52 
Slower (Brower 
May, 1918 
[ IV ritten expressly for 'The Flower Grower. ] 
The Kaiser Must 
“ Keep Off the Grass.” 
I T WAS only a few weeks 
ago that a neighbor said: 
“Won’t the grass look 
good to us when this awful 
winter is over ?” The cold 
and snow continued but we 
knew the grass was only 
dormant and would come 
forth again abundantly, and 
by contrast seem even more beautiful 
in its rich restful coloring. The Crea- 
tor surely makes these great contrasts 
to help us fully appreciate what other- 
wise might seem the common things of 
life. 
Grass grows freely for us all and we 
are all privileged to enjoy it and the 
beautiful things connected with it, if 
we make ourselves receptive. Its vel- 
vet softness lures us to long walks in 
field and pasture. Tucked back in my 
memory I have a picture of a couple 
of little girls gazing ruefully at brilliant 
grass stains on their best white dresses 
which had been forgotten when in 
childish abandon they had rolled again 
and again down a steep grassy bank. 
I hope soon to spend some time at Elm 
Hill Farm where for thirty years I 
eagerly watched for the first green 
blades on the hillside, made a corsage 
bouquet of the early dandelion or per- 
haps gathered the plants for a dinner 
of “greens.” I shall look for the vio- 
lets that grew so thickly under my 
clothesline, and now and then brought 
neighborhood disgrace on my head 
when I tardily hung my washing in 
afternoon. I shall notice the butter- 
cup plants forming their buds and see 
whether the dainty white blooms of 
the caraway will be ready to use with 
other flowers on Memorial Day. 
Occasionally, after our first burst of 
enthusiasm over the grass in its spring- 
time freshness, we forget the wonder 
of it until drought or fire or something 
equally disastrous deprives us of its 
verdant beauty, then again we value it 
and seek means for its protection. If 
thoughtless ones walk over it we ex- 
plain that it is of value and that we 
are caring for it. We are willing to 
share the enjoyment of it with others 
but of course we do not expect them 
to abuse the privilege. As there may 
be more thoughtless ones we deem it 
wise to put up a sign asking them to 
“ Keep off the grass.” If enemies vi- 
ciously tramp it down we warn them 
that they must “ keep off our grass.” 
Isn’t it a little like the unbounded 
liberty that we people of democratic 
America have enjoyed so long that we 
cannot realize what this world would 
be without it? We are menaced by 
graye disaster. A vicious and ruthless 
foe is tramping the border of our grass 
of liberty and threatening the home 
that stands back of it. 
In the recent pleasure-seeking past, 
possibly, to outward appearances, the 
roots of the liberty love centered in the 
hearts of the American peo- 
ple have seemed sleeping 
but they are now aroused. 
Our soldiers are battling on 
the grass front and those at 
home are putting up the 
signs and are ready to en- 
force them. War gardens, 
Liberty bonds, Red Cross, 
Y. M. C. A. and many oth- 
ers are all prominent signs. 
Let us make them more effi- 
cient. The great army in training 
truly means: You shall keep off our 
grass. 
The soldier would indeed be dis- 
heartened if he thought the folks at 
home were not backing him up, he 
knows they will “ Keep The Home 
Fires Burning,” which means that the 
industries and pleasures, various en- 
joyments, interests in anything that 
will bring comfort must be carried on 
cheerfully and hopefully the same as 
in the days of peace. Wailers are not 
workers. 
“ Tho’ your lads are far away, 
They dream of Home ; 
There’s a silver lining 
Thro’ the dark clouds shining ; 
Turn the dark cloud inside out 
Till the boys come home.” 
My suggestions last month that 
flowers should have a place in the War 
garden was not made from lack of 
patriotism but in the belief that there 
is a greater need of flowers in times of 
war than even in peace. Children in 
either their home or school gardens 
should be taught the culture of flowers 
as well as vegetables. 
And now in continuation of cultural 
hints of the Gladiolus row in the war 
garden: As the weather was rather 
cold the bulbs were left covered level 
with the ground but as it became 
warmer they were to be ridged up 
either with a hoe or cultivator. This 
ridging smothers the little weeds that 
have started into growth and also 
forms a dust mulch preventing the 
escape of moisture. This ridging saves 
much handwork in weeding. 
It is interesting to grow Gladioli 
from seed and there are many ways of 
making a seed bed but if space is 
limited they may be planted in the 
row with the large bulbs, being careful 
not to cover them too deeply. They 
do not have hard shells like black 
bulblets and will come up quickly un- 
der nearly the same conditions. Plant 
when weather is warm, in drills the 
same as black bulblets but more shal- 
low. Sow thickly and it is well to keep 
them covered with bagging or old car- 
pet to prevent drying out. Remove 
when seedlings appear. Keep up cul- 
tivation between the rows. 
Every seed, bulb or plant that is 
grown carefully and furnishes food or 
beauty, comfort or cheerfulness is a 
weapon of defense against the Kaiser 
and an emphatic notice that he shall 
be kept off our grass. 
Mrs. A. H. Austin. 
Cutting Flowers. 
[Ernest Braunton in California Cultivator.} 
If one were to ask me which I preferred, 
flowers in the house, or flowers in the gar- 
den, I could have but one answer. They 
would remain in the garden, and there is no 
indecision possible. I am not extremely 
fond of flowers in a vase ; not that they are 
not beautiful, not that they are altogether 
out of place, yet I do not like their associa- 
tions; or rather the lack of proper associa- 
tions. 
But another phase of the matter here 
enters. There is no doubt but flowers 
brighten any room except it be overful of 
grossly gaudy articles and objects, and then, 
strange to say, they act as a neutralizer and 
subdue and simplify the contents of the 
room as a whole, being the only natural and 
really beautiful object (perhaps) present. 
Thus they are never quite out of place in 
the house except too many or too many col- 
ors are used. So we will admit that cut 
flowers are always admissible if number and 
colors be well balanced and harmonious. 
Comes then another consideration. The 
garden should be so full of flowers that those 
taken into the house will never be missed. 
A garden may have too many flowers for 
the size of it, but it would have to be very 
crowded indeed before such an impression 
would strongly appeal to the casual observer. 
But let us grow such an abundance of flow- 
ers that any quantity plucked for the house 
would not rob the garden of anything needed 
therein. This plan of procedure will not 
necessitate any considerable expense for we 
will grow plenty of good common sorts that 
cost but little outlay in money or time in 
care. 
And now, as the old-fashioned parson was 
wont to say, we come to our fourthly (and 
let us hope the last?) Do not some plants, 
as well as some gardens, have too many 
flowers? Before cutting, give the garden a 
good “ look over see if there is not a part, 
or a plant or plants that have too many 
flowers. If so, and we take some of them 
we thereby benefit the garden as a 
whole. Really, the plant that is literally 
a mass of flowers is more or less of a 
monstrosity and is seldom as beautiful as 
one where many flowers nestle down in set- 
tings of appropriate green foliage. For too 
many flowers, like hope deferred, “maketh 
the heart sick.” Wealth of bloom is not al- 
ways a wealth of beauty. For it is not 
quantity alone that gives you great joy ; 
there must be quality. As a group of precious 
stones needs an appropriate setting (though 
one alone may require none) so do jewels in 
flowers need surrounding masses of appro- 
priate foliage. Also please remember that 
some plants require to be systematically and 
continuously robbed of flowers or the latter 
will very quickly pass into seeds and the 
plant will cease to bloom and put forth its 
whole effort in perfecting its seeds. For in 
the latter lies its only chance of reproduc- 
tion, toward which the supreme effort is 
aimed. 
Mr. Kunderd reports that there has 
been a large number of replies to his 
special offer in the April number of 
The Flower Grower in his page ad in 
which he makes a very liberal offer for 
increasing the membership of the 
American Gladiolus Society. We would 
call attention to this advertisement 
again to urge that those who have not 
already become members of the Ameri- 
can Gladiolus Society still have time to 
do so on Mr. Kunderd’s offer until 
May 10th. Gladiolus enthusiasts should 
show their enthusiasm and aid the 
good work at the. same time by joining 
the society. 
