BACK-YARD GARDENS 



and over. Don't be discouraged if it resists 

 stubbornly at first you can conquer it if you 

 put enough work on it. Chop it, spade it, 

 pound it, do anything that is calculated to 

 pulverize it. 



It will need some kind of fertilizer, and if 

 you cannot obtain stable-manure for it, get a 

 few pounds of bone-meal and mix into it. This 

 will cost but a few cents, and will furnish a 

 good deal of plant-food. Indeed, it is quite 

 equal to barnyard fertilizer so far as nutriment 

 is concerned, but it does not help to lighten the 

 soil as that does. 



Do not make the mistake of selecting plants 

 difficult to manage. Choose the hardier sorts 

 those which have the reputation of being able 

 to take care of themselves pretty well. Keep 

 the soil open about them and allow no weeds 

 to grow among them. If this is done, you may 

 have a very good substitute for the garden 

 which possibly you have seen growing under 

 more favorable conditions. 



Encourage the children to work in it daily. 

 Flowers are safe companions, and a playtime 

 spent in happily working, or even idling, 

 among the plants is so much toward health of 

 body and mind. 



58 



