192 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



December, 1915 



The greenhouse all ready and doing business during the summer of 1913 



to take flowers to the Boston Show, too. It's 

 lots of fun. 



"Some mornings I've been hoeing in my garden 

 as early as four o'clock. 



"I've won first on my vegetables and first on my 

 flowers again in Boston and now I'll see how much 

 I've made this year. Forty-three dollars and eight 

 cents. I'm going right down street to the bank 

 and put it with the rest of my garden money." 



The Year of 1908 



"This is the last time I can exhibit here as a 

 child, for I'm fourteen. I thought my garden was 

 all over for this year but here is a letter from the 

 American Boy saying they had sent me five dollars 

 for a letter I wrote them about my garden in their 

 garden contest. Let me see now how much goes 

 into the bank from my garden this year. Ninety- 

 two dollars and sixty-five cents. That sounds 

 good to me! 



"I'm thinking about something big I want but 

 I won't say anything about it 'till I'm sixteen, but 

 this Christmas I'll ask Pa if I can use one of his 

 driving horses and the big wagon to deliver my 

 things with and you may ride beside me, Nellie. 

 We can go anywhere in the city peddling. 



The Year of 1909 



"This summer is so dry I'm not making quite 

 so much as I did last summer but as this is the last 

 year I can show in Boston I hope I'll get some 

 money out of it. Yes, I've got a first, a second 

 and third on my flowers, vegetables and bouquets. 

 I'll miss coming to the shows for I probably never 

 can exhibit again unless I do with the grownups. 



"What does this letter say? 



'Would you like to enter your vegetables in 

 our Garden Contest for ch/ldren? 



The Garden Magazine.' 



"Will I? I will, and I'm so happy to exhibit 

 with the children again. 



"My folks say, You won't win anything; had 

 you better try?' 



"Probably I won't but I won't if I don't try. 



"I've heard from my exhibit. It says I've won 

 first prize of four books and beside I've made 

 seventy-six dollars and twenty-one cents to put 

 away. 



" Christmas again and I'm going to ask for some- 

 thing I've wanted. Pa, can I have some of the 

 money I earn and build a greenhouse? 



" 'No, put your money in the bank.' 



" 'But I do want a greenhouse so much. If I 



put part of it in the savings bank can I keep some 

 out for a greenhouse? ' 



'"Don't you know if. takes lots of money for a 

 greenhouse? ' 



" 'Yes, but I'll earn the money for it.' 



"How are you going to earn enough for a green- 

 house? ' 



" 'I'll work for a florist four months and raise 

 things in my garden too. I'll earn it somehow if 

 you'll let me!' 



"T can't have you working and getting sick. 

 You are only a boy sixteen years old.' 



" 'I know it ■ — wish I was sixty-six, then I could 

 have a greenhouse!' 



"'If you are determined, go ahead. But some 

 money must go into the savings bank. I say this is 

 the wildest adventure I ever heard of.' " 



The Years of 1910 and 1911 



"I've made fifty-seven dollars and thirty cents 

 in my garden besides what I earned at the florist's. 

 I have a chance to buy a second hand greenhouses 

 50 x 24 for twenty-five dollars. I'm going to 

 ' adventure' — that is venture and add to it. Pa. 

 didn't say anything, did he Nellie, when the truck- 

 man unloaded my greenhouse but he looked funny. 

 Now I'll get an estimate on cement walls. 



"One hundred and seventy-five dollars. Must 

 be the contractor thinks I really did make a million 

 when I was nine years old. No he won't fool me. 

 I'll dig the boiler cellar and ask Pa's man to help 

 me. I'll buy cement and sand and use the 

 rocks and stone I dig out. I'll be my own con- 

 tractor. 



"We've finished digging the cellar so to-day we'll' 

 put up moulds for the walls and pour in cement. 

 Now we've got this done I suppose we'll have to 

 wait a week for the cement to harden. We will, 

 build my office 12 x 10 ft. The mason has finished: 

 the chimney and now we'll set these 4x4 cypress 

 posts in cement. I'll have the carpenter come to- 

 square the greenhouse for me as he did my office. 



"Pa says it is so cold I can't set the glass, that I 

 must hire a glazier; but my money is all gone and I 

 must pay for everything as I go along. No one 

 seems to want to trust me because I'm a minor. 



' 'Now what shall I do? I think I'll talk withi 

 some business man. 



He says if I have any money in the savings bank 

 I can borrow at the National Bank letting them 

 keep the savings bank book for security. He- 

 says too when my interest is due to be there early 

 and pay promptly. 



"Yes, I've got the money and a note. It says 

 Nov. 6, ion. $200. at 5 per cent. Can I ever 

 pay it? Now for setting up the second hand 

 heater. 



"I've worked with the carpenter, glazier, mason; 

 now I'm going to be the steam-fitter's helper. I'm 

 learning lots from these men. The steam-fitter 

 says all is ready for a try out. 



The Year of 1912 



" What's that? The heater leaks. It's no good. 

 Can I believe it? Twenty-five dollars gone. I've- 

 got to buy a new one and all my plants to stock up 

 with yet. 



"Feb. 6: I've got to borrow $200 more. Pa says- 

 I'll never pay my debts, and they will be a burden 

 as long as I live. 



{Continued on page 198) 



Notice how every inch in Roger's greenhouse is used to advantage 



