THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



AN EN'GLISII HEATHER THATCHED ROOF COTTAGE. NOTE 

 THE CLIMBING PLANTS. 



.-•a Inish of \'alerian and a tabby cat, and a vista of emer- 

 ald green grass under some old apple trees wreathed with 

 rambler roses — where such a cheering touch is given by a 

 tea tabJe and cosy chair — I hear some one say green 

 , grass I! But that some one has not perhaps tried crushed 

 -cotton seeds or rape dust as a dressing on his lawn in 

 spring — or even a heavy dressing or sulphate of am- 

 monia and sand. 



Such well grown plants too are found as anemones, 

 amaryllis and white lilies — better grown than I can 

 grow them in my big garden very often ; and such good 

 old-fashioned perennials, banished perhaps forty years ago 

 during the bedding out and ribbon border craze from the 

 big house and finding their way to a cottage garden, 

 have there been cared for and treasured, till the wheel 

 of fashion having turned again the big house comes 

 begging for a bit for the new herbaceous border. Su- 

 jierior too, and first among them many a charming flower 

 indigenous to North America, such as Laurel Lind- 

 heinrie — some of them almost unknown in their native 

 land. In earlier days America was ransacked for new 

 plants, and those so found may have been sent to Eng- 

 land by the collector, taken good care of — perhaps even 

 re-selected, and improved beyond recognition. 



It seems to me as if the encouragement of cottage 

 gardeners must have eventually an etifort on conditions 

 often deplored — namely the restlessness of the working 



population. The man who has really learned to love 

 liis garden thinks twice before moving on in search of 

 work and is more apt to settle down. He will wait for 

 spring and see the new rose bush flower — for autumn 

 to taste his latest fancy in apples. He may stay on 

 through the winter because he does not wish to leave all 

 his plants behind him, and so forth. Future years will 

 see vast strides in development along this line, for 

 everywhere children are being helped to love a garden 

 and shown how to make one through the excellent school 

 L^ardening taught in so many cities nowadays, and the 

 I'ictures and records of what these children raise in their 

 rhool gardens in a season are object lessons for those 

 \ ho do not believe in the possibilities of successful cot- 

 tage gardens in America. 



Learn the joy of having your own fresh vegetable 

 out of your garden instead of out of cans. Think of 

 the economy of it ! Think of the thousands of acres of 

 wasted land around the little homes on the outskirts of 

 all the big cities. I believe that when I return to America 

 in ]May I am going to see in small homes the results of 

 some of my talks last fall. I may not see the fruit yet 

 awhile, but I shall see some evidence of an awakened 

 interest in that earliest of all known vocations — garden- 



I \i ,1 I i;i i\ [ ^ \l; 1 1 : , \l;l il \. 



IN rL\MPSriIRE— A TYPICAL ENGLISH COTTAGE GARDEN. 



GOLFING AND GARDENING. 



(iolf has been one of our steps toward efficiency. 



It has helped in no small manner to spread the idea 

 that it is not disgraceful in these days for a man to be 

 seen at a manual occupation, for having had a taste of 

 fresh air and good exercise on the golf course, and get- 

 ting actual benefits therefrom, the golfer began to get 

 up early in the morning and, seeking exercise in the open 

 air nearer home, he tin-ned to gardening. 



( iolf, more than any other one influence, began to bring 

 ♦ he farm into the city. 



The next generation no doubt will more generally take 

 up garden tools along with golf clubs, for there is just 

 as much rivalry and exercise in raising garden truck in 

 the city as in winning a reputation as a golfer. 



The present golf links may in time have garden patches 

 laid out alongside them, and gardening will become not 

 iinly a game, but a useful, productive one. Instead of 

 beating the swords into pruning hooks, the lockers of 

 the country clubs will be filled with garden tools as well 

 as golf sticks. 



\\'e're nearest the Creator in the garden, and while it 

 doesn't mean that man is going to give up his sedentary 

 occupations, yet by a roundabout and indirect process 

 we're arriving at the Tolstoi idea that every man should 

 raise enough for his own sustenance. 



