48 THE GARDEN 



harm would be prevented. It is such an easy matter to look after three or 

 four trees. But what a task to look after a city full of worm-eaten trees! 



The tussock moth should be known by every citizen of this town. In- 

 deed, it has for some time been a puzzle to us how so many householders 

 could remain in such apparently gross ignorance — we had almost said 

 criminal ignorance — ^of its existence. 



Suppose we let one of these cocoons remain under our eye thru the 

 winter, and watch it, for the sake of the important knowledge — nay, the 

 appalling knowledge — that may be learned from its study. 



There it hangs, thru the long, cold months, harmless. Spring comes 

 along. All life, sleeping or awake, feels her stirring touch. Mr. Sun is 

 helping along the busy world. Even tho his direct rays have not yet 

 reached into many hidden corners, yet his warming influence is at work. 

 Keep your two eyes on that cocoon, because when the time does come, 

 things will happen so quickly that your long watch will have been in vain; 

 for in less than the twinkling of an eye your cocoon has become an empty 

 shell. Too often have we ourselves watched the marvel, not to know the 

 truth. 



Well! What has happened? If you have not relaxed your watch too 

 long, you may possibly — possibly, we repeat — catch a glimpse of the 

 tiniest, wee, grey, fuzy, speck, a fraction of an inch in length, just mov- 

 ing — no more — somewhere near the now empty cocoon. Probably you 

 will see the tiny antennae wiggling furiously. Watch him for an hour, 

 and he will be twice as big; but, unless you place a glass over the mite, 

 he will certainly wiggle out of sight before you can draw two breaths. 

 He, too, will disappear, like his brothers, some thousands of them, all 

 securely hidden among the leaves. 



Within a week, he will have grown into one of those busy caterpillars, 

 with three or four crimson tufts of silk decorating the sinuous length of 

 his busy back; one of those delightful pests that drop upon the cringing 

 shoulders of passers-by, making the very goose flesh stand out upon their 

 skins. In a few days more you will notice thousands of the poor, crushed 

 things, some struggling away to die, some hurrying with nervous, search- 

 ing energy, seeking a spot where they may spin, from the silken tufts 

 upon their backs, a snow-white shroud to shelter their naked bodies. With- 

 in that glittering shell takes place the marvel of life, and sleep and death, 

 and resurrection. 



Is this not worth studying? Especially if one can learn to control 

 the destructive forces let loose. 



THE QUESTION OF WATERING 



The watering of the garden is sometimes a serious question to con- 

 sider. Before laying out one's beds and borders, the matter should be 

 very carefully considered. In towns and cities where the water facilities 

 permit the use of hydrants, it is apparently an easy matter to keep one's 

 plants, shrubs and vegetables in a good condition. 



But even when the garden hose is at hand to use daily, night and 

 morning, the business of watering is very carelessly attended to. In a large 

 percentage of cases the garden is watered for the night, and not watered at 

 all. "Do you know what we are talking about?" we hear some exclaim. 

 "What sort of contradiction is that to make?" 



Let us explain then: 



The ordinary garden hose can only convey just so much water in a 

 given time and no more. With the full humming, whizzing spray turned 

 on, full force, it may seem to the one handling the hose that a most copi- 

 ous drenching Is being given — that the earth is thoroly soaked — that the 



