THE CLUB IN MARY'S GARDEN 175 



"We will first listen to a paper by by our honored 

 president," said Randolph Findlayson. 



Mary rose at once and proceeded to the summer- 

 house. "My paper is about watering," she said. 



"WATERING 



"The best way to water plants is not to water them ; 

 that is, you dig the flower-bed very deep, then the 

 roots can go down and keep cool and find something 

 to drink. This makes them self-supporting. My 

 nasturtiums do not get as thirsty as my sweet peas. 

 I don't know why this is, except that they are born 

 so. Lilies and irises are more thirsty than poppies 

 or mignonette ; this also is because they are born so. 



"It is not good to water when the sun is shining, 

 because the sun drinks up the water before the 

 flowers have a chance to. It is n't good, either, to 

 give just a little water every night; that is just 

 like only washing your face and hands and never 

 having a bath. Nobody's mother lets you do so, 

 and we must n't allow plants to grow up that way, 

 either. 



"Plants drink all over, just like they breathe all 

 over ; so when you do water you must just soak and 



