46 J) A VET'S PRIMER 



What variety Nature bestows upon us! Look at 

 the beautiful weeping willow, only five vears old! 

 What a cosy place for a man to select on a hot day, 

 where he can recline and read or repose. The gentle- 

 man that you see there is not a lazy man, but his 

 delight is to get up in the morning to hear the 

 songs of birds, slips on a colored shirt, overalls and 

 old shoes and works like a beaver, and sweats like a 

 hay-pitcher, and his flower beds and trees seem to sing 

 for joy. This is Mr. S. W. Black, Shields, Pa. If you 

 ever go that way call and see his little paradise. 



One of the most valuable lessons is taught by Mr. 

 Black's morning cultivation. It is better to cultivate 

 crops any time of the day rather then let the ground 

 become crusted, or the weeds grow, but in deep stirring 

 of the soil, in 'midday, the hot particles of soil drop 

 down, and may have a tendency to dry the roots; 

 but when the cultivator, hoe or rake is put to work in 

 the early part of the day you preserve the moisture 

 an important thing to be aimed at. 



There is not a greater lesson needed to be taught 

 than this, namely; there is no " luck" in plant or tree 

 growing. Every plant struggles to do its utmost. 

 The docks, dandelions, ragweeds and all are struggling 

 for their own preservation. It is for you, children, to 

 say which shall occupy the soil, the thistle or rose, the 

 sorrel or aster, " stick-tights " or balsams, poison ivy 



