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diff --git a/13537-0.txt b/13537-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd3f91b --- /dev/null +++ b/13537-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8925 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13537 *** + +_The Library of Work and Play_ + +GARDENING AND +FARMING + +BY ELLEN EDDY SHAW + +1911 + +COPYRIGHT, 1911 + +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 + + I. The Garden Club + + II. The Boys' Garden Difficulties + + III. The Girls' Secret + + IV. Garden Experiments Performed Indoors + + V. The Work Shop End of the Garden + + VI. What the Girls Made Winter Evenings + + VII. Improving the School Grounds + + VIII. Myron's Strawberry Bed + + IX. Jack's All-Round Garden + + X. Albert and Jay's Drainage Problem + + XI. George's Cabbage Troubles + + XII. Peter, Potatoes and Profit + + XIII. Philip's Backyard + + XIV. The Corn Contest + + XV. The Girls' Secret Work + + XVI. More About the Girls' Work + + XVII. The Girls' Winter Work + + XVIII. The Grand Wind-Up--Girls vs. Boys + + +PART II.--THE CHIEF'S GARDEN TALKS + +CHAPTER + + I. The Soil + + II. Plant Food + + III. Seeds + + IV. The Plant Itself + + V. Increasing Plants + + VI. Garden Operations + + VII. Common Weeds + + VIII. Garden Pests + + IX. Vegetable Culture + + X. Flower Culture + + XI. The Wild-Flower Garden + + XII. Landscape Gardening + + XIII. 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 opened. A gust of wind and rain literally swept five boys, wet +and breathless, into the room. The man at the big oak table in front of +a huge open fire looked up, smiled, and said, "Off with your duds, boys! +Bar the door securely, Jay, for it's a wild night. Throw a fresh log on +the fire, Albert. And all line up." + +For a few moments the big cheerful room seemed full of wriggling, +twisting boys as great coats were pulled off and hung up carefully on +pegs at the far end of the room. It was a rule here at The Chief's home +that things should always be shipshape. Then the "line up" came. This +was a little ceremony the boys always went through, having dropped into +it quite of their own accord. They formed a line in front of the open +fire with backs to it and faces toward the man. Then they solemnly +saluted in military style. At this The Chief arose, saluted, and by a +wave of the hand assigned each boy to his place at the table. + +This little group of boys had formed itself naturally into a club. It +met with The Chief every Saturday night. He was really no chief, this +big, boy-loving man who had come to spend a while in this little country +village, to rest and to write. The boys had named him The Chief because, +as Albert said, "He could lead any tribe and tame any savage." At this +Albert always laughed for he himself had been called a savage so many +times he almost believed he was one. + +The boys dropped into their places. Jay, or the "Little Chief" as the +boys called him, sat opposite the Big Chief at the end of the table and +right in front of the fire. He was slim and tall and light of foot. He +could run faster, throw farther, and play better than any other boy in +the village. He always led, he never bullied, he played fair, so the +other boys always followed. + +Albert, Jay's brother, big and heavy and as full of mischief as he could +hold, took his place at The Chief's right hand. Albert called this his +place of honour although knowing full well that he was there so The +Chief might have him within reach. Next to Albert came George, +frank-faced and bashful, sturdy and loyal. Opposite him red-headed, +stubby Peter sat always on the edge of his chair, always with a bit of +a smile on his face, never talking much, always agreeing good-naturedly. +Beside Peter and at The Chief's left was Jack, who wriggled constantly +like a young eel. + +After the boys were seated and quiet, The Chief pushed back his work, a +plan of his summer's garden, leaned back in his chair and said, "I think +first we had better take up your reports." Then he pointed at Jay who +began: "Well, when Albert and I asked father for a piece of the garden +for our very own to work exactly as we pleased this summer, with no +questions asked or answered, he laughed. He said that Albert wouldn't +stick to it a day." + +"I will, just the same," shouted out Albert quite red in the face. + +"Just keep out of this, Savage, until I get through." + +The man laid a restraining hand on Albert's arm and Jay continued: "But +I begged father, and told him we'd always worked for him, and he might +let us try for ourselves. Besides, I told him we'd not shirk his work. +So finally he said we each could have the ten hills in the corn patch +for the experiment, just as you wished. And then--" + +"And then," broke in Albert, unable longer to contain himself, "what do +you think he gave us? It's just no use trying, for he gave us an old +piece of land below the barn. It's a regular old swamp; why, water +stands there the whole spring long, and it takes half the summer to dry +it out. Then it gets hard as a brick. Now what is the use of trying on +that?" + +"We'll take it just the same, and so we told father," continued Jay. "We +have just got to make that old land do something." + +The Chief nodded and pointed to George for his report. "Same here," +began George. "My father wouldn't listen at all at the first; then he +said I might have the hills of corn. He threw in also an old side slope +which he thinks is too poor for any use." George sank back in his chair +in a quite dejected manner. + +It was now Jack's turn. "You see," he began at his lightning rate, "we +haven't much land anyway, seeing as we live in the village. I can have +the backyard, such as it is, but that's precious little use. It's never +been used for a garden, and it's full of rock. One of our neighbours +says I may have a piece of her corn patch for my corn, if I'll take care +of hers, too. Of course I took her offer. Just had to." + +Peter took his turn last, as usual. "We have no place at our home; too +much lawn, and mother will not have it cut up. Grandfather said I might +have any place I wanted in his garden if I'd really care for it myself." + +"My!" said Albert, "what a snap! Your grandfather has the best garden +land around here. You'll win The Chief's five dollars for the best +garden; you just can't help yourself. I'd like to punch you, Peter, for +having such luck." + +Peter smiled a little more broadly. "Fin sorry the garden's so good, but +I can't help it." + +"It's all right, Peter," began The Chief; "after all, boys, I believe we +are not having such bad luck. Cheer up! We are going to surprise those +fathers of yours, and have a good time out of it, too. Jay and Albert +have a big problem of draining; George has simply got to put that sandy +slope in shape; it looks as if Jack would have to fill in for his +garden; and Peter--well, some of you may beat Peter yet." + +At this last Peter smiled, Jack skilfully tumbled him off his chair and +Albert gave a war whoop. The Chief called his meeting to order again. + +"And now, boys, I shall see you each one separately about your garden +problems. Remember, not a word at home, for we are going to surprise the +people. And at our next regular meeting, 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 conditions. In this way we +can keep track of each other's work. We must make our plans, too, on +paper, which will help out. We have catalogues to write for, garden +stakes to make, and no end of things will come up. But first you boys +ought to understand a bit more than you do about the soil. It is a +storehouse of good things. Knowledge of the soil is a key to this +storehouse. + +"We can roughly divide the soil into three classes and call these sand, +clay, and humus. The ideal soil has all three of these elements in it. +Sandy soil is made up, as the name itself really tells, of broken up +rock masses. One can tell this sort of soil by its lightness and the +ease with which a mass of it drops apart. By the word lightness one does +not mean colour or weight, but looseness. A clay soil may be told by its +stickiness; its power to form lumps or masses; its tendency to crack and +bake under the hot sun. Such a soil is called heavy. Humus soil is made +up largely of decayed animal and vegetable matter. Its presence is told +by a dark, rich colour. + +"In trying to improve the soil we are dealing with, we have first to +think of its physical, and second, its chemical condition. + +"The great needs of the soil are air and water. Just think of all soils +as made up of many particles; let us say like a lot of marbles, one +placed upon another. Each given mass of particles has a given air space +between every particle. Again, if a marble is dipped in water a film of +water remains on it a short time. Let us think of the particles as +always having a film of water on them. Then, as roots and root-hairs of +plants strike down among these they find the two necessities, air and +water. + +"Now sand is very loose and so lets the water drain down through it too +rapidly. How shall we improve a sandy soil? Just add something to bind +the loose sand particles together. Humus is good for this binding +purpose. + +"Clay absorbs much water. Then its particles squeeze tightly together +and so air is shut out. Add sand to clay soils, to lighten them. + +"Humus soil is very rich in nitrogen. This brings us to the chemical +side of soils. There are many chemicals in soils which act as foods to +plants, but only three are the essentials. If these cannot be unlocked +from the soil, or are lacking, they must be supplied. These plant foods +are nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus. + +"The chief source of nitrogen is manure; of potash, nitrate or sulphate +of potash, and wood ashes; of phosphorus, bone ash or phosphates. How +can you tell when one of these is lacking? Well, first it is well to +know what each one does for a plant. Nitrogen makes fine, green, sturdy +growth of leaf and stalk; phosphorus helps blossoming plants; while +potash makes plump fruit. If foliage looks sickly then nitrogen is +needed. If one wishes a good growth of leaves, as in lettuce, nitrogen +is needed. If the fruit is small and poor, supply potash; while if the +flower and stalk need better growth, add phosphorus. + +"Be careful in adding nitrogen. Nitrogen is the plant food which is most +easily lost out of the soil. Study the soil you are dealing with, supply +if possible what it lacks, and try to unlock to your seedlings the +goodness already in the garden soil." + +The interesting talk ended. + +"Couldn't we meet oftener than just Saturdays?" questioned Jack. + +"We'll see; it all depends upon how much work there is. Possibly we may +have to meet Fridays, too, later on, for you have no lessons that +night. Anything more, boys, before the popcorn?" + +"I'd like to know," asked Peter, "if my cousin Philip, who comes from +the city to grandfather's to spend almost every Saturday and Sunday, may +join us too. He wants to fix up his city backyard and doesn't know how +to begin." + +"Bring him along next Saturday. We'll be glad to have him, shan't we, +boys?" + +"Don't know," blurted out Albert, "it's our club." + +"Keep quiet, Albert. Let him in as long as he behaves and works. Isn't +that right?" asked Jay. + +"Yes," answered George and Jack. + +"Then, boys, we'll have Jack's report next week, as his problem is not +so difficult. If Jay and Albert drop in some day from school they shall +have a book which will help them, and George needs one, too." + +At this point Albert dropped off his seat in mock alarm murmuring as he +fell, "Worse, much worse than school!" George dropped a heavy book on +top of him to add to his comfort. + +The Chief went on as if nothing had happened. "Jack and Peter, shell and +pop the corn, George and Jay, crack the nuts. And you, Albert, run to +the cellar for the apples. Get good ones, young man." + +"Why," questioned Albert, as he picked himself up, "why must poor +Albert always do the hard work, while the other fellows stay by the warm +fire?" No one answered him and he slowly marched off. + +Soon the corn was popped, the nuts cracked and the big red apples on +deck. And then it was a quiet room save for the snapping of a shell from +a half-cracked nut, and the munching of the firm apples as the boys ate. +The firelight played softly over the old room bringing out strongly the +big oak table, the group of boys, the silent man, throwing far back into +the shadows the old rush-bottomed chairs, the short-legged rockers and +the pieces of furniture at all distant from the fire. + +The clock struck nine. The boys reluctantly got up from the floor and +struggled into their coats. Jay unbarred the door. The man held the +light high above his head sending a stream of light after them, George +astride his old farm horse ready for his three-mile ride, Jay and Albert +trudging after him, and Jack and Peter hand in hand on a run toward the +village. + +"Good-night!" they shouted back at the man, "We'll be on time next +Saturday night, seven sharp. Good-night!" + + + + +II + +THE BOYS' GARDEN DIFFICULTIES + + +"It's fine to see you back, Myron," began The Chief, looking at a big, +good looking fellow, who had dropped quietly into his place by George. +"Are you here for all the time, now?" + +"Yes," replied Myron, "I got tired of the town and am glad enough to be +back again." + +"We are just as glad as you are. Is Philip here for Sunday?" + +Philip wriggled happily beside Peter and said nothing. For Peter had +impressed Philip with the fact that he must keep quiet for it wasn't +very much his club anyway. + +"There is business up for discussion, and two applications," began The +Chief. + +"Applications!" broke in Albert. "May we have those first?" + +"If you can't keep still," retorted Jay, "you'll get applications all +right, but of quite another sort." + +The Chief passed two letters to George. George stood up, swallowed hard, +for he was a bashful lad, and began. "'Will the Junior Garden Club give +suggestions and practical help for the improvement of the Oldfield +Centre School Grounds?' Signed 'The Teacher.'" + +"Crickey!" said Albert. "That's white in her! Expert advice! I guess we +will!" + +"What shall we do about this?" asked The Chief. + +"We just ought to do it, I think," began Jack. "There surely is no other +public-spirited club in this place." + +"Just so," murmured Peter. + +"We ought now to have a secretary for the club, and a chairman, too. I +believe to-night is the time to vote for these officers," suggested The +Chief. "Suppose Jack and Philip tear up slips of paper and pass them. +Then Myron and George collect, and count the ballots. We should vote for +chairman first." + +"What does the chairman have to do?" asked Myron. + +"A chairman always calls a meeting to order and presides," answered the +man. + +For a few minutes they were all very busy with paper and pencil. The +results were given by Myron. + +"Jay has all the votes for chairman. Albert has four for secretary, and +so I suppose we'll have to have him." + +Albert, nothing daunted, said, "I guess you will, but I write like a +hen." + +"That's right, you do," chimed in Jack to Albert's apparent annoyance. + +"Now, Jack, call your meeting to order and let's have these matters +voted on." + +"Come to order all of you. What shall we do about this school-ground +business?" + +"I vote," began Myron. + +"Stand on your feet," advised Jay. + +"I vote--" + +"No, Myron," corrected The Chief, "move--not vote." + +"I move, then, that we fix up those grounds." + +"Who seconds this?" and Jay looked hard at George. + +"I will," he responded. + +"I'm not sure, now," appealed Jay to The Chief, "I'm not sure just how +to go on." + +"It's this way--it has been moved and seconded that this request be +granted. All in favour say 'aye'; all contrary minded 'no'. It is a +vote." Jay repeated this and the boys voted, Albert, as usual, voting +"no," just for fun. + +"Now, if George will read the second letter-----" + +"I should think," Jack half questioned, "that the secretary should read +things, now we have a secretary." + +"So he should, hand those papers over, George." + +George, delighted, gave place to Albert, who stumblingly read. "We girls +wish to garden, too. We'd like to join your club. We can do just as good +work as boys. Will you take us in?" + +"Not much!" went on Alfred just as if he were still reading, "Girls in +our club, no siree, girls never!" + +"Girls might do something," began Myron. + +"But," Jack broke in, "they'd after all spoil a boys' club. Why, it +wouldn't be a boys' club then." + +"They might have one of their own," suggested Peter. + +"And do different things," continued Philip. + +"I really don't see," Jay went on, "quite how we could have them. But, I +suppose, they might meet with The Chief and we could help them +sometimes." + +"No," said Albert, "we don't wish to get mixed up with that sort of +thing. They'd run the whole club in the end." + +"That's right," agreed George. + +This was put to vote properly and the girls were barred out. + +"You must write them a letter, Albert," concluded Jay. + +"Write a letter! A letter to those girls! Never!" + +"Yes you will; you are the secretary and you have to, understand," said +Jay. Poor Albert, not long before so proud of his office, looked as if +he'd rather be whipped than be the secretary. + +"The real business to-night is to hear reports so we can do a little +experimenting and testing next week," suggested the man. + +"All right, we'll have George's first." + +"I shall, of course," began George, "plant my corn, Country Gentleman, +in with father's. We have plenty of seed corn, so I shall not have to +buy any. As far as my old slope goes I have to pick all the stone off. +Then I am not sure just how to drain it, for the rains from another +slope above wash it all the spring and summer. I shall then put some +barnyard manure on and plant it all to corn. Of course, I must plough +and harrow it, too." + +"Now," said The Chief, "I guess we'd better stop right here and have a +little talk, for George has brought up some problems for discussion. In +the first place--let us consider the draining. All George has to +consider is that he has to conduct or lead the water off his land." + +"But," said George, "that is what seems to me difficult." + +"Have you noticed how water takes definite courses down hills? That +ought to give you some help." + +"I see," cried Jack, "George could make gutters for the rain to travel +along and so lead the water off his garden." + +"Exactly, Jack has the idea. It is really a bit of engineering. Suppose +George finds the highest point, the greatest slope, of his land. From +this point a gutter or furrow should be dug so that the water is made to +flow off and away from his land." + +"How deep shall I dig the gutter?" + +"Dig it about three feet deep and fill stones right into this gutter. +Two feet of stone in the gutter is about right. Water falling on a stone +mass drains off properly. It would sink into an earth mass. Bring a +little sketch of this with you next week, George, showing where you are +going to dig the drain. Now boys, how much fertilizer do you think ought +to go on this poor land of George's?" + +"I was going to put on two inches," said George. + +"I should think he ought to put at least four inches on," half +questioned Myron. + +"I'll say eight," began Philip. The boys shouted at this. + +"Philip," went on the man after the laughter ceased, "is very nearly +right. If George wishes to get anything from this old land at once, he +must fertilize it heavily. If your father can spare a foot of fertilizer +put it on." The boys all whistled. + +"Now about the corn! Did you know, George, that corn is a most +exhaustive crop?" + +"I don't even know what you mean." + +"I do," said Jack, "he means corn tires the soil." + +"Just so," continued The Chief, "the soil supplies food to the plant. +Some crops use up more of the soil's goodness than others. Corn is one +of these. Now, George, what do you think about planting a crop that +works the soil very hard, especially when the soil you are dealing with +is rather poor?" + +"It wouldn't be the best thing, I should say. Will you suggest good +things to plant?" + +"Well, potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage demand less from the soil." + +"Then I choose cabbage, I'll plant that entire old slope to cabbage." + +"Now, Jack, suppose you talk." + +"I have decided to build a coldframe, so I can get a little earlier +start with my plants; I suppose I should have begun this frame last +fall. I know this--that I have to dig out my whole garden spot and fill +it in. So I thought I could get a start with the coldframe while I was +working at filling in. I have decided to plant lettuce, radish, beets, +tomatoes, peppers and some flowers. I think I shall plant asters, stock +and sunflowers." + +"Why sunflowers?" asked Philip. + +"I want the seed for my squirrel's feed next winter. Then, too, I think +sunflowers make a pretty nice background for a garden." + +"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 then. You +measure the space where you are going to put the frame and ask your +father about the lumber. As lumber is your father's business, I should +almost think you could get us some soft wood, say white-wood, for our +stakes and markers," suggested The Chief. + +"Of course, I can," promised Jack. + +"Now Peter," said Jay. + +"My garden is to be just potatoes." + +"Peter and potatoes!" jeered Albert. "Oh, Peter!" + +"I don't care, I'm for potatoes and profit." + +"Peter always does make money. So I suppose his potatoes will turn into +money, too," volunteered Philip. + +"My stunt," said Myron next, "is to be strawberries. I want to raise +strawberries. Mr. Marsh, on the Longmeadow Farm, has offered to give me +some plants. I'll do the corn stunt; aren't you going to, Pete?" + +"Of course, that was understood, and Philip will have his corn at +grandfather's too, for a city backyard is no place for corn." + +"Now, Albert, you may talk for both of us," said Jay. + +"Our land has to be drained, but it is not exactly the same proposition +that George has. Water stands on our land. We had thought of putting a +drain pipe in. It seems as if there should be an easier way, but we +don't know one," Albert stopped and looked at The Chief, who leaned back +in his chair and thought a minute. + +"I guess, boys, we had better stop and talk over the matter of drainage. +There are three kinds of drains, namely: the open drain, the blind +drain, and the tile drain. Each one has worked out of the other. The +simplest sort and the one man first used is the open ditch. A piece of +land was covered with water. A ditch was dug through the land at the +place or places where water was standing. Usually a little stone is +thrown into the bottom to help drain the water off. + +"Such a drain put out of use quite a bit of land. So partly because of +this a second sort of drain was worked out. A good body of stone was put +into the drain, then earth filled in over this. Water percolating down +through the soil followed along these drainage courses. Formerly it +settled in spots and made boggy land. Finally a more systematic sort of +drain developed from this last one. Instead of a body of stone, a drain +tile was placed on the bottom of the trench. + +"Straight off you boys can see which one of these three represents the +best all around drain. Out in the country or where there is no need to +think of utilizing every bit of land, the open drain is often seen. But +where every bit of land must be used, the open drain is out of the +question. + +"All drains come under the head of one of these three types. After all, +boys, since you can put in the tile drain would it not be wiser to do +so?" + +"Surely," answered Albert. "But I should think soil which has been under +water for some time, as this has, would be a bit poor." + +"In case you find the soil is sour, as it may be, you can sweeten it +up. There is a certain farm sweetener in lime," added The Chief. + +"We shall plant on our land onions, peas, and tomatoes." continued +Albert. "We believe that the soil is going to be especially good for +onions." + +"I guess I shall have to break in again right here. Onions need a fine, +rich, deep soil. To be sure moist soil is good for certain varieties of +onions. That is why, I imagine, you thought your soil good. You must get +this soil into better garden condition before you devote it to a crop +like onions. Try a general vegetable garden this season. Work out the +crop value of the soil. + +"Philip, do you know what you are going to do?" + +"I know that I have everything to do. I thought perhaps I should do +something like this. We want that old backyard to be really pretty. The +yard is a long narrow strip of land just like most city backyards. I +thought I'd make a walk straight through it. I want a little fish pond +at the end. I thought I'd lay out a few flower beds with paths in +between them. Mother says she will buy me a few shrubs." + +"I say, Chief, don't you think some of us might go up to the city and +help Philip make the cement pond?" asked Albert eagerly. + +"We might," murmured Jay, "if we get invited." + +"Boys, it's late. We know a little of what our stunts are to be. Next +week each of you bring about fifty seeds of each kind you intend to +plant. Be able to tell just how these seeds should be planted. Also have +the dimensions of your plots. Jack will bring some soft wood along, too. +And Philip, find out, if possible just how much money you can have for +shrubs. Now on with your coats! Out of my house in two seconds!" + +"No food to-night is a sad blow, Chief," said Albert pretending to weep +as he opened the outside door. + +"This blow is sadder," replied Jack, playfully shoving Albert clean out +of the door. + + + + +III + +THE GIRLS' SECRET + + +A very timid little knock roused The Chief from his study of Jack's +coldframe plans. The outer door gently opened and three little girls +entered and advanced to where the man sat. One, the smallest of the +three, was thrust forward as spokesman. Gathering herself together she +began with a rush. She thrust a letter into The Chief's hands. + +"This is the boys' horrid letter. We don't care particularly about +belonging to a boys' club. We wouldn't now, any way. But we'd like to +show those boys a thing or two and we thought perhaps you would help us. +Will you?" + +"Sit down, and we will work out a little plot together. But first tell +me your names. I like to know the names of people with whom I plot." + +The girls came close to the man. The spokesman did the introducing. "I +am Delia, Peter's sister, and just as smart as he is. This," pointing to +a quiet, pleasant-faced girl, "is Ethel. And the other is Jack's sister, +Elizabeth." + +"How many more girls belong to this company?" + +"They are all outside waiting, I'll call them in if you say so. They are +behind the lilac bushes. You see we were afraid some of the boys might +come to see you, so we hid. For we don't wish them to know about this at +all. I'll call the girls in now." So Delia ran to the door, held it wide +open, and called "Come girls, he wants to meet you!" + +"Come right in, girls. This one," pointing to a girl with light hair and +bright eyes, "is Eloise. Her father keeps the Inn. And this is +Josephine, who has no yard at all; and Helena who has plenty of ground; +and this," with a grand flourish, "this is the judge's daughter, +Katharine." + +"I hate," said Katharine, "always being labelled; I think it's pretty +hard on a girl to be tagged this way." + +"If you'll sit down," began The Chief--"although there are not chairs +enough--we'll get right down to business." + +And then how they talked! Closer and closer they drew up to The Chief +until the eight heads were so close together they seemed almost one huge +head. Finally they all shouted with laughter. + +"Not a word outside, mind you, not one word. Prove that girls can keep a +secret." + +"We solemnly promise," said Katharine for the others. + +"Look," cried Elizabeth, "there comes Jack; what shall we do?" + +"Out this way," quietly replied the man, almost sweeping seven happy +little girls out of the door. "Now, cut and run." And off they scampered +over the fields. + + + + +IV + +GARDEN EXPERIMENTS PERFORMED INDOORS + + +"The meeting is called to order," began Jay. "To-night, so The Chief +says, each fellow has some special thing to talk about. Albert will have +an accident with that bottle unless he begins right off, so tune up, +Savage." + +"This bottle is full of vinegar. I might have brought a lemon or +anything else acid. This blue paper is called litmus paper. I got it at +the drug store for ten cents. Just look right here, and you will see +magic worked. I shall put some vinegar on this piece of paper. See!" + +"Turned red as quick as scat!" said Jack. + +"Litmus will always turn red when any acid gets on it. I've tried +several acids at home. It works every time," went on Albert as if no one +else had spoken. + +"I cannot see what this has to do with gardens." began Philip. + +"Now you keep quiet until I finish. Haven't you fellows heard your +fathers talk about sour ground? Well, that means acid soil." + +"Why, we have a piece of ground, where sorrel grows thick; father says +that is sour," added George. + +"Just a minute, Albert," broke in The Chief; "that is one way, George, +that farmers tell a sour bit of land. Weeds grow thickly over such +ground, but as George has said, sorrel is likely to predominate. Go on, +Albert." + +"Any soil may be tested with this litmus. The Chief calls this the +scientific way of going at it. I was able to get a little soil from our +future garden plot, and I'll find out right now if it's acid." Albert +opened a small box which was full of soil that looked quite clayey. He +wet a piece of litmus and buried it in the soil. + +"We'll have to leave this a few minutes, and I'll finish what I have to +say. If soil is very acid it has to be changed back again." + +"Back again to what?" asked Jack. + +"Why, back again, so it isn't acid," Albert continued, decidedly +confused. + +"I'll help you a bit," and The Chief came to the rescue, "Get that big +bottle over there, Albert." Albert brought the bottle. In it was a +liquid clear as water. + +"Taste it, Peter," and The Chief handed Peter a little in a small glass. + +"Why it doesn't taste like much of anything; sort of flat." + +"That's it exactly, Peter. It certainly is not an acid, is it?" Peter +shook his head. "It is lime water and does not belong in the acid class, +but to one which is exactly opposite to the acids, the alkalies. Soils +ought to be neither acid nor alkaline, but neutral, as it is called. An +alkali will help make neutral an acid. If the soil is acid it is bad for +your crop. Put a little lime water on the litmus which the acid has +turned red." + +Albert did this and the boys watched interestedly to see the effect. +"Back again," sang out Jack as the red litmus changed to blue. + +"Now from this you see a way to overcome the acid conditions of Albert's +piece of land, if it proves to be acid." + +"I see," said Jack, "lime it." + +"Exactly! Now see, Albert, if the paper has changed colour." + +"My, I should say it had!" and Albert held up the piece of litmus paper, +now quite red from its contact with the soil. + +"Well, Albert, it is pretty plain to see what you have to do. Did you +find out the amount of lime to use?" + +"In the book I read it said for clay soils 400-2000 pounds per acre." + +"I should say," said The Chief, "for that special piece of land use +about 20 bushels to the acre." + +"How many pounds of lime," asked Jack, "to the bushel?" + +"I can answer," grandly went on Albert, "there are 70 pounds to the +bushel. So that makes 1400 pounds." + +"Quite a proposition!" said Jay. + +"Yes, but your land is only a half acre and so that changes matters a +little. How much is lime a bushel, Jack? Ask your father, will you?" + +"I think," said The Chief, "that we'll have to lay a drain pipe through +your land. Anyway I shall come around in early spring and have a look at +it." + +"Now Peter, we'll hear from you," Jay announced. + +"My work was to find out how long it took different kinds of seeds to +germinate, that is sprout. I took a dozen each of different seeds, put +blotters in dishes, wet the blotters, and placed the seeds on these. I +kept them in a warm place in the dining room. I have made each of you +fellows a copy of the table." + +PETER'S GERMINATING TABLE + +Beans 5-10 days. Onion 7-10 days. +Beets 7-10 " Peas 6-10 " +Cabbage 5-10 " Pepper 9-14 " +Carrot 12-18 " Radish 3-6 " +Celery 10-20 " Tomato 6-12 " +Lettuce 6-8 " Turnip 4-8 " + +"I'd like to know what use a germinating table is, anyway?" asked Albert +scornfully. + +"Well," Peter replied thoughtfully, "it gives you an exact knowledge of +the time to expect your seedlings to poke up. Now suppose radish came up +in four days. The carrot you had planted didn't come up and after twelve +days, discouraged, you plant more seed. Now two days later the first +carrots you sowed begin to appear. If you had known that it took carrots +from 12 to 18 days to germinate you'd not have made the mistake of +planting again so soon. I think of another reason," went on Peter +warming up to his subject. "Suppose you planted beet seed. You waited +ten days; nothing happened; you wait two more and still no seedling +appears; something is surely wrong and you plant over again." + +"What could be wrong," asked Philip. + +"The seed might be poor," replied Peter. "George has been testing seed," +said Jay, "and he might tell us about it now, couldn't he, Chief? It +seems to come in here." The Chief nodded. + +"I have been finding out whether certain seeds which I happen to have on +hand are worth planting or not. If any of you fellows have seed and wish +to find this out, you can easily enough. So you can be sure whether old +seed is worth planting. Now it happens that father had some of his last +year's corn and some from four years ago. So I took 100 seeds of each. +If you test small seed like lettuce, The Chief says 50 seeds will do. +These I put on blotters just as Pete did his. Of course, I kept them +separate. From last year's seed 90 seeds sprouted out of the 100, or +9/10 of them. And that equals 90 per cent. If all seed was 90 per cent. +good it would be all right to use, I think. Now when I looked at the +four-year-old seed, what do you think? Only five seeds had started. That +makes only 1/20, or 5 per cent. Of course, no one would care to use seed +where only 5 per cent. of the seed sprouted." + +"Is there any real percentage of germination that seeds should have?" +Jack asked eagerly. + +"Yes," replied The Chief, "although value as you see from George's +experiment is lost by age. The real standard germination value for corn +is 87 per cent., for beans 90, for turnips 90, for peas 93, etc. You +can see that the per cents. for these vegetables run high. So do not use +seeds when the per cent. has dropped too low. + +"Has George found out the time when other seeds lose value?" asked +Peter. "I did not work this table out because I did not have the old +seed to work with," replied George, "but The Chief gave me a book to +look it up in. I have printed on our press the table. So you fellows may +each have a copy." George handed the sheets around the table. + +It happened that The Chief had a little old printing press that he had +presented to the Club. Club real estate, Albert called it. + + GEORGE'S TABLE + + AGE OF SEEDS FOR PLANTING PURPOSES + + 2-3 years. 3-4 years. 5-6 years. 8-10 years. + Corn Tomato Beet Pea (5-6) Cucumber + Celery Pepper Lettuce Radish (4-5) Melon + Carrot Onion Turnip (3-6) Squash + Bean Parsley Pumpkin + +"Now, George," Albert begged, "give us a table of germinating per +cents." + +"Not much, each fellow can work out the value of his own old seeds and +see if they are worth using." + +"I think George is right," began The Chief after the laugh at Albert's +expense ceased. "Perhaps you'd like to try the effect of depth of +planting on corn. Here are some boxes of earth. George, you plant six +kernels of corn one inch deep and mark the box with your name and the +depth on it, Peter, plant the next box with six kernels at two inches. +Albert, try three inches, and Jack, four inches. It will be your +business, Myron, to drop in here each half day and note the first +appearance of corn in the different boxes." + +The result of this experiment, which took about two weeks in all, was as +follows: + + DEPTH OF PLANTING TIME TO COME UP + 1 in. 8-1/2 days + 2 in. 10 " + 3 in. 12 " + 4 in. 13-1/2 " + +This experiment showed the boys that seeds too deeply planted are +hindered in progress. + +"Myron, you may take the floor now," signalled Jay. + +"I have worked out and printed for you the amount of seed necessary to +plant a certain space. I have printed my table just as George did. 'H' +stands for hills and 'D' means drills." + +"What is a drill?" asked Philip. + +"Why a drill is a furrow. You can make a drill with a rake handle, or a +hoe. We can show you better when we get outdoors, Philip," Myron +answered quite condescendingly. + + MYRON'S SEED-ESTIMATE TABLE + + NAME METHOD OF PLANTING QUANTITY OF SEED + HILLS OR DRILLS + Bean (Bush) D 1 qt. for 100ft. + Beet D 1 oz. " 50ft. + Cabbage H 1 oz. " 2000 plants + Carrot D 1 oz. " 100 ft. + Corn H 1 qt. " 100 hills. + Lettuce D 1 oz. " 120 ft. + Musk melon H 1 oz. " 60 hills. + Onion D 1 oz. " 100 ft. + Parsley D 1 oz. " 150 ft. + Pea D 1 oz. " 100 ft. + Pepper D 1 oz. " 2000 plants. + Potato H 1 peck " 100 hills. + Pumpkin H 1 oz. " 30 hills. + Radish D 1 oz. " 100 ft. + Tomato H 1 oz. " 1000 plants. + Turnip D 1 oz. " 150 ft. + +"This table is all right, I suppose," began Philip, "but if a fellow +doesn't know quite how far apart to plant his cabbage, say, I can't see +how this table helps much." + +"I took it for granted," Myron answered, "that you fellows know a little +about things. But if a person didn't know what you ask, Philip, I +suppose this table isn't much good. Shall I call all the tables in, +Chief?" + +"Not at all, Myron, this is a good table so far as it goes. Next time +each of you boys look up this matter. Perhaps you can work out a good +scheme for such information." + +"Now, Philip, we'd like to hear about your shrub money and then we'll +have time to see Jack's coldframe plans, before club time is over," at +which Jay settled back in his chair as if club work was a strain on a +fellow after all. + +"I may have one dollar to spend. I have decided to buy three shrubs. I +shall plant one by itself; the two others together in a clump. I wanted +forsythia, but I have finally decided on Japan snowball and Van Houtte's +spirea." + +"Why?" asked Albert. + +"You see the forsythia shows up best against a dark background because +of the bright yellow flowers. I have no good setting for such a shrub. +Then, too, it blossoms so very early in the spring, in April you know, +that it seemed to me, since I must plant this spring, I'd disturb less a +later flowering shrub. 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 lawn. That spirea is a specially good variety of spirea +because it does well almost anywhere, and also it is very showy and the +foliage is handsome all summer long. Some shrubs look scrubby after +awhile." + +"Where did you get all this knowledge, Philip?" asked Albert, half +enviously. + +"I made it my business to know. I hunted up shrubs in a catalogue, then +I called on a florist, and we had a shrub talk together." + +"Now, I call that getting down to real work," Jay remarked. Philip +looked happy and Peter nearly tilted his chair over in his pleasure for +he evidently felt the city was making good. + +"Now, Jack, bring on the coldframe." + +"I have my drawing right here," began Jack, spreading it out on the +table while the boys crowded about. "You look at the drawing as I +explain. Myron and Jay have promised to help me make it. It will be a +coldframe this year; next fall I shall change it into a hotbed." + +"How?" broke in Albert. + +"I shall dig out the soil from the coldframe. Then I shall put in two +feet of manure and cover it with four inches of soil. This spring about +all I can do is to mix into the soil some well-rotted manure. I guess I +shall put in about three inches in all. I guess I can explain," +continued Jack, delighted at this opportunity to air his newly acquired +knowledge. "The Chief has talked this over with me. It all depends upon +what you wish to use the frame for. I want to use mine to get an early +start this spring, so I make the bed rich and depend on the sun's rays +mostly for heat. This, then, is a coldframe. The sloping glass frame +helps you see. But next winter I hope to really get results out of this +frame, so I have to supply extra heat. The layer of manure underneath +gives this. I then have a hotbed. If I just wish to keep plants along, +ready to force next spring, then the sun's rays would be enough for that +work without the layer of heat." + +"I see, thank you, and why do you say layer of heat? I should call it a +layer of manure." + +"Because it is heat, isn't it? And anyway real gardeners call it that. +We may as well use the right names; don't you think so, Chief?" + +"Surely, Jack. It's our business to know right terms. Each line of work +has its own language. Jack has done a good piece of work so far. We +shall have most of our next meeting in the workshop. Jack, Myron and Jay +are going to work on this frame. You other fellows will be able to make +stakes and dibbers enough for the crowd." + +"What is a dibber?" asked Albert. + +"That is for you to look up. If you have any old rake or hoe handles +bring them along for dibber making. Good-night, boys." + +Off into the night they scampered--a jolly, sound lot of lads. + + + + +V + +THE WORKSHOP END OF THE GARDEN + + +"Before we go to the workshop we might take up the methods of planting +our vegetables. Then if any fellow has worked out a table, Peter, the +star printer, may strike off copies for all of us," began Jay, after +calling the meeting to order. "I'd be glad to hear from any of you +fellows who have done anything on this matter." + +All was quiet. Finally Myron arose and began to read from a paper +covered with writing. "The carrot--common name of the _Daucus Carota_--a +biennial, indigenous to Europe, believed by some botanists to have been +derived from the common wild carrot." + +"Where'd you copy that stuff? No table can be made from that! Imagine a +fellow out planting carrots and reading before he sows: The carrot--a +bi--bi what, biped, did you say, Myron?" + +Albert chuckled away and Myron dropped into his seat saying angrily, "I +tried hard, anyway. It took me a whole evening to copy just the carrot." + +"I should think it might have. Has any fellow a really simple table?" + +"I've worked at it," Peter replied modestly. "I think I have something +here that will really be of use." At this Peter spread out on the big +table a neat piece of work. + + PETER'S OUTDOOR PLANTING TABLE + + NAME DEPTH TO DISTANCE APART + PLANT SEEDS FURROWS + Bean (Bush) 2 in. 12-20 in. 3 ft. + Beet 1-1/2 in. 4-9 in. 12-15 in. + Cabbage 1/2 in. 20-24 in. 3 ft. + Corn 1-1/2 in. 3 ft. 3-4 ft. (hills) + Lettuce 1/2 in. 6-8 in. 12-18 in. + Musk melon 1 in. 4-6 ft. 4-6 ft. (hills) + Onion 1/2 in. 4-12 in. 10-12 in. + Parsley 1/2 in. 6 in. 1 ft. + Pepper 1/2 in. 18 in. 2 ft. + Potato 5 in. 12-18 in. 24-36 in. (hills) + Pumpkin 1-1/2 in. 8-10 ft. 8-10 ft. (hills) + Radish 1/2 in. 3 in. 6-8 in. + Tomato 1/2-1 in. 3 ft. 3 ft. (hills) + Turnip 1/2 in. 6 in. 12 in. + +"That's all right," and The Chief laid a hand on Peter's shoulder and he +smiled across at Myron. + +"Each one of you boys ought to know how to make a working plan of his +garden. I showed Jack how to make his coldframe plan. It is well done. +Now gather about the table and I will make a plan of a supposed garden." + +[Illustration: + +DRAWING I DRAWING II + +DRAWING III DRAWING IV + +This very simple plan of a garden, used by The Chief, has in it the +essentials for all your garden plan drawing. Follow each step as the +boys did and you will be able to make a drawing of your own garden.] + +"I will lend you mine and you might make a drawing of that," craftily +suggested Albert. + +"No, young man, you are to make your own. Let us suppose for the sake of +an easy problem that we claim our garden is to be on a square piece of +land, forty feet by forty feet. In drawing to a scale, one takes a +certain small measure to stand for a foot. If we take an inch to be a +foot, then the entire forty-foot length would have to be forty inches. +That is a pretty good large drawing. Let us take something smaller and +say one-eighth of an inch equals a foot, thus 1/8 in. = 1 ft. So we +shall have a length and a width of five inches. + +"The first step in the actual drawing is to find the centre of your +given piece of drawing paper. See, I just make short lines or portions +of diagonals through the centre as shown right here in what I call +Drawing I. Draw a vertical line through the centre extending to the top +and the bottom of the paper. Now draw a horizontal line through the +centre to the extreme left and right of the sheet. Now measure up from +the centre on the vertical line the half width of the garden. If the +centre is to stand for the centre of the garden, then the garden itself +would extend up, down, and to the right and left of its centre, just 20 +ft. or 2-1/2 in. in a plan with scale 1/8 in. to 1 ft. So measure up +from the centre along the vertical line just two and one-half inches and +place a dot. Letter this dot A. Do this same thing down the vertical +line and we have dot B. Also measure the same distance along the +horizontal to left, calling the dot D and along the right calling the +last dot C. Now draw a horizontal line 5 in. long through A with 2-1/2 +in. either side of the dot. This gives you one side of your garden or a +40-ft. length. Do a similar thing through dot B. Through C and D draw +similar lines. We now have the outline of our garden of 40 ft. square. +We have on our paper, though, a square 5 x 5 in. + +"I have decided to have a circular bed in the centre of the garden which +shall be 10 ft. in diameter. Therefore, the radius of the circle should +be 5 ft. or 5/8 in. Get a pair of compasses for that, Jack. Now I shall +swing the circle. But I wish a 2-ft. path all about this circular +garden. If the path is 2 ft., then I must set my compasses on 2/8 in. +more or now make the 5/8 in. into 7/8 in. Let us swing another circle +with the same point as a centre. + +"It strikes me that if I should lay my garden out into four squares, the +combination of squares, central circles and straight main paths would +look incongruous. So I shall cut the central points of the four square +beds off by swinging circles. Have patience and you will see, 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 garden. Now swing another circle with a radius +of 1 in., and still another the radius of which shall be 1-1/8 in. + +"Now we come to stage two of this working drawing (Drawing II). I wish a +4-ft. path going down to the centre bed from the points A, B, C and D. +Place your ruler, Jay, on point A, for you may draw now. Measure to the +right of A 1/4 in. and to the left 1/4 in., and place dots at these +points. You have the width of your 4-ft. paths. Do this same thing at +points B, C and D. Number these points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. With +very light lines connect points 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 5 and 7, 6 and 8. +Where the line 1-3 cuts the second circle from the centre, letter the +intersections E and F. The intersections of 2-4 mark G and H, of 5-7 I +and J, and of 6-8 N and L. You now see the outline of these paths +running through the garden. Let us border each path with two 1-ft. +borders. So place the ruler at point 1 and mark off two 1/8 in. spaces +by dots. Do the same at points 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Connect the +opposite dots by light lines. + +"Now let George take the third stage (Drawing III). Go right over the +inside circle so as to make it stand out boldly. Strengthen line 1 to E, +2 to G, 3 to F, 4 to H, 5 to I, 6 to N, 7 to J and 8 to L. Now these +circles should be strengthened and lines erased that interfere. That +leaves curve EI, GJ, LH, and FN standing out clearly. You see in the +drawing one-half the garden plan erased and all right. + +"After Myron has erased every line (Drawing IV), you will see the garden +plan in all its neatness. Place the measurements on the drawing. It +looks well, does it not, boys? + +"These are the steps. Any of you can work out your plan if you have one +to work out." + +"Now boys, for the shop! Myron, Jay and Jack are to work on the +coldframe. Peter will have an evening's work printing this planting +table. Albert will tell us the use of the dibber and make you one each +from all these old handles." + +Albert, assuming a grand oratorical manner, gave the boys the benefit of +his search for knowledge. "A dibber is a pointed tool, usually a stick, +used to make holes for planting seeds, bulbs, setting out plants and +transplanting of seedlings." + +Off they all trooped to a little workshop back of the man's home. Soon +the boys were hard at work, sawing, whittling, and setting up type. + +[Illustration: A sturdy dibber. This needs no directions for the making. +The cut tells the story.] + +Here are directions for what the boys made. + +DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING A COLDFRAME + +Hemlock was the wood Jack used. The lumber for sides and ends is one +inch thick while strips marked A and B are one and one-fourth inches +thick. Cut out pieces 14 in. x 5 ft. 7 in., and 10 in. x 5 ft. 7 in., +for the back and the front. Cut two pieces 14 x 36 in. and shape them +according to drawing for the ends. Nail these four pieces together to +form the frame. The sides should be nailed to the ends. Use ten-penny +nails and drive them slantingly. + +[Illustration: WORKING SKETCH OF HOTBED + +Jack's working drawing of his hotbed. This was to serve for a coldframe +temporarily.] + +Saw out strips A two inches wide and as long as the slanting edge of the +end of the frame. Be careful with this measurement not to measure the +slanting edge of the _end_ piece only, but to include with it the +thickness of both front and back pieces. Saw out two more pieces two +inches wide and as long as the frame is wide at the bottom. Make strip B +2-1/2 in. x 5 ft. 7 in. + +Lay out notches marked A by dividing top and bottom edges of front and +back into three equal spaces. Cut notches to receive strips marked A. +Nail strips A in place, also B. To make a neat piece of work the ends of +strips A should be planed slightly slanting to make them exactly even, +or "flush" with front and back boards. The real object of strips A is to +keep the frame from bulging at the centre. + +Jack had three common single window sashes, 22-in. x 3 ft. which made an +excellent cover for the frame. These should be placed in position and +fastened to strip B with two-inch butts. Notice the sashes project over +the front so as to carry the water away from the frame. The sash should +be fastened to the frame, putty side out. + + +GARDEN STAKE + +The stake may be made of soft wood or hard. It is a good one to use in +staking off the garden. It is entirely a piece of knife work. The +dimensions are clearly given on the working plan. If the stake is made +12 inches instead of 14 inches, it may be used as a foot rule in +measuring off furrows. + +[Illustration: A heavy stake like this one, Jack used in marking off +his drills. It is adapted to just such work.] + +THE BOY'S GARDEN REEL + +A piece of wood (ash is suitable for this work), 11-3/8 x 4-1/2 x 1/2 +in. is needed. Draw pencil lines lengthwise and widthwise through the +centre of this piece. From the centre measure out one inch in both +directions, placing dots. These give the central points for centre cut. + +Measure from the four corners of the piece 3 inches along the length. +Connect by line the opposite dots. This gives the line marked 4-1/2 in. +in the diagram. It shows the beginning of the cut to the centre line. +One inch above these lines draw other lines straight across the wood. +Find centre of these. Place a dot one-half inch on both sides of each +from centre. This gives the one-inch end cuts. Cut this up to one-half +inch of each corner. This makes a large substantial garden reel. + +[Illustration: Made of hard wood this reel will last forever.] + +A PLANT STOOL OR TABOURET + +The materials needed are four pieces 18 x 3 x 7/8 in. planed, for legs; +one piece 14 x 14 x 7/8 in., planed, top; two pieces 8-1/2 x 1-3/4 x 7/8 +in., planed, lower braces; one piece 8-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 7/8 in., planed, +upper brace. Use chestnut, white wood, white oak, mahogany, cherry or +birch. You will need also 2-in. blued screws, round head, for +fastenings. + +[Illustration: This looks like a pretentious piece of woodwork for a lad +to make. George did not think so. The construction is simple. Note the +good lines.] + +To construct the stool make with the two 8-1/2 x 1-3/4 x 7/8 in. pieces +the lower braces, a lap joint. Find the mid-line of each piece by +measuring 4-1/4 in. from the ends. From this line lay off two other +lines parallel to it and at a distance of 7/8 in. to the right and +left. This makes a 1-3/4 in. square in the centre of each piece. Now +transfer these lines down the edges of the lower brace pieces. Saw on +the inside of the lines down one-half the thickness or saw and chisel +down to one-half. It is necessary to saw on the inside of the lines or a +loose joint will result. The joint must be exactly in the middle and all +arms must be equal in length when completed. Brads or finishing nails +should be used to hold the joint in place. This lower brace is 7 in. up +from the floor or bottom of the stool. In the picture the screws, which +hold the brace, show plainly. + +Now lay off an octagon, with a diameter of 8-1/2 in. on the 8-1/2 x +8-1/2 x 7/8 in. piece, sawing off the corner pieces so as to just fit +the leg. Glue and screw this to the under sides of the top piece, +placing the grain across that of the top wood. Warping is thus +prevented. This brace acts as a support to which the upper ends of the +legs are firmly screwed and glued. A 3/16 in. gimlet hole should be +bored for each screw or the wood will split. The holes should not be +deeper than 1-1/2 in. if the screws are to hold firmly. Try drawing the +screws across a cake of soap and see if they will not be applied more +easily. + +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 +piece. The legs are to be attached at right angles to these diagonals. +After the legs are screwed to the upper and lower braces sandpaper the +entire stool. Do this lengthwise to the grain, never across. Then stain +and wax. + + + + +VI + +WHAT THE GIRLS MADE WINTER EVENINGS + + +While the boys were making their pieces of garden apparatus the girls +were at work also. They met with The Chief at Katharine's house and made +a number of pieces of garden apparatus. The directions for making these +are given so that other children may make some too. + +DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING SEED ENVELOPES + +Cut paper 7-1/2 in. by 5-3/4 in.; place it the long way of the paper +going from front to back of the desk or table at which you work. + +Measure from the upper left corner down 1-3/4 in., and place point 1; +3-1/4 in. farther down place point 2. Measure from the upper right +corner down 1-3/4 in. and place point 3; 3-1/4 in. farther down place +point 4. + +Measure from the upper left corner toward the right 1-1/4 in. and place +point 5; 3-3/4 in. farther toward the right place point 6. Measure from +the lower left corner toward the right 1-1/4 in., and place point 7; +3-3/4 in. farther toward the right place point 8. + +[Illustration: PATTERN FOR SEED ENVELOPE + +Katharine made this seed envelope of rather stiff paper So it was of +real service] + +Draw dotted lines through 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 5 and 7, 6 and 8. + +Measure 1/4 in. toward the right from points 5 and 7 and place a dot. +Draw full lines toward the left to the intersection of the dotted +lines. Measure 1/4 in. down from 1 and 3, and place dots. Draw full +lines upward to the intersection of the dotted lines. Measure 1/4 in. up +from points 2 and 4, place dots, and draw full lines downward to the +intersection of the dotted lines. + +Draw a full line from points 6 and 8 to the intersection of dotted +lines. + +Cut on full lines. + +Fold on dotted lines. + +Fold A, B, and C, in this order, and paste, leaving D for flap to be +pasted down when the envelope has been filled with seeds. + +DIMENSIONS OF MARKERS + +The right marker is 3-1/2 in. long. The distance from head to central +point of notch is 1/2 in. The distance between notches, or from the +central point of one notch across the marker to the central point of the +other, is 3/8 in. The width is 1/2 in. and the thickness 1/8 in. + +The middle marker is 4-1/2 in. long, 1/2 in. wide, and 1-1/16 in. thick. +Allow about 5/8 in. for the pointing at the end. + +The left marker is rather larger and stronger; it, too, may be pointed +and not notched, so acting as a good pot-marker. Make it 5 ins. long, +7/8 in. wide, and 3/15 in. thick. The line between the notches measures +5/8 in. and is 1 in. from the top of the marker. + +[Illustration: Such labels as these, made of thin wood, serve as plant +labels as well as being useful in the outdoor garden] + + A GARDEN SIEVE--MATERIALS + + 2 small boards 13 x 2-1/2 x 1/2 in. + 2 small boards 7 x 2-1/2 x 1/2 in. + 2 strips of wood 12 x 1/2 x 1/4 in. + 2 strips of wood 8 x 1/2 x 1/4 in. + Fine wire netting 13 x 8 in. + +[Illustration: Josephine's box had too limited a drainage area] + +[Illustration: Make a flat like this one of Eloise's and so provide +plenty of drainage space] + +Make the framework of a box without a lid, using the 13-inch pieces for +the sides and 7-inch pieces for ends, putting the ends between the side +pieces. Use the wire netting for the bottom of the box, nailing it on +with the strips of wood. Paint the sieve with two coats of dark green +paint. + +A BULB FLAT + +The dimensions of the box are the same as those for the sieve except for +the depth, which is three inches instead of two and a half inches. Of +course the bottom is wood with three drainage holes bored in it. A flat +may be constructed without the drainage holes as shown in the cut. In +this case make the bottom of small pieces of wood leaving an inch space +between each piece. This is Eloise's kind of a bulb box. + + A GATHERING BASKET FOR FLOWERS + + The materials needed are: + + 8 spokes, 10 ins. long, of number 6 reed. + 3 weavers of number 2 reed. + 12 weavers of number 3 reed. + 31 spokes, 20 in. long, of number 4 reed. + +_Directions_.--Split four spokes of number 6 reed exactly in the +centre, and slip the remaining four through the slits in the first +group. + +[Illustration: This is the basket made and used by Katharine. It is a +gathering basket just right for fruit and short-stemmed flowers] + +Double a number 2 weaver and slip the loop over the upper vertical group +and with the pairing weave go around each group four times. Next, +separate the spokes in groups of two and continue the pairing weave +until four more rows have been woven in. Then separate the spokes by +ones and weave until the diameter is 4-1/2 in. + +Cut all off that remains of the number 2 weaver, and insert 3 weavers of +number 3 reed. Continue with the triple weave to a diameter of 9 in. + +Cut off the ends of the spokes and insert 31 spokes, 20 in. long, of +number 4 reed; one on each side of the spokes, except the first; in this +instance insert but one. + +Use the side which has been next the weaver for the inside of the +basket, letting rough ends come on the outside of the basket. Turn the +spokes up, and hold in place with one row of quadruple, weave over three +spokes and back of one, using the number 3 reed. With the same reed put +in eleven rows of plain weave, over one spoke and under the next. Next, +one row of quadruple and follow with seven rows of double weave, over +two and under one, and finish with one row of quadruple weave. + +For the first row of the border carry number 1 spoke back to number 2 +spoke, or the next spoke at the right, and out; number 2 spoke back of +number 3, and out. Continue once around the basket. + +For the second row carry number 1 spoke over number 2 and 3, and down; +number 2 over 3 and 4 and down, and so on around. + +For the third row carry number 1 over number 2 and down; number 2 over +number 3 and down. This may be continued until you have formed a roll +over the entire edge. + +If handles are desired, on each side of the basket insert a piece of +number 9 reed for the foundation of these. The end of a number 3 weaver +is woven in at the left of the foundation under the third row from the +top of the basket, and the long end of the weaver is twisted around the +foundation to the other side of the handle. Here it is pushed down +inside the basket on one side of the handle and over again on the other +side of the handle, three rows from the top, making a loop inside. The +weaver is then laid close beside the first twist and follows it across +to the opposite side. Now it goes in under the third row on the left of +the handle and out on the right side. Each row of twisting must follow +close beside the last. Six or seven rows will cover the foundation. The +end is fastened off by bringing it inside the basket again where it is +cut off. + +This flower basket may be made without the handles. But they add much to +it without being a great deal of extra work. + +A SUNDIAL + +Take two pieces of the wood you have chosen: + +A, 6-1/2 x 6-1/2 x 1/4 in. and B, 7 x 7-1/2 x 1/4 in. + +_Construction_.--True up each piece to the given dimensions, and +sandpaper carefully. Be careful to stroke the wood always with the +grain--never across the fibres. + +[Illustration: Dee's sundial kept fairly accurate time. It is a real +ornament to the garden.] + +[Illustration: Gnomon pattern just one-half actual size] + +Next make a shadow-piece, or gnomon, as it is called. Get a thin piece +of the same kind of wood as is used in piece A, and lay it out as +follows: With the fibres running in the direction AB, beginning at +point A construct an angle equal to the latitude of the place where the +dial is to be used. For example, if the latitude of a town is 41 degrees +construct the angle D 41 degrees, or if it is 42 degrees, let D be 42 +degrees. Then cut from A to C, and sandpaper carefully. Take the wooden +shadow-piece and fasten it to the centre of piece A. Fasten by two brads +or small nails about 3/4 inch or 1 inch long, or glue it. Place piece A +over piece B so that a margin of 1/4 in. will be left on all sides. + +Place A so that the fibres will run at right angles to B to prevent the +boards from warping. These two pieces may be fastened together by +driving a brad in each corner, or gluing, or both. + +POT-REST + +Use almost any kind of wood, as white wood, cherry or white oak. + +Two pieces of wood 8 x 1/2 x 1-1/2 in. are needed for the cross pieces. +These should be planed. There are needed also four little pieces as feet +or pads. The dimensions of these should be 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 x 1/2 in. + +To make this stand, draw a line across the two long pieces 4 inches +from either end. Lay off two other lines parallel to this 5/8 inch to +the right and left. Transfer these lines down the edges by the aid of +the try square. Saw on the inside of these lines down one half the +thickness, or 1/4 inch. Chisel out for a half-lap joint. + +[Illustration: A pot-rest like the above is worth making because it +lasts] + +The sawing and chiseling should be done carefully. It is necessary to +saw on the inside of the lines or a loose joint will be had. Doubling +the passage of the saw through the wood will often make the difference +of 1/8 inch. + +After these are made to fit, the upper ends may be rounded down by +chisel and compasses, or bevelled, using the plane. + +Use 7/8-inch brads or finishing nails, four in each pad or foot to +fasten pads to the arms. The pads should project 1/8 inch from ends and +sides. To finish the work nicely so the rest will both look well and +stand exposure, apply a suitable stain. Allow it to stand at least +thirty minutes. Then rub down with a cloth to an even stain. It is +better to allow the stain to stand a day or so. This gives time for the +stain to set before applying the wax. Otherwise, some of the stain will +be loosened and removed when waxing and a lighter shade of stain will +result. + +PLANT JARDINIÈRE + +The measurements are easy since the scale is one-half inch. That is, as +you measure the line in the working plan you allow one whole inch for +every one-half inch you measure on that. So, if a line measures three +and one-half inches, make the line for your box seven inches. This is +the real height of the box. Notice some lines have their real measures +given at the side. + +Directions for making are as follows: + +Fold a piece of paper large enough for one of the sides and sketch +one-half the outline on one of the folds. Cut to line and then draw the +other half. This will give perfect balance. Cut two pieces of wood from +this pattern by placing it on the wood and tracing. + +[Illustration: From the ruler you can read off the exact size of the +jardinière] + +Draw a line parallel to each side 3/8 inch in on the pattern for a new +pattern for the other two sides. These sides will need to be 3/4 inch +narrower, 3/8 inch on each side, as they must fit between the other two +sides. If wood of different thickness is used it will be double the +thickness. + +Use a coping saw to cut out the base. The tapering sides may be cut to +lines by saw, plane or chisel. The curve at the base may be bored by +1/2-inch auger, and in this way a better curve may be had. + +[Illustration: Helena used a scale of 1/2 inch in the construction of +this jardinière So the plan is very easy to work from] + +Use 1-1/4-inch brads or finishing nails. A little glue added will make a +firmer box. A much larger box after the same pattern will make a +beautiful holder for a larger plant or shrub, using, of course, thicker +wood. + +Two small cleats should be nailed and glued from the inside to support +a bottom. The bottom will give better service if it does not entirely +fill the space. Let it be the proper length but allow a space of an inch +on both sides for dirt and leaves to fall through and out. + +Chestnut was the wood Helena used. It was stained and later waxed and +polished. 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 waxing. White wood is another good wood to use, +but a stain will have to be applied to white wood, as ammonia will not +act on it. A strong solution of permanganate of potash put on with a +brush will darken any wood; it has no fumes. + + + + +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 +improvement. + +The school was situated on a triangular piece of land right in the fork +of two roads. The land was elevated; so much so that the building stood +on a real slope; it was practically a road bank. This slope was washed +by spring rains leaving large rocks exposed to view. The country road +was especially poor at this section. There were deep gullies in it; the +gutters were full of leaves and rock. About the school building was a +comparatively level spot covered with rock. No trees grew here; a little +grass struggled up each year, soon to lose heart and die. + +"It seems to me," said Albert thrusting his hands deep down into his +pockets, "that we have our life work here." + +"Not at all," announced The Chief, "this is just the sort of thing +which confronts most country schools." + +Sitting on a rock The Chief gathered his clan in solemn conclave. At the +close of the conference Jay marched into the schoolhouse and wrote the +following headings on the board: + + I. Constructing a wall to form an embankment. + II. Cleaning the grounds and making a lawn. + III. Planting of trees. + IV. Preparation and planting of the flower garden. + V. Cleaning and mending the road. + +These headings represented the general lines of work the conclave had +decided were the right ones, the most pressing ones to begin on. + +First all the stones were picked up. The smaller boys and girls made +little heaps of the small stones, while the larger rocks, requiring +strength to move, were left to the older boys and girls. To some rocks +the boys were obliged to take the pickaxe and crowbar. These were +rolled, dragged and carted to the gutter at the bottom of the bank. + +A sand bank of this description where the wash is great always needs an +embankment of some sort to hold the soil in place. So the boys built a +stone wall. They made this wall of the stones picked from the grounds. +First the height was decided on. This was to be two feet. They drove +stakes, one at the beginning, and so on for every five feet of extent. +After leveling, two inches was measured from top of each stake down and +a cord was strung along from stake to stake. Previously, to be sure that +the stakes were at the same level, one of the boys, squatting down on +the ground so that his eye was on a level with the stake nearest him, +looked or "sighted" along the stakes. Where one stake seemed to rise up +above the others it was hammered down a little to fall into line. Thus a +straight line or top level for the wall was obtained. The wall itself +was not difficult to build. It meant only the selection of stones and +firming them into place. + +Close to the wall there was a strip of level land; then the slope arose +from this quite gently. After the stones were picked off the boys raked +the ground all over fine, free from lumps and small stones. + +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 seed. +The bargain was sealed. But after all, this sandy soil was no sort of +soil to plant grass seed in. The father of one of the girls gave to the +school a few loads of good soil. This was spread over the slope to a +depth of about a foot. Again they raked it all over smooth, filling in +and making as pleasing a grade as possible. + +The Chief told them it would have been far better if they could have had +two feet of good soil. Grass needs all of that. Another way to have +improved the soil conditions would have been to plant corn or potatoes +on this ground for one year. With such a crop the boys and girls would +have been constantly working it, stirring it up. This improves soil. + +After the soil was spread the next thing was to make it firm. This was +done in three ways. One day the teacher decided that for gymnastic work +they might all turn out and tramp the soil. Up the bank they stamped, +then down by the old drive to the road again, and up the bank. + +Another way was by using tamping sticks. The boys made these sticks from +old broom handles, to the ends of which they fitted solid pieces of +board about ten inches square. Some were merely nailed upon the ends of +the broom handle; but this method was insecure. The others were made +with holes in the centre of the boards of the same diameter as the +handles. These sticks were used to tamp the soil or spank it down. But +on the day when an old farmer, stopping to watch the work, offered his +roller, there was great rejoicing. Between classes, during recesses and +at any odd time the slope was rolled. One boy in the very beginning +pushed the roller but not after that, for when it was explained to him +he understood why he should pull the roller. First, because pulled there +are no foot prints left; and secondly, one slips and makes bad places on +the lawn when pushing. + +Next came the seed sowing. The allowance of seed was one quart to each +300 square feet. Jack's father chuckled when his son refused absolutely +the variety he offered him. "No, sir, I do not wish Kentucky Blue Grass. +It takes three years to get good results from it. The results are all +right." + +"Thanks," murmured the highly entertained father. + +"We can't wait three years, we must have speedy results. I wish a +recleaned mixture, and no chaff in it." + +"Very well, young man, I wish to know two things: First, where did you +get your knowledge? And second, where does my pay come in?" + +"The Chief told me what book to read to understand about lawns. As for +the pay, you made your bargain with George's father. Anyway I should +think it would be pay enough to see a fine lawn in a public place made +from your grass seed." + +"Right you are, young man. Go on, read and read. But remember to work +as well." + +They chose a rather cloudy day for the planting, and a day when the wind +did not blow. Grass seed is so fine it will blow all about if the wind +is stirring. Grass seed is sown broadcast, that is, scattered by the +hand. It is not sown in drills. + +It was a pleasure to watch the sowing, for it was done right. First, the +sowing hand was held low, the person stooping down. Some seed was taken +with the fingers. Then the sowing arm was swung freely in a semi-circle. +After going over the ground once, a second sowing was made at right +angles to the first. A second relay of boys and girls came out and raked +the sown ground all over. A third relay then rolled the ground. Do you +see that there was little opportunity then for the seed being blown off +the surface of the ground? + +The children were delighted when a gentle rain, followed by several warm +days came right after the sowing. A soaking rain or a series of cold +damp days might have spoiled the work. The only way to have a good lawn +from a poor piece of land is to do a thorough piece of work. Patching up +means constant patching. + +The paths and driveway to the school were just rock masses. The first +thing was to clear out all the rock. Then loads of ashes were brought +from the houses of the different children. All the parents were glad to +get rid of the ash-dumps in the backyards. All kinds of carts were +brought into use. For a week no boy dared appear without a load of +ashes. + +All these ashes were dumped into the drive and paths. Then the whole ash +layer was rolled and rolled. It finally made a good solid kind of walk. + +It was the business of the tree-planting committee to have two saplings +ready by Arbor Day and to know themselves just how to plant. In the +start of this work, committees had been formed. Now these committees +were supposed to know exactly how to do the work and to procure the +necessary material for it. It was not the duty of the committee to do +all the work; by no means, or the others would not have known how to +work. + +Two trees were to be planted, one little maple near the building; +another, a buttonball tree, down on the lower grade. A maple was chosen +because it was easy to get from the woods and also because the maple is +such a good all-round tree. Then later, because of a cold wind exposure +on one side of the schoolhouse it was decided to plant a screen of +little poplar trees. This was to shut off an unsightly view which could +not be remedied in any other way. + +One of the girls on the tree committee suggested a poplar in place of +the maple. She was voted down. Now if quick results had been wished, of +course the poplar would have been the tree to have chosen. That was why +the poplars were chosen for screening purposes. But for permanence the +maple, the oak, the buttonball are all better. The poplar shoots up +quickly, to be sure, but again it sheds its leaves early in the season. +Its life is not as long as the oak's. There are more reasons, too. But +if you must have quick results, here is a trick. Plant first a poplar +then a maple or some other tree and so on. Later the poplars may be cut +out and you have left the fine sturdy, long-lived trees. At the same +time the poplars have tided over that in-between period. We sometimes +weary of waiting for an oak to grow sizable. + +The tree planting was left until May because of the state Arbor Day. The +maple and buttonball or plane-tree were dug up by the boys in the woods +the morning of Arbor Day. The trees were chosen from a rather open part +of the wood. It is better to choose trees from the open places than +from the denser woods. Trees thus selected are far more likely to grow +on being transplanted into a place similar to that from which they came. +The boys chose trees about five feet tall. The smaller the tree the +better. The following directions were the ones agreed upon: + +(1) Dig a hole large enough and deep enough to accommodate the roots +without cramping. Allow so that the tree shall sit one inch lower than +it did before. + +(2) Place the topsoil on one side of the hole; on the other the poorer +subsoil. If the topsoil is very poor, get some good, rich, black soil. + +(3) Place good soil in the bottom of the hole. + +(4) Put the tree on this layer, spreading the roots out carefully. + +(5) Shovel rich soil over the roots. See that it goes in between the +roots. Don't be afraid to use your fingers for this work. + +(6) The poorer soil goes in on top. + +(7) Tramp the soil down with your feet, making firm about the tree +trunk. + +(8) If the planting comes late in the warm weather make the soil into a +soft mud with plenty of water, in this form washing it in between and +about the roots, all roots and rootlets come in direct contact with the +mud. + +(9) Last of all cut the tree back, shortening the larger branches about +one-quarter their length. + +After planting the boys kept the trees soaked with water, thus making it +possible for the young saplings to have plenty of water. 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 midsummer. Just what was +the trouble? Supposedly these two trees were planted according to the +same directions. It finally came out that the boys who planted the +plane-tree had not cut off the bruised rootlets. These rootlets being in +a bad condition rotted and affected the entire root. Another mistake was +the failure of the boys to put the good soil about the roots, and they +had made the hole a little too small for the entire root area. Well, it +simply went to show that such a piece of work must be done right and +carefully, if success is to be certain. These were the reasons why our +boys lost one of their Arbor Day trees. The Chief told the children that +it might have been done over then, but that spring was the better time, +because the transplanted tree has the good long feeding season ahead of +it, and therefore has an opportunity to get over the shock and to get +accustomed to its new surroundings before winter is on. Trees planted +in the fall should not be cut back. Leave this until the next spring. + +The children wished later that they had used something else for a +screen. The poplar trees grew fast but of course did not fill out as +evergreens and shrubs do. So, after all, the hedge of shrubs would have +acted as a better screen. Had they chosen evergreens these would have +made a better wind-break in the winter season for the exposure was +north, cold, and windy. Such work, though, is worth while, because we +learn so many better ways of doing things. + +The flower garden was almost entirely the girls' work. In the first +place the school had no money. Seeds do cost something. But the amount +of seed which can be purchased for one dollar is amazing. Peter's +grandfather, hearing of the school's needs, gave a dollar. This was +money enough to buy seeds of ageratum, zinnia, dwarf nasturtium, +California poppy and verbena besides some others. Most schools have +interested friends. + +All along the sides and front of the schoolhouse close to the building +the nasturtiums were planted. The ground was hard packed. The plough had +left the soil untouched near the building. So the boys spaded this up. +All the stone was picked out. Good soil was brought from the woods, +fertilizer from the barn and it was all worked thoroughly in. + +Stakes had to be made. An easy stake to make is one from a lath. Mark +off 18-inch lengths or such lengths as are required. Make one end +pointed for about six inches; sandpaper. You have a good stake, that is, +a good temporary one. These were driven in to the outer edge of these +nasturtium strips at distances of four feet and strung with three cords +four inches apart. The cords should be carried about the stakes in a +groove made for this purpose. Thus the cord will be held and not slip up +or down. Thus strung off, border beds will not be stepped on or run over +by cats and dogs. + +The nasturtiums were planted four inches apart, in drills one foot +apart. Just two rows were planted. The first row was six inches from the +front edge, then a foot space left, then another drill. Finally one foot +was left between that and the foundation of the building. + +The girls of the fourth grade made the drills with the hoe handle. The +children of the first and second grades cut out pieces of paper in inch +lengths. Four of these placed along in a row gave the right distance for +planting the seeds. The nasturtium seeds were soaked over night. And +since the soil was warm and mellow, it helped. + +Along the walks ageratum was planted in the following manner to serve as +a border. A drill was made as if for lettuce planting. The seeds were +sown in the same way as for that vegetable. When the plants were an inch +high they were thinned to six inches apart. + +The zinnia was planted according to Helen's way of planting and told by +her under the girls' planting in a later chapter. + +The verbenas, as the other flowers, were planted in early May. They were +planted one-fourth inch deep and six inches apart in drills one foot +apart. + +The poppy bed was made fine, very fine, by much raking. Then the seed +was sown as the grass seed was, that is, by the method we term broadcast +sowing. These plants were thinned later so as to stand about eight +inches apart. But the plants thinned out were not used again, for these +poppies will not stand transplanting. This bed was simply one gorgeous +red in August. + +In the early spring days the gutters were cleaned out thoroughly. The +road patching was quite a different matter. These country roads, like +those of many places, were just dirt roads. Now earth is poor material +for road construction. But if drainage is properly looked out for, and +the earth road is smooth from rolling, earth roads make, after all, fine +roads for summer travel. + +It was suggested that rock be filled in, and the earth over this. But +when the boys considered how deep cuts would be formed in such a mend by +wagon wheels, this was given up. Then it was decided to fill in with +layers of rock mass. Myron brought a load of slate for this purpose. But +slate, while it makes a smooth road, does not stand wet weather well. So +Myron had to return his slate to the road-side bed from which he had +taken it. Then The Chief told the children briefly about road materials; +how soft limestone makes too weak roads for loads, how easily they wash +and wear; how granite, because of its being made up of several +materials, is poor, too; how flint and quartz, while hard, are brittle, +and are not sufficiently tough; and that sandstone was impossible. Then +he told them that good gravel, tough limestone and trap-rock were good +road materials. Roads need materials having hardness, toughness and +cementing qualities. + +By taking a trip to a gravel bed, some three miles out of town, the boys +were able to get gravel for their patchwork. 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 road. Coarse gravel was put at the +bottom up to six inches of the top surface. This was packed down and +rolled. At the same time it was watered until mud rose or flushed over +the top surface. Finally pebbles from about a half-inch size to coarse +sand were laid on and rolled thoroughly. + +This is the way these lads fixed one piece of poor roadway. + +It happened that one of the farmers near by tethered his cow on the +school grounds during the summer. One of the girls gave a workable +solution for this problem. This was it: 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 lawn. This was done and it worked. + +When the subject of the care of the flower garden arose it was easily +settled. The girls gladly divided themselves off into committees. Each +committee's business was that of weeding, picking and distributing the +flowers. The prophecy that there would be blossoms enough to supply the +homes, the churches and the sick proved true. To be sure the garden did +not look so well in the fall as in early summer, but it took only a +short time to fix up the grounds when school re-opened. + +Plans were made for another spring during the first weeks of school. The +lawn would need a little more work done on it, an oak should be planted, +a group of shrubs put in. But the foundation work had been done. + +And one day when the news was brought that the town was going to put the +first strip of real macadam road by the schoolhouse, a deafening shout +went up. + + + + +VIII + +MYRON'S STRAWBERRY BED + + +One fine day in early April Myron spaded up his strawberry bed. The bed +was made in a sunny spot, on moist but not soggy soil, land excellent +for strawberry culture because the year before it was part of a potato +field. Following The Chief's advice he had spread over the bed only a +very light covering of well-rotted manure. Myron first measured off his +garden bed driving stakes in at the four corners. Then he strung off the +bed with stout garden cord. "Now," he said to himself, "I know exactly +what I have to do." Then going to one corner of the space with his back +toward all the rest of the bed he began his work. + +[Illustration: 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 before. +Grasping the top of the handle with his right hand, with the left midway +down the handle, he pressed the prongs of the fork with his left foot +vertically into the ground. Then lowering the top of the handle toward +the ground and backward, he slipped his left hand down the handle to +about a foot from the prongs, and drew up the spading fork with earth +on it. This earth he threw a little forward and with the prongs broke up +the lumps. He continued this until all the work was done. + +Then he looked at his spading fork, his brand new fork, and found the +prongs quite bent, "The Chief told us to buy decent tools, but I thought +I'd save a little money. Well, I'll break up some of these lumps a bit +with my hoe and see how that will stand a little work." The land Myron's +father had given him was very good indeed, rich and light, so that work +of lump breaking was really very slight, yet it made the new hoe-blade +rattle in its socket. + +After this work had been thoroughly done the boy took his rake and +started making fine the soil for the bed. Myron had learned well how to +handle his tools. These lessons of handling tools The Chief had taught +the boys for he felt that a tool should be a skilful instrument in the +hand. "A gardener should wield his hoe as well as a surgeon does his +scalpel," The Chief had often said. So the boys were proud of really +knowing how to work. + +After looking proudly at the fine, smooth bed the boy shouldered his +tools and marched off to the village. + +[Illustration: The crosses show where Myron set the strawberry plants. +The dotted lines signify the plantings of succession crops] + +Do not think that you can save money by purchasing poor tools. It is +quite impossible, because always one has either to buy new and better +ones, or mend and remend the poor ones. The lad found out that a good +trowel costs at least 50 cents although a smaller one called a +transplanting trowel may be had for 15 cents; cast steel rake, 50 cents +(10 teeth), 75 cents (14 teeth); hoe, 50 cents; Dutch hoe, four inches, +40 cents; spading fork, $1.25, and weeder 10 cents. + +That afternoon armed with cord, stakes, a tape, and the plan of the +bed, Myron started to mark it off for the plants. After tacking his plan +up on the fence post he began the measuring. The piece of ground was +5-3/4 feet wide by 6 feet long. Beginning at one edge of the garden he +measured in six inches along the width. The same thing was done from the +opposite edge. Stakes were driven in at these two points and a cord +stretched between. The same thing was done from the other two ends. So +Myron had two cords extending down the length of his garden each six +inches from the edge of the patch. These cords are lettered A A and D D +in his plan. B B is 15 inches from A A; C C is 15 inches from D D. + +The next thing was to get the position of each plant in the bed. This is +the way it was done: beginning with A A, measure from the upper stake +nine inches down the line and place a small stake. This is the place to +set the first plant. From this, measure and place stakes at one-foot +distances. There will be five plants down the line. Down B B, measure +fifteen inches and place a stake. This gives the position for the first +plant, then, as before, place stakes at one-foot intervals. C C is +marked off similar to A A; and D D to B B. In all Myron then had places +for twenty plants. + +As the work was finished Myron looked up to see Jack's face peeping +over the fence. "How do you like my strawberry bed?" + +"It's all right," Jack replied, "especially the strawberry plants. They +look very promising." + +"Quit your fooling, and come in and see this bed face to." + +As Jack went over the fence he stopped to look at the plan. "I say, +Myron, this shows a plan's of some use to a man. What do you mean by +succession crops?" + +"That stands for the sort of seed you keep sowing at intervals and so +getting several crops a season. I shall put in radish and lettuce. I am +to supply our own table all summer. Father is not going to sow either of +these. He is depending on me." + +The trip to Longmeadow Farm for strawberry plants was one of pleasure +and profit to Myron. The boys used to say that while old Mr. Mills had a +crust inches deep, underneath this he was as fine as the strawberries he +raised. I. Constructing a wall to form an embankment. + II. Cleaning the grounds and making a lawn. + III. Planting of trees. + IV. Preparation and planting of the flower garden. + V. Cleaning and mending the road. + + +"Strawberry plants are worth," said the old gentleman, "about two cents +apiece. I will give you your plants if you will do two things. First, +during this season, you are to pinch all the blossoms as they appear, +off the plants. Secondly, I wish to experiment with a new variety of +berry to see if it is good for this locality. I wish you to take five of +these plants and try the experiment with me. Do you agree?" + +"Certainly. But can't I leave just one blossom on each plant to see what +the fruit is like?" And also leave one entire row blossoming as it +will?" + +"Yes, that will be all right. The reason for pinching off the blossoms +the first year is to save the strength of the young plant. Otherwise it +all goes to fruit forming. It pays to do this, because the second year +you will have a good yield. Remember that strawberries which flourish in +certain localities may fail utterly in others. That is why you and I are +experimenting with this new berry. I am going to give you five plants of +Marshall, five of Nick Ohmer, and five of Brandywine. Remember, shorten +back the roots three inches before you plant. I shall be around to see +your strawberry bed. Remember to cultivate after every rain, and in +between times, too." + +"Thank you, and good-bye," said the boy. + +Myron set his plants after the following fashion: he dug trenches along +the cord lines previously marked out. Then the roots were shortened. To +plant, hold the plant against one side of the trench just as Myron did, +as illustrated in one of the pictures. Then push the earth in from the +other side and press firmly in place. The plants should sit so that +their crowns are even with the top of the ground. When Mr. Mills came to +see that bed he found two or three plants badly placed. Care must be +taken in the placing. The days after planting were very hot so Myron +covered the plants with straw to protect them from the heat. + +As the season advanced the little plants sent out runners. These were +immediately cut off. If they had not been, they would have become +entangled and thus formed what is called a matted row. Some people +cultivate strawberries this way. But Myron's way, the hill culture, +while it means constant attention, is perhaps a better method. + +One day, old Mr. 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 way. + +"It taught me a lesson," the boy told his mother that evening, "that +lazy methods are pretty bad." + +Once or twice that season he sprinkled wood ashes on the ground of the +bed. Just a little should be sprinkled on, as one sprinkles salt on a +potato. Soil gives food to a plant. This food is nitrogen in various +forms, potash and phosphorus. Sometimes we help the soil supply one or +more of these chemicals. The wood ash adds a little extra potash which +is very good for the strawberry. + +It turned out after a second year that the new variety gave very small +and flavourless berries. So the old gentleman and Myron wasted no more +space on that variety. + +The second year Myron obtained excellent results. From some of his +plants he got one quart of berries each, during the season. That was +good, but no better than a strawberry plant should do under good +cultivation. + +As far as his lettuce and radish went there was nothing new or startling +in his experience. He tried this little trick of lettuce sowing with +some success: Instead of sprinkling the seed in the drill, he placed +each seed separately and four inches apart. By this method one need not +transplant to get good heads. He tried the Black Tennis Ball seed. This +forms a good head. + +Did you ever try the Icicle radish? Myron recommends it. It is long and +white and so gets its name. Along with the radish he planted parsley. +This is a good way to do as these vegetables do not interfere one with +the other. + +"Grow any more lettuce and radish?" exclaimed Myron's father one evening +in the village store, "not while I have a boy who can do it as Myron +can. He beats me all right. And I am glad." + + + + +IX + +JACK'S ALL-ROUND GARDEN + + +Just as soon as the ground was workable Jack set his coldframe. He chose +a southern exposure, back of the barn, so that the frame should sit up +against the stone foundation of the I. Constructing a wall to form an embankment. + II. Cleaning the grounds and making a lawn. + III. Planting of trees. + IV. Preparation and planting of the flower garden. + V. Cleaning and mending the road. + building. First he dug down about a +foot deep. As he dug, he knocked up the lumps and picked out the stone. +Then he went to the barn and got a barrow load of horse manure, not +fresh, but old, rotted manure. This he very carefully mixed in with the +soil already made fine. + +"Now I shall put the frame on. Come, Elizabeth, and give me a lift with +this." After some tugging the frame was set. + +"I thought frames were usually sunk in the ground," commented Elizabeth. + +"I shall do that this fall and make a real hotbed out of it. You see +this spring I just want to give my seeds a little extra start. That's +why I made the soil so rich and so deep. Now I am going to bank the +frame about with manure. Then I shall put dirt over that. You see I get +some extra heat that way. Just see the fine slope of the glass. I guess +Old Sun will get caught all right." + +Jack busily banked the frame, spanking the fertilizer down hard with the +back of his spade. He sloped it up some four inches along the sides and +front. + +"Now I am going to make drills for my seed. In the first partition I +shall plant lettuce and tomato; then pepper and onion go in, and the +third is for flower seed." Jack bent over the frame, and began to +scratch lengthwise of the beds with the edge of his trowel. Red-faced +from bending over, and hot from his former exertion, his trouser knees +covered with earth and manure, he stood off and looked at his work. + +"I'm precious glad Elizabeth has gone, for if those aren't the worst, +crookedest old rows I ever saw." + +And so they were. They were all distances apart, of different depths and +entirely untidy-looking. + +Jack picked up his rake and again raked the little beds over, so that no +trace of his poor work was left. Then he found a board which stretched +across the frame widthwise, so that he could kneel upon this and work to +advantage in the bed. He next whittled out two little pointed sticks to +act as stakes, and tying to these a piece of cord just the right length +for the drills, he was ready for work. With one stake stuck in the bed +at the upper end, the other at the lower, the cord between gave Jack a +good string line for the drill. Then, with the end of a small round +stick held close against the taut line, the drill was made. So he +continued making drills at distances of four inches apart. + +Pouring out some lettuce seed in his hand, Jack began to sprinkle it +rather unevenly in the first little drill. Elizabeth, having returned, +stood by watching and shaking her head. "I didn't know you were here. +You make me nervous," began Jack. + +"I feel more nervous than you possibly can, for you are wasting seed and +sowing in a poor way. See, here you have a little pile of seed, and +there you have none," and Elizabeth bent eagerly over the bed. + +"Well, if you think you can do better, just try this next drill." Jack +straightened up, and gave way to Elizabeth. + +"Wait a minute," and Elizabeth ran into the house. Soon she came out +with some small seed envelopes in her hand. From the bag of lettuce +seed--for Jack had bought his seed by bulk--Elizabeth poured some into +a small envelope. Then by shaking the envelope she carefully and +sparingly sowed the lettuce in the drill. + +"I say, that is good!" said Jack admiringly. "Now I'll do some myself." + +"I should think you would wish only one more row; then have a row, or +perhaps two, to transplant in. For I believe you'll have to prick out +the plants before the garden is ready." + +"You talk like the real thing, Elizabeth. What do you mean by pricking +out?" + +"Why, pricking is just lifting out the seedlings with a pointed stick +from one row to another, or from a box or hotbed into the outside +garden. What else are you going to plant, Jack?" + +"I thought I'd put in--say two rows of tomatoes, one row of onions, and +one of peppers. In the third partition I'd start asters. I just love +asters. So I've made up my mind to make a kind of specialty of these." + +"That's fine! May I help?" + +"You certainly may, for you are a help." + +Elizabeth chuckled away to herself, for Jack evidently was not +questioning where she got her knowledge. "It seems to me," she rather +timidly suggested, "that it would look more shipshape to label these +rows, and put in little sticks where each row begins and ends." + +"Well now, that is a fine suggestion." So Jack stuck in some little +sticks he got from the woodshed. Elizabeth did not dare offer some +nicely made little markers laid away in her desk for future use. She +feared those would call forth questions. + +Jack brought out a hammer and tacks. Then writing the names of the seeds +on the little envelopes Elizabeth had brought out, he tacked one over +each row onto the inside of the frame. They both stood off and admired +the work. + +Warm days Jack opened the frame, at first only a little, and later, wide +open for all day. One night he forgot to close it, and a slight frost +made a sorry looking set of seedlings next morning. He lost every single +plant except a few little asters, which were protected by the inner +partition of the frame. These seedlings he watered at intervals all day. +This was at Elizabeth's suggestion. By this treatment these were saved. +So Jack, sadder and wiser, started over again. + +When the lettuce plants had four little leaves Jack, with Elizabeth's +help, transplanted some into the drills left for them. When they were +larger yet, they transplanted the lettuce to the real garden. This is +the way they did it. In the first place the children chose a cloudy day +for the work. 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 ones. + +To transplant, dig up a number of plants and plenty of earth with them. +Use a trowel for this work, gently lifting plants and earth. A drill may +be made; or, perhaps better yet, make holes with the dibber. Pour a +little water into the hole. Then gently separate a plant taking as much +soil with it as you can keep on its roots. Place the little plant in the +hole or drill, and cover the roots with soil. With the fingers press the +soil firmly about the plant. Water the earth, not the leaves of the +plant. Next day, and for several days, cover the transplanted plants +with strawberry baskets. These are far better than newspaper coverings, +because light and air freely come through the crevices of the basket. +The newspaper makes a covering too tight and close for the tender +lettuces. Between plants the children left six inches. + +Jack raised Boston lettuce. He not only had enough for his mother all +summer long, but sold some, too. The way he happened to sell it was +merely an accident. Not far from the village was a large summer hotel. +One day the proprietor had driven around to the house to see Jack's +father on business. As the men were talking Jack and Elizabeth came from +the garden with two fine heads of lettuce. + +"Have you any more lettuce than what you can use yourself?" asked the +proprietor, after feeling of the heads of lettuce and admiring the good +firm centres. "Yes," replied Jack, "I have now, and shall have all +along, more than we can use. You see I keep making sowings every ten +days in the coldframe, and transplanting." + +"I'll take all the extra lettuce you have at five cents a head. That is +what I pay all summer long for it. To-morrow bring me up what you can." + +"Thank you, sir. Ten heads will walk up to-morrow." + +"The first time I've ever heard of heads walking," laughed Jack's +father, well pleased with his lad. + +But we are away ahead of the story, for we have planted and sold lettuce +before Jack has had a chance to really make his garden. The soil in the +backyard was very poor, so Jack decided to cultivate only a strip twenty +feet long and eight feet wide. He dug out all the soil to the depth of +two feet. His father lent him the use of a horse and wagon, and gave +him from the barns whatever fertilizer he needed. The digging was a +long, tedious piece of work. It was hard, too; but the boy kept at it. +Any piece of land can be used if a boy has a mind to work hard over it. + +Some of the poorest of the soil was carted off, then into the top of the +remaining soil he mixed the old manure. Then into the garden space six +inches of manure was spread, and over this was filled in the old top +soil and fertilizer, that mixture which he had previously prepared. +About one foot of this was put in. Jack's father lent him the horse +again and the services of a man. They drove to the Longmeadow Farm and +got a load of top soil. Old Mr. Mills said he would give the soil if +Jack could answer three garden questions correctly. + +"All right," said the boy, "you'll probably knock me over, for I don't +know much about gardening, but I'm trying hard." + +"Question number one: suppose your backyard had been clay soil--what +would you have done with it then?" + +"I should have mixed in sand, using about one-quarter the amount of sand +as I had of clay." + +"Good! Question number two: suppose you had no sand--what then?" + +"I'd have used ashes; old clinkers I guess would be best. Everyone has +ashes." + +"Question number three: what is the object of mixing sand or coal ashes +or clinkers with clay." + +"The reason is to break up the clay. Clay bakes hard, becomes sticky, +and little air or light gets into it. Ash or sand breaks it up. I think +that's about all I know about this." + +"The soil is yours, young man, I shall be around to see your garden some +day. Remember good gardening means working your muscles hard." + +"Thank you, Mr. Mills. By the way my arms and legs ache, I guess I know +about muscles." + +"And remember too," continued Mr. Mills, "that certain vegetables are +very closely related and will intermingle. For example, do not plant +different kinds of corn close together. The pollen from one kind will +fertilize another kind and so you get a crossing which results in a +mongrel sort of corn. Melons and cucumbers will do the same thing. And +so care must be taken in order that this sort of intermingling does not +take place. You see, Jack, that there are many things a real good +gardener has to consider. Gardening is not only a matter of soil +preparation but it is also a matter of understanding plants and their +relations one to the other." + +So the good soil was put on and Jack was ready for business. Straight +across the back was planted a row of sunflowers. Sunflower seeds belong +under the head of large seeds, and should be planted one inch deep and +one foot apart. Two seeds were placed in together. This is a safe plan, +because if one fails to come up, the other doubtless will come up. If +both appear, when the plants get about three inches high, pull out the +weaker one. + +Then the boy planted a second row two feet from the first one. The first +row was planted close up to the fence. Jack found out that this was a +mistake. Always leave all about the garden a space of a foot or so, in +order that one may walk about freely and get at the rear row of plants +without trouble. Again, do not plant too close to a fence, unless the +planting be some vine or climbing plant, which you desire to have cover +the fence. + +Next the aster plants were transplanted. This was done after the same +manner as the lettuce. They were placed about one foot apart each way. +These were put across the entire spot just as the sunflowers had been. +Thirty-two little aster plants were set out and still Jack had a number +left over. It is amazing the amount of aster plants one can raise from a +little packet of seeds. "I'm going to sell the rest of these aster +plants," he declared. And he did. The boy tramped about until he found a +lady desiring the plants, to whom he sold 50 little plants for $1 and +set them out for 50 cents. + +The rest of the garden space was used for the onions, peppers, lettuce, +tomatoes and radish. + +The onions transplanted from the coldframe gave fine early onions with a +mild flavour. + +When Jack was making furrows for the sunflower seed Jay came along and +leaned over the fence. "Jack," he drawled, "you look like a kangaroo all +humped over making that furrow. Why don't you use your hoe right?" + +"I thought I was using it right. Come in here and show me how, will +you?" + +So Jay jumped the fence and picked up the hoe. "Stand this way! Straddle +the furrow with your back in the direction you are going to hoe; or else +stand on the left side of the furrow facing it. Grasp the handle of the +hoe in the right hand near the upper end. The back of your hand should +be up. Now the left hand should be a foot or more below the other hand. +And see the back of my hand. It is toward the left and my thumb points +down the handle, just so with the rake handle." + +All summer long the boy worked or cultivated his piece of land. He kept +hoeing and weeding constantly. + +One of the August pieces of work was to fix the hotbed for winter. Now +the frame was taken up and the pit dug deeper--about two feet this time. +Previous to this a great pile of manure had been heaped up near by. Jack +had sprinkled it with hot water to start fermentation. Steam rising from +the heap was proof of this, and it may be used at this time. + +Then the manure was put into the pit. An eighteen-inch bed of it was +made and firmly tramped down. At first the temperature of this was over +one hundred degrees. When it dropped to ninety-five degrees soil was put +on. The temperature was taken by means of a thermometer buried in the +manure. The frame was placed after two inches of soil had been put in; +then four more inches went on. The surface of the soil was made to slope +at the same angle as the glass. All about the frame was banked, again, +manure covered with earth and leaf matter. + +Jack transplanted violet plants into one compartment. These were good +violets and were placed four inches apart. In the second bed he sowed +foxglove, pansy and stock. The third was left for radish and lettuce, a +bit later. + +Elizabeth helped him sew together several thicknesses of straw matting +as covering for the winter nights. They had decided that newspapers next +the glass, then the mats, and finally a rubber blanket, would be +protection sufficient. + +But Jack's hotbed work is quite another story. However, I can tell you +that the next winter he added two other frames to this one. + + + + +X + +ALBERT AND JAY'S DRAINAGE PROBLEM. + + +The problem of draining which Albert and Jay had to consider, was +perhaps the biggest piece of work that was done all that spring. In the +first place, it should have been done in the fall. That is the time to +do such work, for if put off until spring it delays greatly the spring +planting. + +It was a wet spring, too. The boys, rather impatient of waiting, started +digging one day, but it ended in disaster. The ground was soft and wet +and hence very heavy to handle. This piece of land was one hundred feet +wide or deep. It had a frontage of one hundred and fifty feet. A slope +rose up in front of it, which accounted for the water being drained onto +this land. The water naturally would have run off the land into a brook +at the back. But in about the centre was a hollow, and beyond that the +ground rose a little, and then dropped toward the brook. The depression +made a kind of drain hole and the water settled there all the spring +through. + +This strip of land of the boys was not by any means the entire piece of +land, which was much larger, but the boys' father had given them this +largely to try their mettle. 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 fall. "I +shall have all my drain pipe left to me," he said to the boys' mother +one night. She smiled, for the boys had talked matters over a bit with +her. + +Myron's strawberry bed was all made, Jack's garden-filling work done, +George's ploughing and planting finished, before the boys could lay the +drain. + +"It's no use," said Albert, "I'm ready to give up." + +"Now Savage, there's to be no quitting. I'd be ashamed of you, at least +we can surprise father." + +"All right, Jay, I'm with you." + +Finally the day came when The Chief and the boys started work. A drain +pipe should be laid ordinarily anywhere from twenty inches to three feet +deep. One may dig or plough to make the trench. It is wise to dig as +narrow a trench as possible and so lift as little soil as possible. +Then, too, the bed of the drain should slope gradually from the upper +or highest point to the lowest. The drop in level should be about four +inches per hundred feet. So the boys had to consider just this. This is +the way they "sighted" to get the drop in level. They drove a stake into +the ground at some twenty feet from the place where the drain was to +begin. Previously a cord had been stretched from one end of the centre +of the field to the other end. Since the centre of the field seemed to +be the place for the deposit of water the drain was to go directly +through the centre. + +If you ever have a piece of draining to do the problem may not be so +simple as this. You may find several natural drainage areas. Then you +must lay drains through these. Or instead of separate drains make side +ones which empty into a main drain. + +Going back again to the "sighting" for the drain bed level--the boys +have driven a stake into the ground. It stands five feet above the +ground level. If a tree had been in line with the drain line this might +have been used and saved driving the stakes. Across the stake, at right +angles to it, a board with a perfectly straight edge was nailed. This +board was about four feet long, one end pointed at the drain line. At +the other end Jay placed his eye looking across this to where Albert had +driven stakes. + +One stake had been driven into the ground at the beginning where the +drain was to be dug; another at the extreme end or outlet of the drain. +Albert stood at the first stake and ran a little piece of paper slowly +up and down the stake until Jay raised his hand. This meant that the +paper was on the same line with the sighting board. Then Albert ran to +the other stake and did the same. The difference in these two points +gives the difference in level of the ground. Albert measured from the +ground to his mark on the first stake, and, doing the same in the case +of the other stake, found the difference to be eight inches. This was +too great a drop. Then the boys drove two stakes in between these others +and did the same work of level finding. From stake 1 to 2, or for the +first twenty-five feet there was no difference in level. For the first +fifty feet there was four inches drop; for the next twenty-five feet, +five inches rise; and the last twenty-five feet, six inches drop. They +marked all this on the stakes in order to make sure they got the level +right. The bed must, you see, drop one inch for every twenty-five feet. +For the first fifty feet of the line the drop was just twice too much; +then came the abrupt rise and drop. + +Albert ploughed a furrow straight along the line and ploughed back +again. Then he reploughed. The boys then began to dig, making a ditch +three feet deep right through the land. In order to get the right level +they used a home-made device and plumb-line which can be made as +follows: Nail the ends of two six-inch boards ten feet long, so as to +make a right angle; then across the open end of the triangle, nail +another six-inch board having the lower edge about a foot from the ends +of the boards. Cut off the ends of the boards on a level, so that they +will rest evenly on the ground. Next drive a nail into the apex of the +triangle, and to it tie a line long enough so that when the triangle is +stood on its legs, the plumb-bob, which you will tie on the other end of +it, will almost reach the ground. + +The centre must next be determined. To do it, set the triangle up on its +legs on a level place and when the plumb-line comes to rest, mark the +place. A lead-pencil mark will do, but as it is liable to become +obliterated by the dirt, a saw mark is more permanent. + +Now you know what the grade of the bottom of your ditch will be. +Reproduce this on a level place by means of a board with a large enough +block under one end to give the right pitch; put the triangle on this +and when the plumb-line comes to a rest, mark the place on the cross +piece. Reverse the ends of the triangle to get a similar mark on the +other side of the centre or level mark. This makes a level by which a +fairly accurate grade can be made. + +The tile pipes were laid upon a bed of gravel. This prevents the +clogging up of the loosely put together joints. To fit tiles place the +small end of one into the large end of the next, and so on. Over the end +of the last tile, which emptied into the brook, they wired a bit of +rather fine-meshed chicken wire. + +Then the trench was filled in. By test Albert had found the soil of this +land acid. Lime was to be put on it. Now lime must be in a crumbling +state for this purpose. So after they had bought the lime they dumped it +in a heap on a corner of the plot. After it had become air slaked, or +reduced to a powder by the action of air upon it, it was spread over the +lot. This and considerable fertilizer was ploughed in. The boys then had +an ideal sort of planting soil for almost anything. The drain actually +worked. + +Now some boy may ask, suppose a fellow has no tile and cannot afford to +buy any. In such a case there are two alternatives or choices. A wooden +trough may be made by nailing together boards six inches wide. Then make +a gravel bed and tip this trough over on it peak up. The wooden drain, +however, is likely to rot. The other way is to put a double row of +stones right through the centre of the bed slope. These +stones--perfectly flat ones--should be placed on end with a foot between +the rows. In this space put small stones. + +The chief thing to remember in the drainage problem is that one wants a +gradual flow of water from inlet to outlet. Any boy can fix his wet, +soggy garden spot even though he has no tiles. Stones can be found +surely, and, if no gravel beds are near, all the little brothers and +sisters can pick small stones. + +The boys had decided on planting what they called a general vegetable +garden--corn, pumpkins, beans (bush), melons, tomatoes, beets and +carrots. This combination of vegetables was a happy choice as they all +can well wait until rather late for planting. The boys used the planting +table that Peter had worked out. + +[Illustration: Photograph by H.L. Schultz + +<b>Jay's Tile Drain Converted a Swamp Into a Garden</b>] + +Many times boys and girls are bothered by the word "hill". 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 volcano. Down into this crater they poke +seeds. Now a hill merely means a place. This place is not to be heaped +up above the level of the ground. Place five seeds to the hill. Do not, +of course, make a little pile of these seeds but lay them on the ground +with a little space between seeds, say an inch. When planting beans +place the eye of each bean down against the ground. The bean stands up +on edge. + +The pumpkins were planted in between the hills of corn. This is just the +place to plant pumpkin or squash because there is opportunity sufficient +for the vines to run. Remember not to plant these two together. + +Soon after the pumpkins began to come up the boys noticed one morning +that the leaves had been eaten. Some were completely riddled, looking +like lace work. Digging about the ground Albert found a black and white +striped beetle. Its name is the Striped Beetle. The boys killed these in +the course of three days. They bought five cents' worth of white +hellebore, which is a powder, and sprinkled it on the ground in a circle +about the stems of the young plants. They made the circles some six +inches from the plant stalk. Doing this at night, the evening dews +prevented the scattering about of the powder. They put this on for +three nights. Afterwards sand was sprinkled lightly over the hills and +at the end of the runners. This makes a discouraging sort of prospect +for the beetle who is hunting for something good to eat, not sand to +walk over. If instead of sand they had used lime it would have been +better. For the lime is quite likely to form a sticky mass on the legs +of the insect pest. The moisture from dew or rainwater helps this along, +while sand is far more likely to drop off the victim's legs. The Chief +felt sure that besides the beetles there were slugs in the garden. Slugs +are very likely to bother. They appear early in the season, feed chiefly +at night and after rains, and lay eggs throughout the summer and autumn. +These eggs are laid in the ground and in rubbish heaps. + +The treatment suggested above and started just as soon as there are +signs of slugs, will work. The boys treated their melons in the same way +and had no further trouble with beetles and slugs. + +The tomato plants were started inside. They were transplanted into +strawberry baskets. These are excellent to use, 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 +box. Be sure to line the basket with paper before filling with earth. +When the plants began to straggle about and bend over stakes were driven +into the ground and the plants tied to these. + +Jay used hoops and made a sort of cage for the separate plants. He drove +four stakes into the ground at distances of eighteen inches from the +stalk and in a circular form. Then slipping hoops over the plant he +nailed these hoops to the stakes. Some plants had two hoops about them, +some three; it all depends on the size and needs of the plant. Only keep +this in mind; that the object in staking tomatoes is not only to keep +the plant erect, and the fruit off of the ground, but to allow plenty of +light and air to get at all parts of the plant. + +The bean culture resulted in a little private contest between Albert and +Jay. That winter The Chief had given the boys a talk on inoculation of +soil. One day while they were working on their land Jay suggested that +they separate the bean section of their garden, having a bean plot at +one end and another of the same size at the extreme other end; that one +of them should inoculate the soil of his plot and the other should not. +These plots being so far removed would not be in danger of soil washing +one from the other. Albert, who rather scorned inoculation of soil, +willingly agreed to make the experiment, stipulating that he have the +uninoculated plot. + +By inoculation of the soil is meant introducing into the soil a germ. +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 absorbed, and absorbed +in greater quantities than it otherwise could be. + +Jay sent to the nearest State Agricultural Experiment Station, asking +for the soil. This was sent free of charge. It was a soil, fine in +texture and brown in appearance. According to the directions sent with +it Jay spread it evenly over the top of his bean patch. A piece of land +for inoculation should be prepared all ready for planting; then the +inoculated soil is merely put over this, as frosting on a cake. After +this the seeds are planted. They planted bush limas. Of course they had +to plant the same kind of bean for the sake of the experiment. + +Beans are not hard to cultivate. They should be kept free from weeds and +the soil well stirred up. Albert, fearful of his beans becoming affected +by spots or anthracnose, sprayed them from the start. This disease is +likely to affect beans about July. So in order to get ahead of the +inoculated crop the boy did what he later found there was no need of. To +be sure beans are liable to this trouble, but it is not a surety. It is +never likely to appear unless the weather be very moist. This summer +happened to be a dry one. + +The spray he used was the Bordeaux mixture. His father offered to supply +him with the mixture if he would do mixing for both. So he used this +receipt: Dissolve six pounds of copper sulphate in six gallons of water. +It is an excellent plan to crush up this chemical in a mortar and put +this powder into a bag. Hang the bag up so it just touches the surface +of the water. Add twenty-five gallons of water to this. To four pounds +of slaked lime add twenty-five gallons of water. Then add this solution +to the other. + +The boy's father had a spraying machine. So Albert used this. I have +known boys to use a corn broom to spray with. Dip this in the spraying +mixture and shake over the foliage. The only spraying rule Albert used +was to keep the foliage covered with the mixture; this does not mean +many applications. + +At the close of the bean season Jay had the finer, larger, beans with a +better flavour. His yield was one-third greater than Albert's. + +"And think, too, how I worked," Albert moaned. "Hereafter I shall not +make fun of inoculation." + +There is not much more to tell of this garden. The poppies yielded well. +These were supported as they grew by stakes, as tomatoes are. Carrots +need rather mellow, upland soil. The boys found that their carrots did +not do so well as the other vegetables. The soil was a bit heavy and +moist for them. They found this out about beets: beets should not be +transplanted. Transplanting puts them back. Albert transplanted a few +and learned this fact. + + + + +XI + +GEORGE'S CABBAGE TROUBLES + + +George had a long task in stone picking. The old slope seemed to be full +of stone. George would pick continuously from school to supper time, and +next morning declare that new stones had grown in the night. + +The ditching was very little work. 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 ditch. These side ditches were directed +along the sides of the hill for about six feet, and the water thus +directed would conduct itself off. Of course the angle was such that +the ditch led away from the garden spot. + +[Illustration: + + SLOPE SLOPE + --------------------- + / DITCH \ + SIDE / -------------------- \ SIDE + SLOPE / / \ \ SLOPE + / / GARDEN \ \ + / / \ \ + +Picture this as the ditch George dug right above his garden. The water +passed through the side slopes away from the garden.] + +As the stones were picked off he piled them into the gutter, where this +stony bottom also helped the drainage problem. + +George was a master hand at ploughing, for he had always done his share +of it, so ploughing meant nothing to him. First, you will remember +George had one foot of dressing to put on the land. This he ploughed in; +and then reploughed. After this the slope was harrowed. You all know +that the harrow simply makes fine the soil after the plough has done its +work of throwing up the earth. The rake is a kind of harrow. Of course, +when the garden plot is large, the rake is impossible, and then the +harrow, really a big rake dragged by a horse, must do this work. + +It took the boy longer than some of the others to do his work, for +George did more work at home than the others. He was probably better +informed on farm matters, however. His father was a real farmer; the +other boys' fathers farmed, too, but not as a business. + +Anticipating the amount of time this preparatory work would take he had +not started his cabbage inside. To get an early crop of cabbage, seed +must be planted in January or February; then one may start in March. +But for the late crop plant in the open in May or June. This is just +what George did. + +He made furrows straight down his sunny southern slope. These furrows +were two feet apart. The seed, of Savoy cabbage, was sprinkled in the +furrows. This was done after rain. Cabbage needs much moisture for quick +germination. George might have poured water into the furrows and puddled +or stirred the earth a bit, if the garden had been small, but his was +too large for this, so he took advantage of Nature's watering. When the +plants were about two inches above ground they were thinned out to stand +two feet apart in the furrow. + +Cabbage, you know, is quite likely to become infested by pests. Perhaps +the most common of which are lice or aphis and the cabbage worm, a green +caterpillar. Therefore it is well to try a little prevention. So all +over the ground about the plants sprinkle unslaked lime. Tobacco dust or +soot may be used for this purpose, too. Good cultivation also helps +prevent these pests. + +One row of cabbage began to develop worms. These George picked off, but +he found that he could not keep up with them; so The Chief advised him +to buy a little pyrethrum powder at the store. This he mixed with five +times its bulk of dust. Putting the mixture into an old potato sack he +shook it over the infested heads of cabbage. + +Except for this drawback the cabbage did well. He lost the infested row +of cabbage. For he pulled them all up, spaded the ground over, and +sprinkled it with the poison mixture. All the other cabbage heads were +sprinkled with it, too. One may easily lose all his cabbage from these +worms. + +In the fall the cabbages were harvested. This was about the last of +October. George pulled them up by the roots. He found some of the heads +rather soft, some bursting open. As it does not pay to keep such cabbage +over, these were fed to the cattle--a gift, George called it, to pay for +the fertilizer. + +All the fine solid heads are worth storing. In order to get nice white +inner leaves, as the head begins to form break and bend over the outer +leaves and those that protect the inner ones. It is a sort of blanching +or bleaching process. Two hundred fine firm heads were the result of the +work of this boy. + +"What are you going to do with all these, I'd like to know?" asked Jack. + +"I expect to store a number of them--one hundred and fifty, I should +say. I'm going to give away fifty. In the winter I hope to sell about +one hundred of my stored ones." + +George's way of storing cabbages is a good one. A spot was ploughed in +the orchard between the rows of trees. Then the cabbages were piled in a +neat pile roots up, one cabbage fitting into the other. All about and +over this heap a layer of straw about four inches thick was placed. To +hold the pile in place stakes were driven in about its base. To hold the +straw, branches were placed over the whole and boards put on last. The +straw packing kept the cabbage from freezing. If George's father had had +a good tight shed the cabbage could have been stored on shelves in this. +The ordinary home cellar is no place for storage of cabbage. + +Later in the winter he sold one hundred heads of cabbage to the markets +in a near-by city. These he sold at two cents per head. They kept fifty +at home. + +The boys tried long and hard to find out where the other fifty went. But +George would not tell. There was an orphans' home some few miles from +the village. 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 home. +At that time George had nothing to give. No one knew how badly the boy +felt, so as his cabbages grew the lad made a pledge with himself to give +one quarter of his cabbage to this home. One evening in late October, +George had hitched up an old farm horse, loaded his cabbage in, and had +driven over to the home. + +The Chief learned of his kindness one December evening, when he visited +the matron to see about Christmas gifts for the children. She told him +that one evening in the fall a bashful lad had brought a load of cabbage +to her, but would not tell his name. As the man walked home he thought +of the really splendid ending of George's cabbage experiment. After all +a garden reaches its real work when some of its product is given to +those who are in need. + +"Now I see," said The Chief out loud, as he walked past George's house +on his homeward way, "why George made out of his garden so much less +than the others. I never could understand why he lost the prize. I am +glad there are boys who care less for money than for other things." + + + + +XII + +PETER, POTATOES, AND PROFIT + + +Peter had a mile to go to his garden, which was on his grandfather's +farm. This farm land, you will remember, was especially good. + +The ploughing, fertilizing and harrowing were done for Peter. The soil +was just the sort potatoes thrive on, a sandy loam. After the furrows +had been made about six inches deep and two feet apart, Peter put a +sprinkling of chemical fertilizer into the bottom of each furrow. This +was sprinkled on as one puts salt on potato before eating it. Over this +he placed some dirt so the fertilizer would not burn the potato. + +Early the morning of planting Peter cut his seed potatoes. The date was +the 1st of April, not a bit too soon to get in early potatoes. + +The seed potatoes chosen were fair, smooth specimens of good size. These +he cut so that only one eye was left to a piece of potato the size of a +hen's egg. These pieces were dropped into the furrows at distances of +fifteen inches apart and four inches deep. After covering, the man went +over the potato patch with a harrow. A boy might use a rake for this +work, but as Peter's patch was a small part of his grandfather's field +the harrowing of the whole was done by the man. + +When the little potato plants were well up Peter sprayed them with Paris +green. This was wise because he thus got ahead of the potato bug. Some +one may like to know how to mix up Paris green. The proportion used was +one tablespoonful to a pail of water. This was put on with a watering +pot every two weeks, thus Peter kept his potatoes quite free from bugs. + +Although the rest of the potato patch was cultivated by the horse, Peter +used the hoe. He could not plough, for Peter was a rather small boy for +his age and not very muscular. The secret of potato culture is to +cultivate well and keep the bugs down. + +He dug his potatoes about the middle of June. From the one quarter acre +his grandfather had lent him for his garden Peter dug seven bushels of +potatoes. At the time new potatoes were selling for $1.25 per bushel. +His father bought three bushels and the other four were sold in the city +to Philip's mother and friends. + +The constant working of the soil for potato culture gets it into a fine +mellow condition exactly right for celery. Peter's grandfather suggested +that the boy put this in, and so have another crop, a fall one. + +Although this soil had been well fertilized in the spring for the +potatoes this was yet not sufficient for celery culture. Celery ought to +be started either indoors in flats, or in a hothouse or seed bed late in +February--transplanted to other flats, and again finally to the open +ground. + +To prepare for the celery trenches were dug three feet apart and one +foot wide. The earth thrown out in trench digging was piled between the +ditches to be used later in banking up the celery. These trenches were +six inches deep. In the bottom of the trench was put some enriched +manure. This was of different materials. Peter used well-rotted barnyard +dressing, a little hen manure, and about the same quantity of chemical +fertilizer. Hen manure is rich, so he did not use the bulk of that. Over +this was put an inch of soil. + +Celery plants should be set about six inches apart in the trench. First +cut them back; that is, cut off about one quarter of the root and +one-third of the top. This cutting back increases the spread of +root-growth later and decreases the amount of respiration of water from +the leaves. The top alone grows more stocky and bulky. + +Firm the plants well. That is, press the soil firmly about the roots and +stalk. When the plant has received its growth it must be blanched. This +process not only whitens celery, but also takes the bitter taste out of +it. This may be done in various ways, but Peter used the earth process. +He tied the bunches up together with bits of raffia. This was done +merely to keep the earth from pressing in between the stalks. 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 above. Do not +do all this banking at once. Take several days at it. Boards may be +placed along the sides of the banked celery hills. + +Peter having heard of the self-blanching kinds told his grandfather that +he would plant this kind to obviate blanching. But there were two +drawbacks. In the first place, he had waited too late to start seed. And +secondly, these varieties, too, should be bleached to take out the +bitter taste. So Peter bought young celery plants from his grandfather. +He paid $1 for two hundred small plants. Later in November he sold these +to the same market where his potatoes had gone. Fifty bunches he sold +to his father. These were left protected in the ground for use when +needed. The rest he sold in the city. From his celery he made $1.80. In +all the lad made $9.55. This was a pretty good sum to make. So Peter's +saying of "potatoes and profit" actually worked out. + + + + +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 city. It was the day set apart for +helping Philip. + +The boy had cleared up the yard ready for work. You will remember shrubs +were to be planted, a walk and cement pond made, and a little gardening +done. The shrubs were planted as the school trees were. One must be +careful to dig the hole large enough to receive the roots of the shrub. +If old shrubs are transplanted be sure to cut out all the old wood, and +also cut the top back severely; that is, reduce it to one-third its +former size. + +It was great fun to make the little pond. Such a pond may be used for +fish or for water plants or for both. Do not make too large a one, +unless you have a very large yard. The smaller ones are easier to care +for, and more pleasing in appearance. + +First stake off the outside limits for the pond. Philip's was to be four +feet by two and one-half feet. Dig down three feet. Fill in the bottom +of the pond up to fifteen inches of the top with large stones. Then in +between and over these put small stones so that you have filled in about +six to eight inches of the cavity. Now it is time to mix cement. Mix +only a little at a time. Get a board about two feet square. With a +trowel put on the board one part of Portland cement to three parts of +sand. Have a watering pot full of water at hand. Add water enough each +time to the cement and sand to make a soft but not running mass. If it +be possible for you to have small stones to put in, it will improve the +mortar you are mixing. These stones should not be larger than one inch +in size. Add four parts of these to the mixture. + +Now over the bottom of the pond put on the paste about three inches +thick. Fill in with the trowel and smooth it off with the back of this +same tool. The sides are the next job. Put a board slantwise against the +bottom of the pond so there is a space between the board and the side +you are to plaster. Drop the mortar down into this space and press the +board against the sides. This firms the mortar. Keep up this work all +around the sides of the pond. + +Another way to do this work is to make a box that will fit approximately +into the pond, but that gives a space all around over three inches from +the sides. Then the mortar may be dropped in. After three days knock out +the box and you have the inside all right. If you wet the sides and +bottom of the box the mortar will cling to it less. + +If the mortar looks rather rough after you finish, mix cement with +water, take a whisk broom and with this brush the paste all over the +bottom and sides of the pond. All around the ground by the pond, mortar +for about six inches. This prevents the breaking in of the edges. + +Albert and George, who worked on this job, did the mortaring the first +way. The pond was left unfilled for a week to dry thoroughly. Then after +placing two inches of sand in the bottom it was filled with water. +Philip bought two pond lily roots. He tied stones with string on the +roots of the plants to keep them down: otherwise they would have bobbed +up and floated on the surface of the water. Some one gave him two water +hyacinths. + +In the middle of the yard a round bed was made. To do this take a cord +and tie a stake at either end. The cord should be whatever length you +have decided shall be the radius of the circle. The radius of a circle, +you remember, is the distance from the centre to the circumference. + +Now drive one of the stakes into the ground at the exact centre. Grasp +in your hand the other stake and swing a circle with it. The stake will +scratch a well-defined line so that you have the outline of the circle, +the boundary of the bed. + +Jay spaded down to about six inches all along the outlines of bed. After +that the bed itself was spaded. Philip insisted on outlining it with +brick which had been given him. Some children use whitewashed stones, +some use shells. Either plan gives a spotty effect. The idea fails of +being artistic. 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 effect. +Try to keep as near to Nature's own plan as you can. Shells belong on +the seashore or in a collection; keep stones for road making, wall +building, cement work and curbs; bricks are for foundations and +buildings. Rarely use things for what they were not intended. It is +better usually to border a bed with low-growing flowers. Ageratum, +candytuft and dwarf nasturtiums are good for the purpose. + +Along a walk to an old outhouse they planted asters on one side and four +o'clocks on the other. Asters, as all boys and girls know, are better if +started inside early. Then they may be transplanted to the outside. In +his way one gets a bit ahead of the season. + +But Philip was obliged to plant seed for both. So he planted it in a +drill as one plants lettuce. Later the little seedlings were thinned out +to stand six inches apart. This thinning was done when the plants were +four inches high. Four o'clocks need lots of room as they grow bushy. + +Plants in narrow strips are quite likely to drop over their limits. To +keep these in bounds Philip later built a fence. For this he used stakes +driven into the ground at intervals of every four feet. To these he +nailed strips of railing. Sometimes cords are used instead of railings. + +An old fence was all about the yard and an old unused outbuilding in the +rear. These were both unsightly in appearance, so they had to be hidden. +Vines were used for this purpose. + +About six inches from the fence a furrow was made four inches deep. +Climbing nasturtium seeds were dropped into this furrow at distances of +every four inches. The seeds had been soaked over night. This was +because the ground was very dry and the weather was now quite settled +and warm. If the ground is wet and the weather cold, never soak seed. It +just adds to the general soggy condition to do this. + +[Illustration: Photograph by Mary H. Northend. + +Philip's Backyard Made Beautiful by Annuals and Quick-growing Vines.] + +Morning-glory seeds were planted along the end of the fence by the +outbuilding and all around it. After these climbing things began to grow +the pretty effect of the vines was amazing. + +Many times one has to train vines so they will grow where one wishes. In +such cases drive small stakes into the ground back of where the vine is +planted. Tie a cord or string to the stake and carry this up to where +you wish the vine to go. The string may be attached in the best way, +according to the place. If it is to an old building, drive a nail into +the side, roof or peak of this. Some people make latticed trellises. +These may be made from laths. + +A neighbour gave Philip some canna bulbs which he planted in an old +sieve filled with rich dirt. Canna bulbs look much like sweet potatoes. +Usually a bit of stalk is left on the bulb. Leave this in planting above +ground for about one-half inch. Dig a hole large enough to place the +canna bulb and deep enough so the stalk comes above the ground. Place +one big, fat bulb, or two or three little chaps in one spot. Leave about +one foot between plantings. + +In the fall after frost cut off the stalks about two inches above the +ground, dig up the bulbs, shake all dirt off, and put into a box with a +little thoroughly dry dirt until spring. Leave this box where it is +dark and cool. + +It would have been far better had Philip planted the cannas either in +the round bed or against the fence as a screen. As a general rule the +planting in tubs, kettles, kegs and similar receptacles is not only +inartistic, but gives the plant very confined and cramped quarters. When +possible plant right out in the ground. Window boxes and roof gardening +in boxes is "another story." + +The cost of Philip's flower garden was 25 cents. He bought five-cent +packages of each of the flower seeds. The cannas cost nothing. The +shrubs were $1, the cement 70 cents, and the water-lily roots 50 cents. +So the total cost for changing an ugly yard to a mass of flowers was +$2.46. + +Philip's clearing up seemed to be catching for the girl across the +street started in with her work. For ten cents she bought a collection +of flower seed. These seed were planted in three-foot beds. The beds +were banked up or supported by strips of board. This same girl planted +flowers in two old kettles and set one upon an empty cask and the other +on an old drain tile. But she later decided very wisely that this was +not after all so very pretty. Kettles are better for potato boiling than +for flowers. + +But such a good time as she had all summer in her own green, pleasant +backyard! And so had Philip, too! "Just a few cents and some hard work +will change your backyard into something beautiful," Philip was heard to +say one day to a group of city boys. + + + + +XIV + +THE CORN CONTEST + + +Each boy was to take a certain number of hills of corn in his father's +corn patch. He was to select his seed corn after a few suggestions given +him by The Chief. These hills of selected corn were to be cared for by +the boy himself, but it was perfectly legitimate that the soil be +prepared for him, since most of the boys were to plant in their fathers' +cornfields. + +In the growing of corn the first matter for a boy or girl to consider is +the selection of the seed. Corn should be selected carefully by the +individual stalk; that is, choose ears from stalks bearing an ear or +ears at, or a little below, the middle of the stalk. + +The stalk itself should be thick and free from suckers or any evidence +of disease. The ear should be cylindrical. The kernels should be deep +setting, uniform and compact. Then the cob should not be too large. Look +at some samples. See how some ears have too large a cob, others too +small, while still others show a right amount of cob. + +The butt and tip of the ear should be well filled out. Look for a +perfect ear. The kernels are uniform in size, in even rows, with only a +slight space between rows. See the tip and butt. Very little space is +lost at the butt. You have seen ears where the butt was all space. + +There is still another sort of corn. It might be called mongrel. Any one +can raise such corn. Good care shows in corn as good breeding does in +boys and girls. + +One more point the boys were told to consider in selecting seed ears, +that was the relation of the circumference of the ear to its length. An +ear should have a fairly large circumference at the base and taper +toward the tip. To estimate relation of circumference to length, which +should be as three is to four, measure the ear one-third the distance +from butt to tip. So if the ear is eight inches long the circumference +should be about six inches. + +All the boys but Jack and Myron tested their seed corn to be sure of its +vitality. Peter went a little further than the other boys. He not only +tested for general vitality, but he tested for vitality among the ears +he had selected as good seed ears. This he did in the following manner: +He chose twenty-five ears, and used four kernels from each ear. First a +soup plate was filled with sand. This was moistened by dropping a little +water on the sand. Sand must not be too wet for this work. He +partitioned off the sand-bed into rows with cardboard between them. On +the cardboards was marked over each row of four kernels the number of +the ear from which they came. The sand was moistened each day. Peter +worked out from this the best ears for quick germination. + +The next point to be considered in corn culture is that of the soil. +Soil for corn should be mellow and fine. If it has vegetable matter or +humus in it, then its value as a corn-growing soil is increased. +Fertilize well and plough, or if the plot is small, spade. You ought to +have surely eight inches of good, mellow soil. In planting corn place +five kernels in a hill. You will remember that a hill means a place. For +corn which grows high make the hills four feet apart; while for the low +growing varieties place three feet apart. Cover the early varieties with +one inch of soil; the later varieties with one-half inch. + +As the corn shoots begin to appear every boy should appear with his hoe +or cultivator, for one secret of good gardening is constant cultivation +or stirring of the soil. Water, as you know, rises in the ground and +coming to the surface evaporates. Now the point is to keep the moisture +in the ground for the plant's food supply. So if one keeps stirring the +soil he makes a layer of earth which stops the water as it rises. We +call this a mulch. + +When the shoots are six inches high choose the three finest little corn +seedlings in the group of five. Pull the others out. The reason for +putting in five kernels in the first place, instead of three, is that +some may not come up. And, too, some that do come up may be poor and +sickly. + +Myron did a very stupid thing. At least he called it stupid. Some one +sent him a packet of seed popcorn. Myron thought it would be pretty +interesting to raise some and supply the club with popcorn at its +meetings all the next winter. Now Myron did not know that from the corn +tassels the pollen when ripe or dry blows all over the corn field. This +pollen falls on the silk of corn plants anywhere in the field. The +pollen fertilizes the plant and the ear of corn sets and grows. Because +the pollen being light is blown to such distances and because different +kinds of corn can interpollinate, is reason enough for not planting +different varieties of corn in one patch. + +Myron's popcorn and sweet corn fertilized each other and he got a corn +which was a cross between the sweet corn and popcorn. He learned a +lesson of pollination, but at the expense of the corn crop. + +One may plant early and late corn in the same patch but otherwise he +should stick to one kind of corn. + +The boys in the fall were to submit twelve of the finest ears they had +raised. These were to be scored or sized up as follows: + + ---------------------------------------------------------- + | NAME OF CONTESTANT | VARIETY OF | DATES OF PLANTING | + | | CORN | | + | .................. | ..............| ................. | + |------------------------------------|-------------------| + | (1) Ear: | | | + | A. Trueness to type | 10 | | + | B. Shape | 10 | 20 | + |------------------------------------|---------|---------| + | (2) Filling of: | | | + | A. Tip | 10 | | + | B. Butt | 10 | 20 | + |------------------------------------|---------|---------| + | (3) Kernels: | | | + | A. Shape | 6 | | + | B. Arrangement of cob | 12 | | + | C. Depth | 6 | | + | D. Colour | 6 | 30 | + |------------------------------------|---------|---------| + | (4) Measurements of ear: | | | + | A. Length | 10 | | + | B. Circumference | 10 | 20 | + |------------------------------------|---------|---------| + | (5) Proportion of Corn to Cob: | 10 | 10 | + |------------------------------------|---------|---------| + | Total 100 | + |--------------------------------------------------------| + +This score card needs a little explanation. Take up (1) Ear, first. All +the twelve ears presented ought to be much alike; that is, like the type +or parent ear you are striving to produce again. So if, out of twelve +specimens, six were fine ears and the other six were rather poor, then +surely ten credits or points could not be given. The shape of an ear +should in general be tapering, well rounded a little below the centre, +and tapering not too abruptly toward the tip. + +The second point is the Filling of the Tip and Butt. The tip should be +filled with even, regularly arranged kernels. It should not be too +pointed nor too blunt. The butts should be covered over with kernels +except where a deep, clean-cut depression is left. Here, as in the tips, +the shape has to be considered, for flattened and blunted butts are bad +form. + +As to Kernels, they should be uniform and well-shaped, not only on the +single cob, but in all the specimens. The furrows must be uniform, +regular, and with only a slight space between. To determine depth cut a +square inch right out of an ear. All kernels should be of one colour. If +a red kernel is in with the white then there has been an intermixing. +All kernels on all ears ought to have the colour of those of the type +form. + +Not only should there be a proper proportion between Length of Ear and +Circumference, but an ear may be too long. The usual length of ears is +from eight to twelve inches, according to variety. + +We have spoken of cob-relation before. This cannot be determined +accurately by your eye but must be done by weight; so shell the corn, +weighing the ear first. Now weigh the cob. The difference is weight of +corn. Divide the weight of the corn by the weight of the ear. This gives +per cent. of corn. For the exhibit the boys afterward used half their +samples submitted and reckoned per cent. on this. The proper percentage +of corn to cob should be 86 or 87 per cent. You can easily find out if +you come up to standard. + +Myron brought in some corn merely to show his mistake but of course did +not submit any. + +Jack, you will remember, did not test his corn and results showed this. +Out of his twelve samples there were two good ears. The others showed +many changes. The poorly filled tips, irregular rows, and wide space +between rows--all these scored against Jack. George's corn was thrown +out because black kernels were found here and there in with the others. + +Albert's and Jay's Peep-o-day came out in fine shape. But Peter's +Country Gentleman after all had the record. Philip dropped out of the +race because he went on a summer vacation. So for a slight amount Peter +took over Philip's corn hills. + +That fall the boys made very careful selection of seed corn. + +"After all," Myron said one night at club meeting, "although Peter's +corn was the only really fine specimen, I think some of the rest of us +got fully as much out of the corn contest." + +"So do I," added Jack; "and I, for one, shall test corn after this." + +"I think our corn was pretty good," Albert went on in a half-injured +way; "but we are going to beat that record next year. We shall rotate +our crop, planting our corn where the beans were this season. That's a +thing fellows ought to know; that it's a mighty good thing to rotate +crops." + +"What's that?" asked Philip. + +"Rotating crops means not always planting the same crop on the same +piece of land, but changing every two or three years. It happens that +beans are very good to plant before corn. They do not take from the +soil, The Chief says, what the corn needs. So a piece of soil planted to +beans gets in shape for corn planting another year. It would not be well +to plant corn on a certain piece of land more than two successive +years. Then something else should be planted on this land and the corn +put somewhere else." + +"Good!" said The Chief. "Some day we shall discuss rotation of crops +more fully. There are no end of topics for us to work over this next +winter." + + + + +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 garden. Katharine, who had quite +a lovely yard, was to give the space for the general garden. This was +largely because Katharine's home was on the river road, a bit out of the +village and near none of the boys' places, for the girls wished to keep +the knowledge of their work from the boys as long as possible. Helena +lived next house to George and the land she might have used for this big +garden would have bordered George's corn patch. So that, of course, +would never do. + +The garden while formal was ornamental. The girls were all to work on +the staking out and preparation. But each girl was then to take a +section of it and plant and care for that. + +Katharine was to take the centre portion of grass and cannas. Now a +grass plot is very pleasing in a garden. It is restful to the eye and is +much more harmonious with the other colours in a garden than a mass of +brilliant blossoms. Cannas have some height, a delicate splash of colour +in the blossom and so work in well. It is always well to put some +tall-growing plant in the centre. The effect is that of working up to a +climax. One should not immediately jump from very low flowers in the +beds to a few tall ones in the centre. This is ludicrous. Make the +gradation gradual from low to high. + +This garden of the girls may seem almost to violate this principle. Not +so, for the nasturtiums merely acted as a border. Then all around the +garden were the zinnias, poppies and marigolds a step up to the cannas. +One may buy tall or rather low growing cannas. These latter grow about +four feet high. They chose these low ones with yellow and orange in the +blossom to harmonize with the yellow and orange of the nasturtiums. + +Note the proportional amount of grass space in the girls' garden. +Observe too that it is the centre of interest. + +The nasturtium border was Elizabeth's. Zinnias were chosen by Helena, +and Katharine was to help in this work. Eloise loving the mignonette had +asked for it, poppies were Josephine's and marigold was for Dee. Ethel +wanted the border of sweet alyssum although it represented a long strip +to work. + +[Illustration Diagram: Scale 1/8 in.-1 ft. + +Note the proportional amount of grass space in the girls' garden. +Observe, too, that it is the centre of interest.] + +If you think over this garden with its brilliant poppy colour, the +heavy yellow of the marigold, the lighter colour effect of yellow in the +nasturtium, the dark red zinnia--quite a splash of colour, was it not? +In order to have great masses of brilliant colour in the same garden one +must break them in some way. There are two possibilities that are good: +first, paths between beds, and second, borders of white or +inconspicuously coloured plants. Sweet alyssum is good for this purpose +and so too is mignonette. Mignonette has such a small and modest little +flower that one thinks always of mignonette in terms of green. The +mignonette was massed at the entrance of the garden for pleasing and +subdued effect. + +In staking out a garden it is well first to put heavy stakes, like the +ones the boys made, in each of the four corners of the entire plot and +put a string around. This strings off the outline of the entire garden. +Sight along the lines as Jay and Albert did to be sure the lines are +straight. In sloping land true up with great care. On a level bit of +land sighting is easy. + +Next if there is a main path string that off using twine, stakes and +always sighting. If the garden is a large one of many small plots the +next thing to do is to string lengthwise the entire garden, measuring +off plots and paths. Then widthwise measure off paths. The side paths +give you the width-boundary of the plots. But the paths have cords +through portions of them. So put stakes in the corners of the plots. Cut +the cord in the centres of cross paths and tie to stakes. If carefully +done each plot is marked off shipshape. + +In general make the main paths four feet wide, plot paths or side paths +eighteen inches. Plots with widths about one-third of the lengths are +right. This did not hold true for this garden since the beds were long +narrow strips. In such cases the width should be a comfortable one to +lean over and work across. + +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 garden. Then next string +off main paths and intermediate ones. It is very easy then to string off +the beds, for the path boundaries have done most of the work for you. + +The girls planted all their seeds except poppy and grass seed in drills +just as one plants lettuce and radish. 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 weeds. They decided later that it +would have been easier if the poppy had come up in drills. For it came +up in little tufts here and there. And, sad to say, the poppy does not +stand transplanting. + +In making drills take two stakes and a string. To either end of the +string tie a stake. The length of the string after tying should be the +length of the drill one wishes to make. This will be usually either the +length or width of the bed. This, then, is your line for the drill +making. + +Another thing the girls did which makes garden measurements easy is the +following: mark off on the rake or hoe handle three feet. One of these +feet measure off into inches. This saves carrying a measuring rod into +the garden. The marking should be done on the edge of the handle and not +on either the under or upper surface of it. If garden stakes are made +one foot in length they can be used in measuring. + +Nasturtium culture needs some explanation. Nasturtiums are the most +accommodating of flowers. They will live on almost any soil. The seeds +are large and so are very easy for little girls to handle. They may be +placed two seeds together six inches apart in the furrow. If the soil is +very dry and the weather very warm, soak the seeds over night. Plant +the seeds about one inch deep, cover over the soil and firm it well. It +is easy enough to keep the nasturtium bed weeded for the seedlings are +large and not to be mistaken. Keep the flowers well picked all summer +and you will have numberless blooms. + +Sweet alyssum is a charming border plant. This, too, grows in almost any +soil. It is well to sow the seed in a box indoors. Transplant when the +little seedlings are two inches high. But alyssum may be sown right +outdoors in the garden plot. Sprinkle the seeds along in the drill. +After the seedlings come up and are about an inch high thin out until +the seedlings stand six to twelve inches apart. + +Marigolds are very gay sort of flowers. Many do not like them on account +of their disagreeable odour. But a strong point about these flowers is +this: they bloom and bloom, and then they bloom again. There are three +kinds of marigolds one might plant. These are the African, French and +dwarf. They differ in height and also bushiness. The African varieties +must be thinned out to stand fifteen inches apart, the French ten inches +and the dwarf six inches. These seeds are dry, dead looking chaps, but +are not so small that they cannot be handled separately and placed +carefully in the drill. Plant them nearer together than they are to +stand later. For instance, put the African five inches apart, the French +five inches, too, and the dwarf three inches. Then you have extras, so +if some do not come up your garden is not crippled. + +Mignonette, again, is accommodating and will grow in almost any kind of +soil. These seeds are small and may be sprinkled along in the drill. +Later thin out so the plants stand from six to twelve inches apart. In +choosing mignonette seed remember that there is a great difference in +mignonette. Some is very sweet, some is not: some have large sturdy +spikes, while others have rather small spikes. It pays to buy good seed. + +Poppy is a trifle more particular about the soil it grows in. It +requires a rather rich, sandy loam. Again remember that poppies never +stand transplanting. Poppy may be planted broadcast or in drills. The +tall growing varieties should finally stand eighteen inches apart and +the smaller ones nine inches. In order that poppies may blossom freely +you should never let a seed capsule form. For you see that if one wishes +bloom, one must not let the strength of a plant go to any other work +except blossom making. + +Zinnias are satisfactory just as marigolds are. To be sure they are not +a very graceful flower. But what of that? We need all kinds of flowers. +When you buy the little packets of seed you usually get a mixture of +colour. + +In order to have just the colour one wishes, seed must be bought from +the seedsman by the ounce. The girls wanted dark red zinnia. One ounce +planted this space. It is not as expensive to buy seed this way. A +number of people may club together for seed. + +Helena's method of planting zinnia was to sow the seeds in a drill. +Later she thinned her seedlings so that they stood eight inches apart in +the row. + +Cornflowers or bachelor's buttons are lovely too. They are far lovelier +if bought by bulk so one may have the one colour, that lovely blue. +These seeds may be planted in drills two seeds every six inches apart. +Later thin to twelve inches apart. + +Most people start cannas from the bulb. When one does this, plant a good +sized bulb and leave about an inch of stalk above ground. If the bulbs +are smaller use two to a hole or planting. If cannas are started from +seed follow this direction: File holes in the canna seed. The reason for +this is that the outer crust is tough and filing helps the young plant +to get out. These seeds should be soaked in warm water for a day. Plant +in pots. When the plants are six to eight inches tall transplant to the +garden. Cannas should stand two to six feet apart. It depends on +variety, whether tall or dwarfed, how far apart to place them. + +When the flower garden was first started the question arose: "Shall we +plant annuals, biennials or perennials." + +"For my part," said Josephine, "I don't know at all what these words +mean." + +Katharine got a dictionary and soon she and Eloise had these botanical +terms worked out as follows: + +A perennial is a plant which lives year after year in the soil. It +usually blossoms its second season. Trees and shrubs are hardy +perennials. + +A biennial is sown one year, blossoms the next and then dies. Biennials +should be covered lightly with straw or leaves through the winter. + +An annual blossoms and dies its first season. But some annuals sow +themselves and so come up again the next season. + +The girls worked out a table of planting by months which Ethel called +the plant time-table. + +Besides the garden which the girls all had together each one did +something to improve things at home. + + 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 | + |Cal. 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 backyard. The directions +that follow will help other girls and boys in setting up theirs. +Sun-time and clock-time are not quite the same. There are four days in +the year when, if you work out the sun-shadow time, your dial will be +almost accurate. This is because on these days the sun-time and the +clock-time practically coincide. These dates are April 15th, June 15th, +September 1st, and December 24th. + +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 platform. + +Set the dial out in direct sunlight. The shadow cast must fall right on +the straight line which you previously drew. When the shadow and the +line coincide, mark the extreme end of the line XII. This stands for +twelve o'clock. Now screw the sundial in this position to the column you +have made for it to rest upon. At one o'clock mark where the shadow +points, and keep on with this for every hour. + +You remember the gnomon angle was the number of degrees corresponding to +the degrees in latitude of your special place. Poughkeepsie boys and +girls will be interested to know that if a sundial be brought to them +from Rome, it will be right for them. And if New York City boys and +girls could get one from Florence, they would find it accurate for their +own use. These girls lived near Poughkeepsie. + +Elizabeth planted a border of nasturtium, sunflower and zinnia along her +sidewalk. It cost eight cents for seed to plant these two by ten feet +strips. + +Helena made a bed of different kinds of flowers right back of her +father's field. The garden was thirteen and one-half feet square. The +edges her father helped her sod, this making a terrace effect. Nine +little flower beds were marked off with paths between. In the beds were +asters, celosia, balsam, nasturtiums, marigold, zinnia, carnation, +schizanthus, sweet peas, dahlias, gladiolus, candytuft, lilies, +scabiosa, stocks, salvia, snapdragon, phlox, mignonette, four o'clocks +and petunias. Helena's mother worked with her in the garden as did one +of the boys across the street. He was not a club member but was hoping +to be one the next year. And so Leston worked with Helena all summer +long. He finally won his place in The Chief's club. + +Eloise decided she would have a window garden and so before all the +front windows of the inn, window boxes were placed. + +Most of the trouble with the window box is a lack of drainage space. +Estimate off the bottom of the box something like this: To every foot +bore six holes. This is none too much. The great trouble usually is lack +of drainage, or lack of air, or sour soil. Over each drainage hole put a +bit of broken pot. Then it is well to put a half-inch of drainage +material in the box. Stone, broken pot, sphagnum moss, or hay will do +for this. The soil should be good, rich, garden soil. With this one +might mix in some sand to help drainage. Window boxes should be watered +with care; they should not be flooded. + +Eloise had very effective boxes. Vincas trailed over the edges; dwarf +cannas were in the back of each box; and red and white geraniums were a +glory all summer long. + +Josephine's gardening was a little difficult. She had no space at all. +The backyard at her house was seeded down and her mother did not wish it +spaded up. She had no front yard. Josephine thought and thought for some +time, then decided she would just simply have to make a way to have a +garden. + +So one day she went to the grocery store and bought a soap box for ten +cents. This she filled with soil from Eloise's garden. Then she bought a +five-cent package of parsley seed. These seeds were soaked over night in +warm water, for parsley seeds are slow to germinate. + +Then the seeds were planted in neat little rows in her box garden. This +garden was most convenient. It stood out near the house in the backyard +all summer. It went to the exhibit in the fall. It stayed on the piazza +until frost and then went into the kitchen for the winter. Josephine had +parsley enough for her mother's table all the year around. + + + + +XVI + +MORE ABOUT THE GIRLS' WORK. + + +In late September the girls began agitating the matter of bulb planting +for the school grounds and their homes. The boys were rather scornful of +it. + +"I believe in gardens," said Albert with great finality, "but bulb work +seems to me like fancy work. And then too, bulbs are pretty expensive." + +"Very well," answered Dee, "we girls are quite able, as you boys know, +to work alone. But spading is pretty hard, and I should think some of +you would be glad to help." + +"I'll help any time," Myron volunteered, "and I promise to bring two of +these other chaps whenever you say." + +"Thank you, Myron. We'll not bother you boys further now." Off the girls +ran to Katharine's home to study bulb catalogues. Katharine's father +gave five dollars for bulbs for the school grounds. This he stipulated +was for outdoor planting. Elizabeth and Ethel were going to plant +outdoors at home. The other girls had each some money for indoor work. + +You may all like to know what the girls found out from their search in +bulb catalogues. In the first place very good and perfectly reliable +information is obtained from the catalogue of any reputable seed house. +The girls found out that certain bulbs are better adapted to outside +planting, while others do equally well indoors or out. Take tulips +first; these are suited to the outdoor conditions. To be sure the +florist, whose business it is to raise them inside does so with great +success. But boys and girls are more likely to have trouble with inside +planting of tulips than of other bulbs. Oftentimes lice cover them when +the bulb is first brought up from the cellar. Then when treated with +kerosene emulsion or some other insecticide the bud becomes blasted, for +the blossom is close under the folded outer leaves, so is in a very +precarious position. Then, too, tulip bulbs rot easily and the buds +blast easily. So it is wise not to run so many risks but try the kinds +of bulbs which are less prone to trouble. The easiest and safest bulbs +for children to work with are narcissus (including daffodils, jonquils, +Chinese lily bulbs and paper narcissus), and hyacinth. + +Hyacinth has one bad habit when planted indoors. This is the tendency +to unfold its blossom too soon. So the beautiful hyacinth blossom +appears dwarfed and stunted close down near the ground. 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 apart. +This gives the blossom a chance to shoot up. Tip the pot over and see if +the roots are visible through the drainage hole. + +The time to buy bulbs is in late August or early September. After this +bulbs through shrinkage depreciate in value; by which value is meant not +one in price but in soundness and ability to produce blossoms. Do not +buy cheap or cut-rate bulbs. Buy good, big, sound ones. + +The Roman hyacinths are excellent for forcing. They are small flowered, +quite different from the large sturdy Dutch hyacinths more commonly +planted. In choosing hyacinths you have to decide upon the colour and +whether you wish double or single varieties. In general most people +enjoy single flowers better. 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 bedded. La Grandesse is a beautiful white; King of the Blues +speaks for itself and the Sarah Bernhardt is a salmon pink. These do +well inside, too. Charles Dickens is a fine rose colour, Prince of +Wales, violet, and L'Innocence, a fine white. These are good for inside +planting. Some may like the smaller Roman hyacinths, which do splendidly +indoors. Very good hyacinths are bought for fifteen cents. + +Tulips do especially well outdoors. A capital one for either bedding or +indoor forcing is the Isabelle. It is a beautiful red tulip which is +bought for five cents. The Summer Beauty, a hardy white tulip, is well +worth the ten cents asked for each one. Some of you may like to raise +some freaks; then try parrot tulips at about thirty-five cents a dozen. +A thing to remember about the indoor planting of tulips is this--tulips, +more than other bulbs, are likely to have plant lice, so watch out! + +In daffodils you may be sure of the Van Sion. These are worth forty +cents a dozen. You can buy daffodils for twenty. + +If you wish to lay in a stock of bulbs for water planting choose, of +course, Chinese lilies, but try, too, the paper white narcissus. These +bulbs cost forty cents a dozen. Buy from the five-and-ten-cent store a +glass dish, and gather stones for it. About three weeks before you wish +blossoms plant a dozen of these narcissi in the glass dish with the +stones as a foundation, and water enough to come up around the base of +the bulbs. It is a good plan to set the dish of bulbs in the dark for +four or five days. + +You can grow hyacinths in water too. For this a special glass is sold, +although I have seen children place a bulb in the top of a preserve jar. +It works all right. Bulbs must never drop low into water or they decay. +These, too, should be placed in the dark for about a week. + +Suppose you have a quarter to spend. You can make all kinds of +interesting combinations. Three daffodils for ten cents, a hyacinth for +ten, and a tulip for five, give you a chance to experiment. + +A word more about narcissus. This is a large family, One gets confused +sometimes with the names daffodil, jonquil and paper white narcissus. +All these are of the family narcissus. The daffodils are the bulbs with +large single or double cups. The jonquil has a cluster of small blossoms +of from three to six single flowers. The paper white narcissus has four +to twelve single blossoms to the flower head. + +Ethel and Dee had good lawns at home which their mothers were not +willing to have spaded up, but they gave consent to the girls putting +crocus bulbs here and there over the lawns. These bulbs should be +planted about an inch deep and three inches apart in the group. These +were dotted about in clusters of six. The dibble is a good instrument to +use in dotting bulbs around the turf. Crocuses are good for indoor +planting as well. They may be planted in flats or in indoor boxes. +Remember crocuses are of practically no use for cut-flower purposes. + +The school tulip bed was made just as Philip's round bed was made. The +time to plant depends on the weather. It is always well to get all +outdoor planting done before the time of frost. Why? Because you wish to +get the bulbs in while the earth is still warm. Bulbs lie in the ground +all winter slowly putting out roots, slowly starting to push up toward +the light above. For good root forming they need this long time of slow +growth. Get the outdoor bulbs in the ground during September. + +Before this the ground may be prepared. In all the beds dig down about +two feet. Work over the soil well. Make it fine and free from lumps and +stones. Ordinary garden soil will be right for these beds. Put no +fertilizer in. If your ground is clayey, mix sand with it. Use +one-quarter sand in a mixture of this sort. This makes a lighter soil. +Clay soil is what we call a heavy soil. Bulbs require light soils. + +Now comes planting. Different kinds of bulbs require different depths +of soil. Place the tulip bulbs four inches deep, and six inches apart. + +Hyacinths were planted by Elizabeth in a strip beside the house. Jack +also planted daffodils in a corner sheltered by the house foundation and +an old high fence. The daffodils were planted exactly as the tulips, but +the hyacinths were planted six inches deep, instead of four. + +In buying bulbs for outdoor planting ask for bedding bulbs, while for +indoor work buy forcing varieties. + +One bright day in October the girls met at Katharine's house to pot +their bulbs for winter. Some had made wooden boxes or flats during the +winter; others had bought low pots; while still others had the ordinary +high pot. + +In potting bulbs or any other plant two things are to be kept in +mind--first, the soil, and second, the drainage. The soil may be any +good garden soil. To a given quantity one may add one-fourth rotted +manure and one-fourth sand. This last helps lighten the material, +allowing more air to get at the entire mass and making good drainage +easier. Mix all this together. If one lacks the well-rotted manure and +sand, any good garden soil may be used. Sift the soil until it is +perfectly fine. + +A simple sieve, which works well, may be made from a small soap or +starch box. Knock the bottom out and use in place of this wire netting. +Helena and Eloise made two sieves which did for all the girls. Eloise +also made some very good flats as described before under the chapter on +the girls' winter work. You can easily see how excellent this style of +flat is from a drainage point of view. + +More trouble, in potted bulbs and all kinds of plants, comes from too +little drainage space than from any other one thing. Most boys and girls +think it enough if one little stone or piece of pot is put in the hole +of the flower pot. Not so; there should be from one to two inches of +drainage material in the pot. That seems a great deal, doesn't it? But +it will give not only drainage but air space, too, and this keeps the +plant in good healthy shape. With too little drainage area the earth in +a pot gets clogged and very often sour. A high pot needs more drainage +matter in it than a low one. First use a piece of broken pot to place +over the drainage hole. But put this in such a position that the +drainage hole will be kept open. Then put in two inches of coarse +material like broken pot. It is now a good plan to place over this a +layer of coarse material. This gives a greater opportunity for air. Over +this goes the soil you have already prepared. Place bulbs just below +the surface and have soil one inch below the top of pot. Narcissus and +hyacinths may be planted with their tops out of the soil. + +A low pot needs less drainage material. Some pots have sphagnum moss +over the drainage. Instead of this use old sod finely torn up or coarse +soil. See, too, that the bulb comes nearly to the top of the soil. 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 out. It takes +too long. + +After the girls had finished potting the next step was to make +arrangements for the resting time. Bulbs should stay in the dark and +cold from five to ten weeks. It is difficult to give an exact time as +conditions differ and bulbs too. + +Bulbs may take their retirement in a dark cold cellar where there is no +danger from mice. Some attics are suited for this. Eloise put hers in an +old bureau. This bureau was in an unused, cold room. The bulbs were +placed in the drawers which were then closed, but not tightly. Ethel, +Dee and Josephine put theirs in the cellar. Helena, Elizabeth and +Katharine tried another plan. They had a trench dug outdoors two feet +deep and eighteen inches wide. In this they placed their pots and +flats. Then the trench was filled in with dirt and over this a layer of +ashes was put. The pots were given a good watering before they were sunk +into the ground. Unless the winter is a very dry and open one the bulbs +will need no more water. If there should be little snow-fall then it may +be necessary to water the ground where the bulbs are, but this is not +usual. Little sticks were put into the ground just where the bulbs were. +These help in locating them when digging-up time comes. The girls left +them in the ground for six weeks. Then they were taken in and put in a +cold north window for a week. Helena put hers in the dark a week and +then brought them to a north window for another week. Then she put them +in a south window. + +Bulbs should go very slowly from dark and cold to warmth and light. This +is a point to be remembered. + +The girls who stored their pots in attic and cellar of course had to +water them. This should be done as often as the plant needs it, perhaps +three times a week. + +[Illustration: + THE BULB STORY + + 1. Ample Drainage + 2. Depth of Planting + 3. Perfect Root Development + 4. Ready to Come to the Light + +Photographs by H.E. Angell and Henry Schultz.] + +When the plant is about an inch above the ground, as one of the pictures +shows, it is the time to bring it to the light. Be sure the outer leaves +have spread apart in the ease of hyacinths and tulips; also invert the +pot and see if the roots are poking through; this is another way to be +sure that the bulb is ready to come to the light. + +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 light. Make the cone of paper and have one +opening at the top two inches in diameter. The flower stem and leaves of +the bulb will quickly start to grow up to the light. Take this cone off +when the leaves are several inches high. + +The girls did some water-planting, too. For this purpose hyacinths, +Chinese lilies, paper narcissus and jonquils are good. Some people put +these dishes and glasses immediately in the light. But it is better if +they are set away in the dark until the shoots start and the roots, too, +begin development. The girls bought glass dishes at the +five-and-ten-cent store. Into these dishes were put small stones which +they had gathered in the fall for this purpose. Stones should be small +for this work, from one-half inch to an inch in diameter. Josephine had +a lot of fine white sand which she packed in all about the stones. The +sand was kept thoroughly wet all the time. This is a good method of +treatment. Paper white narcissus, if planted early, will blossom by +Thanksgiving. They may be held back until Christmas. These blossoms are +sweet smelling and very graceful in appearance. Eloise tried the same +method with jonquils with excellent results. + +In February they had a bulb exhibit and their display was really fine. +In the spring they all felt that the outdoor work, too, had paid. The +beds were uncovered as early as possible. The outdoor bulb will stand +considerable cold, even after it is well up. Cut worms may trouble the +hyacinths; if so try the paper collar treatment. + +Finally remember then three things about bulbs: good bulbs, good +drainage, plenty of time in the dark. + +After bulbs are through blooming let the blossom dry thoroughly and the +leaves get yellow and dry. One need not keep these homely looking plants +in the living room in plain sight. Put them away down cellar to finish +drying out. Then cut the leaves and blossoms off to one inch of the bulb +itself. Take bulb out of pot, shake all dirt off, and dry thoroughly. +These may be put into paper bags and hung up in a dry place or just +packed in a pasteboard box. These indoor bulbs may be planted outdoors +in the fall. They will do better for the change. Indoor bulb culture +means forcing, a hard strain and demand on a bulb. Outdoor planting +gives a long winter's rest, not entire rest, to be sure, but the growth +during the winter is slow. + + + + LIST OF BULBS BY COLOURS + + + WHITE FLOWERS + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + NAME |DEPTH |OUTDOOR|INDOOR |HEIGHT |SPECIAL POINTS + | TO | | | | + |PLANT |BLOOM |BLOOM | | + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + Snowdrop 2 in. March Christmas 3-4 in. Earliest of spring + flowers. Likes + cool and shady + spots + Crocus 2 in. " " 3-5 in. Buy _Crocus_ + _biflorus_. + var. _argenteus_ + White 3-4 in. April January 10 in. Increases very + crowned rapidly + daffodils + + Poet's 3-4 in. May " 12 in. Excellent for + narcissus outdoor work + + Grape 3 in. March " 4-6 in. Plant in shady + hyacinth places in the lawn + + Bell- 3 in. May Christmas 12 in. Poet's narcissus + flowered and this scilla + scilla planted together + bloom at same time + + Star of 3 in. " 12 in. Most satisfactory + Bethlehem for bloom + + Tulips 4 in. April January 6-12 in. Try Duc Van Thol + and d'Immaculée + + Hyacinths 5 in. " " 6-12 in. Plant Baroness Van + Thuyl, very large + and very early + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + YELLOW FLOWERS + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + NAME |DEPTH |OUTDOOR|INDOOR |HEIGHT |SPECIAL POINTS + | TO | | | | + |PLANT |BLOOM |BLOOM | | + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + Crocus 2-3 in. March Christmas 3-5 in. Plant Cloth of + Gold + Trumpet + daffodils 4 in. April January 15 in. Van Sion is especially + satisfactory. Flowers + double + Jonquil 4 in. " " 12 in. Flowers sweetly + fragrant + Daffodil 3 in. " " 4 in. Variety _Narcissus_ + _Bulbocodium_ + Tulips 4 in. " " 12 in. Due Van Thol, + yellow + Hyacinths 5 in. " " 12 in. Choose from those + called bedding + varieties + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + + BLUE FLOWERS + + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + NAME |DEPTH |OUTDOOR|INDOOR |HEIGHT |SPECIAL POINTS + | TO | | | | + |PLANT |BLOOM |BLOOM | | + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + Common + crocus 2-3 in. March Christmas 5 in. Good for lawn + effects + Grape + Hyacinths 2-3 in. April January 15 in. Good for pot culture + + + Iris 4 in. May " 12-24 Plant in groups + (Spanish) in. for garden effect + + Iris 3 in. June " 12-24 If planted outdoors in + (English) in. September, cover well + with leaves + Bulb- 2-3 in. May " 12 in. Satisfactory for + flowered bloom + scilla + + Hyacinths 5 in. " " 12 in. King of the Blues + + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + + + RED FLOWERS + + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + NAME |DEPTH |OUTDOOR|INDOOR |HEIGHT |SPECIAL POINTS + | TO | | | | + |PLANT |BLOOM |BLOOM | | + ---------+-------+-------+---------+-------+------------------------- + Peony 4 in. May 2 - Plant outdoors + 2-1/2 ft. in September. + Increases and + lives a long time + + Late 6 in. July 3 ft. Showy and + peony attractive + + Red 6-8 in. August 3 ft. Protect through + speciosum the winter, + lily leaving bulbs + in the ground + + Tulips 4 April January 6-18 in. Isabelle + Choose variety + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +XVII + +THE GIRLS' WINTER WORK. + + +"We want some plants at school this winter, and we each should like some +plants of our own at home." This remark greeted The Chief one day in +late September as he entered his home after a long tramp in the woods. + +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 speakers. +"Who are '_we_'?" he demanded. + +"I am Dee," was the reply, "and 'we' are all the girls." + +"Dear me" said the man, "I thought I had settled your case by +recommending bulb culture to you." + +"Not much!" shouted the girls all together. "We have finished our bulb +work," Katharine went on to say, "and now we are very anxious to do +something with house plants. We have a good six weeks or more to wait +for our bulbs, and so we thought possibly you would be willing to help +us." + +"I did think," grumbled the man, "that after I had invited you to a +series of talks this winter you would leave me in peace." + +And then they all laughed gaily together. + +"Well, what is your stock you have to work with, girls? I shall have to +know that before I can help you." + +"We have--that is, most of us have--a lot of old straggly geraniums in +our gardens. Then Katharine's mother has some fuchsias and begonias +which she has promised us," replied Miriam. + +"Up at the hotel where Jack sold his lettuce there are a few things I +have been promised," added Elizabeth. + +"Do you know what these are?" asked Ethel. + +"Yes. There are some heliotrope plants, marguerites, some lovely rose +geraniums, and a few flowering maples or--I have forgotten the long name +for them." + +"Abutilon is the other name," added The Chief. "Well, that is a start, +surely. I'll do some potting with you next Saturday afternoon. That will +give Elizabeth time to get her hotel plants. I guess Dee will drive you +up. You are to take a big basket with you, and your trowels. Carefully +lift each plant from its resting-place. Water the soil a bit before you +take up the plants. They come up easier for this, and soil is more +likely to remain clinging to the roots. If it should rain Friday you +will be saved the trouble of taking a watering pot with you. Be sure to +take up with the plant some of its own soil. Then pack all these +soil-encased plants in your basket. Do not let the sun get at them +before we get at potting. Come all of you at two in the afternoon. Bring +your plants with their own earth, your straggly geraniums, pots, and +each a trowel. Now perhaps you will be willing to trot home so I may eat +my supper." + +Next Saturday at two a grand collection of girls, plants, big pots, +little pots, and trowels arrived. The Chief took girls and all out into +his potting shed. This was once an old woodhouse; now a shed with +benches running along two sides of it. Under the benches were great +heaps of soil. Pots and pans were piled in one corner and garden +implements were neatly put up on the walls. + +"I call this a pretty nice place for work," said Eloise in tones full of +real interest. The Chief nodded smilingly at her, for there was a bond +of sympathy between the man and this real outdoor girl. Eloise had a +greater appreciation of the work than any one of the others. + +"Where did that splendid window box come from?" asked Josephine. + +"That is one the boys made last winter especially for the school. I +shall have to give you girls some group work first. Then I'll +demonstrate potting and slipping to you all together. Eloise and +Josephine will start to put the drainage material into the pots. Ethel +and Dee may do the same for the window box. Put in your curved pieces of +pot over the drainage hole, then about an inch of drainage material. +There is a wooden mallet. Crack up some bits of old flower pot as you +need them. Outside is a half barrel of old pots. Instead of using all +pot for this half inch of drainage material, use some charcoal. In that +barrel marked charcoal you will find plenty of pieces. The charcoal is +not only good for drainage but helps keep the soil sweet. Helena, Miriam +and Katharine will mix the soil. Here are some firkins and peck +measures. To every three measures of soil from that pile there, which is +nothing but garden soil, add one measure of sand and one of leaf mould. +Now, my leaf mould over there in that tub isn't real mould from the +woods. You see the part desired in leaf mould is vegetable matter. I can +get that from old rotted leaves and rotted sods. Notice, girls, that you +see no green grass in that soddy matter I have shaved off with my +spade--only the under surface of the sods. This surface is full of +vegetable matter in the form of young roots. Stir up all these portions +thoroughly. + +"Now, Elizabeth, look at these pots. Some are brand new, some are +clogged with soil and green matter. Soak the new ones in a pailful of +water and clean and wash the dirty ones." + +"I'd like to ask why I am to soak the new pots, and why, since soil is +going right back into these old pots, I have to clean them. I should +think the soil clinging to the sides would help out." + +"Yes, I should like to know that, too," said Miriam, stopping her work. + +"If new pots are not soaked the soil in them dries out very rapidly. You +can see that would be bad. Old soil clinging to plants interferes with +the new root growth while the green affects the porosity of the pot." + +The girls stirred, scraped, and placed bits of pot in boxes and pots for +a time without speaking. + +"Are we putting the right amount of drainage into these pots?" finally +questioned Eloise. + +"Not quite enough into those large pots. In the small ones the inch of +drainage you have in the pots is quite sufficient, but in those pots +over six inches in size put an inch and a half of drainage material. +There should be two inches of drainage in that window box. Katherine, +you are taking those new pots out of the water too soon. Leave them in +until the bubbling is all over. Wait a minute, you mixing girls over +there. You mustn't put such coarse soil into your mixture. That could +well go into the pots and window box above the drainage material. But it +is far too coarse for a good potting soil. What soil you need for +potting one of you should sift. If the lumps were not so large it would +have been all right. What is that you are saying, Dee?" + +"I wanted to know what you were going to use in place of sphagnum moss. +We have the drainage fixed in the box. Shall we put on the coarse +material next? Helena said you always used sphagnum moss." + +"So I do when I can get it. But I can't always, so I just take some old +thin sods and put them on, green side down, next to the drainage. To be +sure, the coarse material could go on next, but it is very apt to settle +badly in the pot or box. You will find that sod just outside. Pick out +the very thinnest pieces; any others will be too thick." + +"Now," said Elizabeth, "if you will bring your pots over, we'll fill +them up with soil for you." + +"Wait a little, Elizabeth. What is going to happen with that pot +already full of soil when you put the plant in? Just how are you going +to work that?" + +"Why, I had intended to make a hole in the soil and put the plant in." + +"That is no way to pot plants. Come here, girls, and let us talk this +point out. I will pot a plant for you. I guess this begonia would be a +good one. See, it has quite a ball of earth of its own. Now look at +Elizabeth's full pot. Trying to plant in a pot already full of soil is +beginning entirely wrong. Hand over another pot, Josephine. Thank you. +See, here is a pot with its drainage, and a very little bit of old sod +over this. The soddy matter takes up only about a quarter inch. Give me +a trowel full of the potting soil, or a little coarse soil first. Now I +lower into the pot my plant with its own earth still about it. See, it +is going to be about right. Now, while I hold the plant in position in +the pot with my left hand, I shake the potting soil in all about the +plant. Here is a stick. I made it and call it my potting stick. It is +about the length of a foot ruler. See, it is about an inch thick and has +a rounded end. With this end I gently poke the soil into place. +Occasionally, I give the pot a little shake, which settles the soil into +crevices and crannies. But never do this jerkily or violently. When the +soil is within a half inch of the top of the pot, press it down all +about the plant stem; that is, firm the plant. You should be able to +take up a potted plant by the plant stalk without uprooting it. The +florist can do this with any of his potted plants. If the plant is loose +in its new home it will not do well." + +"You said to have a half-inch space between top of soil and top of pot. +I should like to know why, because all the plants at my aunt's house are +done the other way," eagerly inquired Helena. + +"The purpose of the half-inch space is for watering the plant. 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 out. The space allows for +this and prevents its happening." + +"I shall tell her about that when I go to see her. I am to go next week. +Don't you think I might carry her a plant nicely potted?" + +"Indeed I do. I think we can spare a begonia for her. Just let me water +this plant a little. Notice that I do not flood it. Now, set it outside, +Elizabeth, right by my back door where it will be sheltered." + +"Why put it outside?" asked the child, as she took the pot; "I'd have +left it here under shelter." + +"It goes out because good fresh air is as important for newly potted +plants as good soil, careful handling, and watering. Now for a slipping +geranium lesson! + +"Old, stocky geraniums in the fall garden are exactly right to slip. +These properly slipped and started, if well cared for, will blossom by +January or February. If closely crowded into the window box, you may be +certain of bloom provided you have good, strong sunlight on them. + +Florists slip geraniums and put them into sand; many people put the +slips into water to form roots; but it is far easier for you children +and for schools to place the slips immediately into the earth of the +window box. + +"The slipping process itself is easy. Suppose we have a big, old +geranium from which to take our slips. It is full of branches. These +branches or stems have around them at intervals rings called nodes. The +space between two nodes is called an internode. On the nodes are what +seem to be small leaves. Press one aside, notice between it and the stem +what appears to be a very small bud. Here a new shoot can start. + +"So choose a branch, pick off all the large leaves except two at the +extreme end. If there are more than two, choose the two smallest +leaves. Now it is ready to cut. About four inches down the stem cut it +off between two nodes. Do not cut straight across the stem but cut +slantwise. + +"You have now as I have in my hand, a geranium slip which is four inches +long. At one end of the stalk are two leaves; the other end is cut +obliquely across. Before you plant this slip look between the two leaves +and see if there is a small bud. If so, and it is all green, leave it. +For this green means that as the bud develops only leaves will unfold. +If you see any other colour in the bud, pinch it out with your fingers. +The colour tells us that the bud is a flower bud. If this be left on the +slip, all the strength of the little plant will be taken up in forming +the blossom. A new plant is not strong enough to stand this. It needs +all its power for plant growth. + +"Plant the slip in your window box, burying it in earth above the first +node; that is, the node just above the cut. Thus you have buried in the +earth the place where roots will form. + +"Crowd the slips in, three or four inches only apart. They should not be +exposed to the full glare of the sun at first. Some gardeners say to let +the slips wilt before watering. But it is quite safe to water a little +from the first. Do not soak the soil, however, or the young plants will +decay. + +"Now the slips may be put right into a window box, or into these flats. +I would not place them immediately in a sunny window. But place them +where the sun does not shine directly. It is excellent to leave window +boxes and newly potted plants outdoors for a time, until in the fresh +air they get accustomed to their new living conditions." + +"Shall we fix up the school window boxes now?" asked Josephine. + +"Yes, we will get right at that. But first I will give you a window-box +talk. + +"The most satisfactory way to grow plants in the schoolroom and in many +cases, at home, is in the window box. The window box means the +possibility of easily caring for a number of plants in a small space. +Plants in pots take much more space than the same number of plants in a +window box. + +"It is the cleanest way, too. You are all familiar with the sight of a +pot covered with crêpe paper stained and discoloured from water spilt +upon it and moisture given off from the porous pot. + +"The window box, if properly watered, need never leak. Its freshly +painted sides need never be covered with any material. It stands for +just what it is--a well-made, well-painted wooden box. + +"It is quite impossible to give dimensions for the construction of the +window box, since it must fit the space one wishes to use. It is wise to +keep in mind this--that these boxes when filled with soil are very, very +heavy and awkward to handle. So if your window is large, why not have +two small boxes for the space rather than one large one? When these are +placed end to end the effect is of one long box. The ordinary house +window may well have the single box. + +"Other things to keep in mind for the constructing of the box are depth, +drainage, holes, joints and paint. + +"Just as bulb boxes need no great depth, so with window boxes. If the +depth be great the plants spend too much energy in root growth. A +shallow box means, if properly filled, a compact root mass. So if your +box is to be, say three and a half feet long make it not more than ten +inches deep. + +"As we make drainage holes in the bottom of the bulb box, so we do in +the window box. Many people make window boxes without drainage holes. It +seems rather better to have them since they offer exit for surplus +water, and places for the roots to get at the air. These holes may be +bored six inches apart down through the centre of the box; or they may +be bored in two lines, thus doubling the number of holes and the amount +of air space. Take this rule, for every square foot of space have four +drainage holes. + +"A box filled with soil all winter constantly in a state of moisture is +quite likely to spring or spread apart at the joints. The better fitted +the joints the better the box, and the better it stands the inside +pressure and moisture continually brought to bear upon it. + +"As to paint, of course the box must have one coat (perhaps two) on the +outside. A dark green is all around the best. Green is always the best +setting for plants. Nature made this colour scheme. We only follow her +lead. + +"After the box is made, and the paint dry, it must be filled. + +"Do any of you girls happen to know just where in the school room the +boxes are to be placed?" + +"One goes into a south window, and I believe the other is to be in a +north one," replied Dee. + +"That certainly tells us enough to help us in selecting plants for these +boxes. 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 sun. Everyone knows the most satisfactory plant of all for sunny +windows is the geranium. It is easy enough to get them for schools +without money, because this is the time when everyone's mother is taking +up plants for the winter, some of which are always thrown away. Many +large, old plants slipped make six or more good little chaps. Begonias +are most satisfactory; you can plant these either in sun or shade. A +good one for a shady window is the one called the 'beefsteak' begonia. + +"Fuchsias make a fine show. If you wish to have a plant of some height +do not choose a fern or palm, for these plants need so much water they +should always be planted by themselves in single pots or in fern dishes. +The amount of water required for a palm would cause ordinary plants, +like geraniums, to decay. So choose plants which take up about the same +quantity of water. For height, then, one might plant a flowering maple. +These are fine in leaf and blossom. So they add much to the box. +Dracenas are good for both sun and shade; so, too, is pandanus. The +foliage of this is pleasing. Much is added to the general effect if some +plants which form long hangers are put in, and planted close to the +front side of the box. In sun or shade the Wandering Jew grows. A bit +breaks off; it is stuck back into the earth and again it grows. Pieces +cut and put into water grow equally well. Trailing over the sides of the +vessel they are in, they make a pleasing effect in a corner, or by the +side of a window. + +"An important thing to be remembered in connection with window boxes is +that the closer you plant the better the growth of the plants. It sounds +wrong. We think that plants ought to have space to grow in. They should, +usually; but space defeats the object of the window box, because the +idea is to have top growth and blossom. If you give plants a chance to +grow under the ground they will do it at a sacrifice to their growth +above ground. So crowd the plants in. The root growth, thus limited and +checked, gives added strength above. This is true too, in a measure, of +planting in pots. Most people put plants in too large pots, and so fail +often to get good top growth and blossom. Notice next time you drop into +a florist's shop the large palms in comparatively small pots. Why is +this? Just to get good growth of foliage. + +"Finally, as to sunny and sunless windows: put into the boxes for the +shady windows plants which run to foliage, and into those for the sunny +windows plants from which you expect blossom. For blossoms, sun is +necessary. + +"The last thing of all is the placing of the box. Shall it go on the +sill? Not if you wish to keep the sill in good condition. Shall it be +screwed to the casement? It may be, but it is hard to place each year, +and often the strain is too great on the screws. The best arrangement is +that of iron brackets screwed to the casement beneath the window sill. +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 outdoors. The weight of the box is +sufficient to hold the brackets out, and so steadies them that it is not +necessary to even screw the box on. Two boys holding the brackets +straight, two others placing the box on, is all the labour needed to +make that box permanently secure. It remains here now until its journey +outdoors next spring. + +"I would like to add the English ivy to the list of trailing plants for +the window box. + +"Some people have candytuft and others marguerites in the indoor box. +They do not look as well through an entire indoor season as geraniums, +fuchsias and begonias. I think I'll ask Miriam, Elizabeth, and Helena +to work on the shady window box. We will use dracena, vincas, pandanus, +begonia and Wandering Jew. Ethel, Katharine, and Josephine fix up the +sunny window box--the fuchsia, heliotrope, marguerite, geraniums, +Wandering Jew, and English ivy. This will be a charming box. Dee, you +and I will plant the rest of these geranium slips for the girls." + +They all worked away busily for some time. Then The Chief asked the +girls to come into the house for a time. As they entered the living room +they noticed an array of plants on the big table. + +"Sit down, girls, I have a little gift for each of you. I wish you to +study and nurse these plants throughout the winter. + +"This first tall, rather stiff-looking plant is called an aspidistra. It +is the best all-around plant for the house or schoolroom. It does not +need much or special care. Be sure to keep the leaves clean. See that +you do it, Miriam. + +"This little Norfolk Island pine is the only one of the cone-bearing +trees that you can bank on. Notice that the method of branching is by +whorls. You are to have this plant, Elizabeth. + +"I imagined that Eloise would love this little lemon tree called +Ponderosa. You can raise lemon trees from seed, but like the apple +tree, they need special attention before they grow good fruit. + +"The Jersualem cherry tree is for Josephine. It does not absolutely need +sun. It, too, stands a great deal of neglect. Remember I am not +recommending neglect to you. I am giving you the house plants that are +of easiest culture. You will be glad to make note of this entire list. +Of course, the berries are the charm of this Jerusalem cherry tree. + +"To Ethel I will give this lovely genista. It is the finest of all +yellow-flowered winter plants. As the blossoms fade they should be taken +off. Since this is a good winter flower, it should be allowed to rest in +the summer. + +"The azalea is for Dee. It needs the same care as Ethel's plant. These +need not be thrown away next spring. But put them in a shady spot laid +on their sides. + +"Helena's plant is a palm called the _Cocos Weddelliana_, and +Katharine's is a fern, the holly fern. + +"I wish to tell you a bit about ferns and palms. + +"In most school buildings and homes these two kinds of plants hold chief +place. This doubtless is because they, too, stand lack of attention. +Most people keep them water-logged because supposedly they are +accustomed to and need lots of water. We must keep in mind that while +ferns for instance are found outdoors in very damp spots, they are not +in places undrained and choked off from air. So the jardinière half full +of water does not quite represent the real environment of the fern. + +"Going on with the fern there are a few points to hold in mind. Do not +permit the room temperature to fall below 55 degrees. Neither should it +rise above 70 degrees. Direct sunlight injures the delicate fronds of +ferns. A north window where there is light without direct sunshine is +the right fern place. Keep the leaves clean by spraying with clear water +on bright days. If bugs appear, spray weekly with tobacco water. This +solution should be very weak. + +"The best varieties to grow are the sword, Boston, holly, and +maidenhair. Use spider ferns for a fern dish. + +"Palms require great quantities of water, even temperatures, little +direct sunlight, and daily sponging of the leaves. A sponge dampened in +clean water is the best thing to use for this purpose. The most popular +and easiest-to-grow palms are the following: _Cocos Weddelliana_, date +palm, kentia, and the arcea." + +"Will you tell us about the watering of plants?" asked Ethel. + +"Surely, although I can say but little since it depends largely upon +good judgment. Water a plant when it needs it. Keep the soil moist but +not soaked. If plants are beginning to decay or a mould is coming on the +surface of the soil, the trouble usually is over watering. At such a +time let the soil of the pot or box dry out. Then water carefully after +that. If the pot is always damp or has become green you may know that +the trouble is either too much water or poor drainage." + +"What pests are likely to attack our plants?" questioned Elizabeth. + +"Lice and scale troubles are the chief pests of the house plants. You +all know plant lice. Use kerosene emulsion for these. The scale appears +as a scaly mass, usually on the stems of plants. These scales are living +animal forms. The best way to get rid of them is to wipe them off with a +rag soaked in kerosene emulsion." + +"Why didn't you give some one a rubber plant?" was the next question +from Miriam. + +"I guess because of its bad habit of growing so tall and losing its +lower leaves. They look like giraffes at the circus. But one may top +these plants." + +"What is topping?" and "How do you do it?" burst from Dee and Helena at +the same time. + +"I suppose you see that if one could get that nice-looking top off and +start again the old rubber plant would be all right. So about a foot +below the last leaf on the stalk--I mean the last leaf numbering from +the top--- you should start the operation. Cut a slit in the bark at +this place. Pack soil about the stem. Then encase this with sacking. So +you have a nice ball of earth packed about the stem. Let the ball be +about six inches in diameter. Keep it moist. You can sprinkle the water +on. After a time roots will appear coming through the sacking. The roots +have started to develop at this incision of the stem. Now the stalk may +be cut below these new roots and the new rubber plant potted." + +"That is very interesting," began Katharine. + +"I should so like to try it," broke in Dee. + +"Now, girls, I believe you'd better pick up your new plants and scamper. +We certainly have done a good afternoon's work. The chief things to try +for in indoor plant culture are cleanliness of the plant, proper +drainage, and freedom from abrupt changes in temperature and draughts. +Good-by, girls. We meet again soon at our exhibits." + +"Good-by, and thank you so much," cried the girls in chorus. + + + + +XVIII + +THE GRAND WIND-UP--GIRLS VS. BOYS + + +One day in late September the Boys' Garden Club received an invitation +to Katharine's house for four o'clock the following Saturday. + +Never were boys more astonished than these as they were ushered into the +girls' garden. + +"Well," Albert said quite frankly, "you have beaten us as far as beauty +goes. You try vegetables next summer, and we fellows will race you." + +"Thank you!" answered Dee, "You are very kind to us, very! You may +possibly have noticed those beautiful window boxes at the Inn. Eloise +made those herself, stocked the boxes, and has cared for them, too. +Elizabeth's borders have grown as well, I should say, as Jack's flowers. +Peter will tell you of our sundial. Helena has a beautiful garden. To be +sure Leston has helped her but only because he wanted to so badly. Girls +are not such bad gardeners, are they?" + +"Not bad?" shouted the boys, "you are wonders!" + +"Every fellow here give three cheers for the girls," commanded Jay. +This was done with a hearty good will. + +A week later the girls received an invitation to attend the boys' fall +exhibit, held at The Chief's house. Early that morning the boys had gone +to the woods to gather autumn boughs. The walls were a blaze of +bright-coloured leaves. About the room were placed tables upon which the +boys' products were exhibited. Fathers and mothers had come to the +exhibit; in fact, the whole village had turned out. + +The prize went to Peter, for he had made the most money out of his +garden. + +Just a word from a talk given by The Chief about the arrangement of +exhibits and matters in general. He said, "There are as many ways to +prepare vegetables and flowers for an exhibit as there are boys and +girls to exhibit. It is not enough to bring the articles to be +exhibited. The real art of showing one's things comes in artistic and +attractive arrangement. + +"Vegetables should be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned. Dirt clinging to +the roots needs sometimes a brush to get it entirely off. Carrots, +beets, radishes, turnips, celery and other vegetables where the edible +part is beneath ground, need this sort of attention, not only to make +them clean, but to bring out the colours in each case. + +"The foliage of a vegetable plant often adds much to its appearance in +exhibition. For instance, the carrot has quite lovely lacey leaves. Beet +leaves have such good red colours in them that they, too, add something +to the general effect. The colours of the leaf and the colour of the +fruit itself are a harmony. When radish leaves are taken off there is no +good way of bunching the radishes. They are cut quite off from kith and +kin. + +"The only objection to the foliage is its wilting, drooping, tired +looking leaves certainly add nothing lovely to the exhibit. If the +exhibition is of short duration there is no trouble along this line; if +it is one of several days the problem is different. + +"Children's exhibits, however, usually last but a short time. But if the +products can be put away in cold storage over night, or in water in a +cool place, then it is possible to keep them in good shape. + +"An outdoor exhibit is not wholly satisfactory because of the effect of +the air on the products. They wilt badly. A tent is far better than the +open-air table for exhibiting. With care the exhibition may always be +made attractive. + +"The arrangement of products is one of the main features. Generally +children's exhibits are pretty messy and mussy looking. This is because +of two things: first, the children have so many little separate +exhibits; second, we do not stop to discuss carefully the matter of +arrangement and preparation. If the children understood fully that no +products would be admitted for exhibition unless these were cleaned, +were of uniform size, and of the requisite number, there would be little +trouble. With them, arrangement would have to be worked out largely on +the scene of action, although colour effects, bunching, and general +matters could be taken up beforehand. + +"Let us think out a few general directions for exhibiting. First, all +products must be thoroughly cleaned. Heading vegetables, as cabbage and +lettuce, should be cleaned well, and perhaps two heads of each kind +shown by the exhibitor. Radishes, carrots, young onions and small +vegetables which are to be bunched should have anywhere from twelve to +twenty specimens in the bunch. Leave the foliage on such bunches. The +large vegetables like beets and parsnips may have from four mammoth +specimens to eight smaller ones. Potatoes are exhibited by the plate and +so are tomatoes. There are supposed to be seven large specimens to the +plate. + +"Flowers are usually shown cut and arranged in vases. The vases should +be of clear, white glass for the best effects. Rose bowls may be used, +too. Do not put grand collections of all varieties and colours of +flowers together. Suppose the exhibit of a certain person is to be one +of asters. Then put the purple ones together in a vase, the pink ones +together in another vase. + +"Another mistake of exhibitors is the huddling of products into close +quarters. Give your individual specimens plenty of room. Let the things +stand out as individual. The entire exhibit is spoiled when it looks +messy and huddled up. + +"The labelling is often done poorly. Any little piece of paper is stuck +on the vases or under a bunch of vegetables. The child's name is written +in abominable handwriting. Write or neatly print a little card. Put on +this the date, name of the exhibitor (or number) and his place of +residence, if required. + +"These, in brief, show the real educative lines along which one ought to +conduct a children's exhibit. The aesthetic side enters in largely, and +a proper bit of the commercial is here, too." + +Well, this exhibit of the boys' was pretty good. Each boy had a set of +photographs showing the round of his work. These had been made into +books. Some of the boys had kept diaries. The diaries had in them not +only an account of experiences, but also the tables worked out with The +Chief. Jack had what he called an improvement section, which gave ways +by which he might improve over his present methods of work. The garden +plans drawn to a scale were on the walls. Myron had brought his set of +real garden tools. The pieces of hand work made by the boys were there, +too. + +George had made a collection of garden pests, while Philip and Peter had +made collections of weed pests. All the pamphlets from Washington which +they had used in their work and those from their own state experiment +station were on a little table. + +Each boy told briefly the difficulties he had encountered and how he had +met them. After a talk by Jay, Albert spoke of the experiment in +inoculation of soil. Then he and Jay disappeared, and returned with +plates, one for each guest, and on each plate were two spoonfuls of +beans, one of the inoculated and the other of the uninoculated beans. +The visitors were not told which were which. Then a vote was taken as to +which were the better. Of course, the inoculated beans won out. + +After this, the real refreshments were served. "I should like to ask," +Dee made bold to say, "where you boys got strawberries to make ice cream +of? Strawberries in October! You certainly do not expect us to believe +you raised them." + +"I did," said Myron, striking an attitude before her. "I did in my own +little patch." + +"Did you make a few cakes of ice and thus have a cold storage plant?" +Dee continued sarcastically. + +"Dear me, no! I'm much more clever than that. One day, with a few +baskets of berries tucked under this noble right arm of mine, I walked +to this house. I knocked at the door. A man let me in. He tied an apron +about this waist. We actually canned these same berries which you are +now eating as a frozen delicacy." + +"You boys are altogether too smart," and Dee turned her back on Myron to +accept a second dish of cream from Philip. + +That didn't disturb Myron any, for he cakewalked back to the kitchen for +more cream. + +"Well, it was a fine exhibit for mere lads," Jack's father was heard to +say on his way home; "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 right. It makes me ashamed to think that we parents have +left this work to an outsider." + +"I feel," answered George's father, "that this man is a real 'insider'." + +After all the guests had left The Chief's once again the boys formed +their line and saluted the man. + +"Is there nothing for us this winter, O Chief?" asked Albert. + +"Plenty. We are going to have a beautiful winter, and next spring better +work." + +Laden with their trophies the boys reluctantly started for home. They +stood in the road in front of The Chief's gate, and the moon shone down +on seven happy, manly boys. The three cheers to The Chief arose clear +and shrill on the still evening air. As it died away the boys seemed to +melt into the shadows of the road. + +The man stood motionless in his doorway until the last sound of the boys +died away. Then he went back into the room to dream over the fire dreams +for his boys. + + + + +PART II + +THE CHIEF'S GARDEN TALKS + + + + +I + +THE SOIL + + +The following winter The Chief gave Friday afternoon talks to his boys +and girls. These meetings did not in any way interfere with the boys' +regular Saturday evening club. + +Immediately after school each Friday afternoon they all trooped round to +The Chief's little house, which had become a centre of village interest. +Finally the men came too, for they had found out that this man knew of +what he spoke. + +But we are wandering away from those Friday afternoons. + +There was the strangest collection of stools and benches in The Chief's +side entry, all belonging to the boys and girls. "You must each one +bring your own seat, because you all know that I haven't chairs enough +to go around." And this called forth the collection. + +It was an odd sight that first Friday in early November. A long straggly +line of boys and girls, each one with a seat of some kind, wound its +way up to The Chief's hospitable door, where he stood waiting, laughing +aloud at the sight. In they came, and made a semi-circle about the big +fireplace. + +"I just love this room," said Albert, voicing the feelings of them all. + +"I have thought," began The Chief, "that since our really successful +first year of gardening, we ought to be in a position to undertake and +to desire to know more about certain subjects which I shall discuss. +Each Friday I am going to take up a topic such as I should if I were +teaching you in school." + +"You do not mean that we'll have to remember and answer questions just +like school? You surely do not mean that, Big Chief," broke in Albert. + +"No," replied the man laughing, "no, you may forget it all if you like. +Remember it, if it seems to you useful. But if it's a strain on you, +Albert, make it your business to forget." + +They all laughed at this, but none so heartily as Albert himself. +"That's one on this old head of mine," he said, banging that member up +against the side of the chimney. + +"My first talk I have given you in part, but I have more I wish to add. +I believe even Albert can stand it. The subject is the soil. + +"Soil primarily had its beginning from rock together with animal and +vegetable decay, if you can imagine long stretches or periods of time +when great rock masses were crumbling and breaking up. Heat, water +action, and friction were largely responsible for this. By friction here +is meant the rubbing and grinding of rock mass against rock mass. Think +of the huge rocks, a perfect chaos of them, bumping, scraping, settling +against one another. What would be the result? Well, I am sure you all +could work that out. This is what happened: bits of rock were worn off, +a great deal of heat was produced, pieces of rock were pressed together +to form new rock masses, some portions becoming dissolved in water. Why, +I myself, almost feel the stress and strain of it all. Can you? + +"Then, too, there were great changes in temperature. First everything +was heated to a high temperature, then gradually became cool. Just think +of the cracking, the crumbling, the upheavals, that such changes must +have caused! You know some of the effects in winter of sudden freezes +and thaws. But the little examples of bursting water pipes and broken +pitchers are as nothing to what was happening in the world during those +days. The water and the gases in the atmosphere helped along this +crumbling work. + +"From all this action of rubbing, which action we call mechanical, it is +easy enough to understand how sand was formed. This represents one of +the great divisions of soil--sandy soil. The sea shores are great masses +of pure sand. If soil were nothing but broken rock masses then indeed it +would be very poor and unproductive. But the early forms of animal and +vegetable life decaying became a part of the rock mass and a better soil +resulted. So the soils we speak of as sandy soils have mixed with the +sand other matter, sometimes clay, sometimes vegetable matter or humus, +and often animal waste. + +[Illustration: Constant Cultivation of the Soil Saved George's Cabbages + +Photograph by Karl W. Helmer] + +"Clay brings us right to another class of soils--clayey soils. It +happens that certain portions of rock masses became dissolved when water +trickled over them and heat was plenty and abundant. This dissolution +took place largely because there is in the air a certain gas called +carbon dioxide or carbonic acid gas. This gas attacks and changes +certain substances in rocks. Sometimes you see great rocks with portions +sticking up looking as if they had been eaten away. Carbonic acid did +this. It changed this eaten part into something else which we call +clay. A change like this is not mechanical but chemical. The difference +in the two kinds of change is just this: in the one case of sand, where +a mechanical change went on, you still have just what you started with, +save that the size of the mass is smaller. You started with a big rock, +and ended with little particles of sand. But you had no different kind +of rock in the end. Mechanical action might be illustrated with a piece +of lump sugar. Let the sugar represent a big mass of rock. Break up the +sugar, and even the smallest bit is sugar. It is just so with the rock +mass; but in the case of a chemical change you start with one thing and +end with another. You started with a big mass of rock which had in it a +portion that became changed by the acid acting on it. It ended in being +an entirely different thing which we call clay. So in the case of +chemical change a certain something is started with and in the end we +have an entirely different thing. The clay soils are often called mud +soils because of the amount of water used in their formation. The slate +that Myron brought for road making belongs to the clay family, and so +does shale. + +"The third sort of soil which we farm people have to deal with is lime +soil. Remember we are thinking of soils from the farm point of view. +This soil of course ordinarily was formed from limestone. Just as soon +as one thing is mentioned about which we know nothing, another comes up +of which we are just as ignorant. And so a whole chain of questions +follows. Now you are probably saying within yourselves, how was +limestone first formed? + +"At one time ages ago the lower animal and plant forms picked from the +water particles of lime. With the lime they formed skeletons or houses +about themselves as protection from larger animals. Coral is +representative of this class of skeleton-forming animal. + +"As the animal died the skeleton remained. Great masses of this living +matter pressed all together, after ages, formed limestone. Some +limestones are still in such shape that the shelly formation is still +visible. Marble, another limestone, is somewhat crystalline in +character. Another well-known limestone is chalk. Perhaps you'd like to +know a way of always being able to tell limestone. I'll drop a little of +this acid on some lime. See how it bubbles and fizzles. Now Albert will +drop some on this chalk and on the marble, too. The same bubbling takes +place. So lime must be in these three structures. One does not have to +buy a special acid for this work, for even the household acids like +vinegar will cause the same result. Albert will prove this to you. + +"Then these are the three types of soil with which the farmer has to +deal, and which we wish to understand. For one may learn to know his +garden soil by studying it, just as one learns a lesson by study. + +"I believe the boys from their last winter's work feel fairly familiar +with soils, I have in these three tumblers the three types of soil. As I +pour water on them just see what happens. Observe how little water it +takes to saturate sand. The limy soil holds more water and the clayey an +amazing quantity. + +"I do not know whether you are much acquainted with the sea shore, I +doubt it." + +"I am," broke in Katharine, "for each summer, except this last one, I +have spent a month at the beach." + +"Then possibly you can tell us, Katharine, whether, or not, the sand +takes in, or absorbs, much heat during the day." + +"Indeed it does absorb heat; why some days we used to go barefooted on +the beach right after dinner. I can tell you there were times when we +couldn't stand the heat of the sand." + +"That is quite true," continued The Chief, "sand absorbs heat to a +remarkable degree. This heat is, to be sure, in the upper layers of the +sand. Had Katharine burrowed down with her toes below those upper layers +she would have found moist, cool sands. But an upper layer of soil, made +up of particles which fall apart easily because of the loose make-up, a +layer which has absorbed little water and much heat--well, to me that +sort of soil doesn't sound quite right for good gardening. Add to such a +soil, humus in the shape of stable manure in large quantities and this +same poor soil becomes very good. + +"Now here is the lime soil tumbler. This soil has taken up rather more +water than the sand took. But it, too, surely needs to develop greater +power to take in and hold water. So the same sort of medicine which we +gave the sandy soil may be dealt out to the lime soil. Lime is a pretty +good substance to have in soil. Lime is a kind of fertilizer in itself; +it's a soil sweetener; it helps to put plant food in shape for use, and +causes desirable bacteria to grow. This sounds a bit staggering but all +of these things I am going to talk over with you. So just at present +forget it, Albert, if it is a heavy burden. + +"The clay soil, you observe, has taken in quite a quantity of water. +That seems like a good thing. It is. 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 mass. It forms huge lumps; it bakes out +and cracks badly; and it is also very damp, cold and soggy in early +spring. + +"As the problem with sand is to add something so that more water may be +held in the soil, so the problem with clay is to overcome that +bothersome habit of baking and caking and cracking. To do this we might +add sand or ashes. But perhaps it would be better yet to add manure with +a lot of straw in it. This is the easiest kind of thing for country boys +and girls to get, because the bedding swept out of horses' stalls is +just the thing. + +"When I speak of clay's horrid habit of tight squeezing, I always have +to stop and talk about the two great needs of all soils. One is the need +for water; the other, for air. A soil cannot exist without these two +things any more than we can. Without these, or poorly supplied with +them, a soil is as if it were half-starved. + +"That trouble always comes from a lack of one or the other is quite +sufficient to prove to us that these are essential. Just see how sand +lacks water, as does lime soil too! But there is plenty of air space, +unless these soils are too finely powdered. Now look at clay! plenty of +water, but how about the air? When clay begins its packing, then air is +excluded. + +"So one of the questions to be asked in soil improvement concerns the +water and air problem. We must have air spaces, and we must have +water-holding capacity. + +"Before we go home I must just speak of soil and subsoil. When you +strike your spade down into the earth and lay bare a section of the soil +this is what you see: on top is the plant growth, the soil beneath this, +dark in texture and about our locality of a depth of from six to eight +inches. This layer is called the topsoil. In sections of the West it is +several feet in depth. Now below the topsoil is a lighter coloured, less +fertile, more rocky layer, the subsoil. Beneath comes a layer of rock. + +"And finally you may be a bit confused by the word loam. It is often +given as one of the classes of soils. By loam we mean clay, sand and +humus. 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 +soil. + +"Next Friday I shall talk about soil fertility. So trot home lively +now!" + + + + +II + +PLANT FOOD + + +A soil, as I have said before to the boys, may contain all the food +necessary for plant growth and still not support any good growth at all. +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 on. + +"I see a question in Josephine's and Miriam's faces. I guess that this +question is concerning what the plant food is in soils. That is right, +is it not? + +"Well, I'll take that up first, then;--different ways of improving and +increasing the goodness of the soil. + +"The foods that are necessary and essential to plants and most likely to +be lacking in the soil are nitrogen, potash and phosphorus. Now by no +means must you think that these are the only chemicals which are foods, +for there are something like thirteen, all of which do a share in the +food supply. Oxygen and carbon are very necessary indeed. Oxygen is both +in the air and in water. Carbon plants take entirely from the air. I +might go on and tell you of iron, of sulphur, of silicon and all the +others. But you would only get confused, so I am going to make you +acquainted with these three entirely necessary ones. They are +capricious; often missing, and when not missing hard to make into +available food for plants. + +"The soil contains many bacteria, small living organisms. These may be +divided into two classes, the good ones and the bad ones. The good ones +acting on nitrogenous matter put it in shape for the plant to absorb or +feed upon. You see nitrogen may be in soil in quantities sufficient for +nourishment. But unless it is in a compound available for use, it is of +no value to the plant. 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 gas. That is pretty bad, is it not? + +"How can the good bacteria be encouraged to grow, and the bad ones +prevented from forming? The necessary conditions for the growth of good +bacteria are air, water, darkness, humus matter and freedom from acid +condition of the soil. If the soil is acid then these other 'chaps' set +up their work; so we must see to it that our soils are well cultivated, +well aired, have plenty of manure, and, if acid, have a liming, so that +these bacteria missionaries can start their good work. + +"The manure I spoke of above is the great source of nitrogen upon which +most plants depend. There is nitrogen sufficient right in the air, but +that again is not available. Certain plants like beans, peas and clovers +belonging to the family of legumes are a great deal more fortunate than +the rest of the plant families, for, under favourable conditions, they +develop bacteria which make it possible to take into themselves free +nitrogen. Just look here! See this narrow box; I can drop down one side +of it. 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 side. Just observe the +great extent of root system. Now see on the roots these white lumps, or +nodules as they are called. These contain nitrogen-gathering bacteria. +Some farmers in order to get more available nitrogen in the soil plant a +crop of some legume. Then these root masses with their treasures on them +are spaded into the soil. + +"But most plants depend for nitrogen on manure. Whenever you see sickly +looking foliage know that nitrogen is lacking, and supply manure in +order to obtain it. + +"The next element is potash. Its most common source of supply is wood +ashes, not coal ashes. One may buy potash in the form of the muriate or +sulphate. I told the boys before that potash was good for seed and +fruit. Pretty necessary to have in the soil, is it not? Stunted fruit +and poor seed mean lack of potash. Phosphorus helps in this work too, +and also assists in the forming of fine flowers. Bone ash and phosphates +are the sources of this food element. + +"So if we just consider the classes of soils with which we have to deal, +remember the foods that must be had, and the effects on plants where one +(or all) of these is lacking, we have in our hands a help to soil +troubles. + +"Take sandy soil--what is its greatest need? I should say humus. It +certainly should have more nitrogen. So add humus in the form of manure. +Spread it on your piece of garden plot anywhere from two to six inches +deep. This spaded in will, I think, do the work. You see sand allows +water to trickle away too fast. Water must be held properly in the soil. + +"The clay soil really needs air. The good bacteria will not work without +this. So spade the soil up in the fall, and leave it weathering in huge +lumps. Sand or ashes added in the spring helps the air question too. A +sprinkling of lime over the surface tends to sweeten the entire soil; +for clay soil, so often too wet, is liable to get sour. Lime also adds +another plant food called calcium. It would not be bad to add some humus +in order to have an even greater supply of nitrogen. + +"The lime soil, light and sweet, needs humus too. It should have this to +add body and ability to hold water. + +"Sometimes it is well to add in the spring a sprinkling of phosphates; +that is a chemical fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are like tonics to +the soil. + +"All this very briefly puts us in touch with plant foods. I think you +all know from your school work that plants take their foods in liquid +form. These solutions of foods are very, very weak. That is another +reason why we should see that, if possible, there is plenty of +nourishment available in the soil, and plenty of water too. + +"These bean roots and rootlets show the feeding area or places of +plants. Notice the small roots which apparently have a fringe on them. +These fringes we call the root hairs. These absorb, soak up the dilute +food which is in the soil. + +"It is very wonderful what power they have of penetrating the soil. See +the bit of blotter I have put down the path of one bean's root course. +It would seem to shut the rootlets entirely off from the soil. + +"Jay will gently press the bit of blotter away from the soil. See here +and there how these root hairs have wound their way through the blotter +to the soil, their feeding place. It is well that plants have this power +of seeking and finding food. Because it greatly increases their food +chances. + +"So much very briefly for plant food. I have not told you very much to +be sure, but it is quite enough, I think, for a 'starter,' I wish to +tell you a bit about the plant itself soon. A few experiments may liven +up the subject. So I shall ask Josephine, Miriam, and Ethel to attend to +those for us. We can take turns at demonstrating as Jay and Albert have +to-day. So you girls must remember to drop in to see me--say, Wednesday +of next week." + + + + +III + +SEEDS + + +Now before we begin just have a look at these geraniums. They have +turned entirely around again and are looking out of the window at the +sun. The power which plants have to move is very clearly shown, is it +not? I am going to talk a little this afternoon about seeds. + +"Any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds; but even +so, there is a great risk in seeds. A seed may to all appearances be all +right and yet not have within it vitality enough, or power, to produce a +hardy plant. + +"If you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully. +Suppose you are saving seed of aster plants. What blossoms shall you +decide upon? Now it is not the blossom only which you must consider, but +the entire plant. Why? Because a weak, straggly plant may produce one +fine blossom. Looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think +of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the +seeds. But just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the +parent plant. + +"So in seed selection the entire plant is to be considered. Is it +sturdy, strong, well shaped and symmetrical; does it have a goodly +number of fine blossoms? These are questions to ask in seed selection. + +"If you boys and girls should happen to have the opportunity to visit a +seedsman's garden, you will see here and there a blossom with a string +tied around it. These are blossoms chosen for seed. 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 selection. + +"Last winter we had quite a discussion on corn seed selection. So we +will not discuss that further. Only let me say this for the benefit of +the girls in order to show them the care which must be exercised in +selection. Should a finely formed ear of corn have one or two black +kernels on it, then that shows a cross or taint, do not use such an ear +for the old trouble may crop out. Take an ear of seed corn, notice the +small and rather undersized kernels at the top; do not use these. Select +kernels, the largest, plumpest and best shaped. + +"In seed selection size is another point to hold in mind. Suppose Peter +had bought a package of bean seed. Pull the little envelope out of your +pocket, young man, and open it up. Just look at those seeds as Peter +spreads them out here. Now we know no way of telling anything about the +plants from which this special collection of seeds came. So we must give +our entire thought to the seeds themselves. It is quite evident that +there is some choice; some are much larger than the others; some far +plumper, too. By all means choose the largest and fullest seed. The +reason is this: When you break open a bean--and this is very evident, +too, in the peanut--you see what appears to be a little plant. So it is. +Under just the right conditions for development this 'little chap' grows +into the bean plant you know so well. + +"This little plant must depend for its early growth on the nourishment +stored up in the two halves of the bean seed. For this purpose the food +is stored. Beans are not full of food and goodness for you and me to +eat, but for the little baby bean plant to feed upon. And so if we +choose a large seed, we have chosen a greater amount of food for the +plantlet. This little plantlet feeds upon this stored food until its +roots are prepared to do their work. So if the seed is small and thin, +the first food supply insufficient, there is a possibility of losing the +little plant. + +"You may care to know the name of this pantry of food. It is called a +cotyledon if there is but one portion, cotyledons if two. Thus we are +aided in the classification of plants. A few plants that bear cones like +the pines have several cotyledons. But most plants have either one or +two cotyledons. + +"Some plantlets, as they develop and start to push above the ground, +bear along the cotyledon. This is true in the case of the bean. Jack and +Peter have planted corn and beans in this box, not to have succotash but +to show you about the habits of seeds. See the bean plantlet, big, +sturdy, fellow, is still clinging to its seed leaves or cotyledons, its +baby nourishment. Now look at the corn: there is absolutely no sign +above ground of its one seed leaf. + +"So from large seeds come the strongest plantlets. That is the reason +why it is better and safer to choose the large seed. It is the same case +exactly as that of weak children. Look at Myron, great strapping fellow! +Hasn't he a fine chance in the world? Do you remember that little sickly +boy who was in school last spring? He was as old as Myron, yet see how +handicapped he is. Try not to bring weak little plantlets into the plant +world. Bring strong, sturdy, healthy ones by careful seed selection. + +"There is often another trouble in seeds that we buy. The trouble is +impurity. Seeds are sometimes mixed with other seeds so like them in +appearance that it is impossible to detect the fraud. Pretty poor +business, is it not? The seeds may be unclean. Bits of foreign matter in +with large seed are very easy to discover. One can merely pick the seed +over and make it clean. By clean is meant freedom from foreign matter. +But if small seed are unclean, it is very difficult, well nigh +impossible, to make them clean. + +"The third thing to look out for in seed is viability. We know from our +testings that seeds which look to the eye to be all right may not +develop at all. There are reasons. Seeds may have been picked before +they were ripe or mature; they may have been frozen; and they may be too +old. Seeds retain their viability or germ developing power, a given +number of years and are then useless. There is a viability limit in +years which differs for different seeds. This matter, along with +directions for testing, the girls may get from our club secretary, +Albert. All of this we took up last year in our preliminary garden work +before we started outdoor work. + +"From the test of seeds we find out the germination percentage of seeds. +Now if this percentage is low, don't waste time planting such seed +unless it be small seed. Immediately you question that statement. Why +does the size of the seed make a difference? This is the reason. When +small seed is planted it is usually sown in drills. Most amateurs +sprinkle the seed in very thickly. So a great quantity of seed is +planted. And enough seed germinates and comes up from such close +planting. So quantity makes up for quality. + +"But take the case of large seed, like corn for example. Corn is planted +just so far apart and a few seeds in a place. With such a method of +planting the matter of per cent, of germination is most important +indeed. + +"Small seeds that germinate at fifty per cent. may be used but this is +too low a per cent. for the large seed. Suppose we test beans. The +percentage is seventy. That per cent. would pass you in school, but it +does not pass muster here. For if such low-vitality seeds were planted, +we could not be absolutely certain of the seventy per cent. coming up. +But if the seeds are lettuce go ahead with the planting. Peter will pass +around these germinating per cent. tables which he has printed for you. +I'd advise you to paste these in your garden diaries. After a test refer +to this table which is from a United States Agricultural Dept. list for +seeds not over one year old. You then know at once whether the seed is +worth using. + + -------------------------------------------------------- + PER CENT. OF GERMINATION + -------------------------------------------------------- + Beans 90 | Leek 80 | Pumpkin 87 + Cabbage 90 | Lettuce 85 | Radish 90 + Carrots 80 | Muskmelon 87 | Spinach 84 + Cauliflower 80 | Okra 80 | Squash 87 + Celery 60 | Onion 80 | Tomatoes 85 + Corn 87 | Parsley 70 | Turnips 90 + Cucumber 87 | Peas 93 | Watermelon 87 + Eggplant 80 | Peppers 80 | + -------------------------------------------------------- + +"After being sure of good seed the next step to consider is when to +plant the seed. It is well to start certain seed inside and so get a bit +ahead of the season. Other seed may as well wait, and be planted out in +the open when the ground is warm. + +"Such vegetable seed as the following may be started inside. + + -------------------------------------------- + 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 itself. + +"When shall we plant seeds outdoors? Now no one under the sun can say +plant such and such a seed on May 30th or April 1st. It is the same +absurd case as saying change your winter clothes for summer ones on May +1st. Many writers will cover this subject by saying plant seeds when the +earth is warm. But even that is a pretty general sort of direction. + +"Nature has given us a planting guide. She tacks her notice on the fruit +trees. When those early blooming trees, the peach and the plum, put out +their beautiful blossoms the first planting time is on. To be sure the +temperature then is a bit low, only about 45 degrees, so the planting is +not of the more tender vegetables. Get your seed of beet, carrot, +cabbage, cauliflower, endive, kale, lettuce, parsley, parsnip, onion, +pea, radish, turnip and spinach. These may all be planted. + +"The next signal to watch for is given by the blooming of the apple +trees. This is the planting time for the more tender seed. These need a +temperature of about 60 degrees in the shade, real apple-blooming time. +Corn, beans, egg plant, melon, squash, cucumber, pumpkin, tomato and +pepper seeds may be planted. + +"But when is the time to put out the hotbed, or indoor-started +seedlings? When the apple blossoms drop their petals and have passed by +is the signal for them to go into the ground. Of course, they naturally +would be the last, for they are made very tender from their glass-grown +coddling. + +"When it comes to the planting of seed there are certain things to +remember always. First the ground should be made very fine. This is an +easy matter if the planting is done in the hotbed, but more of a problem +in the outdoor garden. It is foolish to plant at all if one does not +intend to do things right. So work over the seed bed thoroughly. After +all is fine and deeply worked, say to about a foot deep, the next thing +to consider is this--how deep should a seed be planted? + +"The depth depends upon the size of the seed. Take such small seed as +poppy, parsley, even lettuce, and these may be just sprinkled on the +surface of the ground. Then tread them in with the foot or place a board +over them and walk on the board. In this way the small seed are pressed +into the soil quite sufficiently. + +"For seeds in general the following might answer for a rule: There are +seeds like corn, oats, wheat and the grasses which come up unhampered by +their seed leaves. Such seed may be planted deeply--say ten times the +thickness of the seed. Other seed like beans, squash, radish, etc., push +and carry their seed leaves up through the soil with them. So these, +because of this extra work, should be planted nearer the surface. Four +or five times the thickness of the seed is a safe rule to follow. + +"When the seed becomes entirely or nearly saturated with water then +germination begins. Sometimes people soak their corn in tepid water +before planting. This hastens germination. But on the other hand if the +soil is very wet and cold the soaked seeds may rot in so much moisture. +Certain seeds have very thick coverings. Canna, date and nut seeds are +examples. Their cases are so hard and absorb moisture so slowly that +germination is a long process. To hasten this little holes may be +drilled in the case, thus giving the plant germ a chance to get out. +Nurserymen crack the nuts in order to help matters along. 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 case. + +"If seeds are planted too deeply again, a tremendous piece of work is +imposed upon the little plant. To push up through, say one inch of soil, +would be quite a task for a lettuce seedling. + +"Finally in seed planting, the soil must be safely compacted or pressed +about the seed. The object of this is to bring in contact with all parts +of the seed soil particles with their films of water. Suppose a radish +seed is planted and no soil happens to come in direct contact with the +seed. That distance, so slight to us, is a well-nigh impossible one for +the rootlets to extend to. + +"There is a possibility of course, of too close compacting. This occurs +when the soil is very wet. Do not compact at all then. In fact, such +soil condition represents a very bad time for planting, anyway. Moisture +is necessary for germination, but superabundance of water is fatal. It +is simply ideal when after a planting a gentle rain comes--germination. + +"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 soil. Take care not to plant in such a +manner. + +"This talk has been largely for the purpose of bringing to your minds +certain necessary points. Let me sum them up: Cheap seed are expensive +because they are often full of impurities and lack vital power. Buy +good seed and test _them_. Plant large seed, because the storage of food +is greater. Make the soil conditions right in order to give every help +to the seed. Plant neither too deep, nor too near the surface. Compact +the soil, and so aid germination. The first start of work must be right; +otherwise, trouble comes." + + + + +IV + +THE PLANT ITSELF + + +"To think of a plant as a breathing, growing thing is wonderful, but it +is far more wonderful to think of it as something possible for even boys +and girls to train and improve. Here is a bed of petunias, let us say; +do you know just how it is possible to have larger, finer petunias next +year? + +"A slight operation performed, and behold magic has been worked! + +"First, we will go over the life history of a plant, and then I'll tell +you of this magic and how to work it. Or better yet my assistants here, +Josephine, Miriam and Ethel, will do the trick. + +"A plant really goes through much the same operations in life as does an +animal. Only to be sure, these operations are performed in a rather +different way. A plant has a digestive, or feeding, system, a breathing +apparatus, the power to rid itself of waste and to make seed; it moves, +and it grows, too. Philip looked a bit skeptical when I said it moves. +Well, it does. Of course, a plant does not walk about, and move from +spot to spot. But a plant can and does move. Why it can turn itself +around back to, even. Just look at my geranium slips there! they seem to +be breaking their backs to peep out of the window and look at their best +friend, the sun. Turn all of them around, George. See, they face us now! +remember to look at them next Friday. + +"But to start over again. A plant has just three necessary and important +parts: these parts are the roots, stem, and leaves. No, Elizabeth, the +fruit and flowers are not separate parts. Why? Well, merely because by +some queer provision of the plant world, the leaves are responsible for +making or forming both the flower and the fruit. If you watch a bud form +and unfold, you will notice that the entire little bud seems to be a +series of leaves. 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 fruit. This last, like most of the rest of that I am telling +you, is just one of the miracles of nature. + +"The root, rootlets and root hairs all go to make up the root-system of +a plant. This system is a feeding and food storage system; cold storage, +we might call it. + +"I have spoken before about how the root hairs absorb food. Food is +soaked up something as a blotter soaks up ink. Underground plant food +must be liquid in nature. This is because plants, like babies, must have +very dilute food. 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 beef. But let that soil be water-soaked, and have the +proper bacteria at work, and the material is in plant-food form. +Josephine has here an old, old experiment. What was a white pink is now +a red one. It has been in that glass of red ink and a little water. And +lo, up the stem the red fluid climbed until it suffused the white flower +and made it red. Notice as Miriam holds that lump of sugar only just +touching the surface of the water, the water moves up that lump. In this +way water and liquid food rise up the stems of plants. Just so, too, +water rises in the soil from the lower layers up to the feeding place of +the roots, and even up to the surface of the ground. + +"As the roots are feeding and storing places, so the stem is a sort of +passage way for the passing back and forth of liquids. Take a stem of a +big plant, like an oak tree, and you see in the wood where storage of +fibre has gone on. But the great work is that of interchange. + +"Leaves are very active portions of the plant. They represent a great, +busy manufactory. Manufacturing what? That question I see stamped on +Myron's face so plainly he need not speak it out. Manufacturing real +food out of raw material--that is the work of these plant shops. + +"Let me tell you about this. Ethel has in her hands two little plants. +The one in her right hand has been growing in the light; the other, in +her left hand, has been put away in the dark to grow. The absence of +green colour is very marked in this latter plant. So you see it takes +light to form this green, or chlorophyll as it is called. The +chlorophyll-saturated cells, absorbing carbonic acid and the +water-diluted food from the soil, literally break them up. And when +broken, food is found suitable for plants to absorb. Wonderful, is it +not? + +"I spoke of carbonic acid; well, this is a gas, as some of you have +found out before, made up of carbon and oxygen. It is a gas which we of +the animal kingdom breathe out as waste from our bodies. The plant takes +it in through the leaf--and, by the way, I ought to explain that. It is +this way: if we had a magnifying glass we should find over the inner +surface of leaves, pores, or stomata as they are called. They open in +the presence of light; and from these openings what the plant has no use +for passes out, and gases from the air may pass in. Some call these +openings breathing pores. + +"Quantities of water pass out through these pores. When this process +goes on too rapidly a plant will wilt. + +"So, to go back, we will suppose that carbonic acid gas has passed into +the leaves. Straightway the chlorophyll bodies get to work. The gas is +broken up, and oxygen and carbon are left. The carbon is wood the plant +builds. Some of the oxygen passes out into the air and some is kept for +plant food use. + +"It is a good thing for us that some of the oxygen does escape into the +air for we need it. So you see we, in our respiration, and the plant, in +its breathing, are doing each other a good turn. + +"Of course, there is the dilute food from the soil, which is largely +mineral matter and water. The chlorophyll bodies work away on these +minerals, and make them into foods. A great body of water, as I have +said before, passes out of the plant through the stomata. + +"I have told you a thing that the plant can do which we are not capable +of doing. A plant takes a mineral and makes it over into food. You and +I, unless we happen to be circus glass-eaters, are not built to do this +work. But the vegetables which we eat do the work for us. + +"A great deal of plant food is in the form of sugars and starches. I +remember Katharine and Peter told me last winter that in their +physiology they learned how sugars and starches were made in our own +bodies. And lo and behold, the geranium can do a similar thing. + +"Some plants store up lots of starch, as the potato. Others store +quantities of sugar, as the Southern sugar cane and the beet. Wonderful? +Well, I guess it is. If we could hear and see all the work these +energetic little chlorophyll bodies are doing, we should be amazed. + +"You will remember that I told you some plants could take the very +necessary chemical nitrogen from the air; most of them, however, must +get it from the soil. And so again this from the soil solution is worked +over into available food. + +"After all we must not fail to see that water is most important. It +floats all the important food elements to the leaves for the work to be +done there. The food carbon, of course, is an exception to this rule and +I will say again in certain cases nitrogen is, also. + +"Thus you boys and girls now understand how necessary it is that a soil +should be of the right texture to hold water. If it is not, it must be +helped to be so. Sand, you will remember, had to be doctored to hold +water. Clay needed treatment in order to make it quit its bad habit of +baking out. + +"Here is a rather interesting experiment set up by Josephine and Ethel. +Look at the first piece of apparatus--a tumbler partly full of water, a +piece of cardboard over the top of the tumbler, and passing down through +a hole in the cardboard a piece of plant just stem stripped of leaves, +and finally a second tumbler clapped over the first. The second piece of +apparatus is exactly like the first, only that the stem, one end of +which is in the water, has leaves on the other end. Notice that the +upper glass in the second case has moisture on it. The upper tumbler of +the other set is perfectly dry. Whence, then, came the moisture? It +must, of course, be the leaves which gave it off, since they represent +the only difference in the two pieces of apparatus. + +"I wish we might go on with whole sets of experiments, but for that we +have not time. + +"You understand a little of the mission of root, stem and leaf. The root +does a good work in holding a plant in place. It is the foundation +material of the plant. There is much, much more to be learned about all +these subjects. This little is just to open your eyes to the wonders of +the work each plant is performing all the time. + +"I said I would show you some magic. Well, this magic has to do with +plant improvement. It is not much of a trick to raise a plant, but it is +a great one to be able to improve that plant. + +"Let me tell you of a friend of mine whom we will call Rodney, because +that is his real name. One day Rodney noticed the gardener doing +something with a little flat knife to a pansy. Then he tied a little +paper bag over the pansy, of course leaving the whole thing on the +plant. + +"'What are you doing?' asked the lad. 'I am fixing that pansy so that +the seed from it shall be finer seed than they otherwise would be.' + +"Then the old gardener explained this to Rodney: There are two parts to +flowers which are very necessary, absolutely necessary to making seed. +One part is the pistil, the other the stamen. Some flowers have both +pistils and stamen, while others have just the pistil and one has to +hunt for another plant having the stamen. You can tell the stamens in +this way: they are the parts which have in their care the pollen. Most +of you know pollen as a yellow powder or dust. Sometimes it is a sticky +gummy mass. The pistil is that part of the flower which ends in the seed +vessel. It very often takes a central position in the flower, standing +up importantly as if it were the 'part' of the flower. And after all, it +is. Now, when this pollen powder falls on the pistil it does not +explode. The pistil merely opens up a bit and down travels the powder +into the seed vessel to help form seed. There would be no real fertile +seed without the pollen. + +"Sometimes the pollen from one flower falls on its own pistil, sometimes +the wind, the bees, the birds carry the pollen to flowers far off and +drop it on their pistils. Marvelous, is it not? Everything has to be +just right, or the pollen does not do its work nor the pistil, either. +Pollen has to be ripe to help make the seed. + +"But how can the work of the wind and the bees and the birds be improved +on? Just as the old gardener was doing it. He had one pansy, oh such a +large one, but not at all beautiful in colour. He had another one, small +but exquisite in colouring. If he could but grow those two together, +shake them up, say a magic word and get a pansy both beautiful and +large! + +"Rodney's gardener used magic but not a magic wand. He took a little +knife called a scalpel. He carefully took some pollen from the beautiful +pansy and then rubbed it gently over the pistil of the big pansy. The +pollen was all ready to drop, and by this he knew it was ripe. + +"Why did he place a bag over the pansy? Well, simply because he didn't +wish that pansy interfered with. Suppose the bag were not on; suppose +after he had put the pollen on, the wind had blown other pollen to this +same pistil? Let us suppose that this other pollen came from a very +inferior flower. The experiment would have been spoiled. + +"Any of you can try this plant improvement. I see by Katharine's eyes +and Dee's also that they are going to try it. It is well if you have a +pair of forceps. Then you need not use your fingers against the plant at +all. Gently pull the pistil a bit forward, gently place the pollen on +with the scalpel and you have performed the operation entirely with the +proper instruments. + +"The girls did some saving of fine specimens of flowers this fall, but +the kind of work of which I have just told you means far more. In the +one case you choose from what you have; in the other case you make what +you want. + +"Good-by, again, until next Friday afternoon!" + + + + +V + +INCREASING PLANTS + + +"This last garden season we have tried two methods of raising plants: +one was by seed; the other by slips or cuttings. The girls will typify +still another method with their bulbs. This last method is by division. +A bulb as it stores up its nourishment after the blossoming time forms +new little bulbs. These may be separated from the parent tuber if large +enough. You all saw me dividing my peonies. Those peonies doubtless were +started years ago from one or two roots. And now when I dug them up it +looked as if I were laying in a stock of sweet potatoes so great was the +increase. + +"There are just three other methods of propagating or increasing plants. +These are layering, budding and grafting. + +"Layering is done in several ways. Suppose you have a gooseberry bush +you wish to layer. The time to do the work is after the flowering season +is past. Choose a branch which has not flowered. Strip off the lower +leaves. Now where the old and new wood meet is the place for the cut. +Make a cut right into the stem which will be like a tongue. Let this be +about an inch long. Hold this to the ground with the cut side down. Bank +soil over this. At and under the tongue the new shoots will start, and +the new gooseberry bush grow from this. This new plant may be cut off +from the parent. If the twig will not stay bent down in this position, +cut a forked piece of wood which shall act as a pin. Do you picture +this? 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 ground. + +"A rubber plant may be layered or topped as it is called. Rubber plants +have an ugly habit of going to top, dropping off their lower leaves as +they do this. So they look as if they were trying to develop into huge +bushes, and they become very ugly in so doing. The top looks all right +and many a person wishes that top were off all by itself and nicely +potted. + +"This is the way it is topped. A slit is cut in the bark about where you +would like to see roots growing. Then soil and florists' moss is bound +about the wound. These may easily be kept moist. A paper pot could be +put about the soil if one wished. The soil mass should be a ball of +about six inches in diameter. When the new roots appear through the +moss or poking out of the paper pot, cut the stem of the plant below the +pot. And behold you have a little rubber plant just as good as new, I +have told this before to the girls. + +"Another method of layering is to cut the parent off down to the ground. +What is left is called the stool. This stool should be covered with +about six inches of earth. Let us suppose this is done in early spring. +When fall comes around uncover the stool. There will be found a number +of new shoots or plants all nicely protected. These may be transplanted. +Do you know that stool can be used over again? + +"This work of layering is really very simple. Myron used it with his +strawberries. The runners were bent and buried just as those of the +gooseberry I spoke of. In this way new strawberry plants were obtained. +One shoot may be bent and buried more than once. So one may get just as +easily two or more new plants from one shoot. This seems as much a +miracle as the cross fertilization of plants. + +"The fifth method is that of budding. Apple, peach, plum, cherry and +pear trees may be budded; so, too, may roses. + +"In a word, a bud is taken from some desirable tree and inserted within +the bark of a tree either less desirable or young. Young fruit trees, +as you know, need some help before they produce good fruit. Now if +George had at home a peach tree which bore very fine fruit he would be +glad to cross a young tree with this. Budding is a kind of crossing. + +"This work should be done in the spring, although it may be done in the +fall. But the spring is a more limber time with Nature. Sap is begining +to flow; life is new and fresh again; all the plant world is ready to +start up and do something. Then, too, the bark of trees should be in as +flexible a condition as possible. The two things really necessary for +the work are mature buds and bark easy to peel. + +"Buds should be taken from the very strongest and best twigs of the last +year's growth. The little seedlings in which the buds are to be inserted +should be one year old. These are called the stock. + +"This is the manner of inserting the bud: first make a T-shaped cut in +the bark of the stock. This cut should be made on the north side of the +little tree, because it will thus be more sheltered from the sun's rays. +The cut should not be far from the ground on the main trunk, although it +may be at the base of strong shoots. But make it in the former position +for these yearlings. Then loosen the bark with the flat handle of a +regular budding knife. Not many boys and girls own such knives. Some of +you have scalpels. The handles of these are flat enough to use. Again, +you could easily whittle a piece of wood thin and flat enough for this +work. + +"The next question is how to sever a bud from its parent shoot. Suppose +you have chosen a nice full bud. About a quarter of an inch below the +base of the bud start cutting into the wood. Run the knife up to about +one quarter of an inch above the bud. Do not cut out through to the +surface, but rather from the upper surface cut the bark loose and peel +this carefully down until you can see the under surface of the bud. You +still have the wood attached to the twig at its upper edge. If as you +look at the under surface of the bud you see that it is hollow, throw +the whole thing away. If it has fibres then it is all right. The proper +layer is left to reunite with the stock. Now the bud and peeled-off bark +may be inserted in the T-shaped slip. Bind the bud in place with raffia. +Do this raffia bandaging both above and below the slit. + +"In about ten days the bandage may come off, for the knitting of fibres +is well under way. Now the top of the little tree should be cut right +back to about two inches above the bud, because you wish all the growth +to go to the bud. This is the part of promise to the tree. All its hope +lies in this new bud. + +"The best method of increase is that of grafting. A graft or scion, +which is a shoot with two or more buds on it of last year's growth, is +inserted on the stem of another plant called the stock. + +"By means of this process of grafting, trees bearing poor fruit are made +to bear good fruit. Wild fruit trees are brought under cultivation, and +a given tree may bear several varieties of its given fruit. For example, +I have in mind a tree, the marvel of my childhood, which bore big sour +apples, beautiful Gravensteins, and a good quality of Baldwins. This +sort of experimenting with trees is not only as good as a puzzle, but is +of great value. To make a wild apple tree with its gnarly, little sour +apples into a really truly, well-behaved tree bearing good fruit is +worth while, is it not? Grafting is not only a method of improvement but +of taming stock, which is after all improvement. + +"There are certain necessary precautions to take in this operation of +grafting; for this, like budding, is a surgical operation. + +"In all woody branches the outer layer is the bark; next comes the green +layer. Between this layer and the real wood is a mass of fibres which go +by the name of 'cambium'. 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 before. This layer of cambium might be likened to our blood +system. The two cambium layers must be pressed closely together so that +the operation may be successful. And finally no cut surface should be +left exposed to the air. It is air, you know, that plays havoc with +flesh wounds. More and more we see that tree doctors have a work +something like our own physicians. + +"Grafting is usually done in the spring--in March or April--about the +time sap begins to flow. The grafts or scions may be cut before this. +Choose the tree from which you wish to take a scion. You choose it +because of its fine-flavoured, sound fruit. Perhaps the fruit is +especially large, too. Size of fruit, however, does not denote fine +fruit. I once had an apple that weighed a pound. It was a beauty, fair +to look upon. But what a tasteless, pithy piece of fruit it was. +Appearances in fruit are often deceitful. The scions were to be of the +last year's growth with two or more buds. The shoots should be clean, +healthy and vigorous. You must transmit no disease along with the +scions. These may be cut off in January or February, and stuck into the +soil for about four to six inches. Keep away from direct sunlight. The +buds of scions cut at this time are dormant as they should be. + +"Grafting is named according to the manner in which the scion is put +into the stock. There is whip grafting, and cleft grafting. Whip +grafting is sometimes spoken of as tongue grafting. + +"This latter method is accomplished in this way: Suppose you have a +scion in your hand. Cut across the end of it diagonally. Use a sharp +knife for this, and make a clean cut, as I now cut across this twig. +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 +scion. Cut the stock in a similar way. Then insert the tongue of the +stock into the slit of the scion. Press these together carefully. Bind +with raffia. Whenever this work is done outdoors, as it would be in the +case of any of you who try this experiment, the union must be sealed +over. As official documents are sealed with wax, so this union is +legally sealed in wax. One can buy a regular grafting wax. Sometimes +people mix clay and grease together. That is simple, but pretty sticky +sounding. + +"Realgrafting wax is made this way: To two parts of beeswax, add four of +resin. Melt these together with one pound of tallow or linseed oil. +When all are melted together, pour into cold water. Pull like molasses +candy until it is light coloured. One's fingers should be greased to +apply this wax properly. + +"Cleft grafting is almost described by its name. A cleft or cut is made +in the stock after the stem has been neatly cut across. The cleft is a +vertical cut of about an inch in length. This is made through the centre +of the stock. The scion is made to fit down into this, so naturally it +is cut like a wedge. But there should be cuts made on both sides of the +scion diagonally to form this wedge. So two cut surfaces of cambium are +laid bare to fit against two similar surfaces of the stock. If the stock +is several times thicker than the graft or scion, there should be two of +these latter inserted. Place one at either end of the cleft. Bind and +wax. + +"If the stock is the same thickness as the graft then these two fit +perfectly one into the other. + +"This is only a little bit about grafting; but I trust this is enough to +get you all interested in this work. + +"'Is grafting really necessary?' I heard Albert whisper a while ago. It +does seem like a great deal of work. The trouble with starting fruit +from seed and expecting to get good results lies in this point: Fruit +trees seems to lose in their development from seed the ability to +produce fruit as fine as the parent stock; and so grafting becomes a +necessity. Strange that this should be so, but it is. + +"Start with a peach stone or seed. It came from a fine tree; the fruit +was luscious. 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 peach. Fruit trees have a tendency to revert to old +wild poor forms. And so we must save them and help them. + +"If any of you should start a little orchard he would wish to know how +far apart the trees should be. Apple trees should be set thirty to forty +feet apart each way; pear trees twenty to thirty feet each way; plums +and peaches sixteen to twenty feet each way. Trees need room in which to +spread out and develop; hence the distance given them. I am glad that +Myron has made a start on small fruits. His strawberries were a success. +I'd like to think that next season each of you was to have in his +garden, vegetables, flowers, one small fruit and one of the larger ones, +such as a seedling apple or peach." + + + + +VI + +GARDEN OPERATIONS + + +"I suppose the talk to-day will seem to you all merely a repetition of +things you already know. Beginnings, however, are most important. +Results often take care of themselves, but beginnings never do. Gardens +started wrong always go wrong; that is, unless one tears up one's work +and begins over again. + +"The first thing in garden making is the selection of a spot. Some of us +are saved that trouble, since we have no choice; or like Josephine, have +nothing at all in the way of space. Without a choice, it means simply +doing the best one can with conditions. With space limited it resolves +itself into no garden, or a box garden. Surely a box garden is better +than nothing at all. At least, Josephine felt this to be true, and +proved that parsley grows (with care) as well in a box as in the garden. +I claim that everyone may have something of a garden if he be willing to +take what comes to hand. + +"But we will now suppose that it is possible to really choose just the +right site for the garden. What shall be chosen? The greatest +determining factor is the sun. No one would have a north corner, unless +it were absolutely forced upon him; because, while north corners do for +ferns, certain wild flowers, and begonias, they are of little use as +spots for a general garden. + +"If possible, choose the ideal spot--a southern exposure. Here the sun +lies warm all day long. When the garden is thus located the rows of +vegetables and flowers should run north and south. Thus placed, the +plants receive the sun's rays all the morning on the eastern side, and +all the afternoon on the western side. One ought not to have any +lopsided plants with such an arrangement. + +"Suppose the garden faces southeast. In this case the western sun is out +of the problem. In order to get the best distribution of sunlight run +the rows northwest and southeast. + +"The idea is to get the most sunlight as evenly distributed as possible +for the longest period of time. From the lopsided growth of window +plants it is easy enough to see the effect on plants of poorly +distributed light. 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 other, you can juggle out any situation. The southern exposure +gives the ideal case because the sun gives half time nearly to each +side. A northern exposure may mean an almost entire cut-off from +sunlight; while northeastern and southwestern places always get uneven +distribution of sun's rays, no matter how carefully this is planned. + +"The garden, if possible, should be planned out on paper. The plan is a +great help when the real planting time comes. It saves time and +unnecessary buying of seed. Last winter we drew some plans to a scale. +Peter, Philip, and Myron did this work in fine shape. They offer to take +groups of you girls and show you how to do it; so whenever you are ready +for this, the boys are ready, too. Sometimes we do change our plans +some, anyway a change is easily made when a plan has been drawn as a +basis. + +"New garden spots are likely to be found in two conditions: they are +covered either with turf or with rubbish. In large garden areas the +ground is ploughed and the sod turned under; but in small gardens remove +the sod. How to take off the sod in the best manner is the next +question. Stake and line off the garden spot. The line gives an accurate +and straight course to follow. Cut the edges with the spade all along +the line. If the area is a small one, say four feet by eighteen or +twenty, this is an easy matter. Such a narrow strip may be marked off +like a checkerboard, the sod cut through with the spade, and easily +removed. This could be done in two long strips cut lengthwise of the +strip. When the turf is cut through, roll it right up like a roll of +carpet. + +"But suppose the garden plot is large. Then divide this up into strips a +foot wide and take off the sod as before. What shall be done with the +sod? Do not throw it away for it is full of richness, although not quite +in available form. So pack the sod grass side down one square on +another. Leave it to rot and to weather. When rotted it makes a fine +fertilizer. Such a pile of rotting vegetable matter is called a compost +pile. All through the summer add any old green vegetable matter to this. +In the fall put the autumn leaves on. A fine lot of goodness is being +fixed for another season. + +"The girls, I suppose, think this is a wretched heap to have in the +corner of a garden. So it is. But it is possible to screen it. Plant +before the space allotted to this, castor beans, tall cannas or +sunflowers. Perhaps the castor beans would be the best of all. +Sunflowers get brown and straggly looking before the season is past its +prime. + +"Even when the garden is large enough to plough, I would pick out the +largest pieces of sod rather than have them turned under. Go over the +ploughed space, pick out the pieces of sod, shake them well and pack +them up in a compost heap. + +"What is to be done with the rubbish often found on new garden sites? If +this be only weeds and other vegetable matter it may be very easily +burned on the garden spot. But suppose it is a grand collection of tin +cans, bottles and such things as cannot be burned? What can we do with +them? Cities have public dumps where lots are to be filled in. All such +trash may go to these. Oftentimes it is possible to find suitable places +in the country for dumping. But do not dump where the rubbish is to be +unsightly for others as it has been for yourself; far better have a dump +heap on your own land and screen this as the compost heap was to be +shielded from view. We take the wrong point of view if we dump rubbish +anywhere, for the sake of getting rid of it. You remember your plan is +to help make a more beautiful village. + +"How must the small garden be spaded? A method called trenching, is good +because it is so thorough. Here is a diagram George has made. Just get +your heads around this, and I'll explain it. + +[Illustration: From this plan see the scheme of trenching. Top soil from +AA' is carted to EE'. Then the top soil from BB' goes into AA'. Continue +this method and see that the soil on EE' finally goes into trench DD'. +So all the top soil in this given area is worked over and is still kept +on top.] + +"This rectangle is supposed to be the plot which needs digging. Line it +off into strips one foot wide. Have your wheelbarrow right beside AA'. +Dig one foot of top soil out of strip A' along all its length. Put this +into the barrow and dump it into the strip marked EE' outside of the +garden proper. Do the same thing to strip BB', only throw the soil into +trench AA'. The top soil from CC' goes into BB'; that of DD' into CC'. +Now the soil that was dumped outside the garden upon the strip EE' of +course is already to go right into trench DD'. + +"The value of this work is to get the soil of the bed entirely worked +over. Most people dig but poorly. Digging is hard work; so a boy digs a +little here, and a little there, throughout the seed bed and thinks the +work is all done. It is really done when the above method is used. And +after all we have said about the necessity for airing soil, and the need +of stirring things up so that the good bacteria may do their work, I +know you will all see the point immediately. + +"Mere spading of the ground is not sufficient. The soil is still left in +lumps. Always as one spades one should break up the big lumps. But even +so the ground is in no shape for planting. Ground must be very fine +indeed to plant in, because seeds can get very close indeed to fine +particles of soil. But the large lumps leave large spaces which no tiny +root hair can penetrate. A seed is left stranded in a perfect waste when +planted in chunks of soil. A baby surrounded with great pieces of +beefsteak would starve. A seed among large lumps of soil is in a +similar situation. The spade never can do this work of pulverizing soil. +But the rake can. That's the value of the rake. It is a great lump +breaker, but will not do for large lumps. If the soil still has large +lumps in it take the hoe. + +"Many people handle the hoe awkwardly. Get up, Jay, and show us just how +to hold it! Walk along as you hoe, drawing the hoe toward you. The chief +work of this implement is to rid the soil of weeds and stir up the top +surface. It is used in summer to form that mulch of dust so valuable in +retaining moisture in the soil. I often see boys hoe as if they were +going to chop into atoms everything around. Hoeing should never be such +vigorous exercise as that. Spading is vigorous, hard work, but not +hoeing and raking. + +"After lumps are broken use the rake to make the bed fine and smooth. +Now the great piece of work is done. To be sure I have said nothing of +fertilizing. The kind and amount of fertilizer depends on the kind of +soil. Well-rotted manure being the best all-around fertilizer, we will +say that we have spaded that into the seed bed after the trenching +operation is over. + +"Now the plan made on paper comes into practical use, and garden stakes, +cord and a means of measuring are the things necessary to have on hand. +Jay and Albert have made their garden stakes one foot in length. They +will serve as a good rule in furrow making. On their hoe handles Jack +and Elizabeth have marked two feet off into inches. This is another +scheme for measuring. George has a pole four feet long which he uses. +This has inches marked on one foot of its length. Katharine has a +seventy-five foot tape measure. And Leston and Helena have made this +tool I have here in my hand. It looks like a wooden toothed rake with +its teeth eight inches apart. This dragged over the surface of a nice, +fine garden bed marks off furrows. It makes the most regular furrows you +ever saw because it cannot help itself. Miriam used a board last summer. +She laid this across her seed bed, kneeling on it, then she drew a +dibber along the board's straight edge, pressing firmly into the soil +with the dibber. This also made a good straight furrow. + +"Peter and Philip always use a line and two stout garden stakes. Their +hoes do the rest. + +"We usually think of furrows, or drills, as they really should be called +when little soil is removed, as being about a half inch or even less in +width. Sometimes certain seed, beans and peas, for example, are placed +in double rows in a wide drill. + +"I think you all understand hill making. Then you remember how we +planted certain seeds broadcast, as grass and poppy seeds. Remember that +seeds thus sown need only a dusting of soil over them. + +"But in general, drill sowing for both vegetables and flower seeds is +the most satisfactory method. + +"Most boys and girls sow seeds too thickly. The seedlings as they come +up are too crowded for proper amounts of sunlight, air and food. You +have seen lettuce seedlings crowded together growing small and weak. +Why? Lack of light and air, lack of moisture and food are the reasons +for this. Thin out pretty severely. Wait, of course, until the seedlings +are an inch or more high. Then look over the little plants and gently +take out the weakest and smallest specimens. Press the soil firmly about +those which remain. If the first planting has been very thick have two +times of thinning. It is a bit easier on those seedlings remaining if +too many comrades do not go at once. + +[Illustration: Jack's Rake Handle as a Measuring Stick] + +[Illustration: Albert Sowing Large Seeds Singly + +Photographs by Edward Mahoney] + +"Of course, some of these seedlings may be transplanted. They should be +about two inches above ground for this purpose. Lettuce, cabbage and +peppers transplant beautifully; so do asters. I would not try to +transplant beets, radish or turnips. The reason is that these plants +have long tap roots. Usually a portion of the root is left in the ground +and the transplanted seedling has an injured root. So you either lose +it, or it does poorly. + +"Beets may be allowed to grow thickly for a time. Then when the thinning +is done, the tender beet tops may be used for greens. + +"Transplanting is a delicate operation. A trowel or a thin garden +marker, a can of water and dibber are the necessary tools for the +business. A cloudy day is a good thing to have on hand, also. If this is +impossible, place the sun behind a cloud. The little seedling should be +taken up with great care from its old home. A little soil should come +with the roots. This gives the little plant a home feeling in its new +quarters. The thin stick is often better to use than the trowel. If the +soil is watered a bit about the small plant, one is far more likely to +get the soil up with the roots. + +"Now make the hole in the ground with the dibber just where you wish. A +motion, like that of a revolving top, is the one to use in working the +dibber. Water the hole. Drop a little soil in the bottom of the hole. +You see the dibber leaves an awkward little peak there at the bottom of +the hole. Water lodges there and stays. The tiny rootlets do not quite +reach into the bottom of the hole, and perhaps dangle in the water and +begin to decay. A little soil dropped in prevents all this. Now a little +plant goes in. Do not place it too low, nor too high in the hole. Have +the roots uncramped. Drop soil in gently and finally firm it all with +both hands. + +"The sun must not shine too hotly for the first few days on these little +plants in their new home. They are not yet used to their surroundings +and must be coddled a bit if they are to do well. + +"The remaining garden operations are weeding and constant cultivation. A +part of the work in the flower garden is close picking, if constant +bloom is wished. + +"I have said nothing about how to plant different seeds because each of +you had tables to cover all of that. + +"The object of this talk is to impress upon you the necessity for +careful preparation. Well-prepared soil, carefully handled tools and +plants are ways to success. + +"Good tools, good seed, good hard work make for results such as will +satisfy your highest hopes. But it is not the result only that is worth +the struggle; the knowledge and the power are the greater glories." + + + + +VII + +COMMON WEEDS + + +What a delight it would be if we could garden without weeds. But that is +well-nigh impossible. For these rascals, the weeds, are such persistent +fellows, so clever in their devices for getting over the surface of the +earth, so able to live where nothing else in the plant world can live, +that it is a discouraging matter to attempt to exterminate them. They +always seem to me like pushing sort of people trying to live among those +who do not want them. Then, too, they crowd the better class of +inhabitants out. + +"There are a certain number of plants which we always looked upon as +weeds, such as burdock and wild carrot, for example. But if a beautiful +garden plant should persist in living and spreading itself over our +vegetable garden, then that, too, would become a weed. Over across the +sea in England the poppy grows wild in the fields. It looks very +beautiful to the traveler, because it makes lovely red splashes of +colour through the field. But I doubt very much if it looks really +attractive to the farmer. These things depend largely, do they not, upon +one's point of view? + +"Even a question like weeds we have no right to look at from one point +of view only. The good points of weeds do not balance up the bad points; +but it is well to give even weeds their due. Rid the world of weeds and +unless these despoiled spots were cultivated, think of the great waste +places there would be over the earth's surface. The weeds shade the +ground thus preventing too great surface evaporation. Then the weeds are +a signal to farmers and all gardeners to get busy. We people of the +world are lazy, just naturally so, and perhaps if there were no weeds we +might cultivate the soil too little. Years ago certain weeds were much +used in medicine. This is more or less true, to-day. The dandelion with +its bitter secretion was good, it was believed, for the liver, a sort of +spring tonic. The Department of Agriculture has printed a pamphlet on +'Weeds Used in Medicine' (Farmers' Bulletin, No. 188). Jack and Jay each +sent for a copy last spring. You all might start a garden library with +these pamphlets for a basis. They are sent to you free and are +invaluable in your work. Get together all the helps you can on the +subject you are studying. Boys and girls receive free so much in the +present day that it seems a shame not to make use of these things. 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 month. You girls might follow this good example set +you by the boys. + +"Well, we have wandered a bit from the subject in hand. Weeds are again +discouraging because they have such facilities for travel. Talk about +flying machines--weeds are centuries ahead of men along these lines. +Look at a milkweed seed; it is a complete flying apparatus. With its +perfect ballast it flies beautifully along over field and river ready to +alight in proper seed style, end down. + +"There is a piece of mechanism in the end of each burdock seed that +seems to make travel possible, and dissemination sure. Never was fish +hook more cleverly made than this hook of the bur seed. It catches on to +your clothing and travels until you feel its pull. Then you pick it off +and cast it aside. So it goes. It sticks to the furry and hairy coats of +animals and again is carried along. + +"Did you ever observe the seed of wild carrot? It, too, is arranged with +clinging points all around and about its seed. 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 Nature. + +"Here is another discouraging side to the weed question. Weeds produce +so many, many seeds! Look at a single stalk of plantain. This stalk does +not stand for one seed capsule, but all up and down the stalk are the +seeds; again, not one seed here and one there, but each capsule or seed +case holding many seeds. When these become ripe, then the top of the +capsule comes off just like the cover of a box, or the top of a salt +cellar, and the seeds are sent out. It would not be a useless thing to +count sometimes the number of seeds on one plantain stalk, and thus gain +an idea of the tremendous possibilities of increase which the weeds +have. + +"A lad I once knew counted the number of seeds in a milkweed pod which +he had, and found very nearly two hundred. I do not remember the exact +number. It was between one hundred and ninety-five and two hundred. +Think of one pod scattering that number of seeds! Think again of the +number of pods on one milkweed plant! It is staggering, is it not? To be +sure we can remember the parable of the sower and have some hope, for +some seed may fall on soil in which they will never come to maturity. + +"Weeds, like the wild morning glory, form new plants not from their +seed only, but from their travelling, trailing branches. + +"If, then, the chances are so good for renewal of weeds, what is the +plan of campaign which we should follow? Once a German gentleman who +loved and cultivated roses was asked how to get rid of rose bugs. 'Kill +them,' he said. 'Pick them off by hand and kill them by foot is the sure +method!' he continued. + +"So, to get rid of weeds, just destroy them. Persistently and constantly +weed them out and cultivate the soil. Clean cultivation is the only sort +for good crops and freedom from weeds. + +"Weeds, as flowers, drop in the three classes of annuals, biennials and +perennials. Any annual is easy enough to hold down. Just pull such weeds +up. Some merely cut the weed off at the surface of the ground, but it is +a better way to be rid of the thing entirely. And should you not be +quite sure of the kind of weed, then pulling up is the only really safe +plan. For if the weed happened to be a perennial, leaving the root in +the ground would be the worst possible thing to do. + +"The greatest business of all annuals is to form seed. Now I know you +wish to say that this is the business of all plants. It is. But with +annuals there is only one chance to produce seed. That chance is the one +short year of their lives, and this is doubtless the reason why these +chaps work so hard at seed forming, and produce so many seed. Therefore, +the thing evidently to be done is to make it impossible for annuals to +form seed. + +"The biennials and perennials must have further treatment than just that +of preventing seed formation. The underground part of such weeds must be +destroyed. For these live in the ground ready to come up again. +Biennials may be killed out by deep hoeing. Get rid of all the young +plants, keep at the older ones with the hoe and prevent seed formation, +too. Biennials are found most abundantly in waste places along woodsides +and where the soil for a long time has been left undisturbed. + +"Perennials need about the same treatment as biennials. But even greater +persistency should be exercised in destroying the underground portion. +For these underground plants produce new plants as surely as seeds do. +The bindweed has a creeping root, wild garlic has a bulb, and such forms +are always producing new forms underground while the seed above the +ground is able to do the same thing. + +"Ploughing helps destroy perennials, as the roots are exposed to direct +sunlight and so destroyed. Another method of treatment is that of +cutting off the top down to the root and putting salt on the freshly cut +root tap. Then again these roots may be starved out by never allowing +the top or leafy part to form. You will remember that it is the leaf +which makes the food. And if there is no food then there will be none to +store away in the root for new root formation. Some farmers smother +roots. This is done by planting such crops as hemp, clover or cowpeas. +These crops choke out the weeds. They cover the ground very completely, +and so the weeds have less of a chance. + +"I give the following table of a few very common weeds in order that you +may know just how to handle them. + +"I must speak especially about snapdragon or butter and eggs. It came to +our country as a garden flower. It has spread and spread, partly by its +seeds and partly by its root stalks, which are creeping ones, and now it +is a perennial weed. For since it has become a nuisance it must be +classed as a weed. As it spreads along it tends to force out other +plants. + +"This weed, like the wild carrot, is really very lovely. Could such +weeds be properly held down in small garden areas they would be very +ornamental. I saw a little flower garden once, quite beautiful, with two +small clumps, one of wild mustard and one of field daisy, among the +other flowers. + + ----------------------------------------------------------------- + COMMON NAME CLASS SEED TIME COLOUR OF + FLOWER + ----------------------------------------------------------------- + Burdock Biennial Aug.-Oct. Purple + + Bur-marigold or Annual July-Nov. Yellow + beggar ticks + + Canada thistle Perennial " " " + + Chickweed Annual Mar.-July White + + Cocklebur " July-Oct. Green + + Dandelion Perennial May-Oct. Yellow + + English bindweed or " Aug.-Oct. White + morning glory + + Moth Mullein Biennial July-Nov. Yellow + + Narrow-leaved Annual July-Oct. Blue + stickseed or + beggar tick + + Ox-eye daisy or Perennial Aug.-Oct. White + white daisy + + Pigweed Annual Aug.-Nov. Green + + Prickly lettuce, " July-Nov. Yellow + milkweed + + Purslane, pursley " June-Dec. " + + Rib-grass, plantain Biennial July-Nov. White + + Ragweed, Roman wormwood Annual Aug.-Nov. Yellow + + Russian thistle " " " Purplish + + Smartweed Perennial Aug.-Sept. Pink + + Sorrel Perennial June-Nov. Red + + Wild carrot, Biennial July-Nov. White + Queen Anne's lace + + Wild garlic, onion Perennial July-Oct. " + + Wild mustard Annual June-Oct. Yellow + + Wild parsnip Biennial July-Oct. " + + Yellow daisy, " July-Sept. " + ox-eye daisy, + brown-eyed Susan + + Yellow dock Perennial Aug.-Oct. Green + ----------------------------------------------------------------- + +"The seeds of the wild mustard, like those of the plantain and other +weeds, get in with the grain seed and so cause constant trouble. Farmers +feel that such weeds must be thoroughly gotten out of the fields. + +"It is not our own native weeds which are so troublesome but the +foreign ones. Most of our worst weeds are foreigners. They have come to +this country as stowaways from across the seas. They have fought for +centuries and can keep the fight up over here. + +"I am not going to give you a description of each weed we have. This +table, a copy of which is for each of you, will be, I think, of true +help. The study of weeds is something quite by itself. It is for you to +help prevent the seeding of weeds everywhere. Do not carelessly scatter +seeds. Keep your own garden plots free from these pests by clean and +careful cultivation. Remember, too, the value of cover crops. + +"There is another pest to fight. This pest is of the animal kingdom and +not of the plant kingdom. Next Friday our talk is on animal pests, and +how to destroy them." + + + + +VIII + +GARDEN PESTS + + +If we could garden without any interference from the pests which attack +plants, then indeed gardening would be a simple matter. But all the time +we must watch out for these little foes--little in size, but tremendous +in the havoc they make. + +"As human illness may often be prevented by healthful conditions, so +pests may be kept away by strict garden cleanliness. Heaps of waste are +lodging places for the breeding of insects. I do not think a compost +pile will do the harm, but unkempt, uncared-for spots seem to invite +trouble. + +"There are certain helps to keeping pests down. The constant stirring up +of the soil by earthworms is an aid in keeping the soil open to air and +water. Many of our common birds feed upon insects. The sparrows, robins, +chickadees, meadow larks and orioles are all examples of birds who help +in this way. Some insects feed on other and harmful insects. Some kinds +of ladybugs do this good deed. The ichneumon-fly helps too. And toads +are wonders in the number of insects they can consume at one meal. The +toad deserves very kind treatment from all of us. + +"Each girl and boy gardener should try to make her or his garden into a +place attractive to birds and toads. A good birdhouse, grain sprinkled +about in early spring, a water-place, are invitations for birds to stay +a while in your garden. If you wish toads, fix things up for them too. +During a hot summer day a toad likes to rest in the shade. By night he +is ready to go forth to eat but not to kill, since toads prefer live +food. How can one "fix up" for toads? Well, one thing to do is to +prepare a retreat, quiet, dark and damp. A few stones of some size +underneath the shade of a shrub with perhaps a carpeting of damp leaves, +would appear very fine to a toad. + +"Suppose a certain crop in your garden has had an insect pest. Do not +plant this same crop next year, for it would doubtless have the same +pest. Don't let the soil get full of insect troubles; therefore, keep +the soil open and aired and study it well. + +"There are two general classes of insects known by the way they do their +work. One kind gnaws at the plant really taking pieces of it into its +system. This kind of insect has a mouth fitted to do this work. +Grasshoppers and caterpillars are of this sort. The other kind sucks the +juices from a plant. This, in some ways, is the worst sort. Plant lice +belong here, as do mosquitoes, which prey on us. All the scale insects +fasten themselves on plants, and suck out the life of the plants. + +"Now can we fight these chaps? The gnawing fellows may be caught with +poison sprayed upon plants, which they take into their bodies with the +plant. The Bordeaux mixture which Peter used is a poison sprayed upon +plants for this purpose. So, too, is Paris green. + +"In the other case the only thing is to attack the insect direct. So +certain insecticides, as they are called, are sprayed on the plant to +fall upon the insect. They do a deadly work of attacking, in one way or +another, the body of the insect. The kerosene emulsion made by the girls +for their infested house plants worked this same way. Tobacco water and +tobacco dust sprinkled on act in similar manner. + +"Lime, soot, and sand are other means of blocking and choking off +insects. + +"Sometimes we are much troubled with underground insects at work. You +have seen a garden covered with ant hills. Here is a remedy, but one of +which you must be careful. + +"Carbon bisulphid comes in little tin cans. It is a liquid of a vile +smell, something like onions and rotten eggs mixed. The girls' noses are +going up sky-high now. But it does the work of ant killing. You must be +careful in handling this. It has a horrid explosive habit. Pour about a +teaspoonful down an ant hole. Do not use a good silver spoon from the +dining room. Get an old spoon, or buy a tin one. For you will never use +it again except it be for carbon-bisulphid work. After this liquid has +been poured down the hole, place a bit of a chip over it, for there may +be a slight volcanic action underground. It is well to do this on a +damp, cloudy day when all the ants are at home. + +"Remember this stuff is not to be fooled with, as it is poisonous and +also takes fire readily. Never open the can inside by a fire, in too +great a heat, or near a lighted match. Invite your fathers to help in +this. By no means do anything silly. Keep the can closed except when +pouring out a teaspoonful. + +"This question is constantly being asked, 'How can I tell what insect is +doing the destructive work?' Well, you can tell partly by the work done, +and partly by seeing the insect itself. This latter thing is not always +so easy to accomplish. I had cutworms one season and never saw one. I +saw only the work done. If stalks of tender plants are cut clean off be +pretty sure the cutworm is abroad. What does he look like? Well, that is +a hard question because his family is a large one. Should you see +sometime a grayish striped caterpillar, you may know it is a cutworm. +But because of its habit of resting in the ground during the day and +working by night, it is difficult to catch sight of one. The cutworm is +around early in the season ready to cut the flower stalks of the +hyacinths. When the peas come on a bit later, he is ready for them. A +very good way to block him off is to put paper collars, or tin ones, +about the plants. These collars should be about an inch away from the +plant. + +"Of course, plant lice are more common. Those we see are often green in +colour. But they may be red, yellow or brown. Kerosene emulsion is the +medicine for plant lice. Lice are easy enough to find since they are +always clinging to their host. As sucking insects they have to cling +close to a plant for food, and one is pretty sure to find them. But the +biting insects do their work, and then go hide. That makes them much +more difficult to deal with. + +"Rose slugs do great damage to the rose bushes. They eat out the body +of the leaves, so that just the veining is left. They are soft-bodied, +green above and yellow below. Since they are eating insects Paris green +will kill them. But the kerosene emulsion penetrates their soft bodies; +so this also may be used. + +"A beetle, the striped beetle, attacks young melons and squash leaves. +It eats the leaf by riddling out holes in it. This beetle, as its name +implies, is striped. The back is black with yellow stripes running +lengthwise. White hellebore powder kills these pests. Ask the druggist +for five cents' worth and you will have a great plenty for any of your +gardens. It, too, is a poison. This poison is also good to use for the +caterpillars that eat many of our garden plants. Make a circle four +inches from the stalk of an infested plant and sprinkle the powder in +this. Evening time is good for this, because the dew moistens the powder +just enough to make it a nuisance to the insect. + +"Then there are the slugs, which are garden pests. The slug will devour +almost any garden plant, whether it be a flower or a vegetable. They lay +lots of eggs in old rubbish heaps. Do you see the good of cleaning up +rubbish? The slugs do more harm in the garden than almost any other +single insect pest. You can discover them in the following way. There +is a trick for bringing them to the surface of the ground in the day +time. You see they rest during the day below ground. So just water the +soil in which the slugs are supposed to be. How are you to know where +they are? They are quite likely to hide near the plants they are feeding +on. So water the ground with some nice clean lime water. This will +disturb them, and up they'll poke to see what the matter is. + +"Beside these most common of pests already mentioned, pests which attack +many kinds of plants, there are special pests for special plants. +Discouraging, is it not? Beans have pests of their own; so have potatoes +and cabbages, as George well knows. In fact, the vegetable garden has +many inhabitants. In the flower garden lice are very bothersome, the +cutworm and the slug have a good time there, too, and ants often get +very numerous as the season advances. But for real discouraging insect +troubles the vegetable garden takes the prize. If we were going into +fruit to any extent, perhaps the vegetable garden would have to resign +in favour of the fruit garden. + +"A common pest in the vegetable garden is the tomato worm. This is a +large yellowish or greenish striped worm. Its work is to eat into the +young fruit. + +"A great, light green caterpillar is found on celery. This caterpillar +may be told by the black bands, one on each ring or segment of its body. + +"The squash bug may be told by its brown body, which is long and +slender, and by the disagreeable odour from it when killed. The potato +bug is another fellow to look out for. It is a beetle with yellow and +black stripes down its crusty back. The little green cabbage worm is a +perfect nuisance. It is a small caterpillar and smaller than the tomato +worm. These are perhaps the most common of garden pests by name. It +might be well to take up the common vegetables and flowers mentioning +the pests which prey on each one. + +"Let us take the vegetables first. None of us have grown asparagus yet; +but it will be well to know about this vegetable. There is a beetle +which may trouble asparagus plants. It is red with markings of black. +The grub of this beetle is dark green. Look out for the asparagus beetle +during April and May, for these are the months when it appears. The eggs +are laid on young shoots of the plant. Such shoots should be cut right +off. After the cutting season is over the plants should be sprayed. +This may be done in August. Very dilute Bordeaux mixture or Paris green +may be used for a spray. + +"Next in the alphabet come beans. The most common trouble that beans +have is one called anthracnose. That staggering word means that the +leaves become covered with spots which are round with purple borders. +Again, a spray of Bordeaux mixture should be used. The plants should be +sprayed until the pods form. Look for this trouble in July. + +"Beets are prone to leaf spots. As soon as such spots appear, the plants +should be sprayed with the Bordeaux mixture. Every two weeks give the +plants about three sprayings. + +"The cabbage worm I have spoken of. This worm works all summer. +Cabbages, if neglected, become literally alive with the little +caterpillars. They eat and eat the foliage, riddling it completely. They +eat into the heads so that the cabbage plant is completely spoiled. +George treated his with pyrethrum powder. This he mixed with five times +its bulk of dust. It was then dusted or shaken over the cabbage plant. A +very good thing to do before trouble begins is to dust the soil and +tender plants with lime. After the plants have begun to head use +hellebore powder. + +"Lice appear on cauliflower. The kerosene emulsion which we use on our +indoor plants is all right for this work, too. The lice appear on the +foliage in great white masses. They suck the life and goodness from the +plant. They come all through the summer at any time. Whale oil soap is +another good spray to use. Peter has typewritten receipts for these +sprays which you may have at the close of this talk. Sometimes the root +of the cauliflower is attacked. Little white maggots mine or burrow +through the root. They are quite likely to begin their bad work in June +or July. That rather dangerous carbon bisulphid is the medicine for this +trouble. Make a hole in the soil as you did when treating the ant. Do +not make this too near the plant. I should say six inches away would be +about right. Pour a teaspoonful of the poison into the hole and it will +take care of itself. Cover the hole over as you would in the case of the +ant. When cauliflower plants begin to look sickly pull one up. If it is +full of maggots that is easy to determine. But it may be that you will +find great lumps or knots on the root. Since these knots appear during +the same months as the maggots, you can only be sure of the real cause +by pulling up a plant. If these knots are on the root, then you have a +very serious trouble to contend with. So serious is the club root +condition that the only safe thing to do is to pull up and completely +destroy the diseased plants. Dig the soil up after this. Then lime it. +Put a lot of lime on, not just a dusting over the surface of the soil. +This represents soil that is in trouble, so do not plant cauliflower +here again, or its coarser cousin, the cabbage. + +"Sometimes a little red or orange and black bug appears. This is called +the harlequin bug from its fantastic appearance. This bug may come all +summer long at any time. The whale oil soap spray is the one to use. +Celery may be troubled with the light green caterpillar with the black +bands before spoken of. This caterpillar arrives in August. It is not +difficult at all to see, so many may be picked off just by hand. One may +use Paris green as a spray. + +"None of you had any trouble with corn being infested. But sometimes a +worm, called the earworm, which is like the tomato worm, will appear +during June and eat the tips of the young ears. A little Paris green +sprinkled on the leaves, at their base will kill them. + +"Cucumbers and melons, as I have before said, are prone to be preys of +the cutworms, squash bugs, striped beetles, and lice or aphis. You know +treatment for cutworms and lice. The squash bug may be destroyed by +hand. Sometimes when bits of sticks are placed on the ground the bugs +will crawl under them. Next morning a small harvest of bugs can be +killed. The squash bug lays its eggs on the under surface of the plant's +leaves. These leaves should be removed and burned. The striped beetle is +kept off by the Bordeaux mixture spray. This beetle appears in June. A +spraying during this month often prevents a blight of the leaves in +July. This blight appears first as a spotting on the leaves, after which +the leaves soon wither up. + +"Onions, as well as radishes, are affected by maggots which will mine +through the onion bulb as well as the stems of the young, tender plants. +A solution made from carbolic soap and water is excellent with which to +water the soil about the plants. + +"Peas have green lice as melons and cucumbers do. The lice appear early +in May and June, and are killed and kept down by the regulation +treatment. Many times during the latter part of summer peas may become +mildewed. You can tell this by a growth of white down on stem and +leaves. Put some soap in the Bordeaux mixture and spray. + +"From May to October potato bugs flourish. Paris green is the spray to +use. In the start they may be hand picked. But do not let them get ahead +of your hand. A very serious potato disease is that of scab. Scales +appear on the potatoes themselves. To prevent this, uncut seed potatoes +are soaked in poison. But this is not a work for you to do alone by any +means. + +"The squash bug naturally seeks out the squash vine. He should be +treated as we said when we talked of the same bug and melons. + +"Tomatoes have numerous troubles. The cutworm, the tomato worm, the horn +worm, potato beetle and various blights may come to tomatoes. The horn +worm is a large green worm named from the horn at one end of its body. +It appears in midsummer. Such large worms usually may be hand picked. If +you should see a tomato plant wilting for no reason at all, pull it up +and burn it; it probably has an infectious trouble which is carried from +one plant to another by insects. It is really an infectious disease. + +"These are the most common vegetable garden pests and their remedies. + +"As the girls know, the flower garden is not without pests, too. Plant +lice are plenty enough. These may appear at one time or another during +the entire year. + +"Some plants become covered with a little red spider. It attacks the +foliage and does great damage. This may be due to lack of moisture with +house plants. I do not mean lack of watering, but a dry condition of the +air of the room. Often just a spray of clear water is sufficient to rid +the plant of the mites. + +"Roses have more troubles than any one other flower. 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-hopper. Kerosene emulsion is good to use. Often +slugs will feed upon the surface of the leaves. A dusting of lime over +the leaves keeps these feeders away. There is a brown beetle called the +rose chafer, which eats the flower itself. Hand picking is about the +best weapon to employ against this enemy. A scale sometimes comes on the +stems. This scale looks like a white crust. It is wise to spray such +rose bushes with kerosene emulsion. And better still, if possible, cut +off and burn such scale-encrusted parts. + +"Cutworms bother the early bulbs and the violets, too. A great many of +the larger pests may be hand picked. The lice should be sprayed. + +"And for the remedies. The following will be the ones you will need the +most: + + KEROSENE EMULSION + + Soap (Ivory) 1/4 pound + + Boiling water 2 quarts + + Kerosene 4 quarts + +"The soap should be shaved up and dissolved in the water. To this add +the kerosene (of course not when the soap and water is on the stove) a +little at a time. Beat it with an egg beater to be kept for that +purpose; or shake it vigorously. + +"For use against plant lice add to one cup of this emulsion 8 cups of +water. For scale insects dilute with four cups of water. + + BORDEAUX MIXTURE + + I. Copper sulphate (blue vitriol) 1 lb. + Water 1 gal. + Dissolve the sulphate in the water. + + II. Slaked lime 1 lb. + Water 1 gal. + Dissolve the lime in the water. + +To one bucket (2-1/2 gallons) of fresh water add four pints of the first +solution. To another bucket of fresh water add six pints of the second +solution. + +Stir these together. Keep the rest of the solutions I. and II. for later +mixing when it is needed. + +WHALE OIL SOAP HOT WATER SOLUTION + +Whale oil soap 1 pound +Hot water 6 quarts + +This is the right dilution for plant lice but for scale insects it is +too weak; for them use about two quarts of water to one pound of soap. + +"The best way to apply liquid sprays in small gardens is to use a whisk +broom. Just dip the little broom into the mixture needed and shake the +brush over the plant. Then the hands need never come in contact with the +poison. Careful children can use sprays without any trouble. Josephine +has used kerosene emulsion in this fashion: she pours a little into a +saucer, takes a bit of cheese cloth and dipping it into the emulsion +wipes the lice off an infested part. Usually one application is enough. +This sounds like a much more disagreeable task than it really is. A +plant syringe may be used. But personally I like the hand method. Of +course if there are lots of lice on many plants this would not be +practical at all. + +"It stands to reason that sick plants need medicines of some kind. +Sometimes to be sure they need better living conditions. Often the soil +is sour, water-logged, unaired and totally unfit for a self-respecting +plant to live in. The whole thing resolves itself into a study of +conditions, and a desire to help the plant have as comfortable a time as +possible in life." + + + + +IX + +VEGETABLE CULTURE + + +"As a rule, boys and girls choose to grow bush beans rather than pole +beans. I cannot make up my mind whether or not this is from sheer +laziness. In a city backyard the tall varieties might perhaps be a +problem since it would be difficult to get poles. But these running +beans can be trained along old fences and with little urging will run up +the stalks of the tallest sunflowers. So that settles the pole question. +There is an ornamental side to the bean question. Suppose you plant +these tall beans at the extreme rear end of each vegetable row. Make +arches with supple tree limbs, binding them over to form the arch. Train +the beans over these. When one stands facing the garden, what a +beautiful terminus these bean arches make. + +"Beans like rich, warm, sandy soil. In order to assist the soil be sure +to dig deeply, and work it over thoroughly for bean culture. It never +does to plant beans before the world has warmed up from its spring +chills. There is another advantage in early digging of soil. It brings +to the surface eggs and larvae of insects. The birds eager for food will +even follow the plough to pick from the soil these choice morsels. A +little lime worked in with the soil is helpful in the cultivation of +beans. + +"Bush beans are planted in drills about eighteen inches apart, while the +pole-bean rows should be three feet apart. The drills for the bush limas +should be further apart than those for the other dwarf beans--say three +feet. This amount of space gives opportunity for cultivation with the +hoe. If the running beans climb too high just pinch off the growing +extreme end, and this will hold back the upward growth. + +"Among bush beans are the dwarf, snap or string beans, the wax beans, +the bush limas, one variety of which is known as brittle beans. Among +the pole beans are the pole limas, wax and scarlet runner. The scarlet +runner is a beauty for decorative effects. The flowers are scarlet and +are fine against an old fence. These are quite lovely in the flower +garden. Where one wishes a vine, this is good to plant for one gets both +a vegetable, bright flowers and a screen from the one plant. When +planting beans put the bean in the soil edgewise with the eye down. + +"Beets like rich, sandy loam, also. Fresh manure worked into the soil is +fatal for beets, as it is for many another crop. But we will suppose +that nothing is available but fresh manure. Some gardeners say to work +this into the soil with great care and thoroughness. But even so, there +is danger of a particle of it getting next to a tender beet root. The +following can be done; Dig a trench about a foot deep, spread a thin +layer of manure in this, cover it with soil, and plant above this. By +the time the main root strikes down to the manure layer, there will be +little harm done. Beets should not be transplanted. If the rows are one +foot apart there is ample space for cultivation. Whenever the weather is +really settled, then these seeds may be planted. Young beet tops make +fine greens. Greater care should be taken in handling beets than usually +is shown. When beets are to be boiled, if the tip of the root and the +tops are cut off, the beet bleeds. This means a loss of good material. +Pinching off such parts with the fingers and doing this not too closely +to the beet itself is the proper method of handling. I throw this in for +the benefit of our future cooks, the girls. + +"There are big coarse members of the beet and cabbage families called +the mangel wurzel and ruta baga. About here these are raised to feed to +the cattle. They are a great addition to a cow's dinner. + +"The cabbage family is a large one. There is the cabbage proper, then +cauliflower, broccoli or a more hardy cauliflower, kale, Brussels +sprouts and kohlrabi, a cabbage-turnip combination. George has worked +out cabbage culture successfully. I refer to him for full particulars. + +"Cauliflower is a kind of refined, high-toned cabbage relative. It needs +a little richer soil than cabbage and cannot stand the frost. A frequent +watering with manure water gives it the extra richness and water it +really needs. The outer leaves must be bent over, as in the case of the +young cabbage, in order to get the white head. The dwarf varieties are +rather the best to plant. + +"Kale is not quite so particular a cousin. It can stand frost. Rich soil +is necessary, and early spring planting, because of slow maturing. It +may be planted in September for early spring work. + +"Brussels sprouts are a very popular member of this family. On account +of their size many people who do not like to serve poor, common old +cabbage will serve these. Brussels sprouts are interesting in their +growth. The plant stalk runs skyward. At the top, umbrella like, is a +close head of leaves, but this is not what we eat. Shaded by the +umbrella and packed all along the stalk are delicious little cabbages or +sprouts. Like the rest of the family a rich soil is needed and plenty of +water during the growing period. The seed should be planted in May, and +the little plants transplanted into rich soil in late July. The rows +should be eighteen inches apart, and the plants one foot apart in the +rows. + +"Kohlrabi is a go-between in the families of cabbage and turnip. It is +sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage. Just above the ground the stem +of this plant swells into a turnip-like vegetable. In the true turnip +the swelling is underground, but like the cabbage, kohlrabi forms its +edible part above ground. It is easy to grow. Only it should develop +rapidly, otherwise the swelling gets woody, and so loses its good +quality. Sow out as early as possible; or sow inside in March and +transplant to the open. Plant in drills about two feet apart. Set the +plants about one foot apart, or thin out to this distance. To plant one +hundred feet of drill buy half an ounce of seed. Seed goes a long way, +you see. Kohlrabi is served and prepared like turnip. It is a very +satisfactory early crop. + +"Before leaving the cabbage family I should like to say that the +cabbage called Savoy is an excellent variety to try. It should always +have an early planting under cover, say in February, and then be +transplanted into open beds in March or April. If the land is poor where +you are to grow cabbage, then by all means choose Savoy. + +"Carrots are of two general kinds: those with long roots, and those with +short roots. If long-rooted varieties are chosen, then the soil must be +worked down to a depth of eighteen inches, surely. The shorter ones will +do well in eight inches of well-worked sandy soil. Do not put carrot +seed into freshly manured land. Another point in carrot culture is one +concerning the thinning process. As the little seedlings come up you +will doubtless find that they are much, much too close together. Wait a +bit, thin a little at a time, so that young, tiny carrots may be used on +the home table. These are the points to jot down about the culture of +carrots. 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 asking. + +"Peter covered the ground of celery raising. One or two points only I +will speak of. A very rich, workable soil is a celery soil. In the +process of getting such a bed ready it ought to have a thorough wetting +down a day before planting. Celery seed is small, and, as is the case +with other small seed, it is quite likely to be planted in clumps or +bunches. To avoid this the seed should be mixed with sand and then +sprinkled in drills. These drills should be six inches apart, and very +shallow. Sow the seed, cover, and water. This bed should be screened +from direct sunlight. A careful, gentle, daily watering is necessary. +Thin the little plants to four inches apart. Peter can tell the rest of +the story. The only other thing I need add is this, that in +transplanting the work should be done quickly. One should not take up +celery plants and perhaps leave them a long time before placing in new +quarters. Plant immediately. It takes little to upset a celery plant and +check its growth. So never take up a whole lot of celery plants at one +time. Take up a few, keep them moist, plant them, and then start again. + +[Illustration: Elizabeth Sowing Small Seed From the Package. Photograph +by Helen W. Cook.] + +"I am not going to say a word about corn. You all remember the boys' +work of last year. Your teacher has planned next Friday afternoon for +the boys to discuss this at school. So we shall not have our meeting, +but I shall come to the school to hear their report. I hope our girls +will take notes on this. For I know that Eloise has decided to raise +corn next year; Helena is going to; and Leston will not be out of the +corn contest this season. + +"The cucumber is the next vegetable in the line. This is a plant from +foreign lands. Some think that the cucumber is really a native of India. +It is believed that it was brought here by the Negro, and that a species +of cucumber from Africa became finally at home in this country. A light, +sandy and rich soil is needed--I mean rich in the sense of richness in +organic matter. When cucumbers are grown outdoors, as we are likely to +grow them, they are planted in hills. Nowadays, they are grown in +hothouses; they hang from the roof, and are a wonderful sight. In the +greenhouse a hive of bees is kept so that cross-fertilization may go on. + +"But if you intend to raise cucumbers follow these directions: Sow the +seed inside, cover with one inch of rich soil. In a little space of six +inches diameter, plant six seeds. Place like a bean seed with the +germinating end in the soil. When all danger of frost is over, each set +of six little plants, soil and all, should be planted in the open. +Later, when danger of insect pests is over, thin out to three plants in +a hill. The hills should be about four feet apart on all sides. + +"Egg plant is another vegetable we have not tried. It is another of +those which has been improved by crossing, usually with peppers and +tomatoes. But as we are not Burbanks yet, I shall not talk of that side +of egg plant culture. Some varieties of egg plant grow to a large size +but the smaller fruits, on the whole, have the better flavour. A good, +well-worked, rich garden loam is the soil for this vegetable. The seed +may be planted out in the open in little drills six inches apart. The +seed should be scattered along as lettuce seed is. When the plants are +about six inches high, transplant them to their permanent place. They +should then stand about two feet apart on all sides. More often the +seeds are started inside in March. When the little plants are about two +inches high they should be transplanted into boxes or pots. Screen from +too hot sunshine. About the time of corn planting the plants should go +into the open. A rich soil is now quite necessary. 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 go. There is a rather interesting +parasite which sometimes fastens itself upon the egg plant. A parasite +is a form which clings to another and takes its nourishment from this +latter or host. The parasite is a lazy shirk. So in this case the +parasite grows on the egg plant and absorbs the food which the egg plant +needs for itself. This is not an uncommon thing in nature. When such a +thing happens first pull up and destroy the poor egg plant, for the +parasite is clinging too closely and persistently to be removed. + +"Nearly everyone in our country clings to lettuce as the only plant for +a salad. Over across the sea in old England this is not so. Other plants +are used in this way and called salad plants. Endive is one of these. +Some of the endives are curly-leaved, and when blanched are attractive +to look upon; and surely there is no reason why we should not consider +the side of beauty in vegetables. + +"Endive is a very hardy plant. One-half an ounce of the seed will sow +one hundred feet of drill. Sow it as you would lettuce seed in soil +which should be moist and rich. The plants finally should be about eight +inches apart in the drill. The outer leaves should be tied over the top +in order to blanch the inner ones for table use. 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 winter. The +coldframe is a blessing. It is a place of storage all the fall and early +winter. It is a place for early work in the late winter and first part +of spring. + +"Lettuce with children has always been a prime favourite for +cultivation. Before the time of Christ, lettuce was grown and served. +There is a wild lettuce from which the cultivated probably came. There +are a number of cultivated vegetables which have wild ancestors, +carrots, turnips and lettuce being the most common among them. Lettuce +may be tucked into the garden almost anywhere. It is surely one of the +most decorative of vegetables. The compact head, the green of the +leaves, the beauty of symmetry--all these are charming characteristics +of lettuces. + +"Not all form heads. There is a mistaken idea abroad among children that +by transplanting, any lettuce can be made to head. Only such varieties +as are called heading lettuces will head. And these must be transplanted +in order to have really good heads. There are two general types of +lettuce--the Cos and the cabbage. The cabbage grows more like a cabbage +with great tendency toward heading. The Cos grows longer, narrower, and +has spoon-shaped leaves, which have a big, coarse midrib. The inner +leaves cling more closely together after a heading fashion; the outer +leaves spread apart. We grow in our American gardens more of the cabbage +type than of the Cos. Should we go to see our French cousins next +summer, the Cos lettuce would be served to us with plenty of oil as a +dressing. + +"As the summer advances and as the early sowings of lettuce get old they +tend to go to seed. Don't let them. Pull them up. None of us are likely +to go into the seed-producing side of lettuce. What we are interested in +is the raising of tender lettuce all the season. To have such lettuce in +mid and late summer is possible only by frequent plantings of seed. If +seed is planted every ten days or two weeks all summer, you can have +tender lettuce all the season. When lettuce gets old it becomes bitter +and tough. + +"Melons are most interesting to experiment with. We suppose that melons +originally came from Asia, and parts of Africa. Watermelons grow wild in +Africa. The Negroes and wild animals feed upon them. Perhaps that is the +reason why the coloured people so love them. Anyway, melons belong to +these countries. Melons are a summer fruit. Over in England we find the +muskmelons often grown under glass in hothouses. The vines are trained +upward rather than allowed to lie prone. As the melons grow large in +the hot, dry atmosphere, just the sort which is right for their growth, +they become too heavy for the vine to hold up. So they are held by +little bags of netting, just like a tennis net in size of mesh. The bags +are supported on nails or pegs. It is a very pretty sight I can assure +you. Over here usually we raise our melons outdoors. They are planted in +hills. Eight seeds are placed two inches apart and an inch deep. The +hills should have a four foot sweep on all sides; the watermelon hills +ought to have an allowance of eight to ten feet. Make the soil for these +hills very rich. As the little plants get sizeable--say about four +inches in height--reduce the number of plants to two in a hill. Always +in such work choose the very sturdiest plants to keep. Cut the others +down close to or a little below the surface of the ground. Pulling up +plants is a shocking way to get rid of them. I say shocking because the +pull is likely to disturb the roots of the two remaining plants. When +the melon plant has reached a length of a foot, pinch off the end of it. +This pinch means this to the plant: just stop growing long, take time +now to grow branches. Sand or lime sprinkled about the hills tends to +keep bugs away. + +"Onions are about as popular a vegetable as we have. Some people are +quite scornful of onions because of their truly disagreeable odour. But +I do not know what we should do without the onion for flavourings. Peter +is to plant onions where he last had celery. That is very wise, because +onions do especially well coming after a crop for which the land was +heavily fertilized. Onions like moisture of soil, too. If the soil is +not rich enough, nitrate of soda may be added. The most discouraging +thing about chemical fertilizers is the fact that advertisements say to +have a certain quantity for an acre of land. Few boys and girls are +planting entire acres, to just one thing. Now, suppose you write down +this: Add 1/4 pound of nitrate of soda to 100 square feet of land then +use the proper fractional amount. To buy 1/40 of a pound for example +sounds absurd. Buy your quarter pound and put the approximate amount on. +Sprinkle chemical fertilizer over the surface of the soil and rake it in +just under the surface. + +"There are two methods for the planting of onions. One way is to use +seed; the other, sets. Sets mean little onion bulbs. These are placed in +drills about six inches apart and so that the little bulb may be just +beneath the surface of the soil. Do not set too low. These bulbs are +ready before seed onions. Seeds are rather slow in development. If you +make sowings pretty thick the tender tops may be used, and so the +thinning process is done to advantage. + +"I believe that all your gardens should have some parsley in them. It +can be planted as a border, since it grows low and has a fringy, +decorative effect. If you were Italian girls and boys you would have +parsley if you had nothing else; for the Italians always use it in their +soups. There is a European variety, not as pretty as the common variety, +which grows taller and ranker. It has a stronger smell. An Italian boy +who was living in America had a garden in which he grew both kinds of +parsley. He was asked which he liked the better. Straightening up, he +pointed to the European saying, 'Smells stronger.' + +''I believe none of us have raised parsnips. It takes 1/4 of an ounce of +seed to plant 100 feet of drill. Any deep, rich, moist garden soil will +do. Just as early as the ground is workable, the seed should be sown. +Sow in drills of 1/2 inch depth and 6 inches apart. The plants should +finally stand about eight inches apart. They may be dug before or after +frost. Some people think that the early frosts improve the flavour of +parsnips. + +"I suppose there is no vegetable so well liked as peas. Who would wish +a Fourth of July dinner without peas? The early varieties of peas go +into the ground just as early as possible. I like best to dig trenches +six inches deep and about eighteen inches apart. As the peas are dropped +into the trench, cover over with about two inches of soil. As the plants +grow, fill soil into the trench. Of course, peas have to be brushed. So +as soon as the little runners form put brush behind the plant and start +the twiners about the brush stalks. A variety of pea called Gradus is +very excellent in flavour. + +"As for potatoes--well, now, just see Peter grin! He has covered that +subject. Of course, I can add nothing to an expert's advice. + +"Peppers are worth trying. If you do not care for them in your home +gardens, add them to the school garden. They work in with the courses in +cooking. Just as egg plants are started inside, so ought peppers to be. +Whenever the soil is warm and the weather settled, the pepper plants may +go out. The best soil for them is a rich, sandy one. The little plants +should have about one and a half foot of space on all sides. At first +they look pretty lonesome so far apart but soon they will grow to +large, bushy plants. 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 quarters. There are many interesting kinds of peppers to grow. If a +pepper with a little sting is wished try such varieties as Bird's Eye, +Red Cluster, and Tobasco. Suppose the peppers are to be used for +stuffing. Then large, rather more mild-flavoured kinds are needed. Ruby +King pepper is a bouncing beauty. The Red Etna, Improved Bull Nose and +Golden King are other good ones. + +"The word pumpkin stands for good, old-fashioned pies, for Thanksgiving, +for grandmother's house. It really brings more to mind than the word +squash. I suppose the squash is a bit more useful, when we think of the +fine Hubbard, and the nice little crooked-necked summer squashes; but +after all, I like to have more pumpkins. And as for +Jack-o'-lanterns--why they positively demand pumpkins. In planting +these, the same general directions hold good which were given for +melons. And use these same for squash-planting, too. But do not plant +the two cousins together, for they have a tendency to run together. +Plant the pumpkins in between the hills of corn and let the squashes go +in some other part of the garden. + +"We have very nearly worn out the subject of radish. About the only +cultural point I would add is this: Make radish develop quickly. If +growth is slow, the radish is likely to be poor. Sometimes all the +growth goes to top. Fine, green leaves result, but no good radishes. +Then doctor the soil in order that fruit development may be quickened. +Radishes are the quickest in maturing of all vegetables. That is why +your teacher had radish beds for the lower grades in the school. The +children got a result and got it quickly. Josephine might have raised +radishes as well as parsley in the box garden she had. People in cities +could raise these two vegetables on their roofs just as well as not. +They are worth the effort it takes in trying. + +"There is one point I wish to speak of in tomato culture. The great +trouble in cultivating comes in the overgrowth of vines. Each plant +becomes a large, overgrown, unwieldy sort of affair unless looked out +for. Use a stake for each vine. Tie the main stalk of the plant to this. +Let the development of fruit come from the top of the plant. So pinch +back the lateral branches and remove these. In this way the tomato +garden is a neat and pretty one. This treatment is similar to that given +grapes. + +"There is a tomato called the dwarf champion. This is a dwarf variety +and so gives less trouble than the other kinds. It does not get +troublesome and often does not need staking. If you were little boys and +girls, I should say plant this kind of tomato every time. + +"I have little more to say about turnips. They are an old vegetable, for +over two thousand years ago, the Greeks dined on turnips. I usually +plant mine right out in the open. The soil may be a sandy one. + + + + +X + +FLOWER CULTURE + + +In planting the flower garden there are a few things always to be +considered. These are matters of colour, of time and of persistency. +"The subject of colour is not so trying, after all, as many gardeners +seem to think. If you people wish to plant a few of a good many +gay-blooming plants, then I guess colour is a problem. The chief thought +in a flower garden should be, how I can make a beautiful picture of this +garden of mine. You see right off how tiring and dazzling the garden of +too many little dots of colour could be. Look about in nature--see the +beautiful range of the butterfly weed, the pinky purple of Joe Pye, the +scarlet of cardinal flowers, the blue of certain asters, the pink of +bouncing Bet, the yellow of tansy and goldenrod. Nature is constantly +presenting perfect splashes of brilliant colour here and there. And yet +it is not inharmonious. Why? One reason is that much of the colour is in +great masses, and what is not has been softened by stretches of soft +green. + +"Let us take a hint from this for our small gardens. Plant colours in +masses, and have breaks of green in between. Not a bad idea! I seem to +hear you say. + +"Then a garden should have a strong time element about it. By this I +mean that one should plan a garden for a round of bloom. Why have all +the blooms in August? If you look at this bulb time-table I shall have +ready for you, you will find that it is possible to start with bulbs. +Snowdrops and crocuses will gladly usher in a continuous round of bloom +for you. I do not mean that these two will bloom continuously. Not at +all! But I mean they are the starters. There are conditions, where +spring bloom and fall bloom alone is desired. This is the case with all +school gardens where summer care is impossible. Another table called a +garden of continuous bloom will help you plan this. + +"Another point to think of is persistency. Why not plant some seed which +will produce plants that come up year after year? Why not have some +hardy perennials and some self-sowing annuals? Poppy and cornflower sow +themselves. These are annuals. Think of the perennials, which come year +after year to welcome us. I think you should have hardy matter in your +gardens. Peonies come up year after year, iris takes care of itself, +helianthus or perennial sunflower bobs up each year. + +"George asked me one day, what I meant when I spoke of herbaceous +plants. A herbaceous plant is one with a non-woody stem, as geraniums. +Mock orange is not herbaceous, because it has a woody stem. When I speak +of hardy plants, I mean those which can stand living outdoors through +their existence, from start to finish. A half-hardy plant is one that +requires fostering before being planted outdoors. We consider asters +half-hardy, because they need the extra heat for start which the +nasturtium does not need. You would not think of starting nasturtiums +indoors. But asters and stock really need this sort of a start in life. + +"The tall flowers must go toward the back of the garden, for if they +were placed in the foreground they would screen the others. The plants +of medium height make up the main part of the garden; while the low +plants are in the foreground as borders. + +"Perhaps it would be wiser to put some tall perennials or self-sowing +annuals in the background, and among the shrubbery. Then save bed spaces +for the annuals. This will cause less disturbance in the garden than +the sowing of annuals in with the perennials. + +"I cannot take up all the garden flowers with you, because it is an +impossibility. But a certain number of the more common ones I will talk +of. + +"There are certain plants rather easier to grow than others, and very +satisfactory in results. One of these all-around plants is the pansy. It +likes best of all cool, moist places but it will do well, under rather +reverse conditions. Pansies are the easiest of plants to grow from seed, +and they offer a ready response to experiments with cross-fertilization. +The very best time to sow plants is after midsummer. Anyway, the work +must be done before October the first. Let us claim then that the middle +of August is a good time. Make little drills a quarter of an inch deep +for the seed; or better, sprinkle it on a fine seed bed. Over the seed +sift a little soil. Pansy seed is fine and small, so great care must be +taken in the early waterings; better far to cover the bed with old +sacking, and water the sacking. In this way, the seed is not washed +away. The little sturdy plants should be covered over with leaves or +straw for the wintertime. When early spring comes, you will be delighted +with plants which are well along. + +"Pansy flowers should always be kept well picked. Do not let the seed +pods form if you desire continuous bloom. It is well to hold this in +mind--that if plants are hurried along too fast, the flowers suffer in +size. Small, inferior flowers result from such treatment. Pansies have a +habit of running out--that is, the flowers grow smaller each year. It is +merely a warning to keep making new sowings in order that one may always +have large, vigorous blooms. + +"Choice seed of this flower is very expensive. It is a plant that some +florists have put all their time upon. It has seemed to certain men that +one of the greatest things in the world, is to find out ways of +improving the plants of the earth. So certain fruits are crossed to make +new and better ones; and certain flowers are being constantly worked +over to get superior strains. Sweet peas, pansies, stock, and dahlias +are plants which have been much improved by man's skill. + +"Larkspur is one of those plants which children so rarely try. I have +wondered often why. It is not hard to raise, and so I am hoping that +some of you will try it another season. The larkspur is a hardy plant, +and there are both annuals and perennials in this family. Some varieties +are dwarfed, and grow only a foot and a half high, while others grow +five feet in height. This latter growth is very charming in the +background of the garden. The flower spikes are showy and the foliage +pretty. The larkspur likes a pretty rich sort of soil. The seed is very +slow in germinating, and that is reason enough for fall planting. The +stay over winter gives these fussy seeds time to make up their minds to +germinate. This sowing should be done after the middle of October. + +"Really charming blue flowers are a bit difficult to find because we +have fewer blue flowers than those of the reds and yellows. Do not get +the impression that larkspurs are only blue in colour. There are yellow, +pink, red, and white varieties. But the blue is very fine. So when you +are thinking of high flowers for backgrounds, keep the larkspur in mind. + +"Hollyhock is another good background plant, because of its height and +sentinel-like effect. It sows itself, so will take care of itself. +Perennial phlox is well to put into the garden. Helianthus, I have +mentioned, as suitable for backgrounds. It has a rather bad habit of too +free spreading. + +"Peonies are very satisfactory. I am sure you will all want some of +them. They look their best planted in clumps. A certain pink and white +peony is called the rose peony. It is sweet scented, and when in blossom +it scents the portion of the yard where it is placed. These look well +planted in wide borders. The roots, or bulbs, should go about three +inches below ground in nice, rich, garden soil. Do not plant where they +get the full blaze of early sun. + +"I'd put some iris in the border, too. It requires no care. You need not +bed it over, even, in the fall. It likes a certain amount of moisture, +but grows readily under almost all conditions. The German iris is an +easy grower; the French fleur-de-lis is lovely with its more delicate +blossom. Certain irises, to be sure, are particular about their +quarters, but the two kinds mentioned are not. They like a certain +amount of open space. Do not hide them in the shrubbery, although they +may be planted near it. + +"You might put in some hardy chrysanthemums. These need good rich garden +soil. They should also be placed near the back of the garden for good +effect. You may choose almost any colour in these. Some of the little +button chrysanthemums are good for backgrounds. The yellow ones make +good splashes of colour, while the dull reds are most beautiful. These +bloom after frost. When the frost has made havoc with the foliage, cut +the plant down to about one inch of the ground. It is well to cut the +flowers before frost. + +"You have now a few good background plants which are hardy. + +"The biennials can be so planted as to behave like perennials. These +plants, you remember, are doing their best blossoming work the second +summer. So by yearly sowings you may always have good effects. I have +mentioned some already for your garden:--Canterbury bell, cornflower and +foxglove are biennials. Cornflower tends to self sow, but needs help in +this work from you. Sweet William is an old favourite. Of course, it is +pretty gaudy. But I like old sweet William in spite of his gay tendency. +They are rather stiff, but so easy to raise, being not very particular +about anything. + +"When it comes to annuals there is a multitude of these to plant each +season. There are candytuft and alyssum for borders. Then mignonette is +absolutely necessary to keep the garden sweet. Coreopsis is easy to +raise, and so is godetia. If a great big bold mass of colour is desired, +put in Shirley poppies. These grow well even on sandy soil. It is well +to remember, that these do not lend themselves kindly to transplanting. + +"Suppose there is a bit of sandy ground which needs a low-growing plant. +Put in this spot portulaca. The bright little blossoms, constantly +blooming, add a bit of cheer to that old sandy place. + +"There are the old stand-bys which are good bloomers--nasturtiums, +zinnias, marigolds and petunias. In the case of zinnia, it is better to +buy these seeds by the ounce. Children's penny packages and the regular +five-cent packages are filled usually with seeds which produce variously +coloured blossoms. One can plan for no good effects in this way. If you +get a seed catalogue, and look through the zinnia list, you can choose +just what you like. + +"Certain plants are spoken of as plants for bedding. These plants are +placed in a formal bed after the spring flowers have finished their +blooming. You sometimes see in the park fine beds of tulips and +hyacinths early in the season. After these have finished their blooming, +plants which are all started are put in their bed. If seeds were planted +they would take so long to develop that the bed would look bad for a +long time. So bedding plants are put in. Geraniums are the most popular +of all. Begonias, fuchsias, heliotrope and coleus are often used. +Geraniums will stand almost any kind of soil, and therefore have great +advantages over most plants. Begonias will flourish in the shade; while +the strong point about coleus is that of beauty of foliage. + +"To those of you who have started outdoor bulb beds, the bedding list +will be of some service. Marguerites look well in such a bed. Often one +sees a border of ageratum about such a one. There is always a sort of +stiff effect about such borders, however. A canna bed is after the same +order, yet is effective. Salvia, or scarlet sage, looks well in wide +borders, or near the underpinning of the house. Both these may act as +bedding plants. + +"There are three other kinds of gardens I should like to bring to your +minds--the rock garden, the herb garden and the wild-flower garden. This +last we shall have to leave for another time, however. + +"Whenever a rockery is mentioned to some people they shrug their +shoulders, and murmur something about a mere heap of rocks. Now, a rock +garden may be very pretty, or very ugly. Such a garden should never be +stuck out in the front yard to hit one in the face. But if you have a +place in your yard, which is near the woods or in the vicinity of +trees, or by a rocky ledge--in short, if you have any place with a bit +of wildness surrounding it, use this for a rockery. If your yard is just +a plain, tame, civilized yard, you'd better leave the rock garden out. I +know of a lady living in a city, whose backyard is a rocky ledge. That +ledge itself told her what her garden ought to be. It just cried out to +her, 'Build a rock garden on me.' And she did it. Any other kind of a +garden would have been out of place and taste there. Wherever a rocky +ledge is found, there is a possibility for a rock garden. + +"To have a good garden of this sort, one must have earth as well as +rocks. Earth must be put into all the crevices of rock, so that there is +some depth to it, and at such an angle that it won't be washed out by +hard rains. A rock garden should have an earth foundation. I mean that +there must be much of earth about it. I saw a charming one, which had +only climbing nasturtiums planted over it. It was a great rock jutting +out, and extending back into the yard--a big, flat, irregular +affair--and all over it were these running vines. It was very simple and +very effective. Go to the woods and seek out ferns which are growing in +rocky places. Take what little earth they have about them, and try to +give them a similar position in your own rockery. Bring back some leaf +mould from the woods, and mix the garden soil for the rockery. +Candytuft, dwarf phlox, stonecrop, morning glory, saxifrage, bleeding +heart, rock cress, myrtle, thrift, columbine, bell flower, and moss +pink. Get some moss, too, for chinks between rocks. + +"If we could go back to old colonial days, and visit a dame's garden, I +am sure we should find a little herb garden there. Our mothers might +call these herbs pot herbs. Here all the flavourings for the soups were +raised. Here sweet lavender might be found, its flowers used to make +fragrant the bed linen. Horehound, anise and others were used in +medicines; while little caraway seeds made delicious the cakes and +cookies. I can see bunches of dried sage hung in the attic. + +"Even with us there might be good use made of this garden both at home +and at school. We do, of course, grow parsley, which is an herb, but the +others seem to have dropped out of our gardens. We might at least grow +next summer the sage and savoury for the turkey stuffing. + +"Herbs need a sandy, well-worked soil. Seed should be sown in drills +about twelve inches apart. The seed should be sown in early spring, as +soon as the ground is warm. Sprinkle the seed just below the surface, +and cover lightly with soil. + +"A list of common herbs includes the following: Anise, balm, basil, +borage, caraway, catnip, coriander, dill, fennel, horehound, hop, +hyssop, lavender, pot marigold, sweet and pot marjoram, parsley, +pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sage, savoury, tansy, sorrel, thyme, and +wormwood. It would be of little use to plant all of these, even to see +what the plants were like. I would suggest your trying lavender, sage, +savoury, and dill. + +"Lavender seed is very slow to germinate, so sow the seed plentifully in +early spring. The soil should have a dusting of lime over it as lavender +plants enjoy lime. The flower is the part you wish. Pick these flower +stalks before the flowers get old. Dry, and then sprinkle the dried +flowers in the linen chest. Lavender is very sweet, and is often spoken +of as sweet lavender. To this day one will hear women singing in the +streets of London, 'Sweet lavender, buy my sweet lavender.' + +"Sage likes a good, well-drained soil. It, too, likes lime. The little +seedlings should be thinned out to stand about ten inches apart. When +you see flowers forming cut the sage plant and quickly dry. It makes a +pretty border plant in the garden. Savoury is also a border plant. But +this is a hardy annual, while lavender and sage are perennials. It likes +a light but rich soil. Both the leaves and flowers are used in soup +flavouring. "Dill is also sown in early spring. It is the seed of the +dill plant, and not the leaves and flowers, which is the useful part. +The seeds are used in the making of pickles. + +"I shall hope to see something in the herb line, in your gardens next +year--a hardy garden started, and a good bit of taste displayed by all +of you. You girls might raise mint to put in lemonade. + +"Next time we shall have our talk on wild flowers. Some of you know and +love many of these wild flowers." + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS FOR SANDY SOILS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Clarkia Rose June 1-1/2 ft. Good to use for a border + White Oct. plant. + Purple Use single varieties. + + Poppy White July 1-1/2 ft. Do not transplant. Fine for + Red Aug. mass effects. + + Nasturtium Yellow June Most satisfactory, especially + to Maroon Oct. 1-5 ft. for cut flowers. Blooms + freely. + + Portulaca White June 1/2 ft. Blooms freely -- grows close + Red to the ground. + Yellow + + Zinnia Red June 1-1/2 ft. Grows without great care. + Magenta Frost Blooms freely. Looks best + when massed. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS FOR HEAVY SOILS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Godetia Red July 1-2 ft. Easy to grow. An English + White Oct. favourite: blooms freely. + + Sweet Pea Variety July 4-6 ft. Plant early in the spring in + Oct. a sunny spot. Keep flowers + well clipped for constant + bloom. + + Petunia Magenta May 1-2 ft. Mass or use in borders. Give + plenty of sun. Good for + the outdoor window box. + + Sweet White July 1/2 ft. Sow thickly in the borders. + Alyssum Sept. Blooms freely. Grows in + every soil. + + Pot Orange June 1-1/2 ft. Blooms freely. Looks well + Marigold Yellow Frost in masses. Stiff effect as a + cut flower. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + SEVEN FAVOURITE ANNUALS FOR CUT FLOWERS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Sweet White July 1/2 ft. Use in low bowls for table + Alyssum Red Sept. decorations. + + China Aster White July 1 ft. Lasts long after cutting. + Blue to Oct. + Purple + + Baby's White June 2-3 ft. Use in bouquets with other + Breath Rose Oct. flowers. + + Coreopsis Yellow June 1-2 ft. Place by themselves in tall + Brown Nov. vases. + + Nasturtium Scarlet June 1-5 ft. Cut freely for constant + Yellow Oct. bloom. Use in great + masses in low vases. + + Pansy Purple May 1/2-1 ft. Cut closely. Place in low + Blue June dishes. + Yellow + White + + Pink White May 1 ft. Lasts well after cutting. + Maroon Aug. + Rose + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS THAT BLOOM AFTER FROST + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Sweet Alyssum White July 1/2 ft. Withstands early frosts. + Sept. Good border plant. + + Candytuft Red June to 1/2 ft. Sow at intervals through + White Sept. the summer. Good cut + flower. + + Cornflower Rose June 2-3 ft. Good for cut flowers. + Blue Blooms freely. + White + + Marigold Yellow June 1/2 - 2 Better for garden effects + Browns Aug. ft. than for cut flowers. + + Annual Phlox Yellow May 1/2 - 1 Self sows. Good all round + Reds Aug. ft. plant. + White + + Ten-weeks White June 1 1/2 A second sowing made in + stock Purple July ft. May flowers the same + Pink season. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + FRAGRANT ANNUALS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Mignonette Green May 1 ft. Beautifully fragrant. Do + Oct. not transplant. Good to use + as a break for + clashing colours. + + Sweet Peas White July 4-6 ft. Free bloomer. Try variety + Scarlet Oct. _Lathyrus odorata._ + Blue + Yellow + + Ten- weeks Pink June 1 ft. Good for cut flowers. + stock Purple July Fragrant at night. + White + + Sweet Sultan White June 2 ft. _Centaurea moschata_ good + Yellow Aug. for cut flowers. + Purple + + Sweet Alyssum White July 1/2 ft. _Alyssum maritimun._ Low + Sept. growing, border plant. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS THAT RE-SOW THEMSELVES + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Morning glory Reds July 15-30 ft. Grows rapidly. Makes a + Blues Oct good screen. + Whites + + Poppy Pink June 1/2-2 ft. _Papaver Rhocas_ and P. + Scarlet Sept. _somniferum_. + White + + Phlox Yellow May l/2-1 ft. _Phlox Drummondii._ + Reds Aug. Need much water. + White + + Pot Marigold Orange June 1-2 ft. _Calendula officinalis_ + Yellow Oct. Likes a warm soil. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS THAT CLIMB + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Balloon Vine White Aug. 10 ft. Grows rapidly. Good screen. + + Japanese Hop Incon- July 8-20 ft. Rapid grower. Looks well + spicuous Oct. growing along old fences. + + Moon-flower White July 15-30 ft. Night bloomer. Grows + Sept. rapidly. + + Morning Glory Purple June 20 ft. Rapid grower. Good + White Aug. screen. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS FOR SHADY PLACES + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Godetia White July 1-2 ft. The flowers are showy. + Red to Oct. + + Musk Yellow June 1/2-1 ft. Need moisture and coolness. + to Aug + + Nemophila Blue June 1-3 ft. Moisture, partial shade and + White to Oct. coolness. + + Pansy White May 1/2-1 ft. Sow under same conditions + Yellow to Oct. as musk in early spring. + Purple Blooms freely in the fall. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS FOR SUNNY PLACES + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Balsam Red June to 1-2 ft. Plant in rich sandy loam + Yellow Oct. under direct rays of sun. + White + + Cornflower Blue May to 2 ft. Full flower. Resows itself + Sept. + + Cosmos White July to 4 ft. Overrich soil retards + Pink Sept. bloom. + Crimson + + Gaillardia Red July to 3 ft. Good cut flower. Blossoms + Yellow Oct. freely. + + Marigold, Yellow July to 3 ft. Blooms profusely; stiff + African Frost flower head. + + Nasturtium Yellow June to 1-5 ft. Both dwarf and tall varieties + Scarlet Oct. are rapid growers + and free bloomers. + + Rose moss White June 1/2-3/4 ft. _Portulaca grandiflora._ + Magenta Aug. Plant in position direct + sunshine. + + Verbena Various July to 2 ft. Start inside for early + Sept. bloom. + + Wallflower Orange June 1-1/2 ft. Sown in Sept. blooms in + July May. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ANNUALS FOR ROCKY PLACES + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Phlox Red June to 1-1-1/2 ft. Variety _Phlox Drumondii_ + White Oct. Duration of + bloom depends on richness + of soil. + + Candytuft Red May 1/2-1-1/2 ft. Plant in the fall and cover + White Frost for early spring bloom. + + Clarkia Purple June 1-1/2 ft. Use _Clarkia elegans._ + Red Oct. Thrives in both sun and + White partial shade. + + Nasturtium Reds June 1 ft. _Tropoeolum minor;_ blooms + (Dwarf) Yellows Oct. very early. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + FRAGRANT PERENNIALS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Winter Lilac Dec. 1 ft. Blooms outdoors in winter. + Heliotrope Feb. Flowers small. + + Russian Violet March 1/2 ft. Double flowers. Hardy. + Violets + + Lily-of- White May 3/4 ft. Plant by middle of March + the-Valley for that season's bloom. + Needs part shade. + Spreads. + + Valerian Pinkish June 3 ft. Finely cut foliage. Easy + to grow. + + Lemon Lily Yellow June 2 ft. Flowers 4 in. long. Tubers + which multiply rapidly. + + Fringed Pink Lilac July 1 ft. Blooms until autumn if + prevented from seeding. + + Bee Balm Scarlet July 2 ft. Odour of mint. Good for + Aug. mass effects. + + White Day White Aug. 2 ft. Lilies 4-6 in. long. Fine, + Lily Sept. broad-leaved foliage. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + PERENNIALS FOR CUT FLOWERS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Christmas Rose White Nov. 1/2 ft. Blooms outdoors in the + Feb. snow. No fragrance. + Charming in masses. + + California Violet March 1/2 ft. Large flowers but single. + Violets Fragrant. + + Foxglove Purple June 3-4 ft. Large flowers, long stems. + Oriental Blue June 2-3 ft. Beautiful colour, long + Larkspur White stems. Let no flowers + go to seed. + + Japan Iris Variety July 3-4 ft. Short lived when cut. + of Fine blooms. + + Japan Anemone Pink Sept. 3 ft. Finest September flower. + White Plant in spring. Plant + for afternoon sun. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + TALL PERENNIALS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Hollyhock Variety July 6 ft. Single varieties are the + of hardier; double varieties + last longer. + + Plume Poppy Pinkish July 6 ft. Spreads rapidly. Fine for + massing and screening. + Do not plant on the + west as it shuts off sun. + + Golden Glow Yellow Aug. 6 ft. Multiplies rapidly. Fine + bloomer. Liable to pest + lice. Spray with soap + solution. + + Double Yellow Aug. 5 ft. Largest double flower of + Sunflower any perennial. Likely + to run out unless divided + + Late Yellow Sept. 10-12 ft. Tallest of perennials; + Sunflower blooms till October. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + LOW GROWING PERENNIALS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Crested Blue April 9 in. Earliest of iris. Good for + Dwarf Iris edgings. Plant the + middle of March. + + Dwarf Flag Purple April 9 in. Increases rapidly. Large + flowers. Good colouring + + English Pink April 6 in. Good for spring budding + Daisy White purposes. + + Tufted Blue June 6 in. More but smaller flowers + Pansies or Yellow than pansies. After + Violets White July cut back, manure + and they will bloom + again in September. + + Carpathian Blue July 8 in. Bloom for 6 weeks. Easy + Harebell to grow. + + Coral Bells Red Aug. 12 in. Grow in sandy, well-drained + soil. Coral red + flowers. + + Popp-mallow Crimson Sept. 9 in. Blooms nearly 12 weeks. + Colour does not harmonize + with others. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + PERENNIALS OF MEDIUM HEIGHT + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME COLOUR TIME HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Bleeding Pink May 1-1/2 ft. Long lived and long of + Heart bloom. Graceful. + + European Crimson May 3 ft. Earliest of peonies. Poor + Peony White appearance in the fall. + + Sweet Red June 12 in. Self sows. Flowers at their + William Pink best the second year. + White + + Chinese Crimson June 2-1/2 ft. Long-lived. Very + Peony Pink satisfactory. Plant + White in September. + + Foxglove Purple June 3-3-1/4 ft. Spire-like cluster + White of flowers. + + Oriental Blue June 2-3 ft. Best blue perennial. Cut + Larkspur flower spikes as soon as + they fade. + + Oriental Red June 3 ft. Self sows. Flowers 6 in. + Poppy across. + + Gaillardia Red June 1 ft. Flowers more freely than + Yellow Nov. any other perennial. + Cover plants after + ground freezes. + + Late Phlox All best Aug. 1-1/2 ft. Fragrant in the evening. + Blue Sept. Many colours of bloom. + and + Yellow + + Hardy Blue Sept. 3ft. Long season of bloom. + Chrysanthemum Scarlet Nov. Deep rich soil and sunny + exposure for best results. + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + +XI + +THE WILD-FLOWER GARDEN + + +"A wild-flower garden has a most attractive sound. One thinks of long +tramps in the woods, collecting material, and then of the fun in fixing +up a real for sure wild garden. + +"If the wild garden is to be a school affair, then I certainly should +plant the different kinds of flowers together. The north corner near the +building is a suitable place. 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 ones. + +"A wild-flower garden is a joy each year, because up it comes without +constant replanting of seed. It is a hardy garden. As Nature often +covers her wood-flowers over with leaves preparatory to winter, so you +might copy her and do the same. + +"Many people say they have no luck at all with such a garden. It is not +a question of luck, but a question of understanding, for wild flowers +are like people and each has its personality. What a plant has been +accustomed to in Nature it desires always. In fact, when removed from +its own sort of living conditions, it sickens and dies. That is enough +to tell us that we should copy Nature herself. Suppose you are hunting +wild flowers. As you choose certain flowers from the woods, notice the +soil they are in, the place, conditions, the surroundings, and the +neighbours. + +"Suppose you find dog-tooth violets and wind-flowers growing near +together. Then place them so in your own new garden. Suppose you find a +certain violet enjoying an open situation; then it should always have +the same. You see the point, do you not? If you wish wild flowers to +grow in a tame garden make them feel at home. Cheat them into almost +believing that they are still in their native haunts. + +"Wild flowers ought to be transplanted after blossoming time is over. +Take a trowel and a basket into the woods with you. As you take up a +few, a columbine, or a hepatica, be sure to take with the roots some of +the plant's own soil, which must be packed about it when replanted. + +"The bed into which these plants are to go should be prepared carefully +before this trip of yours. Surely you do not wish to bring those plants +back to wait over a day or night before planting. They should go into +new quarters at once. The bed needs soil from the woods, deep and rich +and full of leaf mold. The under drainage system should be excellent. +Then plants are not to go into water-logged ground. Some people think +that all wood plants should have a soil saturated with water. But the +woods themselves are not water-logged. It may be that you will need to +dig your garden up very deeply and put some stone in the bottom. Over +this the top soil should go. And on top, where the top soil once was, +put a new layer of the rich soil you brought from the woods. + +"Before planting water the soil well. 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 there. + +"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 fall; so let us +start off with March, the hepatica, spring beauty and saxifrage. Then +comes April bearing in its arms the beautiful columbine, the tiny bluets +and wild geranium. For May there are the dog-tooth violet and the wood +anemone, false Solomon's seal, Jack-in-the-pulpit, wake robin, bloodroot +and violets. June will give the bellflower, mullein, bee balm and +foxglove. I would choose the gay butterfly weed for July. Let turtle +head, aster, Joe Pye weed, and Queen Anne's lace make the rest of the +season brilliant until frost. + +"Let us have a bit about the likes and dislikes of these plants. After +you are once started you'll keep on adding to this wild-flower list. + +"There is no one who doesn't love the hepatica. Before the spring has +really decided to come, this little flower pokes its head up and puts +all else to shame. Tucked under a covering of dry leaves the blossoms +wait for a ray of warm sunshine to bring them out. The last year's +leaves stay on through the winter brooding over the little fresh +sprouts. These embryo flowers are further protected by a fuzzy covering. +This reminds one of a similar protective covering which new fern leaves +have. In the spring a hepatica plant wastes no time on getting a new +suit of leaves. It makes its old ones do until the blossom has had its +day. Then the new leaves, started to be sure before this, have a chance. +These delayed, are ready to help out next season. You will find +hepaticas growing in clusters, sort of family groups. They are likely to +be found in rather open places in the woods. The soil is found to be +rich and loose. So these should go only in partly shaded places and +under good soil conditions. If planted with other woods specimens give +them the benefit of a rather exposed position, that they may catch the +early spring sunshine. I should cover hepaticas over with a light litter +of leaves in the fall. During the last days of February, unless the +weather is extreme take this leaf covering away. You'll find the +hepatica blossoms all ready to poke up their heads. + +"The spring beauty hardly allows the hepatica to get ahead of her. With +a white flower which has dainty tracings of pink, a thin, wiry stem, and +narrow, grass-like leaves, this spring flower cannot be mistaken. You +will find spring beauties growing in great patches in rather open +places. Plant a number of the roots and allow the sun good opportunity +to get at them. For this plant loves the sun. + +"The other March flower mentioned is the saxifrage. This belongs in +quite a different sort of environment. It is a plant which grows in dry +and rocky places. Often one will find it in chinks of rock. 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 splits. Anyway, it is a +rock garden plant. I have found it in dry, sandy places right on the +borders of a big rock. It has white flower clusters borne on hairy +stems. + +"The columbine is another plant that is quite likely to be found in +rocky places. Standing below a ledge and looking up, one sees nestled +here and there in rocky crevices one plant or more of columbine. The +nodding red heads bob on wiry, slender stems. The roots do not strike +deeply into the soil; in fact, often the soil hardly covers them. Now, +just because the columbine has little soil, it does not signify that it +is indifferent to the soil conditions. For it always has lived, and +always should live, under good drainage conditions. I wonder if it has +struck you, how really hygienic plants are? Plenty of fresh air, proper +drainage, and good food are fundamentals with plants. + +"It is evident from study of these plants how easy it is to find out +what plants like. After studying their feelings, then do not make the +mistake of huddling them all together under poor drainage conditions. + +"I always have a feeling of personal affection for the bluets. When they +come I always feel that now things are beginning to settle down +outdoors. They start with rich, lovely, little delicate blue blossoms. +As June gets hotter and hotter their colour fades a bit, until at times +they look quite worn and white. Some people call them Quaker ladies, +others innocence. Under any name they are charming. They grow in +colonies, sometimes in sunny fields, sometimes by the road-side. From +this we learn that they are more particular about the open sunlight than +about the soil. + +"If you desire a flower to pick and use for bouquets, then the wild +geranium is not your flower. It droops very quickly after picking and +almost immediately drops its petals. But the purplish flowers are showy, +and the leaves, while rather coarse, are deeply cut. This latter effect +gives a certain boldness to the plant that is rather attractive. The +plant is found in rather moist, partly shaded portions of the woods. I +like this plant in the garden. It adds good colour and permanent colour +as long as blooming time lasts, since there is no object in picking it. + +"I suppose little children would not have a perfect spring without the +dog's tooth violet. The leaves are attractive and almost make the beauty +of a bouquet. It is sometimes called trout lily. The mottled effect of +the leaves accounts for the trout part of the name, and as for lily, it +_is_ a lily, and never belonged to the violet family at all. Dig the +plant up, and the bulbous root tells the story. It really does belong to +the lily family. The nodding yellow flower is pretty, too. These, when +picked, last a long time in water. They like to grow in the +neighbourhood of the brook. A moist, half-shaded half-open piece of land +is their delight, and therefore in many gardens the trout lily might +have to be left out. + +"There is a sweet little flower called the wood anemone, or wind-flower. +It is another modest little flower, white in colour. The constant +nodding of the petals stirred by even a breath of wind gives it the name +of wind-flower. These also grow in colonies. Have you noticed how +social, but clannish, our wild flowers are? Especially is this true of +the real woods flowers, rather than of the wayside flowers. The anemone +grows in open places by the woods or the hillside. They are a sort of +border plant evidently trying to leave the woods, but still bound to it. + +"If in your yard there happens to be a big old fatherly tree or a +decaying stump, plant wind-flowers all about it. You may make the +flowers feel that they are on the edge of the woods. + +"While I have numbered bloodroot among May flowers, it often does appear +in April, and before the wood anemone. The silvery, white blossom pushes +its head above the leaves in a fine fashion. They are sensitive flowers, +closing partly in cloudy weather, and actually dropping to pieces in a +rainstorm or under severe winds. The leaves are large, rather coarse, +but pretty with their light under surfaces. The stems have tinges of red +on them, a dark red sap in the roots. These roots bleed when disturbed. +The Indians used to stain their faces with this orange sap-blood. You +will find bloodroot growing in rich soil either in open woods or on +rocky slopes. + +"In a nice, rich, moist place put a few Jack-in-the pulpits. This flower +is much like a child's jack-in-the-box. It is so different from most of +our plants that it has the effect of the joker in a pack of cards. Push +back the flap over Jack's face and you will see a club like a +policeman's billy. Along this club the inconspicuous flowers are borne. +Later, in the fall, the fruit forms, and inside, instead of rather +uninteresting flowers, are bright red berries. So Jack jokes again. + +"There is always a great feeling of joy when the first trilliums, or +wake robins, appear. Walking in the deep, moist woods suddenly one sees +a mass of big leaves and white flowers. The same irresistably lovely +trilliums have come again. Three big leaves, then a flower stalk +shooting up from the centre of this whorl of leaves, and on top the +crowning glory--the three-petaled trillium flower. A fragrant white or +pink form is called the nodding wake robin. These in a glance tell their +wishes. The plant sometimes is nearly two feet high. So a clump of these +could easily go toward the back of the wild-flower garden in shade and +moist soil. + +"Another wild flower of striking beauty is the May apple or mandrake. It +comes very early in May, often in April. This plant grows to about the +same height as the trillium. Only the big spreading leaves of the +mandrake are visible at first sight. Beneath these, and daintily hung in +the junction of the leaf stalks, is the lovely, waxy, white blossom. +Late after the fading of the blossom the fruit appears. So its name of +May apple comes from this fruit, which has a sickly sweet taste. The +leaf and stalk part of the May apple are of a poisonous nature. This +flower, too, likes rather low, moist, shaded places. + +"The false Solomon's seal is found in woods where moisture is. During +June and July this plant is in blossom. After the white flowers the +fruit, or berry, appears. The berry changes from green, to white, to +red. There is a two-leaved Solomon's seal called the false +lily-of-the-valley which is found at this same time. It has usually two +little lily-like leaves and a blossom stalk running up from these. Tiny +fragrant flowers are borne on this stalk. These plants grow in moist +woods, also. One might plant these two near together in the garden, for +the soil conditions are the same for both. + +"Who would wish a wild-flower garden without violets? The little sweet +wood ones, the big horse shoes, the rare white, and more rare +yellow--any and all are worth our while! Violets, at least the most of +them, prefer not to be huddled away. I wonder why, when people think of +transplanting violets, a dull, dark, moist spot immediately comes to +mind? Violets like the sun, like good soil, and plenty of air. Some +violets are found in the swamps, but did you happen to notice what long +stems they have? Why? The reason is to raise the lovely flowers into the +light. Nothing could be sweeter or more satisfactory than a violet bed. +I rather like violets bedded by themselves. They fill in corners +beautifully. They grow gladly about trees. They adorn borders. You may +cover them, in the fall or not as you like. They are not fussy. Take a +north corner at school, a corner not wholly shaded by any means--fill +that in solid with violet plants in the fall. That corner always will be +a thing of real beauty. + +"The bellflower coming in May blooms on until September. The flower is +blue, purple or violet. It is a flower found in dry places, on grassy +slopes, along hillsides, and is common to most localities. + +"I have a sneaking fondness for mullein. One or two stalks of it give a +charming effect in the garden. Its yellow flowers, its tall flower +stalk, the thick, hairy leaves--all these are its charms. It is said +that these same hairy leaves were used as wicks by the ancients. Anyway, +the flowers themselves on the tall stalks that often reach to seven +feet, look like gleaming lights on a torch. The mullein has a simple +dignity. It grows in the dry fields and along roadsides. So you see it +is by no means particular about its habitat, its place of abode. + +"Another tall plant is the foxglove. The flowers are gathered together +in a sort of spike at the end of the stalk, are large and yellow and +really lovely. The plant grows to about four feet in height. It has a +bad habit, this downy false foxglove, of absorbing some of its +nourishment from the roots of plants near which it stands. This plant, +too, is fond of dry places. + +"A very gay flower, intensely red, is the bee balm. It is an herb, and a +perennial. It is often called Oswego tea, because the Indians are +supposed to have used it for tea. Then, again, you will hear it called +Indian's plume. This name seems most suitable. I can just imagine a +chief strutting around with this gay plume on his head. It likes a +somewhat secluded, moist, shady, cool place. I think it would be +possible for some of you to make it grow at home. For colour it would be +invaluable. The cardinal flower is the only flower more gaudy in red +than this bee balm. + +"When one comes to orange colour the butterfly weed takes the prize. +This flower has a variety of names: it is called pleurisy root, and wind +root, and orange root. Would you think that this gay little beggar was a +member of the milkweed family? It is. When seed time comes it produces a +seed pod like unto the milkweed pod only more slender than this. All +summer long the insects hover about it. It is just like a signal to +them. "Come over here to me!" it calls to them all. It is found in dry +places, in the fields and pastures, along the dusty road sides, and by +the sooty railroad track it flashes its signal. You can make this plant +feel at home surely. And think of the butterflies that will visit your +garden all summer long. + +"Then later comes old Joe Pye weed. Joe Pye was an Indian doctor but +that doesn't seem to have anything to do with his weed. Yes, it has its +connection. For when old Joe Pye went out on a case of typhoid fever he +carried this plant along; hence, its name. The plant sometimes grows to +ten feet in height. Really the swamp is its home. So if you are to use +it at all remember that it must have this condition of great moisture, +even to swampiness. The flower clusters are of a charming colour, a +beautiful dull pink. + +"Another inhabitant of wet places is the turtle head. The flower +resembles in shape a turtle's or a snake's head, and so receives both +names. + +"When it comes to Queen Anne's lace, you say that is a troublesome weed. +Yes, it is. But it is truly beautiful with its lacy flower head. A great +bouquet of these on the porch, the dining table, or the school piano is +a real picture. A clump of these in the garden, if held in check, is +simply stunning. How can they be held down? The only way is to let no +flower heads go to seed. The little, clinging, persistent, numerous +seeds are seeds of trouble. This lovely bother grows in any sort of +soil. + +"There are numbers and numbers of wild flowers I might have suggested. +These I have mentioned were not given for the purpose of a flower guide, +but with just one end in view--your understanding of how to study soil +conditions for the work of starting a wild-flower garden. + +"If you fear results, take but one or two flowers and study just what +you select. Having mastered, or better, become acquainted with a few, +add more another year to your garden. I think you will love your wild +garden best of all before you are through with it. It is a real study, +you see." + + + + +XII + +LANDSCAPE GARDENING + + +The subject to-night is a very pretentious one, for no one would expect +boys and girls to be landscape gardeners. But many boys and girls have +excellent taste and taste is the foundation stone of landscape +gardening. This work has often been likened to the painting of a +picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good +picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the +points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a +fine setting for it. Look at that picture over Miriam's head. See that +lone pine, the beautiful curve of the hillside, the scrub undergrowth +about the tree, the bit of sky beyond! As soon as one looks at that +picture one's eye rests on the pine, and the other features seem to +appear afterward. + +"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 work. +Take, for example, your school grounds. You did a bit of landscape work +there, although we never called it that before. The little schoolhouse +itself was our centre of interest. How could we fix up the grounds so +that the little building should have a really attractive setting? That, +I believe, was the thought in each of your heads, although no one of you +ever put this into words. + +"Notice now with me the good points about that work, and from this study +we shall be able to work out a little theory of landscape gardening. + +"First there is a good extent of lawn about the building, the path to +the door is slightly curved and pleasingly so, a fine little maple +stands out rather interestingly on the side lawn, the flower garden has +a good mass effect, the screen of poplar trees at the back acts as a +stately rear guard, and the vines over the outbuilding hide what was +once a blemish. + +"Let us go back to the lawn. A good extent of open lawn space is always +beautiful. It is restful. It adds a feeling of space to even small +grounds. So we might generalize and say that it is well to keep open +lawn spaces. If one covers his lawn space with many trees, with little +flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. It +is a bit like an over-dressed person. One's grounds lose all +individuality thus treated. A single tree or a small group is not a bad +arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop +a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In +choosing trees one must keep in mind a number of things. You should not +choose an overpowering tree; the tree should be one of good shape, with +something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit. While +the poplar is a rapid grower, it sheds its leaves early and so is left +standing, bare and ugly, before the fall is old. Mind you, there are +places where a row or double row of Lombardy poplars is very effective. +But I think you'll agree with me that one lone poplar is not. The +catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers +attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until away into the +winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the +brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, +the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech--all +these are beauty points to consider. + +"Place makes a difference in the selection of a tree. Suppose the lower +portion of the grounds is a bit low and moist, then the spot is ideal +for a willow. Don't group trees together which look awkward. I never +should have Peter and Myron march together in school. Why? Because they +look wretchedly together. Myron makes Peter look short and Peter causes +Myron to look overgrown. So it is with trees. A long-looking poplar does +not go with a nice rather rounded little tulip tree. A juniper, so neat +and prim, would look silly beside a spreading chestnut. One must keep +proportion and suitability in mind. + +"I'd never advise the planting of a group of evergreens close to a +house, and in the front yard. The effect is very gloomy indeed. Houses +thus surrounded are overcapped by such trees and are not only gloomy to +live in, but truly unhealthful. The chief requisite inside a house is +sunlight and plenty of it. + +"There are no shrubs on the school grounds. You had spoken of doing that +but bulbs took up the attention of the girls this fall. And as for you +boys--you were attending to your own crops. Shrubbery is very pleasing +if properly placed. It is just the thing to fill in corners near +buildings, to help define the turns in walks, and to use as hedges. +Usually one shrub standing by itself is not nearly so pleasing as one +tree by itself. It has a squatty and isolated appearance. There is a +corner close by the school building where shrubs should go. Why? +Because the place looks bare and staring, and the building is very ugly +at that point; the shrubs would fill in the space, and make the building +look much better. + +"As trees are chosen because of certain good points, so shrubs should +be. In a clump I should wish some which bloomed early, some which +bloomed late, some for the beauty of their fall foliage, some for the +colour of their bark and others for the fruit. Some spireas and the +forsythia bloom early. The red bark of the dogwood makes a bit of colour +all winter, and the red berries of the barberry cling to the shrub well +into the winter. This list of shrubs which Philip has made out will be a +help to you in this work. + + PHILIP'S SHRUB TABLE +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME HEIGHT COLOUR SPECIAL POINTS +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +_March_ +Spice Bush _Benzoin_ 6-15 ft. Yellow Flowers appear + _odoriferum_ before leaves. + Crimson fruit + in fall. Aromatic + odour. +Daphne _Daphne + Mezereum_ 4 ft. Purple The only hardy deciduous + daphne. Plant in + light soil and in + shade. +_April_ +Barberry _Berberis- 2-4 ft. Yellow Prefers dry soil. Berries + _Thunbergii_ all winter. + +Golden Bell _Forsythia_ 5-8 ft. Yellow Flowers appear before + _suspensa_ leaves. Hardy; free + from insects. + +_May_ +Red-osier _Cornus_ 4-8 ft. White Red branched. Plant + Dogwood _stolonifera_ in moist soil. + +Japanese Snow _Deutzia_ 1-3 ft. White Very beautiful when + Flower _gracilis_ flowering. Needs well + drained soil. + +Japanese _Viburnum_ 8 ft. White Not as likely to have + Snowball _plicatum_ lice as common + snowball. Larger + balls. + +Lilac _Syringa_ 15 ft. Purple Very fragrant. Will + _vulgaris_ grow anywhere even in + some shade. + +_June_ +Deutzia _Deutzia_ 1-3 ft. White Hardy; flowers showy. + _Lemoinei_ + +Weigela _Diervilla_ 6 ft. Pink May have white or red + _Florida_ White flowers. Flowers under + Red trees. Lives where + other shrubs die. + +Spirea _Spiræa_ 4 ft. White Most showy of spireas. + _Van Houttei_ Grows anywhere. + +Mock Orange _Philadelphus_ 10 ft. Varieties Fragrant; + _Coronarius_ of different makes good screen. + colours. + +Smoke Bush _Rhus cotinus_ 4-10 ft. Purplish Hardy. Beautiful all + summer. Purple colour + changes to smoke + colour. +_July_ +Spirea _Spirea_ 3 ft. White Flowers run from white + _Bumalda_, to deep pink. Late + var._Anthony_ flowering. Hardy. + _Waterer_ + +Sweet Pepper _Clethra_ 3-10 ft. White Moist soil or sandy. + Bush _alnifolia_ Late blooming; + fragrant flowers. + +_August_ +Althea, Rose _Hibiscus_ 12 ft. White to Very hardy. Plant in + of Sharon _Syriacus_ purple any good garden soil. + +_September_ +Hardy _Hydrangea_ 8 ft. White to A showy shrub. Flowers + Hydrangea _paniculata_ pink remain on all winter. + +_October_ +Witch Hazel _Hamamelis_ 6-20 ft. Yellow Grows anywhere. Likes + _Virginiana_ moisture. Fruit + "explodes." + +"Certain shrubs are good to use for hedge purposes. A hedge is rather +prettier usually than a fence. The Californian privet is excellent for +this purpose. Osage orange, Japan barberry, buckthorn, Japan quince, and +Van Houtte's spirea are other shrubs which make good hedges. + +"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 +building. As your mother is working in the kitchen during the hot summer +or sewing during a long dull winter afternoon, would it not be a joy to +her to look out at a syringa sweet with blossom or a barberry with +nodding red berries? Landscape gardening is not only for the purpose of +adding beauty to the earth's surface, but also for the putting joy into +the heart of a person as well. + +"I forgot to say that in tree and shrub selection it is usually better +to choose those of the locality one lives in. Unusual and foreign plants +do less well, and often harmonize but poorly with their new setting. + +"I spoke of the path to the schoolhouse with its slight curve. Landscape +gardening may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. +The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, +everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, +of course, the exact opposite. There are danger points in each. + +"The formal arrangement is likely to look too stiff; the informal, too +fussy, too wiggly. As far as paths go, keep this in mind, that a path +should always lead somewhere. That is its business--to direct one to a +definite place. Now, straight, even paths are not unpleasing if the +effect is to be that of a formal garden. The danger in the curved path +is an abrupt curve, a whirligig effect. It is far better for you to +stick to straight paths unless you can make a really beautiful curve. No +one can tell you how to do this. + +"Garden paths may be of gravel, of dirt, or of grass. One sees grass +paths in some very lovely gardens. I doubt, however, if they would serve +as well in your small gardens. Your garden areas are so limited that +they should be re-spaded each season, and the grass paths are a great +bother in this work. Of course, a gravel path makes a fine appearance, +but again you may not have gravel at your command. It is possible for +any of you to dig out the path for two feet. Then put in six inches of +stone or clinker. Over this, pack in the dirt, rounding it slightly +toward the centre of the path. There should never be depressions through +the central part of paths, since these form convenient places for water +to stand. The under layer of stone makes a natural drainage system. + +"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 whole. Vines lend +themselves well to this work. It is better to plant a perennial vine, +and so let it form a permanent part of your landscape scheme. The +Virginia creeper, wistaria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose, the clematis +and trumpet vine are all most satisfactory. + +"Just close your eyes and picture a house of natural colour, that mellow +gray of the weathered shingles. Now add to this old house a purple +wistaria. Can you see the beauty of it? I shall not forget soon a rather +ugly corner of my childhood home, where the dining room and kitchen met. +Just there climbing over, and falling over a trellis was a trumpet vine. +It made beautiful an awkward angle, an ugly bit of carpenter work. + +"Of course, the morning-glory is an annual vine, as is the moon-vine and +wild cucumber. Now, these have their special function. For often, +especially in school work, it is necessary to cover an ugly thing for +just a time, until the better things and better times come. The annual +is 'the chap' for this work. + +"Along an old fence a hop vine is a thing of beauty. One might try to +rival the woods' landscape work. For often one sees festooned from one +rotted tree to another the ampelopsis vine. + +"Flowers may well go along the side of the building, or bordering a +walk. In general, though, keep the front lawn space open and unbroken by +beds. What lovelier in early spring than a bed of daffodils close to the +house? Hyacinths and tulips, too, form a blaze of glory. These are +little or no bother, and start the spring aright. One may make of some +bulbs an exception to the rule of unbroken front lawn. Snowdrops and +crocuses planted through the lawn are beautiful. They do not disturb the +general effect, but just blend with the whole. One expert bulb gardener +says to take a basketful of bulbs in the fall, walk about your grounds, +and just drop bulbs out here and there. Wherever the bulbs drop, plant +them. Such small bulbs as those we plant in lawns should be in groups of +four to six. Daffodils may be thus planted, too. You all remember the +grape hyacinths that grow all through Katharine's side yard. + +"The place for a flower garden is generally at the side or rear of the +house. The backyard garden is a lovely idea, is it not? Who wishes to +leave a beautiful looking front yard, turn the corner of a house, and +find a dump heap? Not I. The flower garden may be laid out formally in +neat little beds, or it may be more of a careless, hit-or-miss sort. +Both have their good points. Great masses of bloom are attractive. + +"You should have in mind some notion of the blending of colour. Nature +appears not to consider this at all, and still gets wondrous effects. +This is because of the tremendous amount of her perfect background of +green, and the limitlessness of her space, while we are confined at the +best to relatively small areas. So we should endeavour not to blind +people's eyes with clashes of colours which do not at close range blend +well. In order to break up extremes of colours you can always use masses +of white flowers, or something like mignonette, which is in effect +green. + +"The old-fashioned flowers are lovely--sweet William, phlox, +old-fashioned pinks, petunia, verbena, zinnia, marigold, mignonette, and +poppy are always dear and sweet. Hollyhocks are charming. They represent +a kind of guard for the garden. Stand this hollyhock phalanx up against +a wall like naughty boys, close to the house, or by an old fence. They +are so tall that they must be in the background. They grace it. +Otherwise they would overtop and shadow the other garden plants. If +there is an old ash pile, an old dump or anything else unsightly, plant +something tall before it. Hollyhocks would not do for this, since their +foliage is too scanty. Castor beans are just the thing, however; and +sunflowers, the old giant ones, are good, too. A screen is for +screening, so that the foliage is of first consideration. + +"A wild-flower garden is a good scheme, too. What is lovelier? Bank in a +north corner full of these. Hepatica, columbines, anenome, bellflower, +butterfly weed, turtle head and aster represent wild flowers which bloom +from March through October. I can see that north corner now. Miriam has +planned to have one, and has really done the work this fall. + +"The water garden is another good thing to try with just the right +setting. A place at the end of a slope of land, near some drooping +trees, a bit shaded would be right. The garden Philip made is a pattern +for you all to follow. + +"Finally, let us sum up our landscape lesson. The grounds are a setting +for the house or buildings. Open, free lawn spaces, a tree or a proper +group well placed, flowers which do not clutter up the front yard, +groups of shrubbery--these are points to be remembered. The paths +should lead somewhere, and be either straight or well curved. If one +starts with a formal garden, one should not mix the informal with it +before the work is done. + +"At one time we said a little about poor taste in garden furnishings. +Painted kettles, old drain pipes, whitewashed bricks, and edgings of +shells seemed to us then a bit fussy and crude. So, too, is a summer +house stuck out on the front lawn, a rustic seat all by itself in an +open spot, an archway which forms an arch over nothing. The summer house +should be placed in the side yard, or in the rear in a spot where trees +lend it a background. If its use is that of a resting spot for your +mother, she certainly would not wish it right out on the front lawn. If +the house is for children to play in, then again it is not for the front +of the house. An appropriate place is near the garden where it makes a +cool place to rest after labour, a spot from which to view the beauties +of the garden, and a charming place to serve afternoon tea. + +"A good general plan to follow in this landscape work is to see what +natural charms your place has, and then try to increase and help these. +'Help Nature' is a good watchword. Even though the garden plan is to be +a formal one, the natural resources and setting of your place should be +kept in mind. The little we did last year on the school grounds was a +bit of landscape garden work. I did not call it that to you then, for if +I had you would have been scared off. Philip's work in his backyard was +of the same nature. The girls' flower garden was a bit of formal work. I +guess, too, the outdoor bulb planting which Albert scorned might come +under the same head. So you see you have been landscape gardeners +without knowing it. To continue to be, all we have to do is to go on +somewhat along the general lines I have spoken of to-night. Different +committees have prepared a number of tables which should help you much +in matters of selection." + + GARDEN OF CONSTANT BLOOM BY MONTHS + -------------------------------------------------------------- + NAME COLOUR HEIGHT SPECIAL POINTS + -------------------------------------------------------------- + _March_ + + Columbine Red 1 ft. Grows on rocky places. Graceful + flower. + + Hepatica White 6 in. Early spring flower. Ready to blossom + Blue under the snow. Last year's + Pink leaves shelter flower. + + Saxifrage White 8 in. Grows in rocky, sandy places. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _April_ + + Bluebell Blue 16 in. Likes rock soil and sun. + + Dwarf Iris Blue 1 ft. A good border plant. Does not + require any special soil. Spreads. + + Moss Pink Pink 6 in. Likes full sun. Spreads rapidly. + + Violet Blue 6 in. Good soil. Plant in either sun or + shade. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _May_ + + Lily-of- White 9 in. Grows under trees, spreads rapidly. + the-Valley Flowers fragrant. Cut flower effect. + + German Iris Different 2 ft. The best of flags for general planting + purposes. + Forget- Blue low Thrives on moist soil. Planted with + me-not tulips follows them in bloom. + + Chinese Different 4 ft. The earliest of peonies. Good in + Peony borders. + + Myrtle Blue low Grows even in shade and poorly + drained soils. Spreads rapidly. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _June_ + + Bleeding Pink 2 ft. A hardy plant. Needs moist, good + Heart soil. Good border plant. + + Foxglove Purple 4 ft. Perennial which self sows. Effective + in backgrounds. Likes shade. + + Garden Peony Crimson 3 ft. The real old-fashioned peony. Good + border plant. Large blossoms. + + Larkspur Blue 4 ft. Good for borders and backgrounds. + The finest of blue flowers. + + Sweet Different 2 ft. A self sewing perennial. Bright + William colours. Good for massing. Sweet + and constant bloomer. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _July_ + + Baby's White 3 ft. Grows in rocky soil. Use for formal + Breath bouquets. + + Butterfly Orange 2 ft. Likes full sunlight and dry soil. Fine + Weed colour effect. + + Perennial Different 2-5 ft. Good for borders and cut flowers. + Phlox + Spiked Pink 3 ft. Belongs in wet swamp lands. Will + Loosestrife grow in borders. + + Hollyhock Different 6 ft. Use for backgrounds and borders. + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _August_ + + Aster, New Blue 4 ft. Grows in any soil. The best of tall + England asters. + + Golden Glow Yellow 6 ft. Grows in any soil and spreads rapidly. + Good background. + + Japanese White Climber Rapid flowering vine. Use on trellis. + Clematis Sweet flowers. + + Sunflower Yellow 6 ft. Fine for backgrounds and screens. + Any dry soil. + + Turtle Head Rose 2 ft. Flowers on spikes. Any soil, but wet + Purple preferred. + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _September_ + + Hardy White 6 ft. Blooms till frost. Blossom heads + Hydrangea effective. + + Japanese Carmine 3 ft. Good border plant. Blossoms last + Anemone till frost. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + WATER AND BOG PLANTS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME SPECIAL POINTS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + Arrowhead _Sagittaria latifolia_ One of the most popular water + plants. Spreads badly. + + Arum (water) _Calla palustris_ Popular water plant. Grows + less than 1 ft. high. Blooms + in June. + + Blue Flag _Iris versicolor_ Grows from 2-3 ft. high. Grows + in bogs and gardens. + + Cat-tail _Typha latifolia_ Grows to 8 ft. or more. Spreads + rapidly. + + Floating Heart _Limnanthemum Grows less than 1 ft. high. + nymphoides_ Good plant for a pond. + Spreads readily. + + Forget-me-not _Myosotis Palustris_ Grows less than 1 ft. high. + Prefers half-shady places. + + Lotus, American _Nelumbo lutea_ Good for a pond. + + Marsh Marigold _Caltha palustris_ Grows 1-1/2 ft. high. Blooms + in May. + + Pickerel Weed _Pontederia Grows 3-4 ft. high. Blooms in + cordata_ July. + + Pitcher Plant _Darlingtonia Grows less than 1 ft. Good for + Californica_ bog planting. + + Sweet Flag _Acorus Calamus_ Height is 2 ft. Flowers in early + summer. + + Water-lily _Nymphaea odorata_ Sweet-scented, most popular + water-lily. + + Water Mint _Mentha Aquatica_ One of the popular mint family. + Low growing. + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + FOUR WATER-LILIES FOR BEGINNERS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + NAME COLOUR SPECIAL POINTS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _Nymphaea Gladstoniana_ White This is a hardy variety + " _Marliacea_ Yellow " " " " + " _dentata_ White Tender, night blooming plant + " _Zanzibariensis_ Blue Tender, day blooming plant. + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + WATER-LILIES FOR SMALL PONDS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + NAME |COLOUR |REQUIRED DEPTH + | | OF WATER + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + _Nymphoea alba_ (hardy) | White |More than 2 ft. + " _tuberosa_ (hardy) | White | " " " + " _Marliacea rosea_ (hardy) | Pink | " " " + " _odorata_, var. _minor_ |White |Less than 1 ft. + (hardy) | | + " _tetragona_ (hardy) |Yellow | " " " + " _Laydekeri_, var. |Pink | " " " + _rosea_ (hardy) | | + " _Zanzibariensis_ (tender) |White | " " " + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + NOTE:--Any of these forms may be grown in from 1 to 2 ft. of water. + + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + TREE TABLE + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + NAME |HEIGHT | SPECIAL POINTS + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + Carolina Poplar |100 ft.|Grows in a dry soil. Fastest growing street + | | tree. Its dropping fruit is a nuisance. + | | Sheds leaves early. + + Catalpa |50ft. |Lovely white blossoms in June. Seed pods + | | stay on into winter. Quick growing. + | | Good lawn tree. + + English Hawthorn|30ft. |Flowers in June. Red berries. Grows on + | | dry soils. Slow grower. Sharp thorns. + + Linden |90ft. |Easy to grow. Fragrant flowers. Rapid + | | grower. European species smaller than + | | American. + + Live Oak |100 ft.|Not hardy in the North. Grows south of + | | Virginia. Beautiful evergreen oak. Likes + | | moist soil. + + Locust |80ft. |Fragrant flowers in May and June. Rapid + | | grower. Seeds in pods. Thorny bark. + + Lombardy Poplar |90ft. |Quick grower. Stiff, straight and tall. + | | Dignified but melancholy tree. Fine for + | | pathway effect. + + Norway Maple |100 ft.|Tall, well rounded tree. Yellow foliage in + | | the fall. + + Pin Oak |100 ft.|Fastest grower among oaks. You cannot + | | grow plants under it. + + Red Maple |100 ft.|Earliest flowering maple. Good for lowlands. + | | Bright red foliage in the fall. + + Sugar Maple |100 ft.|Moist soil. Bright foliage in the fall. Best + | | street tree among maples. + + Horse Chestnut |60 ft. |Fine white flowers in June. Attractive buds + | | and leaves. Foliage grows very dense. + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +XIII + +HOW BOYS AND GIRLS CAN MAKE MONEY FROM THEIR GARDENS + + +Naturally, we are all interested in ways and means of earning money. It +is not a bad thing at all for a boy or girl to wish to turn work into +cash. Not always is it possible for one to find a market next door for +products. No, it is rarely as easy a matter as that. One has to really +work a bit. + +"Let me tell you one boy's story. This lad, let us call him Newton, had +a nice vegetable and flower garden. He had worked so hard over it, it +did seem to him as if he ought to be able to sell some of his produce. +One day he loaded a little cart with vegetables and went down the street +to a corner market. I imagine he went in a half-hearted sort of way. The +market-man was busy and he spoke a bit roughly to the boy. But Newton +went on to another store. He received the same sort of treatment there. +This time he gave up discouraged and went home. His mother was not +discouraged. She showed him how he should have made his vegetables, +wagon and all, look more attractive. + +"So Newton went to work again. He scrubbed his radishes and new carrots +until they shone. He bunched them up into neat little bundles. Then the +lettuce came in for its washing and cleaning. Thus he treated all the +vegetables. Then he printed a sign 'Fresh Vegetables For Sale' and +started off again. This time he went to the largest hotel in the little +city in which he lived. There he was sent to the cook. This big, +good-natured fellow said that he would look at his stuff. 'Looks good to +me,' said the cook, 'it really looks like home-grown things,' +Straightway he bought a good part of what Newton had and there and then +made arrangements for daily deliveries of certain vegetables. + +"The lesson from Newton's experience is this: in order to sell, you must +put your wares in attractive shape. Who wishes to buy dirty radishes or +droopy looking lettuce? No one is willing to pay decent prices. Putting +materials in such condition that all the good points speak loudly at +first, is one way to attract notice and sell later. If you find you can +sell by shipping your goods the same points hold true. + +"Another way to make money is to raise young plants for sale. Jack did +this with his aster plants. Lots of people wish their garden plants +partly started. They either do not have the interest, or else they have +not the time for initial work. Asters, stock, tomatoes, lettuce, +cabbage, pepper, celery--all of these may be started for market +purposes. + +"Suppose you have planted tomato seed. You are bound to have more young +plants than you wish. Why not sell them? Suppose Mrs. Jones always buys +hers. Then go to her and ask if she will not buy of you. She may not +believe you can be a very good gardener, so she hesitates. Well, then +just ask her if you cannot bring your little plants around for her to +see when the time comes. Get to work in your best style. Transplant in +little paper cups or strawberry baskets. Then the setting out of the +plants will be very easy and quite a scientific performance. I think you +will sell to Mrs. Jones all right. + +"If you really intend to go into this early market side then you should +certainly have a coldframe. You could not blame your mother if she +refused to have the kitchen littered up with old tin cans and boxes all +the spring. Do not be a nuisance at home just to make money. + +[Illustration: + +Photograph by W.H. Jenkins + +Myron Transplanting his Long-rooted Strawberry Plants. + + +Photograph by Helen W. Cooke + +Katherine Transplanting Her Flowers by a Method of Lifting.] + + +"I know a little girl who raised aster and stock plants, also young +vegetable plants. She had a coldframe. In the spring, when people were +starting their gardens and wondering where they should go for plants, +she fixed up an attractive basket filled with her plants. She asked no +exorbitant price, but a fair one for a little girl's good work. One year +she bought herself a dressing table from her garden earnings. I think +that well worth while. Don't you? + +"Another way to make money from your garden is to sell your seed. I do +not think any of you will be at all likely to try to rival the seed +houses. But I am sure that you can supply certain seeds for your own +fathers and mothers. + +"Such seed as those of radish, lettuce and turnip you would not save. It +is better to buy them. But surely you can make some pretty good +selections for seed corn. I believe you can manage beans, peas, melons, +pumpkins, potatoes and squash. Then we have, I believe, learned from the +school flower garden how to select seed. Nasturtium seed may always be +saved, dried and put into its own envelope. This will be found to be +true, that seeds saved from our own flower garden often do not give +satisfactory results as time goes on. The plants and flowers after a few +seasons seem to spindle out. In the large seed gardens the varieties of +flowers raised are either many or cross-pollination is carried on. + +"In putting up your seeds in envelopes give a few cultural directions +on them; that is, tell how to plant the special seed. Also, put on when +to plant and the proper soil conditions under which planting should go +on. If the seeds are those of flowers add information concerning height, +colour of blossom, and time of blossoming. Someone might like to know +also if the seed was that of an annual, biennial or perennial plant. +Think out a neat, attractive way to fix these envelopes. If you do not +wish to sell them, they will serve as nice Christmas gifts. + +"Among the garden trappings which we made last winter are things you +could easily sell. Such a plant stand as Jack made for his own room is +certainly marketable. Make samples of your wares and then take orders +for them. Again, these represent Christmas gifts, too. + +"Rustic seats, a woven mat of corn husks to kneel on when weeding, a bit +of nice trellis work, a little tool house are all possible pieces of +work. + +"I saw once what a boy called his handy boxes. These were wooden boxes, +with hinged covers and handles, so that they might be carried about. One +was for seeds. This box had partitions inside, and all the different +envelopes of seeds were arranged in the different cubby holes. Another +box had garden accessories. The word sounds interesting. It means all +the little extras needed in the work. Labels, small stakes, a garden +reel, measure, knife, cord, note book, pencil--all were in the box, all +were things which the boy often used. You can make variations on these. +But a box which may be carried about has advantages over one that is +screwed up in the tool house. + +"I believe the flower-gathering basket would sell well. 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 arm, but it is very +inconvenient, very hot work, and very mussy, to have to hold bunches of +flowers in the hand as one gathers. + +"In some places where there are summer colonies it is possible to sell +bunches of flowers. I knew of a case where big bunches of sweet peas +were brought to the hotel every morning. These sold for ten and fifteen +cents the bunch and went like hot cakes. + +"The girls may think of all sorts of wicker mats and trays that would +make the garden tea more attractive. One ought to think of the aesthetic +side. + +"I have not mentioned working for others. Hire yourself out. Let it be +known that you can and will weed, mow lawns, plant and transplant for so +much per hour. Someone may be going off for a few weeks; see to it that +you are the boy or girl to be employed. Prove yourself faithful. + +"In the winter make garden utensils and also attend to the bulb end of +it. At Christmas time you could do a big business. + +"Someone might make and bottle kerosene emulsion. Paste on each bottle +directions for using. Print very neatly, so it will look well. + +"There are doubtless many other ways of making money. But, above all, do +not neglect the other side; give away some things from your garden and +some of your labour, too. 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 pea. +Who wants to be stingy? Better never to make money than to grow like +that. Don't let people pay you for everything you do. Do certain things +for mother and father for nothing. The home garden is as much theirs as +yours. Wouldn't it be ludicrous if your mother said, 'No, Katharine, you +cannot have those flowers to carry to school unless you pay ten cents +for them,' How cross you would be! Just as absurd, is it not, for you +to suggest that you cannot work on that same garden unless you receive +ten cents an hour? No, that is all wrong. And if any one of you feels +that way do one of two things--either sit down and be ashamed for a +good, long time and think of all the things done freely for you; or else +go take all the money in your own little bank at home, buy something +your mother wants, and give it, being glad, so glad you can get rid of +what you have been so stingy about. + +"Give flowers to the poor, the sick at home and the sick in hospitals, +the church, the people you love, the people you think you don't love, +and the people who seem lonely and forlorn. + +"Once upon a time there was made a wondrous garden. It was called the +earth. The flowers, the trees, the plants which afterwards became +through man's skill our staple products--all these were free, absolutely +free. + +"If this is a true story, how can we be so small as always to make money +from this garden? Let us pay our debt to it freely and gladly. + +"This is our last talk. Some of you already have started your early +vegetables and flowers. Instead of one coldframe we have four in our +family and one belongs to a girl. + +"It is going to be a better year of gardening than before. Leston is +with us now. Another season there will be others. The school grounds +look well, and if you have noticed the entire village looks a little +better than ever before. + +"We will shake hands all around. In a few weeks we shall have hands +quite dirty with good old garden soil. You may take your stools and +benches off with you, or leave them all here." + +"We shall leave them," said Eloise; "for I am coming back often to sit +on my little cricket right on your hearth." + +"I am a little large for a cricket," went on Albert; "but I'd not quit +this hearthstone, so my stool stays." + +"And mine, too," each one added. + +Off they trooped again, some down the country road, some up the road, +others across the fields, and George, as usual, on his old horse. They +shouted until out of sight. + +"The best things in the world," the man murmured as he stepped out into +the open and drew into his lungs deep breaths of the fresh spring air. + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Library of Work and Play: +Gardening and Farming., by Ellen Eddy Shaw + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13537 *** |