96 



THE LITTLE GARDEN 



'T'U a thirsty man a few cups of water are better 

 *■ than an ocean which he can swim in but cannot 

 drink. The widespread love of flowers — would that it 

 were universal and more intense ! — is better satisfied 

 by the purity and freshness of a few choice blooms 

 than by a wide area of extensive planting. The former 

 meet a necessity; the latter provides for enjoyment. 

 Yet the ocean has its value. Without it the winds 

 which travel to the four corners of the earth would 

 everywhere pass over a desert. The winds of the 

 gardening world blow over the area of extensive 

 culture and gather up its essence, bearing it to distant 

 regions to feed the springs which bring refreshment 

 and beauty to many an otherwise barren spot. 



These springs are the little gardens. Though meas- 

 ured in rods they are in no way to be despised in com- 

 parison with those which are measured in acres. 

 Nature is infinite, and size is nothing in her presence. 

 The more one is in sympathy with the spirit of Nature, 

 which is the spirit of true gardening, the more evident 

 becomes the potential value of the little garden. 



It is a matter of common observation that the great- 

 est specialists among us are the greatest enthusiasts. 

 The treasures which gardening holds are scattered 

 widely, but also buried deeply so that the pearl diver 

 who confines his attention to one spot may easily reap 

 as rich a reward as the explorer who sails round the 

 world in search of variety. 



A garden makes its strongest appeal when Spring 

 flowers are first coming into evidence. This is partly 

 because flowers are scarce at this time so that the few 

 which do appear stir a deeper interest than their actual 

 numbers would seem to merit. The attention they 

 draw is concentrated and, therefore, intense, and is 

 assisted by the more cheerlees Winter background 

 against which they appear. 



Not alone by Winter, however, is a dull backgroun(l 

 provided. One has only to notice the condition of 

 thousands of the enclosures attached to the everyday 

 dwellings owned or tenanted by "the men in the street" 

 to realize what neglected possibilities lie strewn on 

 every hand. How difterent might our towns and cities 

 be if only the romance dormant in a patch of soil were 

 appreciated by every lucky owner of a "back yard." 

 We pride ourselves on being the greatest gardening 

 nation in the world, but there is still room for us to 

 prove that we can be great in little things. It is a 

 reflection on the popularity of the pastime that the 

 term "back yard" should have a derogatory meaning. 

 There lies a little patch of earth, neglected, down- 

 trodden and hard as the heart of the owner, who sees 

 ill it no possible source of intellectual refreshment. 

 Wonderful in its history and composition, richly stored 

 with material which might be built into a living struc- 

 ture worthy of the admiration of a man, teeming with 

 living workers and holding deeper secrets than the 

 wisest among us have yet fathomed, it remains brown 

 and bare beneath the oft-passing footsteps. Yet leave 

 it entirely to Nature for a time and see what hap])ens. 

 Its life-supporting powers find exjjression and weeds 

 appear. Where weeds can flourish fairer i)hints can 

 grow. 



No serious readers of this paper are likely to miss 

 all the i)Ossibilities of the little garden, l)Ut it is doubt- 

 less in the power of many to influence cithers who do. 

 If ignorance is the cause there is i)lenty of informatinii 

 which can be distributed freely with benefit to both 

 giver and receiver. 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



If interest is lacking it can be stimulated by the 

 healthy infectious enthusiasm of those who know the 

 value of a garden, however small. \'arious forces are 

 working to forward the movement, but personal influ- 

 ence is the most eft'ective. Individually it may not 

 appear much, but one of Nature's greatest lessons is 

 the importance of little things — be they vitamines or 

 eelworms! — TIic Garden.- 



JERUSALEM CHERRY 



COLANUM capsicastrum, or as it is ix>pularly known, 

 ^ the "Jerusalem Cherry," is an evergreen greenhouse 

 plant of dwarf compact habit, attaining with age a height 

 of from one to two feet. It is what is known as an old- 

 fashioned j>lant, but is rapidly coming again into popular 

 fa\'or, for when w-ell grown and cared for it is a grand 

 l>lant for the decoration of the greenhouse or window- 

 garden during the Winter months, especially during the 

 iioliday season, as its glossy scarlet berries are borne in the 

 greatest profusion, and fonii such a contrast to the glossy 

 green leaves tliat the name of miniature orange tree is 

 often bestowed upon it. The glossy scarlet berries which 

 are about the size of a small marble, commence to ripen 

 about the end of Septemil>er, and remain on the plant until 

 tlie growth commences in the Spring, the flowers being 

 quite small and insignificant, writes Charles E. Parnell in 

 The Flower Grower. 



This highly ornamental plant requires but little care or 

 attention to grow it to great perfection, and is easily 

 raised from seed which should be sown as early in the 

 Spring as possible, in a well drained pot or pan filled with 

 light loamy soil. Sow thinly, cover slightly, and place in 

 as warm and moist a situation as close to the glass as pos- 

 sible. As soon as the )oung plants are large enough to 

 handle, let them he transferred to other jxms, or sliallow 

 l)oxes, similarly prepared, antl placed- in rows about an 

 inch each wav, and grown on until the weather becomes 

 settled, when they can be planted out in a very deep well 

 enriched bed, in a warm sheltered situation, and placed 

 about 18 inches apart each way. If at all possible, give a 

 light mulch of littery manure and copious supply of water 

 both overhead and at the roots during the Summer. 



.■\bout the middle of September they should be very 

 carefully taken up and potted, giving them well drained 

 pots prcfjxirtionate to tlie size of the plants. When first 

 ]X)tted, water thoroughly, sprinkle freely and fre<|uently 

 for several days afterward. Keep them in a sheltered 

 situation until they are brought inside, where they should 

 be given as light and sunny a situation as possible, and an 

 average temperature of 50 degrees. 



If it is desired to carry the plants over fur another year 

 (and it is well to do so, as large specimens will l>e se- 

 cured), let thicm be cut Ixick to tlie desired shape and size 

 early in May, iilanted out, and grown on, precisely as 

 advised for seedling plants. As a result of the care and 

 attention that has been given the Jerusalem cherry of late, 

 the varieties known as WeatherilTs Hybrid and liybridum 

 I leiidersonii have been produced, and are quite improve- 

 ments on the older sort ; the former being of more com- 

 pact growtii, having darker green foliage and much larger 

 iierrics; the latter being of a more dwarf, comixict habit 

 r)f growth, witli berries more resembling an acorn in shape, 

 and as a rule rc]iroduces itself fairly well from seed. 



Wlien grown ;is ])ot ]il;ints the solanum should l:)e given 

 a rich-loauiy .soil, and (luring the Winter months carefully 

 Mipplied with water, as if this is not properly done, and 

 the plants allowed to stilTer for a want of moisture for any 

 length of lime, or often, the l)crries will ri]>en ]irematurely 

 and dmi). The plants should l)e freely sprayed or 

 sprinkled whenever it is conveuicut to do so. 



