140 MY GROWING GARDEN 



dollar up to about forty cents' worth. It is a sort 

 of glorified coreopsis, but is not so weedy or so 

 sticky as that annual. The colors seem to nm into 

 rich markings of orange, red, yellow, cream, and in 

 between, and as the plants make fine little bushes 

 and keep long in bloom, I'm voting for the zinnia 

 with the name of the great Erfurt seedsman 

 attached to it. 



These August evenings are made fragrant by the 

 same sweet tobacco, or nicotiana, which began its 

 odorous bloom in early July. There are really 

 beautiful ten-weeks stocks to add their sweetness, 

 also; and the long twihght is altogether lovely in 

 the garden, if only I can persuade myself to put 

 away the weeder or the shears, letting the garden- 

 morrow look out for itself ! 



On an August return — ^the second trip home — ^I 

 looked after the summer pruning of the dwarf 

 fruit trees. They have grown tremendously, and 

 the peach trees this season gave us a fine crop, as 

 also did the plums. I have learned from my Ger- 

 man gardener-mentor, Mr. Rebe, to cut off at least 

 half those long growths on the apples and pears, and 

 as well to reduce the cherries and plums. He has 

 taught me to select the hmbs to leave, and to cut 

 near the bud from which I want the next shoot to 

 arise. The theory of summer pruning I know; it is 



