine he went in a half-hearted sort of way4 ,the market-man was busy and he spoke a bit roughly to the boy4 ,but ,newton went on to another store4 ,he received the same sort of treatment there4 ,this time he gave up discouraged and went home4 ,his mother was not discouraged4 ,she showed him how he should have made his vegetables1 wagon and all1 look more attractive4 ,so ,newton went to work again4 ,he scrubbed his radishes and new carrots until they shone4 ,he bunched them up into neat little bundles4 ,then the lettuce came in for its washing and cleaning4 ,thus he treated all the vegetables4 ,then he printed a sign ',fresh ,vegetables ,for ,sale' and started off again4 ,this time he went to the largest hotel in the little city in which he lived4 ,there he was sent to the cook4 ,this big1 good-natured fellow said that he would look at his stuff4 ',looks good to me1' said the cook1 'it really looks like home-grown things1' ,straightway he bought a good part of what ,newton had and there and then made arrangements for daily deliveries of certain vegetables4 ,the lesson from ,newton's experience is this3 in order to sell1 you must put your wares in attractive shape4 ,who wishes to buy dirty radishes or droopy looking lettuce8 ,no one is willing to pay decent prices4 ,putting materials in such condition that all the good points speak loudly at first1 is one way to attract notice and sell later4 ,if you find you can sell by shipping your goods the same points hold true4 ,another way to make money is to raise young plants for sale4 ,jack did this with his aster plants4 ,lots of people wish their garden plants partly started4 ,they either do not have the interest1 or else they have not the time for initial work4 ,asters1 stock1 tomatoes1 lettuce1 cabbage1 pepper1 celery--all of these may be started for market purposes4 ,suppose you have planted tomato seed4 ,you are bound to have more young plants than you wish4 ,why not sell them8 ,suppose ,mrs4 ,jones always buys hers4 ,then go to her and ask if she will not buy of you4 ,she may not believe you can be a very good gardener1 so she hesitates4 ,well1 then just ask her if you cannot bring your little plants around for her to see when the time comes4 ,get to work in your best style4 ,transplant in little paper cups or strawberry baskets4 ,then the setting out of the plants will be very easy and quite a scientific performance4 ,i think you will sell to ,mrs4 ,jones all right4 ,if you really intend to go into this early market side then you should certainly have a coldframe4 ,you could not blame your mother if she refused to have the kitchen littered up with old tin cans and boxes all the spring4 ,do not be a nuisance at home just to make money4 ,illustration3 ,photograph by ,w4,h4 ,jenkins ,myron ,transplanting his ,long-rooted ,strawberry ,plants4 ,photograph by ,helen ,w4 ,cooke ,katherine ,transplanting ,her ,flowers by a ,method of ,lifting4 ,i know a little girl who raised aster and stock plants1 also young vegetable plants4 ,she had a coldframe4 ,in the spring1 when people were starting their gardens and wondering where they should go for plants1 she fixed up an attractive basket filled with her plants4 ,she asked no exorbitant price1 but a fair one for a little girl's good work4 ,one year she bought herself a dressing table from her garden earnings4 ,i think that well worth while4 ,don't you8 ,another way to make money from your garden is to sell your seed4 ,i do not think any of you will be at all likely to try to rival the seed houses4 ,but ,i am sure that you can supply certain seeds for your own fathers and mothers4 ,such seed as those of radish1 lettuce and turnip you would not save4 ,it is better to buy them4 ,but surely you can make some pretty good selections for seed corn4 ,i believe you can manage beans1 peas1 melons1 pumpkins1 potatoes and squash4 ,then we have1 ,i believe1 learned from the school flower garden how to select seed4 ,nasturtium seed may always be saved1 dried and put into its own envelope4 ,this will be found to be true1 that seeds saved from our own flower garden often do not give satisfactory results as time goes on4 ,the plants and flowers after a few seasons seem to spindle out4 ,in the large seed gardens the varieties of flowers raised are either many or cross-pollination is carried on4 ,in putting up your seeds in envelopes give a few cultural directions on them2 that is1 tell how to plant the special seed4 ,also1 put on when to plant and the proper soil conditions under which planting should go on4 ,if the seeds are those of flowers add information concerning height1 colour of blossom1 and time of blossoming4 ,someone might like to know also if the seed was that of an annual1 biennial or perennial plant4 ,think out a neat1 attractive way to fix these envelopes4 ,if you do not wish to sell them1 they will serve as nice ,christmas gifts4 ,among the garden trappings which we made last winter are things you could easily sell4 ,such a plant stand as ,jack made for his own room is certainly marketable4 ,make samples of your wares and then take orders for them4 ,again1 these represent ,christmas gifts1 too4 ,rustic seats1 a woven mat of corn husks to kneel on when weeding1 a bit of nice trellis work1 a little tool house are all possible pieces of work4 ,i saw once what a boy called his handy boxes4 ,these were wooden boxes1 with hinged covers and handles1 so that they might be carried about4 ,one was for seeds4 ,this box had partitions inside1 and all the different envelopes of seeds were arranged in the different cubby holes4 ,another box had garden accessories4 ,the word sounds interesting4 ,it means all the little extras needed in the work4 ,labels1 small stakes1 a garden reel1 measure1 knife1 cord1 note book1 pencil--all were in the box1 all were things which the boy often used4 ,you can make variations on these4 ,but a box which may be carried about has advantages over one that is screwed up in the tool house4 ,i believe the flower-gathering basket would sell well4 ,it is not that it is a rather picturesque sort of ,englishy custom to go out and pick flowers with a pretty basket tucked under one's arm1 but it is very inconvenient1 very hot work1 and very mussy1 to have to hold bunches of flowers in the hand as one gathers4 ,in some places where there are summer colonies it is possible to sell bunches of flowers4 ,i knew of a case where big bunches of sweet peas were brought to the hotel every morning4 ,these sold for ten and fifteen cents the bunch and went like hot cakes4 ,the girls may think of all sorts of wicker mats and trays that would make the garden tea more attractive4 ,one ought to think of the aesthetic side4 ,i have not mentioned working for others4 ,hire yourself out4 ,let it be known that you can and will weed1 mow lawns1 plant and transplant for so much per hour4 ,someone may be going off for a few weeks2 see to it that you are the boy or girl to be employed4 ,prove yourself faithful4 ,in the winter make garden utensils and also attend to the bulb end of it4 ,at ,christmas time you could do a big business4 ,someone might make and bottle kerosene emulsion4 ,paste on each bottle directions for using4 ,print very neatly1 so it will look well4 ,there are doubtless many other ways of making money4 ,but1 above all1 do not neglect the other side2 give away some things from your garden and some of your labour1 too4 ,if all you think of is the making of money the soul and heart of you all will get as small and shrivelled as a dry pea4 ,who wants to be stingy8 ,better never to make money than to grow like that4 ,don't let people pay you for everything you do4 ,do certain things for mother and father for nothing4 ,the home garden is as much theirs as yours4 ,wouldn't it be ludicrous if your mother said1 ',no1 ,katharine1 you cannot have those flowers to carry to school unless you pay ten cents for them1' ,how cross you would be6 ,just as absurd1 is it not1 for you to suggest that you cannot work on that same garden unless you receive ten cents an hour8 ,no1 that is all wrong4 ,and if any one of you feels that way do one of two things--either sit down and be ashamed for a good1 long time and think of all the things done freely for you2 or else go take all the money in your own little bank at home1 buy something your mother wants1 and give it1 being glad1 so glad you can get rid of what you have been so stingy about4 ,give flowers to the poor1 the sick at home and the sick in hospitals1 the church1 the people you love1 the people you think you don't love1 and the people who seem lonely and forlorn4 ,once upon a time there was made a wondrous garden4 ,it was called the earth4 ,the flowers1 the trees1 the plants which afterwards became through man's skill our staple products--all these were free1 absolutely free4 ,if this is a true story1 how can we be so small as always to make money from this garden8 ,let us pay our debt to it freely and gladly4 ,this is our last talk4 ,some of you already have started your early vegetables and flowers4 ,instead of one coldframe we have four in our family and one belongs to a girl4 ,it is going to be a better year of gardening than before4 ,leston is with us now4 ,another season there will be others4 ,the school grounds look well1 and if you have noticed the entire village looks a little better than ever before4 ,we will shake hands all around4 ,in a few weeks we shall have hands quite dirty with good old garden soil4 ,you may take your stools and benches off with you1 or leave them all here4 ,we shall leave them1 said ,eloise2 for ,i am coming back often to sit on my little cricket right on your hearth4 ,i am a little large for a cricket1 went on ,albert2 but ,i'd not quit this hearthstone1 so my stool stays4 ,and mine1 too1 each one added4 ,off they trooped again1 some down the country road1 some up the road1 others across the fields1 and ,george1 as usual1 on his old horse4 ,they shouted until out of sight4 ,the best things in the world1 the man murmured as he stepped out into the open and drew into his lungs deep breaths of the fresh spring air4