SUMMER CARE 



attention the year round. The amount of 

 labor may not be as much at one season as 

 another, but such attention as is necessary 

 to keep them in good condition must be given 

 whenever it is needed, and there is no time 

 when it is safe to let a plant look out for itself 

 entirely, unless that plant is growing in the 

 garden-bed. Even then it should be well 

 watched to prevent it from wasting much of its 

 energies on growth that will have to be sacri- 

 ficed later. The wise gardener never relaxes 

 her vigilance in caring for her plants. If no 

 attention is needed, well and good, but she 

 will always be on the lookout for it, and be 

 sure she will be ready to minister to whatever 

 need makes itself apparent. Plants are often 

 unruly, when given an opportunity to do as 

 they please by putting them into the open 

 ground and leaving them to care for them- 

 selves, and it requires constant watchfulness 

 to prevent them from doing things they ought 

 not to do. 



I never advise turning plants out of their 

 pots, and planting them in the garden, or of 

 plunging the plant in its pot, unless one 

 expects to be away from home for a time, and 

 feels doubtful about the care they would 



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