THROUGH THE YEAR IN A GARDEN 189 



transplant from hot-bed to garden the tender 

 growing things. 



In the exciting gardening for May the one 

 who for the first time engages in the delec- 

 table occupation of coaxing Mother Earth to 

 be kind to all efforts to make a back yard an 

 Eden, the front one a paradise of lovely grow- 

 ing things, the initial enthusiasm must not per- 

 mit the overlooking the fact that the old-time 

 enemy of all garden-makers since gardens first 

 were — Jack Frost — may still be lurking in am- 

 bush of the promise of an early season. I 

 know of no greater discouragement that at- 

 tends the garden-maker than that of encoun- 

 tering late frosts, unprepared for them. But 

 the experienced gardener seldom permits him- 

 self to be caught in this slyly placed trap. 

 While it happens, now and then, that Nature 

 seems unkind enough to wax mirthful over 

 man's effort and amuses herself at his expense 

 with unexpected storms, atmospheric changes 

 and freakish weather, the seasons are, on the 

 whole, dependable and the garden-maker has 

 only to study their ancestry. 



However, the March-sown hardy annuals 

 will be coming on for transplanting from hot- 



