LITTLE GARDENS 



a while. One other item : Go over the ground 

 with a rake, or a hoe, if it shows a tendency to 

 harden and pack down, so that the water may 

 reach the roots; even a spading or troweling may 

 be necessary in resistant soils; but be careful not 

 to cut the rootlets and not to heavily jar the 

 plant, for that may shake off its flowers, or dis- 

 place it, or at least break some of its stems or 

 branches. 



But we are getting a little ahead of our 

 plants. We haven't them, yet. Our first work 

 is to loosen the soil, and as you will have trouble 

 in getting a horse and plow through the base- 

 ment, the work will require to be done with a 

 spade. By a fair output of profanity and in- 

 dustry, men have been able to spade up a yard 

 in a day, and even to do a little work, between 

 whiles. If you move in during the late summer 

 you can not do much toward the improvement of 

 your premises. Buy some showy things from the 

 florist, set them out and let it go at that. Let 

 the youngsters rollick over the ground. Heaven 

 knows they have little enough of play space in 

 the city! If you have children of the playful 

 age, forego the garden, and occupy the yard 

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