l8o GARDENS AND THEIR MEANING 



gardener said that his business was to grow vegetables, but 

 that he himself must look out not to vegetate. 



To prove that the need of constant activity is not imaginary, 

 we have here sketched out the work of a twelvemonth. The 

 calendar which follows is compiled from items that appear in 

 the records of young gardeners, some of whom have worked 

 at school and some at home. It shows how the various tasks 

 are likely to be distributed through the different seasons. 



The almanac reads as follows : 



September : Keep the hoe busy. Avoid digging around shrubs and 

 trees. Rake together the weeds. Get the ground ready for bulbs. Har- 

 vest the main crop of potatoes. Collect seeds from the onion, cabbage, 

 beet, turnip, and radish plants that have been allowed to mature for this 

 purpose. Put these away in paper bags plainly labeled. Keep them cool 

 and dry. Pile more soil around the celery. Look out for slugs. Com- 

 plete a collection of common insects, especially to show their life histories 

 for mounting and study in the winter. Complete also a collection of 

 common weeds, showing the plants in blossom and in fruit ready for 

 identifying and mounting. 



Sow spinach and kale for next spring's crop. Plant seeds of trees ; it 

 is well to plant some nuts. .Set out hardy perennials. Plant all sorts 

 of hardy flower seeds : columbine, foxglove, Canterbury bells, sweet 

 William, as well as annual poppy, coreopsis, and mignonette. Plant 

 sweet peas now or a little later in preference to early spring, and if the 

 weather is unusually warm, delay a little, for they should not begin to 

 sprout now. There will be many more weeks of warm weather, so .save 

 the tender plants from the first frost. Bring out old mats and news- 

 papers at a moment's notice. 



October : Rake together all remaining weeds and fallen leaves to 

 start a new compost heap. Bring in the final crop of pumpkins, squashes, 

 onions, and potatoes. Leave the turnips and the salsify. Freezing im- 

 proves the flavor of salsify. Cover the chard to carry it through the 

 winter. Trench the celery before the frost. After the ground freezes, 

 cover the strawberry bed with loose straw ; this gives better fruit than 

 a mulch. Plant winter rye early to turn in for humus. Set out bulbs. 

 Trim the shrubs. Set out new shrubs. Prepare cuttings. Pot the house 

 plants for the winter. Exchange plants with the neighbors. Gather the 



