230 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the trees after the leaves have fallen or in the case of only a few trees to 

 water them well before they are allowed to go into winter quarters. 



MAX PFAENDER, 

 Scotts Bluff County. 



IMPROVE THE SMALL LOT. 



Wm. G. McLean, Park Superintendent, Madison, in Wisconsin Horticulture. 



This short paper is not prepared as a guide for horticulturists setting 

 forth what or how to plant, but rather that it may encourage more of our 

 small holders to improve their surroundings. Burbank says, "Environ- 

 ment is the architect of heredity." It is time we should appreciate this, 

 and consider it a privilege to improve our environment. 



The most neglected spots in every city are to be found on the small 

 lots, and when we stop to consider what a small amount of work would 

 do, and then begin to multiply the benefits, we naturally ask ourselves, 

 why is this? 



It often happens that professional people, of exceptional ability, fail 

 to reach their desired goal, simply because they advocate methods too 

 advanced for the understanding and appreciation of the masses. 



This holds as true with the art of gardening as with other vocations 

 and I find that in general, people don't want too much preaching. What 

 is the use of going into exhaustive details, when usually a simple primary 

 lesson of practical application, will be better understood and really must 

 precede that which is of a higher grade — to teach the professional — les- 

 sons to beginners, will generally tend to scare them out. Every person 

 who improves his grounds, by planting a shrub, tree or flower, is a public 

 benefactor. 



But why does the work of garden-making languish? Is it because we 

 do not fully realize the many benefits to be derived therefrom, or is it 

 possible that we have been frightened out by some article, written at 

 length, about planting effects, where the writer speaks of the many de- 

 tail considerations, with complex environments, etc., until we are con- 

 fused as to the real purpose. 



I do not want to belittle the artist, because he is the man to do the 

 large things, and we all know, that to be a real landscape architect, re- 

 quires ability, character and many years of preparation, but give unto 

 Caesar, that which is Caesar's, and I am sure that it is not absolutely 

 necessary to call on the services of an expert, to plant or maintain the 

 average small lot, where the building usually occupies two-thirds of the 

 grounds. 



I am anxious to encourage this work by proving how simple it is, 

 rather than by how complex. For example, the Chinaman whom we con- 

 sider as being uneducated, is nevertheless a good gardener, and then 

 again there is the pleasure of learning and improving by experience. 

 Many of our successful farmers have gained their experience right 

 in the field, inside their own fence. A certain good gardener, in Chi- 



