Growing Flowers 149 



with small but very fragrant blossoms. It thrives 

 under dry farm conditions. 



In every garden, there should be a dishrag gourd 

 vine. Gourds are very easy to grow and the 

 luffa makes excellent dishcloths. These dishcloths 

 never get really dirty or sour and nothing adheres 

 to them. One will last six or eight weeks, becom- 

 ing whiter and softer as it grows older. Three or 

 four cloths can be made from one luffa of fairly 

 good size. 



Gourd seed may be sown in boxes indoors in March 

 or April and the young plants transplanted to 

 the garden in May for September blooming. The 

 vines are usually large and luxuriant, and the 

 plants will grow in almost any kind of soil, though 

 a fairly rich soil will promote the best growth. 



Wood ashes applied to the roots of gourd vines 

 will be very beneficial to the vines and will have a 

 splendid effect on the size of the gourds. 



Sweet pea vines and other plants which have fin- 

 ished blooming should be cleared away. For them 

 to stand will only attract bugs, while they may be 

 utilized by making humus, thus living over again 

 in next year's plants. 



