THE CLUB IN MAKY'S GARDEN 173 



be chairman," she added with dignity, "and the 

 chairman can stand in the arbor. There is n't a chair- 

 there 's only a bench, but that will do ; that 's all 

 that judges have to sit on, father says." 



"What have you put on your sweet peas, Mary ! " 

 asked Margaret, who was investigating the garden. 



"I have taken up that that subject in my paper,"' 

 said the president of the club, with dignity j "it 's 

 a mulsh." 



"What 's a mulsh? " asked Eleanor. 



The under-gardener hesitated a moment. "Mulsh 

 is a covering," she said. "Sometimes when it is very 

 hot, Eleanor, I have just a sheet over me at night ; 

 sometimes a blanket, or very thick blankets, or a 

 down quilt. Then I am mulshed. You cover the 

 ground over a plant's feet with manure that is 

 'mulsh' j or you put dead leaves, and that is 

 'mulsh' ; or you put clippings that the lawn-mower 

 makes to keep the flowers' feet cool, and that is a 

 'mulsh.' That 's what I did to the sweet peas." 



But the chairman was in the small summer-house, 

 and rapped with his jack-knife on the table. "The 

 meeting will please come to order." 



The meeting sat down on the grass with alarm- 

 ing promptness. 



