The Carden Ma 
I T IS now in order to look backward a little, in our garden 
affairs, before taking the next step ahead in forecasting 
next year’s plans. 
Perhaps, after all there is nothing in the round of the 
year’s work that gives so great a thrill of satisfaction to the home 
gardener than the production of the first crop of extra early 
vegetables. 
Of course you want peas, radishes, lettuce earlier next year 
than you ever had them before! It’s fun to beat the neighbors 
especially when they don’t suspect what you are up to. 
▲ FAR-FETCHED as it may seem, now is the time to make 
preparations if you want the soil in your garden to be in 
^ shgpe for certain surprises next spring. Let ussee how this 
comes about. Right now, the soil abounds with fertility. The 
present season’s crops have hardly touched the manure dug under 
this spring. The process of rotting is only now converting it into 
humus that great essential to growing crops. Are you going to 
preserve this humus or plant food, or] are you going to fatten 
weeds on it? 
True, constant cultivation would keep down the weeds. But 
to push a wheel hoe without benefitting a cultivated crop, seems 
like too much lost motion. Why not plant something that will 
I not only add fertility and keep down the weeds, but will also 
i put the soil in tip-top shape for early spring crops? Earliness 
I of spring crops depends largely on the quick availability of 
plant food. Two rows of spinach, of the same variety, on the 
same piece of ground will mature as much as a week apart, de- 
pending on the availability of plant food under tbe rows. 
What makes plant food available quickly? Friability of the 
soil, in conjunction with heat and moisture. All the early 
spring crops require but little heat — they are really “cool 
weather crops.” But by the law of compensation they must have 
the other factors in excess. Now, no soil holds moisture better 
than one full of humus. And no soil is mere friable than one 
in which constant root-action counteracts the tendency of the 
soil to become compact, bake and crack. 
^ FORTUNATELY there are plants that furnish the de- 
jifc sired root-action in the soil without living on the humus 
needed next spring; plants that keep the ground busy, keep 
down tbe weeds and do not use up fertility but actually add it to 
the soil. We have a choice of two, though their respective 
missions differ widely. Dwarf Essex Rape will quickly pro- 
duce good sized plants and furnish ample feed for chickens and 
pets during the rest of the year. Spaded under after its useful- 
ness ceases in the fall, its decaying stems and leaves add humus 
to the soil. But not any more than it took from the soil, for it 
is a heavy feeder. 
On the other hand. Hairy or Winter Vetch is an ideal crop for 
the purpose in mind. (Be sure to get Vicia villosa, the true 
Hairy Vetch, because its cousin, Vicia sativa, or Spring Vetch is 
a rather worthless annual form.) Hairy or Winter Vetch is a 
slower grower, but lives all wdnter. Where the ground is not 
covered with snow’ throughout the winter, it affords pasture 
right along. And, best of all, when it has fulfilled its mission in 
the spring and you dig it under as “green” manure, it has 
stored enough nitrogen into your soil to make every row of 
peas or beans yield crop and a half. 
X NO SPECIAL preparation is necessary to succeed with 
Vetch. Clear off the rubbish, break the surface soil to a 
^ depth of 3 inches with a w’heelhoe, broadcast the seeds and 
rakethem in. Pull thelawn roller over the bed to encourage quick 
germination or, if that’s too much like real labor, soak the seeds 
in water over night before planting. Tw’o to three pounds of seeds 
should be ample to give you a good “stand” on a piece of 
ground 40 x 50 ft. It will grow from 4 to 6 inches tall by Octo- 
ber first and make further grow’th long before you can dig the 
garden. And when you do dig, you will find w’hat is meant by 
having the ground in tip-top condition for early surprise crops. 
^ THE summer activities of the Garden Clubs is perhaps the 
greatest index of the revolution that is being wrought in 
American horticulture. In suburban and rural centres all 
over the country meetings of tlie members are being held; the 
problems of the home are being discussed; and the personal in- 
terest in their gardens is being evinced by the individual mem- 
bers. Compare the present conditions with that of twenty 
years ago, and we gather some idea of the change. 
The home owner, the home maker, is also the garden 
owner and maker taking personal pride in really know’ing what is 
going on in the garden; which means that the garden has be- 
come an integral part of the home plan. The garden club is 
after all but tbe concrete expression of tbe altered outlook, and 
the united influence of the membership will surely largely direct 
the tendencies and policies of the dealers in the near future. 
Indeed the effect is already seen in the offerings of the pro- 
gressive members of tbe trade. Catalogues are improving, 
especially those of tbe plant dealer, and nurseryman; greater 
variety is presented; there is a demand for intrinsic quality, as 
well as for novelty. This naturally is being met and surely but 
slowly tbe real direction of a progressive American horticulture 
is passing from the pioneer dealer to the enquiring customer. 
The national habit of “Conventions” has seized the Garden 
Club movement. And hence we find great gatherings of amateur 
enthusiasts arranged for leading centres of garden interest. 
THE annual convention of the Garden Club of America, an 
affiliation of many clubs w’as held at Lenox, Mass., during 
the third week of June. The many fine gardens of this 
district w'ere visited and the gathering was altogether successful. 
Lake Forest, 111 ., was selected as the place of the next meeting in 
1917. Mrs. Walter S. Brewster, of Lake Forest, brought the in- 
vitation on behalf of the Garden Club of Illinois. It was also 
voted to hold the convention of 1918 in Southampton, L. L, and 
to meet in Cincinnati in 1919. 
The elections w’ere: President, Mrs. J. Willis Martin of Chest- 
nut Hill, Philadelphia; Secretary, Mrs. Bayard Henry of Ger- 
mantown, Philadelphia; Treasurer; Mrs. Hugh D. Auchmcloss 
of New York. 
