A NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN CLUB 143 



have ventured to invest in repairs and improvements. A 

 few tenants have arranged to purchase their homes. The 

 corner saloon at the end of the street is not gaining busi- 

 ness, however. Some of its formerly constant patrons often 

 spend spring evenings with their children in the home gar- 

 den; and the benches on the grassy bank under the willows 

 by the river, across the road from the little park, are a 

 pleasant place for good fellowship after the toil of a hot 

 summer day. 



There are garden clubs on other streets of the town now. 

 Three years ago Maple Street became the home of a little 

 old cobbler and gardener who very quietly worked a trans- 

 formation in his neighborhood. The children began coming 

 in to see him at work in his garden, and were delighted to be 

 allowed to help him in the planting and weeding. When 

 dividing hardy plants and resetting them in freshly fertilized 

 soil in early spring, he gave divisions to some of his volunteer 

 helpers. Having seen how he arranged his plants, and how 

 he prepared the soil and established them in it, they were 

 ready to grow successfully the plants given them. Later, 

 these children and other boys and girls were given the extra 

 seedlings of various annuals from the seed-bed of the old 

 gardener, with the understanding that future gifts depended 

 upon the care given those first received. 



When this public benefactor planted seeds of some bien- 

 nials and hardy perennials in his cold-frame, and a little later 

 planted pansies and daisies there for use the following spring, 

 the children were so interested that several got their fathers 

 to allow them to establish cold-frames at home. So the in- 

 terest grew until several homes became centres for the spread 

 of garden skill and for the distribution of dahlia tubers, 



