WINTEE MEETING, 1882. 19 



I do not know of anybody wlio likes them to eat. As easily raised as parsnips, 

 arc they? Well, I don't want any." 



" Squashes? I don't want any. There is too much fuss of a big vine for a 

 little squash. We raised some crooknecks last year. The vino ran all over 

 our potatoes. We sold five squashes at two cents apiece. We will raise some 

 tomatoes. The soil over to Clara's house is just the thing to raise them in, 

 because it is poor. The catalogue says, 'the soil should be light and rich.' 

 At Clara's house they had tomatoes last year two weeks earlier than anywhere 

 else. I could have sold some last year. Mrs. K. wanted some. Ferry's 

 improved early, large, smooth red is one of the best. Trophy is too late for 

 us.' I guess I will have some Trophy to use late for canning, when the others 

 are gone. No turnips ; no sweet herbs. That ends the list." 



The former experience of the children has made them more or less familiar 

 with most of the common flowers and vegetables. They have learned that it 

 is the best way and the easiest way to hoe and rake a garden often, and never 

 let weeds get much above the ground. They see the beauty of straight rows 

 and the convenience; they see an advantage in order and system. This 

 beauty and order tends to make them neat and particular, and these tend to 

 increase their interest in the garden, and an increased interest causes them to 

 keep a better garden, and a better garden produces more and better flowers or 

 vegetables in proportion to the work expended. From early spring till 

 autumn everything, during 1880, was clean and well kept. The sales, 

 although not large, encouraged the little gardeners. Previous experience in 

 managing the money was of some value, and not soon to be forgotten. Some 

 of the money this year was used to buy fireworks for the Fourth of July. 

 After the display was all over and the excitement was gone there came a reac- 

 tion. One of the girls cried hard to think she had thus burned up so much 

 money, for which she had worked so hard during the year. She would never 

 do so again. Thus they learned to use money judiciously. 



In going from house to house one day they called on a lady who had not 

 been long in the neighborhood, and who did not understand the plans of the 

 little girls. They had lettuce to sell that morning. Would she like some? 

 "Oh, yes; it is nice ; I am very fond of lettuce. Tell your mother I am very 

 much obliged to her." The girls were surprised, but one of them said, 

 *'you are welcome." She was too polite to say, at that time, that she brought 

 the lettuce to sell. In relating their experience one of them told her mother 

 that it was a good joke on the lady. It was not difiicult to show her that the 

 joke was on the girls. It is now over a year and a half, but to this day the 

 lady is ignorant of the unintended joke played on the little gardeners. 



In 1881 an improved site for a flower garden was chosen. The seeds were 

 selected and purchased long before it was time to plant them. The design 

 was original with one of the girls, and was not made without some anxiety. 

 The plan is here presented, just as made by one of the girls. Much advice 

 was sought as to the merits of different plants. I showed my interest in their 

 garden by enriching and deeply trenching the whole of it. 



Now, in the spring of 1883, the girls are about twelve years old. Their 

 interest in gardening was never so great as at the present time. My library is 

 accessible. All the books on horticulture have been examined, and some of 

 them have been read in part over and over again. Such books give them as 

 much pleasure as Mrs. Alcott's Little Women, or Mrs. Stowe's Uncle Tom's 

 Cabin. Some of the favorite books are Henderson's Gardening for Pleasure, 



