192 
December, 1920 
X3l)£ Slower (Brower 
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Slower ©rower 
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| MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N.Y. 
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Growers are invited to contribute articles or notes over their own 
signatures, but the Editor reserves the right to reject anything which 
in his judgment is not conducive to the general welfare of the business. 
Copyright 1020 by Madison Cooper 
Vol. VII December, 1920 No. 12 
“ He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a 
greater stock of religious merit than he could gain by the 
repetition of ten thousand prayers .” — ZOROASTER. 
The Intelligence of Nature. 
The “Glad Philosopher” this month gives us much food 
for thought. His train of reasoning in discussing the intel- 
ligence, (or lack of intelligence) of plants, and the intelli- 
gence of animals, and the intelligence of man, can hardly 
be criticised. However, we “rise to remark” that the key 
to the subject may perhaps be found in the last paragraph 
of the “Glad Philosopher’s Musings” when he speaks of 
“Wise Old Mother Nature.” There is an intelligence of 
Nature which is not given to man to comprehend, and the 
“Glad Philosopher” in attempting to discuss the lack of in- 
telligence of plants, and the half intelligence of animals, 
and the alleged super-intelligence of man, is getting into 
deep water where we would hardly venture. We are not at 
all convinced that the best specimens of the most highly 
developed animals are so far beneath the most inferior 
specimens of humanity as the “Glad Philosopher” assumes. 
There is a relationship between animals and man which is 
not entirely understood and we are convinced that some 
people look down with contempt on animals from a sense 
of superiority which in many cases is not properly based on 
fact. Consideration for the so-called dumb animals on the 
part of a human being doubtless marks such an individual 
as more highly endowed with intelligence, shall we call it, 
than those individuals who regard themselves as so mark- 
edly superior. 
It is, of course, difficult to understand how plants have 
intelligence, as they certainly have not (as we understand 
the term) the “ability to reason” nor the “power of the initi- 
ative,” referred toby the “Glad Philosopher.” Words, how- 
ever, express but poorly some of the things of nature and 
what we call intelligence is difficult of definition when ap- 
plied to the works of nature. May we not assume that the 
workings of nature are guided by a superior intelligence, 
not only in the most highly developed specimens of man, 
but also in the most inferior specimens of plants ; and the 
same intelligence is at work, whether in a lower form or in 
a more advanced form? Words and terms, and definitions, 
altogether fail in discussing a matter of this kind. Man is 
not yet highly enough developed to fully understand these 
things. It is vouchsafed to man that these things are doled 
out to him in small parcels, and that there is a superior in- 
telligence is proved by such doling out. 
Madison Cooper. 
Should We Burn Waste Vegetation? 
We note that writers in giving directions for preventing 
or eradicating disease from various plant growths recom- 
mend that any portion cut away should be burned. They 
do not tell us how to do the burning, and we don’t believe 
that they would like the job themselves. It is not easy to 
burn green plant growth and if the directions to burn at 
once are followed, it would not do to allow it to dry before 
burning. 
Candidly, we think that the advice to burn all diseased 
foliage or other materials which are suspected of disease is 
unnecessary and we also believe that the compost heap is 
the right place for all these materials. Some writers in 
recommending the cleaning up of the garden in the fall of 
the year, suggest burning all waste materials. We say 
compost them. Our own practice is to compost with lay- 
ers of stable manure. First, potato tops, Gladiolus tops, 
weeds or any other trash from the garden to a thickness 
of about six inches ; then two or three inches of stable 
manure, then a g" sprinkling of ground limestone, and then 
repeat this process to any thickness desired. Materials 
treated in this way and allowed to rot down for a year make 
a most valuable material for fertilizing purposes. Don’t 
forget to keep the compost heap flat on top or a trifle hol- 
low to retain rainfall and prevent burning or fire fanging. 
Perhaps some of our friends who recommend the burn- 
ing idea will explain more fully if we are wrong in recom- 
mending that materials may be composted to advantage. 
Will they also explain to us if it is possible that disease may 
linger in a compost pile after being allowed to ferment and 
rot for a year ? We doubt it, but are open to conviction. 
Madison Cooper. 
What We Have Done for Gladiolus Growing. 
In reporting the big Gladiolus show in Boston in Au- 
gust, Horticulture, published in Boston, in commenting on 
our display of Gladioli, mentions the fact that we have done 
as much as anybody in the country to promote the interest 
of Gladiolus growing. 
As Elbert Hubbard says, “ we are willing to admit it,” 
and we would not have said no, had Horticulture given us 
credit for having done more than any other man to pop- 
ularize the Gladiolus. In fact, we believe that with the 
advent of The Modern Gladiolus Grower in January, 
1914, the Gladiolus as a flower began its present career of 
popularity. Without in any way detracting from the interest 
in other flowers, we have consistently urged attention to the 
Gladiolus which until recent years has been comparatively 
little known. In fact, the Gladiolus is so new and modern, 
comparatively, that the literature available on this subject 
is mostly contained within the files of The Modern Gladi- 
olus Grower and The Flower Grower. 
The idea that Gladioli revert or change color will not 
down. Every once in a while some one is writing us along 
this line. Well, we are willing to be convinced of most 
anything but in our fifteen years of experience or more, 
and in growing many thousands of bulbs and several hun- 
dred different varieties planted near each other, we never 
once even supposed that Gladioli did not come true to name 
from the bulb or bulblets. If anyone can convince us to 
the contrary they will need to produce more evidence than 
we have seen so far. Mere claims or ideas not substanti- 
ated by records are of little value as evidence. 
