Conducted by The Editor will be glad to answer subscribers’ queries pertaining to individual problems connected with the 
F. F. Rockwell garden and grounds. When a direct personal reply is desired please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope 
December 
N O season is enjoyed more enthusiasti¬ 
cally and more universally than the 
Christmas season. Through centuries it 
has remained the holiday of holidays, and 
the most cynical observer, if he is willing 
to acknowledge the truth, must admit that 
the Christmas spirit is a vital, energizing 
thing. 
“Peace on earth: good will toward 
men.’’ After all, that is a pretty succinct 
presentation of the idea, even from the in¬ 
dividualistic point of view. Only don't 
be content to try to put on that mood, like 
a fancy-dress ball costume, once in fifty- 
two weeks. Get the habit; make it chronic. 
And the surest way of doing it is to try 
to beautify and develop some little spot of 
ground, no matter how small, about your 
home In most. of us, no matter how 
thickly plastered on and highly polished 
the varnish of city living may be, there is 
beneath the hide a natural hankering to 
get our hands dirty in the vegetable patch, 
once in a while, or let loose a few justifi¬ 
able cuss words when the plane catches 
and slivers up a nicely smoothed pine 
board that was just about ready for tbe 
cupboard in the dining room. 
I hold no brief for squabs, back-yard 
egg farms, mushrooms or other get-rich- 
quick-sure-and-easy schemes that can be 
put into operation in a good sized hatbox, 
and without experience. In fact, I am not 
sure that you cannot add slightly more to 
the bank account by staying in a flat—al¬ 
though in the end it may be transferred to 
the doctor. But I do know that there are 
several ways in which, with a very small 
amount of ground to work with, living ex¬ 
penses may be cut down and enjoyment 
built up. And if there are children to be 
considered, the advantages cannot be 
measured in figures between vertical red 
lines. In all things the superstructure is 
limited by the strength of the foundation, 
and during the tender years of life the 
foundations are laid. They cannot be too 
wide, too deep, too strong. And get some 
dirt with it — a rough, hummocky slice of 
an erstwhile farm being better than a filled 
in lawn, with a strip of cement path and a 
maple-sapling. Remember that what you 
want is the raw material, which you will 
have the fun of working into shape with 
your own hands. And that job will be no 
sinecure. You will probably be long in 
getting to the end of it. But nothing will 
yield you greater pleasure, or more en¬ 
during profit. 
Look before you leap—look carefully 
and find a good place to land. But do not 
be afraid to make the attempt. If you can, 
just get a good foot room, and hang on. 
the improvements, down to blue hydran¬ 
geas in front and a choice collection of 
dwarf fruits around the garden in back, 
may gradually be added in the years to 
come. 
There's only one life to invest. So try 
The chief duty of the early winter is mulch¬ 
ing. In place of the withered portions 
of the plants, cover with leaves or straw 
to get your layout as early as practicable 
and then develop it so rapidly and thor¬ 
oughly as circumstances will allow. Re¬ 
member always that the real return on ef¬ 
fort is not an accumulation of bank de¬ 
posits, but what you are getting out of life 
as you go along. 
Outdoors 
F your garden work has not all been at¬ 
tended to, remember that strawberries 
and the small fruits — raspberries, etc. — 
will need their mulch earlv this month. 
The rose bed and any tender spots in 
the hardy border, should also be attended 
to. Leaves, held in place by small boughs, 
make a good mulch. If the rose bushes 
have thrown up long shoots late in the fall, 
that seem top-heavy and likely to whip 
about in the wind, cut them back about a 
third. 
This is also a good time to get a lot of 
work in the orchard cleaned up. Be sure 
that you are keeping your trees pruned out 
to the open head shape. Cut out branches 
that cross or rub together. Look into the 
subject of winter spraying. An article on 
another page of this issue gives particulars 
about what to spray for, formulas, when 
and how to apply, etc. In these days one 
cannot have good fruit without spraying. 
Fruit and Vegetables in Storage 
It will pay handsomely, if you can get 
the time to go over your pears, apples, etc., 
and select some of the best and firmest and 
pack them away carefully in cracker boxes 
to keep for especially late use. You will 
probably find many that have small soft or 
bad spots which are all right to use now, 
but which, if left undisturbed, would not 
only soon spoil themselves but spread 
trouble through the lot. If you are keep¬ 
ing any onions by the freezing method, be 
sure that they are put where they will stay 
frozen. Look over your squashes and put 
the firm ones where they cannot get even 
severely chilled. See to it that the celery 
is dry and kept cold. The storage cellar 
has been spoken of before. It is not too 
late to provide a cool, dry place for your 
winter fruits. 
(392) 
