162 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



"That was a very instructive paper, Eleanor," re- 

 marked the president. 



"I know a way to transplant things when you 

 have n't any tin box, and you have to bring them a 

 long way, too," said Mildred. "I 've brought home 

 jack-in-the-pulpits and violets, and they did n't die, 

 either ! " 



"I brought home some, too," asserted Margaret 

 "but mine died," she added, after a moment's hesita- 

 tion. 



"You have to dig them up carefully, of course," 

 explained Mildred, "and you must n't pull. If you 

 have a knife along it 's easy. I always have a knife 

 and a piece of string in my pocket. 



"Then you find a piece of moss and put it around 

 the roots, and then soak it." 



"The dirt inside?" asked Buddy. 



"Of course," said Mary. "It 's like Hiawatha's 

 mittens he put the skin side inside and put the fur 

 side outside. The mossy side is the fur side." 



"And then you tie it. If you can't get moss, take 

 mud and make a ball with the roots inside " 



"I know that way," said Margaret. "It 's in the 

 'Girls' Handy Book.' " 



Mildred took no notice of the interruption. 



