136 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



"And I transplanted some jack-in-the-pulpits and 

 they all died," put in Eleanor, looking up at Mr. 

 Trommel as she trotted along beside him. "What 

 made them f " 



"I 've got lettuce and radishes and corn and chrys- 

 anthemums in my garden," said Margaret, eagerly. 

 "What can I do to make them come up very quick f " 



"I've got all those things in mine, and pumpkins 

 besides to make Jack-o'-lanterns of. How soon will 

 they be big enough ? " broke in Donald, for the Hor- 

 ticultural was rapidly recovering from its momen- 

 tary shyness. 



"Ach!" exclaimed Mr. Trommel, "I cannot an- 

 swer so many questions at once. Wait and let us 

 see the little gardens one at a time, and then we can 

 perhaps find what is wrong with them. 



"Um-m-m," he said reflectively, as the club ranged 

 itself around the square patch near the vegetable- 

 garden which confined Margaret's horticultural efforts. 

 "You are too crowded here. The lettuce, the little 

 mignonettes and sweet peas all should be made thinner. 

 Also the ground is hard ; it is not worked enough. 

 You should rake and hoe twice a week surely, and 

 keep the ground light and loose about the plants. 

 Have you anything else ? " 



