48 
GARDENS AND THEIR MEANING 
or a clump of trees. And yet it should be kept in mind that 
the presence of trees within the garden itself or crowding 
about it means mischief. The reason is not merely because 
they shut out sun, but because their roots thread the ground 
to almost incredible distances. A network of roots running 
beneath the turf in every direction and striking deep tells its 
own story. It is that the roots are drinking up from the soil 
the food for which, if they are planted too near, your precious 
crops will be hungering. The elm tree, for instance, is said 
to be the worst enemy a garden can have. Its roots steal 
away hundreds of feet to get nourishment. When once the 
site has been favorably passed upon, the next move is to 
study its special peculiarities, taking into account all its strong 
points and making each score for all it is worth. Since every 
set of conditions differs, slightly at least, from every other, 
no garden is in danger of being a replica of another. And 
yet kindred difficulties will confront gardens great and small. 
Some of the most serious are a scanty measure of sun, poor 
soil, and exposure to the ravages of obstreperous animals. 
Lack of sun, as has already been said, is the worst fault a 
garden battles with, and yet, even when the only spot in 
the neighborhood for a school garden is too deeply shaded, 
the plucky gardener will not own himself beaten. To be 
sure, he cannot move buildings or cut down trees, but he can 
cherish every possible ray of sunshine, and he can make up 
his planting list from the various desirable plants that can 
brave shade. Madam Nature herself, as we know, succeeds 
in making many an unsunned wilderness burst into blossom. 
In the case of schools which have a moderate-sized yard, 
the choice is often made between a garden and a playground. 
Opinion is divided. Some persons believe that the aims of 
the two are nearly identical, and that one supplies the place 
of the other, while others, on the contrary, fear lest the 
