14 MV HANDKERCHIEF GARDEN. 



the day, which continues till the longest nights late in 

 December again. 



All plants, whether out-of-doors or in the house, 

 are susceptible to these universal changes. The spring 

 or growing season begins on the twenty-first of De- 

 cember. The winter or season of reduced growth, 

 maturity, and sleep or death begins on the twenty- 

 first of June. During the growing season the amount 

 of light steadily increases and the plant thrives, be- 

 cause, as it grows, it demands more light. When it is 

 going to rest or approaching maturity, or death, it re- 

 quires less and less light. The lives of all plants are, 

 therefore, dependent on the changing amount of 

 light resulting from that motion of the earth that 

 gives us the seasons. 



At first sight it may seem that this cannot be true. 

 In the latitude of New York nothing begins to grow 

 out-of-doors before April, and all the garden plants 

 are dead or asleep long before December begins. 

 This, too, is true, yet I hope, in treating of certain 

 of our common vegetables, to show you a number of 

 experiments that will prove that this division of the 

 year into two parts is correct. In California the 

 growing season begins in November and ends in May. 

 This, it is easily seen, is merely a variation, depend- 

 ing on local causes, of this same law of plant growth. 



To get the best results from our garden vegetables, 

 we sow the seed in the growing season and let the 

 crops mature in the resting season, and this holds 

 good, both under glass, where, as far as temperature 

 is concerned, we are independent of the climate, and 

 in Florida where there are no frosts. After the " re- 

 turn of the sun " we can sow any seeds, provided it is 

 warm enough either naturally or in a greenhouse 

 or sunny window. The days are growing longer, 

 there is more and more light, and the plant finds its 



