Garden Gossip Galore 
On the one hand, there has been so much 
said, and so well said, on How to Make Victory 
Gardens Like You and Do What You Want 
Them TO DO that anything I might attempt 
to add would be like gilding the lily, or some- 
thing. 
Writers got off to a flying start last season 
giving first aid to Victory gardeners, in Wee 
ete. 
magazines, the home town paper, radio, ‘ 
I look for a much greater outpouring this 
season. 
Perhaps I can serve best by suggesting 
some ways to unscramble this mass of infor- 
mation, tinged with misinformation, so as to 
utilize the data that applies to your own prob- 
lem. And stop your worrying about countless 
things you are told to do, but are not of vital 
importance. 
In the first place, relax. Don’t get the idea 
that you can’t grow a good garden even if 
you can not have’ the ideal conditions, the 
equipment, the knowledge possessed by old 
timer gardeners. On the other hand, don’t think 
it’s about all over but the shouting, when you 
have prepared the ground and planted the 
seeds. 
Gardening is easy. It’s fun! True, there are 
many things that should be learned and prac- 
ticed, in order to get the best results. But, on 
the other hand, it’s really amazing and cer- 
tainly gratifying to note the worth-while re- 
sults attained by inexperienced gardeners, even 
children, who make what would be considered 
great blunders, by others better informed. 
It’s another case of “‘Ain’t Nature Wonderful.’ 
Nature comes along and patches up a lot of 
our mistakes. To be sure, the more we can 
learn about Nature’s ways and methods, and 
co-operate with her, the better. But, let’s 
shelve the idea that there is any great mys- 
tery about gardening. It isn’t hard. It’s easy. 
It’s fun, when you catch the gardening spirit. 
‘Too many cooks spoil the broth” seems to 
apply to this matter of so many real as well 
as would-be experts pushing you around, tell- 
ing you what to do and what not to do. Too 
many “schools of thought.” 
Take the matter of varieties, for example. 
Better stick to tried and true kinds that have 
a record of best results for the most gardeners. 
Too many writers stress planting of this or 
that—varieties that may have done well in 
some localities, under certain conditions. 
Often such varieties are not well enough 
known or are not .considered noteworthy 
enough to be handled by many seed firms. It 
was little short of pathetic last Spring to see 
beginners chasing around, wearing out tires 
and shoe leather, in search of some little 
known variety of doubtful value. 
Funny how theories change. For centuries 
we have laughed at primitive peoples who plow 
with a stick nosing through the ground. We 
pointed with pride to our long straight fur- 
rows of soil turned bottom side up with our 
moldboard plows. 
Comes now one Ed Faulkner, with a brand 
new book and a brand new theory about this 
plowing problem. Have just read the book, 
Plowman’s Folly. A digest of the book appears 
in Reader’s Digest for Dec., 1943. Doubtless 
Ed has got something there. But for the small 
home garden plot, I’ll stick to spading or 
plowing the soil late in fall, and let Nature 
put it in fine fettle to work into a seed bed in 
Spring. For the wide open spaces in many 
localities, the new theory merits a fair trial 
at least, I trow. 
Other theories get a wallop ever and anon. 
After all the coaxing and scolding to make 
Junior eat his Spinach, it is rather discon- 
certing to read about a contest in which prizes 
were awarded to a boy and a girl, with nearest 
perfect health—neither ever ate Spinach! 
26 « 

Tecolote Giant Ranunculus 

Nothing  pro- 
Ranunculus Bulbs 30.023 "3;.219, 
effect than a bed of Ranunculus. The flow- 
ers are wonderfully good for cutting also. 
Plants about a foot high with flowers two 
inches or so in diameter, many of them 
double, in a variety of bright and pleasing 
colors, 
Bulbs have claw-like prongs, dry, hard and 
brittle. Thrive best in partial shade. 
TECOLOTE GIANTS MIXED. Grand mixture 
of many colors. 5 for 30c; 10 for 50c; 25 for 
$1.20; 100 for $3.60. 
The plants grow 
Anemone Bulbs = ["°,,.°"43'* 20% 
high. Several flower stems’ come from a 
small bulb. Flowers are bright colors in- 
mixture, some single, a few double, and 
several inches in diameter. 
MONARCH DE CAEN. Very favorite strain. 
Immense brilliant flowers. 5 for 25c; 10 
for 45c; 25 for 90c; 100 for $3.20. Prepaid. 

New Marigold-Mum 
Blooms of good size. 
Color, lemon yellow. A garden type that is also 
good for cutting. Pkt. 25c. 
Chrysanthemum type. 
Your County Agent see, my dear, about your garden, twice a year, 
