For March, 1920 



117 



gen content of a soil can to a greater ex- 

 tent be secured by the turning iinder of 

 leguminous crops. The soil bacteria which 

 are necessary to change soil nitrogen into 

 nitrates (the only form in which nitrogen 

 is available for plants) are not yet ob- 

 tainable commercially ; but one cannot 

 imagine the existence of any soil in which 

 they are entirely absent. More particulars 

 about soil bacteria are to be found in the 

 January issue of this journal. — A. S. 



OF GENERAL INTEREST 



A UNIQUE EXHIBIT 



A most remarkable exhibit, differing from 

 anything usually seen at exhibitions, was 

 found at the "Ideal Home" exhibition, 

 Olvmpia, London. It was that of a vege- 

 table garden, 1,500 square feet in extent, 

 showing crops in growth as though the sea- 

 son were June instead of February. 



The Ministry of Agriculture having de- 

 signed a method of cropping a garden or 

 allotment which, in their opinion, should 

 produce the maximum amount of food from 

 the land, and having sent plans of such to 

 county councils throughout the country, 

 were anxious that their scheme, showing 

 the summer cropping, should be publicly 

 demonstrated. Consequently, Messrs. Sut- 

 ton of Reading were asked if they could pre- 

 pare and lay out such a garden in the short 

 space of live weeks, and this they under- 

 took to do. 



"The Ministry of Agriculture (says the 

 Evening Ncii's) wanted something almost 

 as impossible as strawberries in February ; 

 an allotment showing an early summer crop 

 of vegetables, and all in five weeks; but 

 Suttons' accepted the challenge to their ef- 

 ficiency," — and the result was the model 

 garden as shown. It has been referred to 

 as a "miracle" garden, something more 

 difficult than anything of this kind ever at- 

 tempted before. How the various plants 

 were got into their present condition of 

 growth in five weeks in the middle of win- 

 ter, was a mystery to many. The vege- 

 tables were all growing luxuriously in the 

 open -ground and gave no indication of hav- 

 ing made the journey from Reading in 

 motor lorries a short time previously. 



Potatoes were earthed up, leeks and cel- 

 ery were in their trenches, peas soon show- 

 ing bloom, and runner beans starting to 

 climb the sticks. Onions, beets, carrots, 

 parsnips, turnips, marrows, and shallots 

 were all several inches high, whilst rhubarb, 

 spring cabbage, and lettuce ready for gath- 

 ering. 



Here and There 



CHILDREN'S GARDENS. 



Educational theorists have agreed that 

 the value of any mode of education can 

 be very fairly gauged by the extent to 

 which the person to be educated has his 

 intelligence aroused and is induced by in- 

 terest to take an active co-operaiion in the 

 scheme, and where shall v, e get such a 

 response in the way of voluntary activity 

 as is afforded by the provision of gardens 

 for our children ? We want the rising gen- 

 eration to be doers as well as thinkers, 

 the recent war has impressed on us more 

 urgently the necessity for this, and half 

 an hour of spontaneous activity is of as 

 much value as an hour spent at organized 

 games or drill. Where a wise interest is 



It Pays to 

 Plant the Best 



It is easy to plan tasty meals when you have an 

 abundance of crisp fresh vegetables right at hand. 

 Give mother and the girls the benefit of an extra 



good garden this year. Plant it with "Gregory's Honest Seeds;" 

 they can be rehed upon to grow and come true to type. All 

 Gregory Seeds are tested (or vitality. Many are special strains 

 perfected on our own seed farms. 



Send for FREE Seed Book 



You II enjoy looking over our 1920 Seed Book; it's :o straightforward and de- 

 pendable. Each oi its 80 pages containainiormation of value to gardeners and flower 

 lovers. The Planting Table ( p. 59) will help you to order 

 just the right amount of each variety. 



Send a Postal Today for Your Copy 



J. J. H. GREGORY & SON 



ESTADLISHED IN ISr.O 



65 ELM STREET, MARBLEHEAD, MASS. 



SOLD BY SEEDMEN IN CANADA FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS 



'JSx2'm/monc^Ql£c6^ of^i^ 





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taken in the children's schemes by a sym- 

 pathetic elder, gardening may be made a 

 useful means for mental as well as physi- 

 cal culture. Proportion, beauty of design, 

 color schemes, are all points to which the 

 child's attention can fitly be turned, thus 

 helping to develop his artistic sense and 

 establish it on a sure basis : while the seeds 

 can be sown for the desirable qualities of 

 patience and forethought. The lesson that 

 "the best laid schemes of mice and men 

 gang aft agley" is less bitter if karned in 

 childhood, and where has one such ample 

 opportunity for learning the conning as 

 when dealing with plants and flowers in 

 this country of varied seasons and unex- 

 pected climatic conditions. In this respect 

 a grain of practice is truly worth an ounce 

 of horrible precept. On the other hand, 

 perseverance many times brings its own 

 reward, and this can be learned at the same 

 time from actual experience on the part 

 of the small worker. Care of tools, me- 

 thodical ways, and neatness arc also seen 

 to bring their own recompense. The child 

 gardener soon realizes this with a very 

 little guidance from its elders. 



mm 



3IIU3Z3 



SttteS^ 



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 BURN rP from the summer heat. 



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