Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

Text from Pages 1 - 90 of the 1915 volume:

r PI7f7P,Q SEEDS, PLANTS, BULBS UIvE4H.lv O ARE thoroughly reliable. Successfully used by leading Gardeners during the past seventy-seven years and dependable in every way for best results. DREER’S GARDEN BOOK FOR 1915 describes and offers the best Novelties and Standard Varieties of Roses, Hardy Perennials, Decorative Plants, Bedding Plants, Garden and Greenhouse Plants, Water Lillies, Flower Seeds and Bulbs, Garden and Farm Seeds and everything needed for Garden, Greenhouse, or Farm including Garden Implements, Fertilizers, Insecticides, Lawn Mowers, Lawn Rollers, Etc. also gives valuable cultural notes, especially written by experts. This Garden Book is the most complete catalogue published and is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photo engravings, four colored plates and four duotone plates. Every one interested in the garden or farm should have a copy which is free at our stores, or will be mailed upon receipt of application. SOW DREER’S LAWN GRASS SEEDS FOR SUREST AND MOST PERMANENT RESULTS UCMDV A HDETD 714-716 Chestnut Street. nnINKI A. UKtxK Philadelphia, pa. HATBORO BAKING CO. Whatever else you may select ill your daily order of food sup-- plies remember the two strong points about our products: THE SANITARY METHODS employed in making the goods and the STANDING INVITATION to the public to visit the plant at any time. BREAD—ROLLS—CAKES BAKERIES: and AMBLER, PA. HATBORO Spring Seedlings For Sale AT THE School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. Spring will soon be here. Are you going to plant a garden, and do you need advice? If so, we can furnish it. Do you need seedlings ? We can also furnish these. If our list does not contain what you wish, come and tell us about it. Annuals FLOWERS Asters, Begonias, Cockscomb, Evening Primrose, Lobelias, Marigolds, Stocks, Sunflowers, Salvias, Verbenas, Zinnias, Pansies, Forget-me-nots. Perennials Columbine, Campanulas, Calliopsis, Daisy, Larkspur, Foxglove. Gaillardias, Golden Rod, Baby’s Breath, Sunflower, Hollyhocks, Lupines, Phlox, Oriental Poppy, Sweet William, Easter Lilies, Herbs. VEGETABLES Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Leeks, Eggplant, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Peppers, Tomatoes. Sold by the Dozen or the Hundred 9 9 9 9 9 ? 9 9 9 9 ? 9 9 9 9 9 §§ Sj? 9j? 5$? 9j? 9$? 9$? sj? % sj? CONTENTS Edge wood Farm.............................. 3 Spring Gossip............................... 7 To a Violet................................. 9 Hotbeds Without Moles.......................10 April........................................I I Editorials...........................I 2 and I 3 Dahlias.....................................14 A Trip Through the Greenhouse by Proxy.......1 6 Musings...... ..............................18 Calendar....................................19 The Juggler of Day .........................20 School Notes ...............................21 Visitors....................................23 Smiles......................................24 % d$6 2$5 0 0 0 0 45 45 0 6 $6 djs ajs ?$5 0 0 0 0 0000 Making Cuttings of Last Summer's Favorite Roses 4 WISE-ACRES 4 JESSIE T. MORGAN. Director of School Vol. ii March, 1915. No. 5 J£0ljere a Resourceful Ionian Rims oob Rruftts Seven years ago, after various trips through the country within a radius ot twenty miles of Boston, father and I decided to go further afield to look for our place in the country. Farming was not in our minds at the time, but a desire to get out of the city for at least the greater part of the year. By chance we spent two days in a small village in Southern New Hampshire in early September, and had not been there a day, and a rainy one, too, before we knew we had found “it.” Early the next spring we went back and with little trouble found a large, comfortable, old-fashioned house for the summer. During that summer we became familiar with the surrounding country and were fortunate in being able to purchase one of the most desirable locations near the town. The “farm,” which consists of -six acres, is situated on a hill overlooking the valley on the east and a low range of mountains on the west. Nearly all the land is on a southeasterly slope and across the western boundary (except where we have thinned for the view) and part way down the northern, and southern, are trees of a good many years’ growth. The land had been grass land for many years previous to our purchase, with the exception of an acre which was in the natural state, uncleared pasture land. We ploughed the sod under that fall to rot and in the spring broke up the clumps and harrowed several times. Commercial fertilizer was broadcasted on three acres, which were planted to potatoes, a small section being planted to vegetables and another to flowers. Manure, with a generous supply of sawdust in it, was used for the vegetables and flowers, and in spite of the sawdust, the results were good. A few small fruits and shrubs were set out, and though the shrubs did well, the small fruits made little growth that first year. The remaining section was planted to field beans, which did not prove a paying crop for us. Our crop of potatoes was a success in every way and we were able to sell them in the nearest large town, five miles away, at a good price. The vegetables and flowers were my first attempts at anything of the kind and I felt well repaid for my efforts in the result. The following year we had a very trying experience. We planted a large area which had been loosened up the previous year by potatoes, to melons and pickling cucumbers. 3 The hills had been enriched with well rotted manure and we had a tine stand of vines. Only two weeks more of sun and warmth were needed to mature the melons (we had already had several pickings of cucumbers) when on the twelfth of September, an unusually early date for that high section of the country, a white frost ended absolutely the growing season for these vines. Following the frost came three weeks of delightful warm fall days. Naturally we have never tried to grow melons on such an extensive scale again, although we have never had as early a frost since. For three years we planted a large area of potatoes, but came to the conclusion that it required too much hired labor to be profitable for us. Meanwhile I had been extending the vegetable garden each year, growing lima beans and pickling cucumbers on a large scale. We had started a strawberry bed and increased our other small fmits, buying some new ones and increasing from our old stock. The second year I canned some of the vegetables in glass, also made pickles and jam. In this I met with good results and each following year I have enlarged on my production, so that now it has become our chief output from the farm. Even in this work, we have learned that it is more profitable to specialize; that is, to put up large quantities of a few varieties than a small quantity each of many kinds. I have found pickles, of which I make five kinds, jams and the small fruits preserved whole, the most profitable, as I can raise all the vegetables and fruits necessary myself. In growing pickling cucumbers I have met with good success, although I always “rap on wood” when I say it, for I am constant- ly hearing of people who either cannot raise them, or have their vines blighted when they just come into bearing. I always spray when they are seedlings and again when they are larger, and if 1 think necessary, a third time, and have had no trouble with pests. There are a large number of bees about the place (though we do not keep bees) and since I have learned they are necessary for success with cucumbers, that is probably one reason why I can grow them. For my pickling I also raise button onions, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes and horse radish. Not until last year did I feel satisfied with my onion growing. I attribute this success to an earlier start than previously and a richer soil. I shall plant on the same plot again, though I rotate my other crops. The cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes I raise from seed, starting them in flats. We have two glassed-in porches which have proved good places to start such plants. So far I have had to buy my peppers, but I am still hoping to meet with success in raising them. Each year we are increasing our small fruits, gooseberries, currants, red and black raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Last year we set out a few ever-bearing strawberry plants, Progressives and Superbs, as an experiment. We were more than pleased with the first year’s crop, picking fruit the last of October. The berries were larger than we had anticipated and of good flavor. We plan to increase this bed from our runners in the spring. I also put out some apple and peach trees. The third year after the purchase of the land, we built a bungalow and pumphouse and garage, so that some of the land has been utilized for lawns and walks. Our flower beds have been increased in size 4 and number and we are establishing grass walks with hardy borders as fast as we can and not neglect the other work. Last year was our banner year for flowers and they gave much pleasure to ourselves and friends from the first pansy ready to burst into bloom when we lifted off the mulch, the early part of April, until 1 left, the middle of November, when the hardy chrysanthemums were still showing color. In the matter of fertilizers we have been able to buy manure two different years. Except for that we have used commercial fertilizer, mixing our own after the first year. I believe thoroughly in the use of green manure crops and we are planning this coming summer to give up a certain section to the growing of clover, to be turned under in the spring, and by rotating, hope to be able to give the whole area we cultivate such a crop in the course of two or three years. No crop we raise matures early enough to ensure a good stand of clover on the same field before cold weather. After the second summer’s work in the garden, I was desirous of learning more about vegetable and flower growing, so that I could work more intelligently and with better success. Since I could not leave home and attend classes at an agricultural college, I decided to find out how much help a correspondence course would be to me. It seemed best to start with the fundamentals, as the Massachusetts Agricultural College advised, so I took a course on Soils and one on Manures and Fertilizers. It was an entirely new field of study for me, but I found it intensely interesting and was surprised I could derive so much help in this way. One cannot work long in a garden of any kind without making the acquaintance of a great many insects. In order that I might know more about their life histories and how best to fight them, I took a correspondence course in Entomology the following winter. It was a pleasure to learn that there were some beneficial insects. 1 also took a course in floriculture that winter. The following winter Simmons’ College in Boston was offering a short course in gardening—accompanied by greenhouse work, and I found this helpful and interesting. This year the Massachusetts Agricultural College is offering a correspondence course in small fruits for the first time. This is one part of a course of three parts, the other two are Apple Growing and Peach, Pear, Plum and Cherry Growing. I am taking the whole course. Besides these courses, I have read a great many books on the different subjects, Farmer's Bulletins from Washington and bulletins from different State experiment stations. As reference books in my work I use Watt’s “Vegetable Gardening,” “Garden Farming,” by Corbett, “Insect Pests of Farm, Garden and Orchard,” by Sanderson, and have this summer added Sear’s “Productive Orcharding.” Mrs. Ely’s books are helpful for flower growing and I have just finished reading two interesting little books on flowers, “Let’s Make a Flower Garden,” by Hanna Rion and “The Seasons in a Flower Garden,” by Louise Shelton. Every year we have employed a man for the season until last year when we decided to try it without. Securing competent help is one of the greatest problems, for it is next to impossible to persuade them to do the work in our way. After the spring preparation of the soil we did not employ help except for horse cultiva- tion and a boy to help weed. My father has always spent two days a week with me and works on whatever seems most necessary. We have definitely given up the idea of employing help for the season. Naturally our profits are larger and we had more real satisfaction in the summer's work as a whole. From my own experience I think it takes time, perhaps two years, before one can learn what can be raised on her own particular soil and marketed with the most profit. Fortunately for me my father is in the market business in Boston (fifty miles distant), so that the lima and sieva beans I raise for market are sold there and also, in smaller quantities, such other vegetables of which I have a surplus. For these I have been able to obtain a good retail price. The preserves and pickles are also shipped to Boston each fall by freight and placed on sale there. Each jar shows a good profit over and above the cost. We have also sold berries and vegetables to summer people in our own town. A few berries we have sold in Boston, especially the everbearing strawberries, and we are planning on sending more this coming season. Perhaps if I had had the practical experience that is being given at Ambler, before I started in, I should not have had as many ups and downs, though I think the saying “Experience is the best teacher holds true equally well for farming as in other lines of work. The soil, location, climatic conditions, annual rainfall, etc., differ on every farm and it is only by experiments with different crops and fertilizers that a safe conclusion of the best crop or crops can be drawn. I have thoroughly enjoyed the work on the farm and am looking forward to next summer’s work, hoping in every way to improve on methods and results. M. C. 6 Spring (Gossip Old Lime Kiln Road, Jarrettown. Peggy dear: Thee must guess once again if thee thinks I can be sitting here writing letters. Why, child, I haven't time, but just this once I am going to steal a few minutes for thee. You poor pcnned-up city people have no idea that spring is within sight. Out here where the air doesn't taste as if it had already had a busy day of it, one is atingle with the excitement of “budding plans.” Perhaps it is striking in a little harder than usual because, thee sees, I am fairly living in the School of Horticulture atmosphere these days. At this very minute, I am writing in my student’s room while she is sitting there at the table imbibing chemistry at a fearful rate. One window ledge is filled with the most intellectual looking books, the other with, what means more to just plain unintelligent me, our “conservatory” as we call it. Thee should see it! There are three of the dearest little red geraniums—I am told I must say “pelargonium,” however, and a lovely primrose—I mean “primula malacoi-dcs.” Thee sees what proximity to the P. S. of H. is already doing for my education. When one knows the flowers by their botanical names—is on really intimate terms with the proper cognomina—they do have an added dignity. Oh! thee is in for it. Thee asked me to write, and tell everything • that was interesting out here, so thee shall get it, for I am brimming over. Thee couldn’t help being if thee lived here, and spring was on its way. My student has prodded me so, that now a day is an eternity until she returns from school, and there is opportu- nity to plan again together. Thee who is hugging thy furs and filling thy calendar with concerts and teas—just listen to our schemes. Thee will say, the ground is as hard as a brick—so it is, a good bit of the time as yet, and there is a covey of busy little snow birds circling around the spirea bush—but for all that, the whole aspect of the country holds a hint of spring. The tang of the air isn’t like the sharp frostiness that lurked through the winter days, and there is a sort of mellowness at high noon that seems to reassure one with a kind of go-ahead-and-get-readiness spirit. The very hens show they feel it in the way they search out every spot as fast as it gets scratchable. And, speaking of chickens, touches the first real excitement. We are going to have a Brooder—a really truly Brooder, not any of your home-made, patched together affairs where the nails never did reach the spot intended, and the pieces just wouldn’t saw themselves into even lengths, and after hours and hours of honest toil the thing wabbled like a two-year-old. No, sir, we are going to have a real Brooder, a sent-away-for, shipped-to-you-complete Brooder. A Christmas doll was certainly never more of an event. We shall fill it with baby chicks, and every spare minute is being utilized now to get in readiness the curtain-front part of the poultry house, so that it may be started in there, where there will be partial protection from these uncertain winds, and yet give the babies the chance of a hardy, fresh-air start in life. That's one plan. Another is just a wee bit wavery in our 7 minds as yet, and that is to have a hive of bees. We want it awfully, and it would be just the thing here amongst our locust trees. J never knew before how interesting those little creatures could be. To me, they have always been just bees, but now I am hearing of traits that make them seem almost human. Personally I am plain afraid of them, but “my student says we have to get over that. Thee will be surprised when she gets through with me, for she is shaking me out of so many ruts. Nevertheless the bees will have to be her care for another reason—they say it takes a person of good disposition—the point is left beyond discussion. Then the ardent dream of a hot bed is to be realized. My! the things that will be accomplished on the old farm this spring. With all this School of Horticulture knowledge expended upon it, we may expect to see results that are dynamic! We have chosen a protected, southeastern exposure, have ascertained where hot-bed -sash may be procured, gained permission for the necessary amount of heating material—nothing left to be done but dig! All contributions thankfully received. Soon we shall be ready for early trade in lettuce and tomatoes and all sorts of interesting things. And then comes our garden. A bit of farm land is to be all our own, to do with exactly as we please—in other words, to plant in common soil this great knowledge of Mr. Doan, der fleissiger Fritz, and the learned city professors, and see if it will pan out for ordinary mortals. The seed catalogues are already worn limp, and there is a drawing board with a plan pinned fast to it stuck under the bureau for ready reference. It is to be hoped thee is not getting tired yet, for I am only well started. If thee could see these girls pouring over school-garden plans, laying out miraculously arranged flower beds and vegetable plots, thee would find thyself silently scheming likewise, and making little private drawings on scraps of paper just to see what thee could do. It is only when they begin to use those dreadful, unpronounceable names with the utmost freedom, and to reel off chemical equations and formulas with the glibness born of familiarity, that I feel like tearing my hair and striking for tall timber. But to return to our garden—it is to be the most beautifully behaved thee ever saw. In the first place, the Captain of this corporation says that we are to j pend every available minute out on our plot with a wheelbarrow gathering up the stones. She says the soil must be well pulverized, and as she is quite a determined lady, I have visions of being sent out with a hand sieve every time I am caught with a magazine under my arm, or show any propensity towards idleness. I wish I could give thee the whole outline now, but it is not quite complete. Suffice it to say, there will be well regulated lines throughout. The systematic paths will be no wider than absolutely necessary. The sections will hold carefully arranged rotations of vegetables, those most practical for our own table use and for the selling of the surplus. Each section will be flower bordered—wait, I’ll ask the Lady Captain what those flowers are to be. No use—deep in preparation for some everlasting test—and I have learned by sad experience that it means complete banishment if one talks when lessons are in progress. Never mind, it is calendulas or something like that. Anyhow the whole outlay is to 8 be as attractive as it is useful. Docs thee get the “idear” (that’s Bostonese). Doesn’t it quicken thy pulses, and doesn’t thee wish thee were in touch with the School of Horticulture? Just come to see us some time along in May or June and we will show thee what scientific methods will bring from old Mother Earth. If the orders are not too rushing we may give thee a golden brown morsel of broiler, but as we are expecting to corner the top-price market, it plight happen they would all have gone into the money box. In any event we will let thee listen to our aspiring young cocks practicing their pew-found crows. And I warn thee that middy blouses and sturdy shoes will be a necessary part of thy equipment, for there isn’t a ghost of a chance of thy escaping some contact with Soils once thee falls under the influence of this energetic atmosphere. And now doesn’t thee think that after all this I can sincerely sign myself Farmer Jane. tEo n Jlxolet Blue violet, that lives in spring so gay, Amid the bluebell, primrose, bluet, too, Who never could compare at all with you, But try from you to take our love away,— Sweet flower, who all will well and truly say Art prettier far than fairest roses hue, Reveal, I pray, from what you get your blue, Your graceful form, your pretty stem. In May You disappear, your blue eyes gone, to me The woods are dead, the flowers all decayed, And naught remains but bright and gaudy flow’rs. I wish that all the year I could you see In velvet clad, and that you could evade Old Nature’s law, and be forever ours! Lola Poppletoi? 9 Jioiliebs piitljoui glides This spring a year ago I gave one of our visitors information about a hotbed and what can be raised in it. Recently I met the same person again and naturally we began to talk about the growing of plants, and as it was a rather mild day, I mentioned that the time for making a hotbed would soon be here. “Not for me,” replied the lady, “no hot-bed for me again.” When I asked why not, I received the following answer: “The moles killed all my seeds and plants last year.” I laughed for a second and then replied that this could not be true. As the time was short I could not explain, but begged her to build another hotbed this year and I promised her to keep the moles out. I am sorry not to have her address, but I am sure she is a reader of our “Wise-Acres,” and as I would like to see a little hotbed in every city back-yard, I will give a few of my own experiences in this line: My dear reader, when I first started to build a hotbed I had the same trouble that you had, namely; every morning when I looked at the bed I found that the mole had been working in it and many of my seedlings were thrown out; next I looked at the roots of my seedlings and found some were broken off, and this made me believe that moles eat roots. Immediately I purchased a mole trap and set it in the frame. The next morning I went to the hotbed to take the mole out of the trap. How disappointed I was not to find the mole securely caught. It had been working all over the bed again and very, very close to the trap, too. Not knowing what to do, I left the trap in there for several days, but I never caught the mole and neither will you ever catch it in a trap, because the soil in a hotbed is always loose and as soon as the mole strikes an obstruction it will go around it. Some of the plants were thrown out every day and all I could do was to plant them again. One day while I was doing this I saw the mole working in the other end of the bed. I caught the little miner by its neck and killed it instantly, but I never will do this again. I took the dead mole to my friend, a young doctor, who cut it open for me and we examined the little fellow very carefully, but we did not find any plant roots in it, but a number of remains of insects; cut worms, eel worms, wire worms, larvae of other insects like the potato bug; plant lice, slugs and fish worms, etc. From this examination I know that the mole does not make its living from roots, or parts of plants, as so many people believe. The roots may be broken off accidentally or because the injurious insect is resting on it when the mole is looking for carnivorous food. Therefore, we should never kill a mole, as by this means we will be increasing our insect supply. My dear reader, are you going to go into the business of growing insects or plants? Of course, this mole is in no way welcome in the hotbed, but at the same time it is not necessary to kill it, only drive it out of your hotbed and this can be done very easily. i.—Before you bring the manure into the hotbed put some small-meshed galvanized wire at the bottom and around the inside 10 of the frame and no mole will ever enter your hotbed. This, of course, is somewhat expensive and the wire will last for only two seasons and the frame will not be movable. 2.—A somewhat cheaper remedy is the following: sprinkle potash on the bottom of your hotbed, then put in the manure and before you set the frame on the manure sprinkle potash where the frame sets, and a little outside the frame; these are the places where the mole enters. 3—Still another good remedy is: to take a handful of cotton, soak it with kerosene and put it in one of the tunnels where the mole has been burrowing, but avoid bringing the kerosene in contact with the plants. This last remedy should only be used when the mole has come into the frame, and it will certainly drive it away. You can also do this in your flower beds or your lawns, as the mole’s sense of smell is very keen and it very much dislikes the odor of oil. I have tried all three remedies and have found them very effective. Come and see our hotbeds without moles! Fritz O. Lippold. pril An altered look upon the hills; A Tyrian light the village fills; A wider sunrise in the dawn; A deeper twilight on the lawn; A print of a vermilion foot; A purple finger on the slope; A flippant fly upon the pane; A spider at his trade again; An added strut in chanticleer; A flower expected everywhere; An axe shrill singing in the woods; Fern-odors on untraveled roads, All this, and more I cannot tell. —Selected. 11 of the frame and no mole will ever enter your hotbed. This, of course, is somewhat expensive and the wire will last for only two seasons and the frame will not be movable. 2.—A somewhat cheaper remedy is the following: sprinkle potash on the bottom of your hotbed, then put in the manure and before you set the frame on the manure sprinkle potash where the frame sets, and a little outside the frame; these are the places where the mole enters. 3—Still another good remedy is: to take a handful of cotton, soak it with kerosene and put it in one of the tunnels where the mole has been burrowing, but avoid bringing the kerosene in contact with the plants. This last remedy should only be used when the mole has come into the frame, and it will certainly drive it away. You can also do this in your flower beds or your lawns, as the mole's sense of smell is very keen and it very much dislikes the odor of oil. I have tried all three remedies and have found them very effective. Come and see our hotbeds without moles! Fritz O. Lippold. pril An altered look upon the hills; A Tyrian light the village fills; A wider sunrise in the dawn; A deeper twilight on the lawn; A print of a vermilion foot; A purple finger on the slope; A flippant fly upon the pane; A spider at his trade again; An added strut in chanticleer; A flower expected everywhere; An axe shrill singing in the woods; Fern-odors on untravcled roads, All this, and more I cannot tell. —Selected. 11 EDITORIALS Published Quarterly by the Students of the School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. Entered at the Ambler Post Okpicb as Second-Class Matter STAFF Editor-In-Chief, Ruth La Ganke Associate Editor, Ida L. Mills Advertising Editor, Eleanor Lawrence Business Manager, Clara M. Bell Art Editor, Frances Shinn Secretary, Adeline Greathead One Dollar a Year Single Copy, Twenty-five Cents Petrel] pays March is here. It brings with it the last frosty bluster of lingering winter and the first genial warmth of coming spring. What though “there is a wind generally waiting for you around the corner, to tweak you by the nose and drive your hands into your pockets every time tnc sun goes behind a cloud” spring is coming. All nature's signs our proof thereof. These hardy promises of the springtime are given in little things—the swelling of the bud, the notes of the early song-bird and the blue of the sky. The bravest of the robins are back, caroling their fruhlituj-sited of love and hope. The red-winged black birds are busily building their nurseries down by the marsh where the alders are shaking out their catkins and the willows are showing their soft gray pussies. The brooklets loosed from winter’s i(5y grasp tumble along through the meadows murmuring happy melodies as they go. The sedges along the banks are turning green and so, too, are patches of grass in the pastures which will soon be tempting mouthfuls for the cattle. Even the bees know that spring is at hand and are out buzzing noisily in the sunshine seeking their refreshment where they can. The little inconspicuous flowers of the red maple and the catkins yellow with pollen offer their stores to the hungry little guests. Another token of the spring is the coming forth of tiny insects to try their wings in staggery flight. They are allured by the bright sunshine of high noon, but evening’s chill, alas! cuts short their high ambitions. The barberry along the lane fences is a harbinger of warmer days, for its tiny rosettes of pink buds nestled in their green are peeping forth. Sunshine and south winds must alternate with chill winds and storms, so decrees the North Wind, but the onward march is always resumed and April, smiling through her tears, says “spring is here.” 12 £ntudl beginning On a narrow shelf in the cosy office stood all that our school boasted in the way of a library in those days when a ten-months’ session was yet unknown, and classes of twenty girls, a hope unrealized. The books and periodicals of divers sizes, editions, values and ages were collected by teachers and friends of the school, who in zealous endeavor to increase the scope of the “library’s” utility, bought and borrowed or otherwise obtained possession of everything that could possibly have been classified under the awe-inspiring name of “Horticulture.” Oddly enough the number of volumes increased with each edition, and ere long the treasured library’s aspiration grew too great to be kept on a mere shelf, and so the collection augmented, aided and abetted by donations from our many friends was .satisfactorily established in spacious quarters in the quondam classroom. Such was the humble origin of our collection of nearly two hundred and twenty-five volumes. A horticultural library “The American Apple Orchard ’ Waugh. “The American Peach Orchard,” Waugh. “Plums and Plum Culture.” Waugh. “The American Fruit Culturist,” Thomas (latest edition). “Bush Fruits.” Card. American Horticulture Manual, Budd and Hansen (2 vol.) “Cranberry Culture.” White. “Evolution of Our Native Fruits,” Bailey. “Foundations of American Grape Culture,” Munson. “Quince Culture.” Mccch. “Strawberry Growing,” Wilkinson. “Bean Culture,” Sevey. “Peas and Pea Culture,” Sevey. “The Potato.” Frazer. “Asparagus,” Hexamer. “Book of Vegetables and Garden Herbs,” French. “Celery Culture.” Beattie. “Melon Culture,” Troop. “The New Onion Culture, Greiner. should be designed to meet the needs of the students upon any or all branches of the subject which fancy or study might lead her to investigate. While this ideal has been constantly kept in mind, it has not as yet been attained, for the departments of Landscape Gardening, Poultry, Canning, Preserving and Pickling have not a book to represent them on the shelves. Additional books on all the other branches are likewise much needed, for satisfactory reference work. In a library of such a nature as ours, the books most valuable are those of recent date from the pens of experts and authorities on their particular subjects. We print below a partial list of such books needed and trust that some of our friends will be interested in adding to our collection. Magazines and books of fiction are also welcome, for they are most entertaining and relaxing when we reach that point of entire “prostration from all desire to work.” “The New Rhubard Culture,” Morse and Fiske. “Squashes,” Gregory. Sweet Potatoes,” Fitz. “Tomato Culture,” Tracy. “Soils and Fertilizers,” Snyder. “Farmers for Forty Centuries,” King. Farmer’s Manual of Law,” Willis. “How to Choose a Farm.” Hunt. “Diseases of Cultivated Plants and Trees,” Massee. “Charles Eliot-Landscape Architect.” Eliot. “The Art of Landscape Gardening,” Repton (Nolen Edition). Landscape Gardening, Kemp. Plant Breeding,” Bailey. “Fundamentals of Plant Breeding,” Coulter. “Preserving and Pickling,” Lemcke. “Canning, Preserving and Pickling,” Neal. “Principles and Practice of Poultry Culture,” Robinson. Poultry Textbooks, F. C. Doolittle. Michcll’sSimplex System of Poultry Keeping. 13 “Dahlias are among the hardest flowers to grow unless you understand them,” so began Mr. Maurice Fuld, of New York City, in his lecture on dahlias given to the students and friends of the school. We would indeed have been discouraged at the outset had he not immediately given us the assurance that with the proper attention to the natural requirements of the plants, as beautiful blooms as even the most ardent dahlia enthusiast could desire, can be obtained by the amateur. In March, if you would be a successful grower, carefully examine and sort out any clumps that have died out or have rotted in storage and discard them. Those that are successfully carried through to the first of April, spread out on the floor, water down and cover at the crown with sphagnum moss. About two weeks later a little growth appears in the neck of the root and the clumps are ready to be divided. In dividing, always leave a connection between the tuber and the stem. It is of interest to note that the old tuber has only to do with the stem and leaves, while a new set of roots is responsible for the flower growth; and that often the finest plants are grown from the smallest tubers. After the roots are divided, pack them in sawdust and allow them to remain there until about May ist, when they can be planted out in the garden in as sunny a location as possible. The secret of growing the dahlia is to “keep it growing” from the moment its roots are planted until the blossoms come out. The needs of the plant are air at the roots at all times and moist, cool weather. There must be moisture on the leaves as well as on the roots. That is one of the reasons why dahlias grown along the sea-coast are so superb. A light, open soil is best—pure gravel is even highly satisfactory. If the soil where you want to grow your dahlias should be heavy add sand or coarse ashes to it. A poor soil, strange to say, is really to be preferred, for if the land is rich there is heavy top growth at the expense of flowers. In setting out the tubers allow three feet between each plant and four feet between the rows, stake and label each plant. With the coming of July, it is best to cut the plant off down to the ground and thus give it a chance to start a new growth. In the three weeks which elapse before the plant is again above ground, the attack of the white fly which occurs about July 15, is avoided. And, furthermore, the plant now makes its ideal growth, for the dahlia develops best in those months that have cool nights, and in this climate they are August and September. The plants need frequent cultivation, but only that of the surface soil and for a distance of about twelve inches around each plant. Liquid fertilizer should now be fed to the plant about once a week, for the time has arrived to look for the flowers. Apply sulphate or muriate of potash, one pound to fifty gallons of water. To get the larger blooms, disbudding is practiced. The buds usually form in clusters of three and by removing two of these all the -strength of the plant is sent into the remaining bud. Certain dahlias grow too tall and in such cases it is best to nip 14 out the centre when the plant is about fifteen inches high and it will then branch out and form a compact plant. In cutting the blossoms—evening is the best time—cut as much stalk back as possible and plunge the stems in boiling water for a few minutes and then in cool water. In the fall do nothing with the dahlia plant until after a black frost, then cut it down to within one foot of the ground and allow the sap to return to the roots. Usually after a frost we have some pleasant weather and the tubers may be allowed to cure. Never take them up when they arc filled with moisture. If the root remains in the ground after it has been cut back, it will harden. In faking up the tubers, choose a bright, sunny day and go to the plants early in the morning and lift them up with as much soil as possible; turn them upside down on a board and let them remain until three or four o’clock in the afternoon, then store them temporarily where the air can circulate and dry them naturally. They should not be put away permanently for the winter until they are thorough- ly dry and the soil has fallen off. Then store them where there is no heat but a temperature of about 40 degrees, varying as little as possible. It is best to inspect the tubers at least twice a month during the winter. If any decay is found, cut out at once and sprinkle with lime, and if some of the roots are shrinking separate them from the others and sprinkle with water once a week. Most tubers are lost after February 1st, therefore give more particular care to them during February and March. The following are the principal insects that attack the dahlia: the cut worm—treat the ground with vermine—this is a liquid gas and, to be effective in killing all insects and eggs, it must be applied after the soil has been thoroughly soaked with water; the white fly—treat with aphine: the chinch bug—it appears on the flower bud and cuts a hole in it, causing the flower to develop on one side only—spray with Paris green early in the evening and repeat on every young bud that appears. Ida L. Mills. 15 A tErip ©ijrouglj tije drmtipmse by |lrnxy Upon a recent week-end visit to the home of a friend, I was asked this most astonishing question. “What do you do in the winter out at the school? It seems to me that there is nothing in that line of work that can be carried on during the cold months, unless one has a greenhouse and even then I shouldn’t think there would be enough work for all of you students.” “That’s where so many people make a big mistake,” I replied, 4 winter for us is almost as busy as any other season of the year, for we are preparing for the spring and summer as well as doing the actual winter work in the greenhouses. You had belter come out and see for yourself, we would all be glad to have you visit us.” “Much as I would like to, I fear I cannot spend the time; but would you mind telling me what you are doing in your greenhouses now and what plants you raise? You know I am so interested in the work.” “Certainly I will. Suppose I take you through by proxy.” “That would be lots of fun.” “We have three greenhouses and I will first show you through house No. I. This is divided into two sections. Just imagine walking into a very warm, moist room where the temperature is from 70 to 73 degrees and you will be in the first section. In here are those plants and seedlings which require this high temperature; also the propagating beds. On the bench at the right are rows of young ferns in tiny pots and next to them are boxes of canna roots just showing green through the sand and flat pots in which have been planted seeds of asparagus sprengerii. These seeds were soaked in water twenty-four hours before being planted, to hasten germination. Next are our tuberous begonias which were planted about ten days ago. Near by are some queerly covered pots, and if you should peep under this covering of moss, you would see four lily-of-the-valley pips embedded in pure sand. By giving them quantities of water and heat we can force them into bloom in eighteen to twenty days. Close by you will come to our most interesting and often difficult work, the work in connection with the propagating beds.” “Please do tell me more about them.” “These beds are built over the pipes on the south side of the house. In this way the little cuttings are given bottom heat which is necessary to make them strike root readily. Additional protection is given them by covering the beds with frames —either glass or muslin and sometimes both. Inside the bed there is a good layer of drainage and then about ten inches of clean, sharp sand. For propagating some plants, it is necessary to sterilize this sand, so susceptible to disease are their cuttings. Just now we have geranium, lavender’; coleus, fuschia, vinca, antirrhinum and alternanthera cuttings in several of these beds. Another bed is devoted to begonia leaf cuttings. These are held down flat in the sand by means of toothpicks and then the veins are cut and from these incisions roots develop, making new plants. As many as 40 little plants can be obtained from one leaf by this method. The varieties in the bed are Rex, President Carnot, Semperflorens and Glory of Cincin- 16 nati. In still another of these beds are croton cuttings. Instead of being placeq directly in the sand as most cuttings are, these are planted in rich loam in small pots which are sunk in ashes. The reason for this is that the roots of the croton are very tender and might easily be broken when taken out of the bed.” “You certainly have enough cuttings out there, what will become of them all ?” “Well, you see, we never count our chickens before they are hatched; frequently diseases come and accidents happen in spite of care which lessen the number, but to be serious, we transplant them again and again, always trying to supply the present need of food to the growing plant. After that the plants are sold or saved to be handed down to the next class for practice material; or, very often, they are used in the out-door gardens later in the season. “This section of the house does not only hold cuttings, but also some of the tropical plants such as the Allamanda Henacr-sonii with its wonderful rich yellow blossoms, and the Figus from which a ripe fig is now and then plucked. We have also a small bench of gardenias almost ready to bloom. Oxalis, mimosa pudica in tiny pots, and asparagus plumosus, all have their individual nooks in this house. Our beautiful collection of begonias is here as well. In the two middle benches there are beans and tomatoes. The beans are about over, but the little tomatoes arc just beginning to form on the vines.” “What became of the beans when they were ready to be picked?” “What do you think? We picked them, of course, and had them for lunch. My, but they were good. But they aren’t the only vegetables we have in the greenhouses. We are raising cucumbers in this house to shortly occupy the place of the beans, and then in the vegetable house we each have a separate garden—but you will hear more of them when you reach the vegetable house. Just now I’ll take you into the second or cool section of this first house. Here the temperature is about 55 degrees. We generally call this the carnation and sweetpea house, although we raise other plants in it. Two beds of carnations will soon be through blooming and to take their place, Iris Hispanica and Gladioli Nanus have been planted between the carnation plants. We each have a box of carnation cuttings on the south window ledge and until they have established good root systems we must daily sprinkle and shade them. Calla lilies are almost ready to bloom and Easter lilies, which will bloom by the end of the month, occupy one end of this house. “A good portion of the floor space is taken up by wall flowers just coming into bloom, and flats filled with rose and boxwood cuttings. Our forget-me-nots are just now showing delicate blues and pinks. Under the benches rhubarb is sending forth its tempting green shoots.” “Now, where are you going to take me on my imaginary trip?” “Well, we must go through the service room, where all transplanting is done, to get into the second house. In the last few weeks this house has just buzzed with work. You see in here we have a great number of seedlings and, also, potted cuttings which have already rooted. There are the geraniums, coleus and smilax on the right bench. On the left, there is a long bed of mignonette between which schizanthus have been planted. At the end 17 of the house there are some wonderful double petunias in bloom, and across from them a bed of beautiful silver-pink antirrhinums are blooming. In the middle bench you will see the last of our display of primulas; near them the cinerarias are coming into bloom. If you were to come in here in the morning, you would see here and there a girl leaning industriously over a flat, transplanting the tiniest of seedlings. The labels would tell us that they were the seedlings of antirrhinum, lobelia, delphinium, Irish shamrock, lupines, asters and begonias. “Next I’ll take you into the vegetable house to see our dear little gardens. Each girl has a garden 3x9 in which she has planted radishes, lettuce, beets and cauliflower, and a row of sweetpeas along the front. On the other side of this house there are violets, several rows of parsley, and beds of lettuce, cauliflower, radishes and onions. Then, recently, during one of those warm days, the sash was taken from the cold frame and most of the pansies were brought in and planted in this house. “I do wish you would come out and see these things for yourself, for we are always working at something new and interesting.” “I certainly must find time to come and see what you are doing, and that time is not far distant.” K. Dorothea Helweg. i$luSUT£0 The white sailed ship at gray sunset Sunk far o’er the darkling main; So fair, so -strong, so proud, and yet Would she ever her harbor gain? From deep in my heart, I launched a thought On life’s broad, stormy sea; For hearts that were sad, my message was wrought, Would it ever some comfort be? 18 Calendar Tuesday, January 5th.—The return of the prodigals, but instead cf the fatted calf we found only veal croquets. As at all gatherings, there were a few stragglers, some didn’t blow in until the next night. And-sh! keep it dark—they do tell one awful reprobate was a whole week late. Wednesday, January 6th.—Girls still suffering from too much vacation. Tried to enthuse over the rapid progress the onions had made in their absence, but no use, all they could do was to wonder why they did not get a single letter when they had been back fully fifteen hours. Thursday, January 7th.—2.30 P. M., lecture by Mr. George MacKay, manager of the Terminal Market. Doubtless Mr. MacKay gave us many practical hints on the subject of marketing, but the words that impressed us most were “If you would be happy get into debt and stay in debt, for then you will always be surrounded by friends (with hands outstretched).” Wednesday, January 13th.—Individual vegetable plots were assigned in the new vegetable forcing house. We truly practice intensive gardening, for a large quantity of vegetables are grown on a very small plot. Of course the competition is keen and the lettuce and radishes are doing their best to satisfy our feverish haste; but say what you will and do what you can, you cannot hurry a beet. Thursday, January lJfth.—The reviewing for examinations has begun and everybody is busy, as usual, discovering just how much she doesn’t know of what she knew she knew, and how much more she doesn’t know than what she knew she didn't know. Friday, Jatiuary 16.—What means this awful quietness? Mid-years have begun! Students whom we never expected of owning such things are discovered in secluded corners buried in text books, muttering strange sounds that resemble H2SO4, NaN03- Even the babel at lunch has ceased and it is so quiet you could hear a gumdrop. Wednesday, January 20th.—Root grafting is begun over in the service room. Anyone finding the end of a little finger, please return to Ruth LaGanke. Thursday, January 21st.—Big night—the much-talked-of, much-longed-for concert took place, and the girls shivering but resplendent in their best togs, enjoyed it to the utmost. May history repeat itself! Saturday, January 23d.—The faculty and students accepted with pleasure the Misses Blakiston's invitation to five o’clock tea which was given in honor of a wonderful fruit cake sent by Miss Dock, of Fayetteville. Again “May history repeat itself!” Tuesday, January 26th.—Some of the students took a pleasant moonlight jaunt into Ambler to see a melodramatic moving picture, the like of which, according to them, has never been seen before. Friday, January 29th.—A grand farewell party was given for Florence Cooke who left the next day for her home in Toronto. The party was exciting from beginning to end; the time passed very quickly—there is nothing like speeding a parting guest. 19 Tuesday, February 2d.—Groundhog day. He poked his head out, but failed to see his shadow. Miss Lee’s class in Landscape Gardening began. Many persons are taking advantage of this special course. Thursday, February 4th.—Averages out. Strange, but most faces wore expansive smiles. ' Friday, February 5th.—By a few simple experiments, in Soils, we tried our Professor’s patience, tested each other's amiability, measured the distance to the different exits and proved beyond doubt that two hours can be an eternity. February 6th to February 9th. No need to talk about it now. It’s all over. Wednesday, February 10th.—Root graft- ing again! More blood spilled. The carnage in lingers is shocking! By another year we expect to graft a strawberry vine on a milk weed plant and have strawberries and cream for breakfast. Thursday, February 11th.—Some excitement. Friday, February 12th.—Valentine Party. Crime will out, and at this party many of those who, so far, have tried hard to conceal their cleverness, were at last discovered. We shall see that the punishment fits the crime, henceforth they shall write long and brilliant articles for the School paper, make all the volunteer recitations in chemistry and otherwise prove a credit to their School. Monday, February lath.—“Wise-Acres” goes to press. $1Juggler of Blazing in gold and quenching in purple, Leaping like leopards to the sky, Then at the feet of the old hoiizon Laying her spotted face, to die; Stooping as low as the otter's window, Touching the roof and tinting the barn, Kissing her bonnet to the meadow, And the juggler of day is gone! —Selected, 20 j djool jNoias On the afternoon of Thursday, December 17th, Mr. Ernest Hemming, editor of the “National Nurseryman” and associated with Meehan's Nursery, gave the school a most interesting and beneficial talk on perennials. “Perennials,” he said in part, “is such a comprehensive subject, since the term includes every plant that does not grow in a greenhouse except trees, shrubs and annuals, that it is difficult to touch upon them all in one short talk.” He divided them into three groups, according to the way they are propagated— by seeds, by divisions, both crown and root stocks, and by root and top cuttings. Generally speaking, seeds should be sown very soon after ripening, that is in the early fall, and kept over winter in a cold frame with some light protection. Plants propagated by division may be divided any time during the dormant period, while the top and root cuttings should be made soon after the flowering season. To have a perennial border a success, always keep in mind the time of flowering of each plant and plan a succession of bloom with a large proportion of white. After the border is planned and set out, do not feel that everything is finished for a lifetime, for the work has just begun. It needs constant care and attention and at least every two years, the plants should be lifted. After all, a true knowledge of perennials can only be acquired through years of work with them. A most pleasing concert was rendered at the School by Mr. A.C. Geis«ler, pianist, and Mr. Charles F. Meade, baritone, of Philadelphia, on Thursday evening, January 21 st. The program was enthusiastically received and encores were called for repeatedly. Several of the students attended Dr. Robert Huey's lecture on Roses, given before the Garden and Orchard Society in Philadelphia on January 26th. ★ Mr. George H. Wirt, founder of the Mt. Alto School of Forestry, is giving four lectures at the School on the “Care of the Wood Lot.” Mr. Wirt is a very interesting speaker and the students are delighted with his course of lectures. ♦ Mr. Arthur C. Geissler is now giving the lectures and practical work in poultry. The poultry plant is having its spring house-cleaning, and expects to soon appear in a brand new coat of white wash; next in order will be the incubator work. We are disposing of a number of our white leghorns and replacing them with single comb Rhode Island reds. ♦ The new building, like many other new buildings, was not completed when promised, but we have, nevertheless, occupied it several times in spite of its very unfinished condition. The Landscape Garden Class has held two lectures in the Assembly Room, and we have also had one party there. We arc looking forward to having a dancing class, to be conducted by Mrs. Annie Leaf, of Fort Washington, which 21 will begin as soon as the Assembly Room in the new building is finished. In the spring we expect to have for sale a quantity of seedlings, both vegetables and flowers, including many perennials. We will also have a quantity of choice varieties of shrubs and ornamental vines and fruit trees. The Landscape Garden Class commenced Tuesday, February 2nd, and will continue once per week for twenty weeks. Miss Elizabeth Leighton Lee lectures in the morning from 9.30 to 12.00 on the principles of Landscape Gardening, and Mr. John L. Doan has the Class in the afternoon from 1.30 to 3.30. Mr. Doans subject is “Trees and Shrubs.” St. Valentine was well remembered out at the school, as all who attended the jolly “heart” party can testify. The home-made valentines that filled two post boxes added fun to the occasion with their clever character take-offs. Adeline Greathead was the prize taker of the evening, carrying off an adorable kewpie doll and a weird, little black cat. Emily David and Mrs. Peeler also took prizes. On Friday evening, January 29th, an indoor track meet held on the first floor of the new building was the occasion of much excitement both among the participants and their supporters. Rivalry ran high between the “Oranges,” captained by Frances Shinn, and the “Greens,” under the leadership of Eleanor Lawrence. Each contestant was urged on by her teammates with yells and cheers. Mr. Doan took the first prize in the “Standing Broad Grin” and Mabel Barker captured the blue ribbon in the fifteen-foot dash in which a peanut had to be pushed along the floor with the nose for fifteen feet. It is needless to say, perhaps, that the other ten entries were puns also and caused endless merriment. The score was so close throughout the meet that it was not until the finals were made that the “Oranges” were declared winners by 3 points. In presenting the medal to the captain of the winning side, Florence Cooke, in whose honor the party was given, concluded her remarks with these lines: “Go forth in your conquering, repeat what you will Of your manifold knowledge; but forget not your skill In pruning and planting and washing out sand, In budding and grafting and tilling the land, In teaching school gardening and gathering . eggs. In winning rare medals by means of your legs. In digging out borers and hiving the bees, In “scratching” carnations and “training” sweet peas, In blasting out orchards and weaving straw mats, In transplanting seedlings to nicely made flats.” The work in School Gardening has been finished by the Juniors. Miss Ella S. Carter, of Philadelphia, the instructor, included in her ten weeks’ course a brief history of the School Garden movement both abroad and in our own larger cities; also practical work of laying out, equipping and managing a garden. Plans were drawn by the students of some of the Philadelphia gardens and plantings of individual and experimental plots arranged. One interesting phase of the work was the teachmg of a twenty-minute Nature Study lesson by each student in words suited to children about ten years old. 22 After this interesting course, the girls have more than ever come to believe in School Gardening as a “sound and reliable means of education and of moral regeneration. In these gardens experience, moral self-control and industry grow as well as the garden truck. Several of the students are planning to take the examinations for positions as assistant gardeners in Philadelphia this summer. 4= The Seniors have completed their course in bookkeeping. Under the able instruction of Mr. A. C. Geissler, the girls have mastered the principles of double-entry, posting and of making up statements of profits and loss, and resources and liabilities. Practical work has been resumed in Soils.” Each Friday afternoon the Juniors are busy performing experiments with the different types of soil. By means of these tests, the structure, texture and porosity of heavy and light soils are determined. The effects of fertilizers and of tillage, both judicious and injudicious, are studied and tabulated. This work adds much interest to the subject. Visitors Miss Katharine Reid, Brooklyn, X. Y. Miss Anne Marie Parry, Atlanta, (la. Miss Irene Fay. Holden. Mass. Miss Martha Jewett. Atlanta. Ga. Mrs. T. M. Tyson, l.r OG Spruce st., Philadelphia. Pa. Miss Emily K. Smith, Gwynedd Valley. Pa. Mrs. Henry V. Stokes, 5343 Magnolia ave.. Germantown. Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Norris. Ardmore. Pa. Mrs. George Woodward. Chestnut Hill. Miss Maud Noble. Chestnut Hill P. O . Mrs. Mulford. Wyncote, Pa. Mrs. John Gribbcl, Wyncote, Pa. Mrs. J. Archer Rulon. Chestnut Hill, Pa. Mr. William Williams, Ambler, Pa. Mr. Edward Foulke, 505 Forest avenue, Ambler. Pa. Mr. Thomas A. Foulke, Ambler. Pa. Miss Hannah L. Foulke. Ambler, Pa. Mr. W. B. Haines, Philadelphia. 22 Senior—“Spring is here. Junior—“How do you know?” Senior—- The leaves of my book are coming out.” Axiom I—Nothing is better than a good lesson. Axiom II—A poor lession is better than nothing. Therefore: A poor lesson is better than a good one. Q.—W hat’s the first thing to turn green Professor (in zoology class) “What’s a ground hog?” Voice from the corner—“Sausage.” A city girl was taking a course in an agricultural college. After a lecture on How to Increase the Milk Flow, she rose for question. How long,” she blushinglv inquired, must one beat a cow before she will give whipped cream?” Weary Junior— 1 have been working six days and I begin to feel a little weak.” Why is it that you are always behind in your studies?” Because, if I were not behind with them I could not pursue them. A stands for Ambler, a town very noted. B stands for Botany, to which we’re devoted. C stands for Chemistry—see us turn pale! I) stands for Drawing— it’s all done ru scale. H stands for Entomology—the insect relation, F stands for Farming—a fine occupation, (I stands for Gardening—that’s more like vacation. II stands for Ilorti”—the joy of the nation. I stands for ideas—alas they are few, I stands for jokes—the old and the new, K stands for knives—we use them to graft, L stands for luncheon—a hasty repast. M stands for music—which all like to hear, X stands for names-—scientific ones, dear, () stands for onions—stewed, creamed or fried. I stands for poultry—we pick ’em alive, R stands for roads—we build them to last, S stands for summer—oh! may it come fast! T stands for trouble—which comes and which goes, U stands for us—whom everyone knows, V stands for vacation—that’s when we part. W stands for Wise-Acres—the joy of our heart. 24 Emily David G.M.DECK 6CO. HOUSE FURNISHINGS AMBLER VICTOR MAYER Ladies’ and Men’s Tailor Steam Dyeing and Scouring Altering, Cleaning and Pressing. Repairing Neatly Done HEATING TINSMITHING PENNA. H. R. NIBLOCK Restaurant and Oyster House Oysters in all Styles Meals at all Hours WB MANUFACTURE ICB CREAM {W142A°e 421 Butler Avenue, Ambler, Pa. 417 Butler Avenue Both Phones AMBLER, PA. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF AMBLER, PA. J. Watson Craft E. H. Faust P re s i d eii t Y i ce - P resi den t Win. A. Davis, Cashier F. S ARNOLD Dealer in Beef, Veal, Lamb and Pork SAUSAGE, SCRAPPLE, BUTTER, EGGS AND POULTRY Fort Washington, Pa. Bell Phone r i I 0 0 1 MAY FESTIVAL! Folk Dances. Cafe Chantantc. Sale of Perennials Sale of Bird Houses and other articles made by the Students in the Carpenter Shop Sale of Preserved Fruits from the Farm Date to be Announced Later Come and Bring Your Friends School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. JJ 8 0 m u H. J. DAGER, INC. SUBURBAN REAL ESTATE. INSURANCE AND MORTGAGES FARMS A SPECIALTY AMBLER, PA. J. Watson Craft Ambler, Pa. Manufacturer of and Dealer in “Enterprise” Brand of Scratch and Mash Feed Dairy Feed constantly in stock. Complete Line of Building Material LEHIGH COAL CREO MAKES HENS WEIGH, LAY, PAY Kills lice and mites. Cures diseases of poultry. Cleanses, disinfects. Easy to use. 35c per pint bottle. STILLWAGON, THE DRUGGIST GOOD THINGS TO EAT Canned Fruits, Preserves, Fruit Syrups, Marmalades, Grape Juice, Catsup and Tomato Pickle, Evaporated Apples and Pears. MADE IN AMERICA MADE DY WOMEN FOR SALE DY WOMEN AT THE School of Horticulture For Women W. N. HEISS ---DEALER IN- Dry Goods, Notions, Millinery, Men’s Furnishings 303-305 Butler Avc., AMBLER, PA. THIS BOOKLET FROM THE PRESS OF GEO. W. LUTZ It SOUTH MAIN ST. ■em phone AMBLER. PA. Pittsburg Electric Fence and other Fencing Materials HU PHONE HPf7I7Q’Q SEE PLANTS, BULBS USXSLILSX O ARE THOROUGHLY RELIABLE. Successfully used by leading Gardeners during the past seventy-seven years and dependable in every way for best results. DREER'S GARDEN BOOK FOR 1915 describes and offers the best Novelties and Standard Varieties of Roses, Hardy Perennials, Decorative Plants, Bedding Plants, Garden and Greenhouse Plants, Water Lillies, Flower Seeds and Bulbs, Garden and Farm Seeds and everything needed for Garden, Greenhouse, or Farm including Garden Implements, Fertilizers, Insecticides, Lawn Mowers, Lawn Rollers, Etc. also gives valuable cultural notes, especially written by experts. This Garden Book is the most complete catalogue published and is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photo engravings, four colored plates and four duotone plates. Every one interested in the garden or farm should have a copy which is free at our stores, or will be mailed upon receipt of application. SOW DREER’S LAWN GRASS SEEDS FOR SUREST AND MOST PERMANENT RESULTS UCNDV A HD CCD 714-716 Chestnut Street HLIiIyI A. LJIyLLIy Philadelphia, pa. HATBORO BAKING CO. Whatever else you may select in your daily order of food supplies remember the two strong points about our products: THE SANITARY METHODS employed in making the goods and the STANDING INVITATION to the public to visit the plant at any time. BREAD—ROLLS—CAKES BAKERY: AMBLER, PA Spring Seedlings For Sale A T T H E School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. Spring- will soon be here. Are you going to plant a garden, and do you need advice ? If so, we can furnish it. Do you need seedlings ? We can also furnish these. If our list does not contain what you wish, come and tell us about it. FLOWERS Annuals Asters, Begonias, Cockscomb, Evening Primrose, Lobelias, Marigolds, .Stocks, Sunflowers, Salvias, Verbenas, Zinnias, Pansies, Forget-me-nots. Perennials Columbine, Campanulas, Calliopsis, Daisy, Larkspur, Foxglove. Gaillardias, Golden Rod, Baby’s Breath, Sunflower, Hollyhocks, Lupines, Phlox, Oriental Poppy, Sweet William, Easter Lilies, Herbs. VEGETABLES Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Leeks, Eggplant, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Peppers, Tomatoes. Sold bv the Dozen or the Hundred $ $ § ❖ ❖ CONTENTS The Lure of the Woods............................ 2 A City Backyard.................................. 3 Some Recently Extinct Birds...................... 5 Night............................................ 9 An Old Fashioned Garden..........................10 Editorial........................................12 Quatrain.........................................13 Diary............................................14 A Garden Fancy....................................1 7 Landscape Gardening Trips........................18 Exchanges........................................20 School Notes.....................................21 Canning and Preserving...........................22 Smiles...........................................24 € ♦§ 1 2 5 4s e|5 a|5 45 4 WISE-ACRES 4 JESSIE T. MORGAN. Director of School Vol. ii June, 1915. No. 6 tElje fCure of tf]e pWite There’s a quiet nook by a rippling brook, Deep down in the Old North Woods, Where the pines tower high to a cloudless sky, And shelter the stream with their hoods; Where Solitude reigns o’er the forest lanes, And the Spirits that dwell within Whisper soft words to the listening birds, And the woodland’s own kith and kin; Where the sunlight plays on the leafy ways In gambols that never cease, And the gentle breeze thro’ the swaying trees Breathes forth a message of peace. The echoes wake as the ripples break On the smooth-worn pebbles below, Reflecting the sound of a joy profound, The joy that the forests know. And all day long the rollicking song Of the waters that softly fall Is borne on the air to the listeners there, That dwell in the silent hall. When the twilight shades thro’ the darkening glades Closer encircling creep, When the sunlight dies in the western skies And the Old North Woods arc asleep When all is still over valley and hill And the great deep silence falls, Then is the hour when a mystic power— The “Lure of the Woodland”—calls. C. 2 A ditg ackgarb 3 a CSoob £3ank Recount A little unassuming sign nailed to an old apple tree tells you that if you but step through the vine-covered gate of a certain back-yard in the city of Cleveland, you may buy any of the plants or flowers growing there in the garden under the most intensive cultivation imaginable. You enter and if the season is spring the cold frames will be found to contain hundreds and hundreds of little seedling delphiniums, snapdragons, asters, aquilegia, oriental poppies and gail-lardia, with one section, perhaps, devoted to tomato and pepper plants. Out in the garden are the iris, the phlox, the canterbury bells, the foxglove, and the bee balm. By this time your mind pictures how this corner of your own garden would be more attractive if a plot of delphinium belladonna were planted there. And you remember that some coreopsis plants are needed to replace those that were winter killed. And you determine to have some of the other favorite, old-fashioned flowers to fit in here and there in your garden. So, with pocket-book already half open, you approach the house to find the genius who accomplishes these wonders in such a tiny garden and to consult with her (for the sign says a lady horticulturist rules here) about what would be best to buy for your own particular needs. Your knock is answered by a slip of a girl whom you would judge to be about eighteen years old and whose eyes glow and sparkle with love of her garden. She is delighted with your interest in her work and with a bit of coaxing relates how she became a garden enthusiast. “My first practical garden experience started when, at the age of nine, I joined Miss Louise Klein Miller’s garden class at the Rosedale Public School. That year, I was awarded first prize for digging and planting, and another for the best flowers raised in a school garden. This was the beginning of my enthusiasm for a garden. The next season I was given my little plot along with the rest of the children and I attended regularly and learned to plant and cultivate with such success, that I had nine entries at the Garden Festival, several of which took prizes. In the spring of 1909, I started this fifty-two foot square garden here at home and that year I sold $18.45 worth of flowers and plants. For the season of 1913-14 I so increased my sales that the garden paid me at the rate of over $4,000 per acre. “The first three years I raised such annuals as would grow easiest, and added perennials as I could afford. I soon became ambitious to show what could be raised in a little back yard and what profit there was in cultivating a small plot properly and intensively. I resolved to keep my prices moderate, and have never lacked a market; indeed, the demand has usually been greater than the supply. During the entire growing season no spot is left bare, for as soon as one plant comes out there is another ready to take its place. “My garden work has all been done before and after school. I have not been marked absent nor tardy on account of the garden and my monthly average has kept 3 up with that of my class. Father helps with the heavy work, such as spading, building cold frames, lifting the heavy perennials, etc. Mother takes care of the garden while I am at school and helps with the transplanting. She also sees that my hotbeds and coldframes are properly ventilated during the heat of the day. Of course, without this assistance, the profits would not be nearly as great as they are. I keep a daily record of my work. This shows how many plants of each variety there are in the garden; the date on which thje seed was sown; when transplanted; when they bloom and how long. It is the only way you can have success with a garden. This diary also helps me wonder- fully with my sales, as I can advise my customers what plants to buy for a succession of bloom. I have kept a strict cash book account of my garden since 1909. “I am starting this season’s work with a determination to make my little garden net me $300. If I am -successful in my undertaking, the yield will be at the rate of $4750 per acre.” If you should visit Geveland this summer, be sure to enter the vine-covered gate of my lady horticulturist and feast your eyes on the mass of bloom-asters and sweetpeas, lilies and roses, with wonderful ly well-grown tomatoes, lettuce and other vegetables at the rear. A Cleyelander 4 J rnnt Reccttilg Extinct That all birds the world over are rapidly approaching extinction is the cold, unpleasant fact that the scientists are forcing upon us. Already Japan and Italy offer examples of lands where the feathered songsters are practically exterminated. In the former country chirping insects kept in cages fill the place in the lives of the people left vacant by the passing of the little singers. In Great Britain no less than twenty-three species of birds have disappeared during the past century. Our own country offers scarcely a better example. While we still have the birds with us, it requires no great stretching of the memory to recall the time when the birds were far more numerous than they are today. While we have not lost a score of species, as with Great Britain, yet we are by no means freed of the charge of exterminating at least two feathered forms and the rapid diminution in number of almost all the forms still living. From the recent notable research of Hornaday, of the New York Zoological Park, we learn that during the last fifteen years our birds have decreased forty-six per cent, in thirty States and Territories. Our own Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (to its shame) is well up with the leaders, in this ignorantly wrought and murderous destruction, with a decrease of fifty-one per cent. While it must be admitted that certain natural factors necessarily cause some destruction, yet the fact that the greatest decimation is occurring during man’s period of greatest expansion over the country puts the blame on no uncertain shoulders. The relationship between cause and effect, in this instance, is not difficult of solution. Man, then, either directly in wilful destruction, or indirectly in neglecting to protect and provide for the birds, is the most pernicious foe of bird life. While one would desire, in speaking of bird decrease, to dwell upon all of the agencies of destruction and the method for curbing these factors, this is now so fully treated in papers and magazines, and our space is so limited that it would, perhaps, be more interesting to turn from this accustomed field of what man is doing, and in retrospect, see what he has done in the past. In this connection, then, we shall speak of two forms—now wholly and hopelessly gone from us on this continent, and this within the past seventy-five years; one of these forms disappearing within the present generation. Few, indeed, of those interested in bird life but have heard of the great auk and its sad disappearance from our avian life. Not so many years have passed since this magnificent penguin-like form was counted by the millions over the colder parts of Europe and North America. But so persistent and furious was man’s attack upon this innocent creature that scarcely did man realize it before it was gone forever. Today there are probably not more than five stuffed specimens and one or two eggs scattered through the museums of our country of this creature that existed one hundred years ago by the myriads. Only recently an egg of this auk sold for $1500. The earliest account of this bird seems to have been given by the French explorer 5 Jacques Cartier, who in 1534 visited the islands of Newfoundland. An interesting narrative of this voyage is given in Hakluyt's Voyages (London, 1600), in which Cartier on June 25 speaks of “these islands —as full of birds as any field or meadow is of grass, which there do make their nests.” He further goes on to relate how “we went downe to the lowest part of the least iland where we killed above a thousand—we put into our boates so many of them as we pleased, for in lesse then one houre we might have filled thirtie such boates of them.” It seems very likely from the frequent mention of the “Islands of Birds” in the logs of the early navigators that they frequently resorted to these islands for provisions. It is even more likely that these birds supplied the hardy fisherman of the region with food, both fresh and salt, with bait, and very likely with fat or oil; for we read from Anthonie Parkhurst’s account of 1578, that “the Frenchmen who fish neere the grand baie (Gulf of St. Lawrence) doe bring small store of flesh with them, but victuall themselves with these birds.” In Lucas’ National Museum Report (1888) on the expedition to Funk Island he makes mention of finding an excerpt from the “Salem Register” in the “Gloucester Telegraph” for August 7, 1839, in which a fisherman complaining of a small run of mackerel, predicts their destruction as certain as that of the penguins (auk), “which were so plenty before the Revolutionary War that fishermen could take them with their gaffs. But during the war some mercenary and cruel individuals used to visit the islands on the eastern coast where were the haunts of these birds for breeding and lake them for the sake of the fat.” While food, bait and oil may account for some destruction, Lucas believes that these alone would not have wiped out the race. To the account of the plumage-hunters must the greatest destruction be charged. For not alone are the stories of feather hunting frequent in early Newfoundland history, but the above investigator found on Funk Island the old stone pounds in which the birds were driven and confined, and the thin soil on the almost bare rocks composed chiefly of bones and fragments of egg shells. From the abundance of the bones, and these almost entirely of the great auk, there remains no doubt but that thousands of these birds, the last of their race, perished for the sake of their feathers. Of the enormous colonies in the early days of our country these decreased to a single one “found dead in Labrador, in November, 1870,” and this last specimen, though in a bad state of preservation, sold for $200 to a European purchaser. So ends the story of a harmless, fightless, unprotected form that very likely saved many a daring explorer, fisherman or colonist from death by starvation—a form that played, like the beaver, in the early conquest of the West of our own country a conspicuous part in the colonization of Newfoundland. And for this he received through the greed and rapacity of his beneficiaries his reward—death. But closer home, in our own day, and among presumably more gentle folks, we have had another no less sorrowful exhibition of man’s insane passion to destroy. It was only last year that the sole survivor of the millions of passenger pigeons that once “darkened the sky—and streamed across it like mighty rivers” passed away in the Cincinnati Zoological Garden. Though 6 strenuous efforts were made to find a mate for this bird, no trace of one could be found. As a last recourse, breeding with another species was tried, but the hybrid eggs produced were found to be sterile. So we have been forced once more to witness the passing of the last specimen of a species. This bird, probably the most gregarious of our American birds, ranged over the forest area of Eastern North America from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. It was such a conspicuous bird, through its enormous flocks, that it attracted sufficient notice from the early colonists to cause it to be mentioned in records as early as 1630. It is very likely that this bird aided, in no small way, to tide the Pilgrims over those first rigorous winters in the new land. No better account of the enormous flocks is extant than the one of Audubon, who, in the first quarter of the last century, visited their great roosts in Kentucky. In speaking of the nightly rendezvous, he says: “As the period of their arrival approached their foes anxiously prepared to receive them .... The sun was lost to our view, yet not a dozen had arrived. Everything was ready and all eyes were gazing on the clear sky, which appeared in glimpses through the tall trees. Suddenly there burst forth a general cry, ‘Here they come' .... Thousands were soon knocked down by the pole-men. The birds continued to pour in. The fires were lighted and a magnificent as well as wonderful and almost terrifying sight presented itself. The pigeons arrived by thousands, alighted everywhere, one above another, until solid masses as large as hogsheads were formed on the branches all around. Here and there the perches gave way under the weight with a crash, and, falling to the ground, destroyed hundreds of birds beneath, forcing down the dense groups with which every stick was loaded. It was a scene of uproar and confusion. I found it quite useless to speak to those persons who were nearest to me. Even reports of the guns were seldom heard, and I was made aware of the firing only by seeing the shooters reloading. “No one dared to venture within the line of devastation .... The pigeons were constantly coming, and it was past midnight before I perceived a decrease in the number of those that arrived.” Wilson, in 1808, makes mention of a flock near Frankfort, Kentucky, which he conservatively estimated at two billion. That these birds formed no mean part in the food supply in those days is shown by its frequent mention in our early narratives. Audubon in 1805 saw schooners in New York, loaded with birds which had been taken on the Hudson River and which were sold for a penny a piece. Again, in 1830, in the same place, he “found them so abundant that piles of them could be seen in every direction.” The netting of these unprotected birds through the entire nesting season sent millions of them to the city markets, which at times became so glutted that the surplus was fed to the swine. But the adult birds in this reckless slaughter formed only a part of the terrible destruction. The helpless squabs and the unhatched eggs formed another sum to be considered in the total. One observer in Michigan saw shipped by rail from a single roost in that State, in 1878, 1,500,000 dead birds and 80,530 live birds, and he vouches for the statement that an equal number probably went by water. 7 When we consider that such destruction was going on through the entire range of the bird, we can only wonder that it remained with us as long as it did. That the bird was still abundant in Ohio in 1857 is shown by the following report of a game committee of the State Legislature: “The passenger pigeon needs no protection. Wonderfully prolific, having the vast forests of the North as its breeding grounds, traveling hundreds of miles in search of food, it is here today and elsewhere tomorrow, and no ordinary destruction can lessen them or be missed from the myriads that are yearly produced.” But the wisdom of legislators is not infallible, for “the last wild pigeon in Ohio was killed March 24, 1900,” and last year, in the same State, passed away the last survivor of the race. A bird that is of particular interest, because it is, as far as I can learn, the only native parrot-form in this country, is the Carolina paroquet. This magnificent chatterer, with red and yellow head and bright green body, ranged in great flocks from Texas and Colorado to the Atlantic Coast. Wilson mentions having seen them as far north as Lake Michigan, and in a February snowstorm he found them flying about like pigeons on the banks of the Ohio River. That their numbers were considerable we learn from his description of the flocks that he observed at Big Bone Lick in Kentucky, where, when “they alighted on the ground, it appeared at a distance as if covered with a carpet of the richest green, orange and yellow.” In Bendire’s “Life Histories of the North American Birds” we find that these birds were formerly extremely abundant in Florida, and they were found “breeding in large colonies in the cypress swamps. Several of the colonies contained at least a thousand birds each. They nested .... in small cypress trees” .... and he has seen as many as forty or fifty nests in one small tree. Today this form, from available information, rests with the great auk and the passenger pigeon. If it does exist, it must be in such very small numbers that all hope of its future survival outside of captivity seems gone. And so from the charm of our Southern life has been taken the one beauty that added so much of tropical hue and splendor—taken to satisfy the greed of men and the savage love for plumage of thoughtless women. But these three vanished forms are but a mere introduction to the terrible extermination that awaits all of our birds. Federal and State reports by the hundreds, widely scattered, but little heeded, tell of the passing of the aigrette, the woodcock, the prairie chicken, wood duck, upland plover, wild turkey, ivory-billed woodpecker, black-throated diver, the graceful terns, and many more too numerous and fearful to mention. Legislators answer by passing numerous laws, whose efficacy is not always above question. These laws of the individual States seldom bear any relationship to each other, and so uniformity of enforcement is lacking. One State may protect a bird, but the States through which the bird migrates may declare it in the “open” class. So the good of one is overcome by the evils of the others. Then, again, laws are valueless unless rigidly enforced, and this has been a source for complaint. To adequately watch the actions of 650,000 hunters (the number of hunters' 8 licenses issued in Pennsylvania last year) is no small task for the handful of game wardens allotted for that purpose. Though absolute enforcement of game laws is possible, it -seems extremely improbable. As in all great social movements today, the greatest progress has resulted where the movement has been brought about not so much by legislation as by the arousing of an intelligent and healthy public sentiment. An education tending towards an understanding of our wild life, both from the economic and ethical standpoints, is needed more today than ever before. We are at a critical point in the accounting of our natural resources, and bird life, especially to the fanner, forms a very large part of these resources. Are we to rest apathetically for the time “when there may be nothing remaining save man and the English sparrow, with all that remains of our forests converted into fancy parks and preserves,” or shall we practice the true patriotism that finds its expression in the preservation of our beneficial forms of life for the good of future generations? H. W. SCHLEHNER. The sun is sinking in the west; His last few rays are sent To tint the clouds a golden hue: The day is nearly spent. The twilight falls; a rosy light Comes o’er the evening sky; The stars now peep out one by one: Their soft light soothes the eye. The whip-poor-will, in woodlands dense, Has sung his farewell song: A nightingale, hid from the view. His sad, soft notes prolong. The cricket chirps upon the hearth, From ’ncath the grate it creeps: The curtains of the night are down, And all in Nature—sleeps. 9 (An (0lii J[asI}ionc darken An artist friend of mine asked me one warm day of last July to -shake the scholastic dust of Chautauqua from my feet and seek mental poise in the open. We passed the critical eye of the man at the gate and boarded a car, telling the conductor to let us off at a certain yellow farmhouse with the lovely garden. We had passed this farm many times and always longed to explore it. We had to pinch ourselves once or twice en route to be sure that we were not dreaming, but really on our way to satisfy a desire of many years’ standing. The obliging conductor informed us that the next stop was our destination. Before us was an old rambling farmhouse, big hemlocks in the yard, and at the side of the house an old-fashioned garden. As I was helping my artist friend to alight with all her paraphernalia, I happened to see a signboard marking the stop, Hick's Switch 1 This rather shocked my esthetic sense; I was mentally picturing an artistic ..ame, “Garden View,” “Hemlock Knoll,” .r what not, and here in big white letters was this shocking name, Hick’s Switch! We left our painting kit under a tree and went up to the house for permission to sketch the garden. As we neared the house the door opened and a dear little white-haired lady greeted us. When we told her our errand she was delighted and told us to stay as long as we cared to. Do you know, up to the very moment that I stood there by that lovely garden, I had always felt that mother Nature had committed an unpardonable faux pas when she did not create me a great painter of out-of-door life. That feeling left me that day and I had a song in my heart to think that I had not responsibility about reproducing that quaint old garden on canvas before the 11.47 car stopped at Hick’s Switch to take us back to dinner. I never realized before how mean and ornery a lovely garden can be on a hot day. That garden didn't look right to my friend’s artistic eye, except from a particularly hot place by the dusty road. So there we planted her green sunshade, easel, camp-stool and the rest. She was blissfully happy, sitting in the boiling sun, and did not seem to take offense at the mean way that garden acted about not posing in some nice cool spot under the trees, where one might sketch in some comfort. When the work was begun I took the cushions and rugs and lay down under the trees. I had my sewing bag and a book, but these were merely sops to my Scotch Presbyterian conscience. In my heart I fully intended to loaf and dream about things. As I lay there in the cool shade, catching glimpses of the blue sky through the tree-tops, I got to thinking how gardens differ in kind just as people do. For instance, we have gardens that supply our food. These are the toilers of the garden world, utilitarian and sordid, perhaps. We put them behind the barn or in the back-yard. They are not topics of polite conversation among the elect. And yet this proletariate is the real backbone of gardendom. There are gardens that might be called the aristocrats of the garden world, the formal gardens. Everything costly and rare, perfection everywhere, in hedge, path and lawn, uncomfortable marble seats, 10 scantily clad Psyches apparently just from the bath hurrying home through the shrubbery, funeral urns filled with indifferent flowers, weeping willows mirroring their woe in artificial pools, imported curiosities from every clime. When I walk through the miniature Japanese gardens with the little grotesque stunted trees, my heart aches, because they remind me so keenly of little crippled children and dwarfs, and I cannot help wondering if these little misshapen trees do not suffer at their blighted lives, just as their little human brothers do. These formal gardens, fenced in so carefully that no tired wanderer or adventure-loving child might enter and enjoy the cool shade, are not American or democratic in spirit. They remind one of the parlors of our grandmother's days with the shut-in smell, stiff furniture, sitting primly against the wall, so cold and unhomelike that no careless child would dare to explore its mysteries, a room rarely used except for funerals or when the minister came to tea. The garden that lies before me is of neither class. It is just a comfortable, middle-class sort of garden, planted without plan or color scheme, a perfect riot of color, but the effect is beautiful. There is an old orchard in the background with a lilac hedge in front. I can’t help thinking what kindly folk the hollyhocks were to stand so tall and beautiful and spread out their dainty green skirts to cover the dilapidated fence. In the middle of the garden were great masses of larkspur and row upon row of magenta and white phlox. The quiet of the place lulled me to sleep and I dreamed that I was a little girl back in the old garden at home, stringing the flowerets of the phlox on timothy stalks to make a jewel crown for the fairy princess who lived in the hollyhock jbed. My .dream was rudely shattered by the voice of my friend, who had finished her sketch and was packing up her things to take the next car. M. E. L. 11 EDITORIAL Published Quarterly by the Students of the School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. Entered at this Ambler Post Ofxick as Sbcond-Class Matter STAFF Editor-In-Chief, Ruth La Ganlce Auoctalc Editor, Ida L. Mill Butlness Manager, Clara M. Bell Art Editor, Fraacai Shinn Secretary, Adeline Greathead On Dollar a Year Sing! Copy, Twenty-fire Cent jSacaiton Vacation—a space of time or condition when there is an intermission in stated employment—an interval in the round of duties—a holiday. So speaks the Century Dictionary—a wise old book—attempting no fuller definition of a word whose magic defies the descriptive powers even of that capable vocabulary. What pleasant picture can the human imagination not draw, inspired by that one small word ? What hopes, what daydreams, what anticipations, are impossible to the imagination, under the stimulus of the vacation-thought ? Is there any thought more restful to mind and body than that of an interval in the round of duties? “Six weeks to vacation—they will soon pass”—and we work with increased ardor, for the time, at least. “One week to vacation”—a thought full of relaxation; and at last, one bright, and probably hot morning, we wake, cry anathema on the loud- voiced robins, doze off, wake with a horrid start as the clock strikes seven—and—fall back upon the pillow. Vacation has arrived. There exists in the world unhappy mortals who can have no appreciation of this. Their lives are made up of intervals of enforced duty in a round of vacations. And as holiday joys can be appreciated only by contrast with work, so work can be best enjoyed (and, to be well done, it must be enjoyed) when we bring to its performance minds and bodies refreshed by change of scene and thought. When our aforementioned round of duties becomes noticeable to us as a round, the interval, however short, is desirable; when our round becomes noticeable to others as such, horror upon horrors! we are in a rut. Fly to vacation, the only hope and sure remedy if taken in large, irregular doses. For each of us, no doubt, vacation has 12 its own peculiar meaning, but for none, surely, should it hold the thought of complete idleness, neither must it be allowed to degenerate into a period of time when Mrs. Grundy and Anthony Comstock have mislaid their spectacles. A wise teacher once told a class of his pupils that education is the means whereby we are enabled to use our spare time profitably, the necessities of life being obtainable by all, comparatively speaking; and the extent of our education, or the desire for it, may be gauged, not by the way in which we earn our bread and butter, nor by the quality of said butter, but by the profit which accrues to us through the intelligent use of our spare time. And right here let us say that the word “profit” and its derivatives have been basely misused. It does not mean mere, common money-getting. What is spare time? It is the time when we need not necessarily work; “an intermission in stated employment;” vacation. Q. E. D. It is the time for recreation f that boon alike to young and old, also to middle-aged. It is the time when we have a chance to do those things which we have left undone and “hadn't orter”; a time when we can ride jour hobbies; and, if you have no hobby, get one at once, and keep it in storage for use in bad weather. Plan, then, before it comes, how to spend this vacation; how to fill the hours after the first few, delightful days of resting, unpacking, talking and eating the good square meals of home. M. B. (Quatrain Deep in Nature’s inmost heart There lies for those who look apart A secret—thrilling, awesome, holy, Alluring to the high and lowly. To know what forest birds are singing, What message summer winds are bringing, To sound the depth of all creation— Is a pleasant musing for vacation. S. Biarg Each student is required to keep a daily record of her work. In this way she becomes familiar with the length of time required for the germination of seeds and the development of flowers, fruits and vegetables. The work of four weeks, typical of the season, is here recorded. September 15, 1911 . Temperature, 7 A. M., 66°; 12.30 P. M., 104° ; 6 P. M., 8o°. Fair. First day of work. Learned that b-u-d spells “bud” and then we budded “Belle of Georgia” peaches. Juniors' first view of school work taken with heads to the ground, in the nursery rows. Floriculture. Assignment of garden tools. Visit to flower garden and greenhouse with the Seniors to tell the Juniors how much they didn’t know about the scientific names of plants. September 16th. Temp. 7 A. M., 65° ; 12 M., ioo°; 6 P. M., 790. Fair. Learned that there is more to a road than we thought. Took measurements on road near school, to find the height of the crown and of the bordering banks. Floriculture. Transplanted Primula Ob-conica from 3-inch to 4-inch pots. Soil— 75% loam, 25% sand. September 17 th. Temperature., 7 A. M., 67°; 12.30, 107°; 6 P. M., 8o°. Fair. The hottest dayl Strolled through lovely sunny fields, with spades for our walking sticks, and took borings with a soil augur (Mr. Doan did the work) to depths of three feet, to see nature of surface and subsoils. Our joy in farm life diminished at each step. Floriculture. Disbudded the chrysanthemums. September 18th. Temp., 7 A. M., 62° ; 12.30 P. M., 740 ; 6 P. M., 6o°. Cloudy. More budding. Elberta peach trees. Floriculture. Transplanted the following from frames in which the seeds had been sown, to other frames, planted 3x2 inches: Papaver Orientale, Myosotis Fan-roberta, Agrostemma Coronaria and Aquil-cgia. September 19th. Temp., 7 A. M., 50°; 12.30, 66°; 6 P. M., 570. Fair and windy. Layered black raspberries. Found some nice, juicy borers in the plum trees and dug them out of their cozy holes. Vegetable Gardening. Picked lima beans and tested (!!!) watermelons. Not bad work, and the melons were pronounced of good quality. November 10th. Temp., 8 A. M., 30° ; 12 M., 440 ; 6.30 P. M., 38°. Fair. Divided into squads, with a Senior as foreman of each, we pruned grape vines, according to the Knififen System. “They may get over it but they’ll never look the same.” Floriculture. Brought the Paper White Narcissi from their storage in the cellar and put them under the benches in the cold greenhouse, so as not to give them sun too suddenly. Had been in storage one month. 14 November 11th. Temp., 8 A. M., 38° ; 12.30 P. M., 520; 6.30 P. M., 450. Fair. Had a regular Fourth of July Celebration. Dynamited fifteen dead apple trees. Each tree took from to 1 l 2 lbs of dynamite (40%), put in a hole bored under the roots. The trees were pretty well shattered by the explosions. Floriculture. Planted Lilies of the Valley for forcing, four pips to a 4-inch pot, in pure sand. Were well watered and covered with moss, put in temperature of 70°. Started tomato seeds for forcing, in flats. Soil—3 parts loam, 1 part sand Varieties: Sterling Castle, Balch’s Fillbasket and Frogmore. November 12th. Temp., 8 A. M., 370; 12.30, 530; 6.30 P. M., 44°. Fair. Made cuttings from the grape vines pruned November 10th. Cut to two or three buds. Buried in burying ground near the wind mill. Interment private. No flowers. (Will be exhumed later and put in solar hot bed). Floriculture. Fixed the fig trees for winter weather by tying them up and giving them coats of rye straw. Started more vegetable seeds for forcing: —lettuce, varieties, Emperor and Grand Rapids; cauliflower, earliest snowstorm. Soil—loam and % sand. November 13th. Temp., 8 A. M., 46°; 12.30 P. M., 62°; 6.30 P. M., 570. Fair and windy. Took a lot of young plum trees from the nursery row, examined for borers and then sorted according to size, tying up in bundles of ten. Trees injured by borers were discarded. Some scions were made from branches pruned. Floriculture. Spaded over and raked up a bed for bulbs. Fritz said we had much to learn about spading. Looked after all our special greenhouse possessions, watering tlie vegetable seeds and shading them, and watering bulbs. Antirrhinum—Silver Pink—planted in greenhouse. Soil—l 2 loam, y2 manure, planted ten inches apart. November lJfth. Temp., 8 A. M., 420; 12.30 P. M., 570; 6.30 P. M., 440. Fair. Stratified a lot of seeds gathered October 9th in woods and nursery rows. Put them into a flat, divided into many compartments, one for each variety. The whole box was buried about two inches below the surface, in well drained soil. Each compartment of seeds was labeled. Floriculture. Transplanted Petunias from 4-inch to 5-inch pots. Soil—30% cow manure, 30% leaf mold, 30% loam and 10% sand. January 19th, 1915. Temp., 8 A. M., 48°; 12.30 P. M., 420; 6.30 P. M., 38°. Cloudy. Brought some apple seedlings from the cellar where they had become slightly moldy and went over them, cutting out all affected roots. Practiced root grafting on some peach seedlings. Floriculture. Transplanted Myosotis from 3-inch to 4-inch pots in soil that was a mixture of left overs. Myosotis evidently not fussy. Sowed Delphinium Belladonna seeds in flats. Soil—2 $ loam and 1-3 leaf mold. Sprinkled, covered with glass and then paper. Planted pansies in the vegetable house in solid beds. Made cuttings of English ivy. Potted in 2-inch pots. Soil—loam, sand and leaf mold. Put lime on carnation beds and cultivated. 15 January 20th. Temp., 8 A. M., 28°; 12.30 P. M., 450 ; 6.30 P. M., 330. Cloudy and snowy. Made root grafts of several varieties of apples. Whip-grafting was the style employed. Both stock and scion are shaped alike—an oblique cut and a perpendicular cleft. The parts were held together by waxed strips of muslin. The grafts were covered with moist sand well over the point of union. Floriculture. Cuttings made of Begonia leaves, Crotons, Pelargoniums, Abutilon, Fuschia, Alternanthera, Coleus and Heliotrope. Put in propagating bed in warm house. Made boxes eight inches deep for our carnation cuttings. Preparation of box for cuttings—one inch drainage, one inch soil (l x cow manure, Yx loam), four inches clean sand. Cuttings made, planted one inch deep, watered and shaded. Cinerarias transplanted from 4-inch to 5-inch pots, Primula Malacoides from 3-inch to 4-inch pots. Soil for both—one-half loam, one-half cow manure. January 21st. Temp., 8 A. M., 28°; 12.30 P. M., 48°; 6.30 P. M., 240. Cloudy. Continued root grafting. Floriculture. Made cuttings of Alternanthera, put them into propagating bed. Transplanted Cineraria and Primula Malacoides as yesterday. January 22d. Temp., 8 A. M., 180 ; 12.30 P. M., 50°; 6.30 P. M., 40°. Made some soil experiments indoors to determine texture and weight of the various soils; also to find the effect of humus, lime and freezing in relieving the puddled condition of clay soils. Several pans of wet clay and wet sand were put out doors to see the effect freezing would have upon them. Only they didn’t freeze, for it rained instead. Floriculture. Brought up Dutch Hyacinth bulbs from storage and gave them water, some shade and a place under the greenhouse benches. Planted some germinated sweet pea seeds in soil—one-third loam, one-third leaf mold, one-third sand, in two-inch pots. Varieties, Christmas Pink, White Orchid, Pink Beauty, Zvolan-ek. Transplanted more Myosotis as per January 19th. Myrsiphyllum Asparagoi-des or smilax, potted in thumb pots in soil of half loam, half leaf mold. Cucumbers potted in three-inch pots, Soil—half loam and half leaf mold. Varieties, Scion House and Telegraph. January 23d. Temp., 8 A. M., 350; 12.30 P. M., 38°; 6.30 P. M., 340. Rainy Floriculture More sweet pea seedlings transplanted. The sweet peas and carnations in cool house cultivated, and also the vegetable house. Transplanted rooted cuttings of Dorothy Perkins rose from sand to soil, half loam and half cow manure. Washed sand. April 29, 1915. Looked for borers in plum and peach trees. Pruned newly set currants and gooseberries. Floriculture. Planted the following in vegetable garden: Lettuce, Beans, Early cabbage, Kohl Rabi, Onion sets. May 5, 1915. Performed an experiment in girdling on 16 young nursery stock to see the effects of girdles of various widths. Half of the wounds were covered with grafting wax, while the others were untreated. Floriculture. Planted verbenas and delphiniums in three-inch paper pots—soil, a rich loam. Planted arabis in stone wall. May 6, 1915. Set out rooted cuttings of boxwood, Dorothy Perkins rose. Planted peach pits that had been stratified. Rubbed off superfluous buds from grape vines. Floriculture. Transplanted Chalk's Early Jewel tomatoes in garden, also New Chinese Giant Peppers. Cultivated the garden and fixed up the paths. May 7, 1915. Weeded and cultivated gooseberries, currants, blackberries and raspberries. Floriculture. Transplanted phlox Drum-mondi seedlings into flats. Planted myoso-tis in stone wall. May IS, 1915. Hoed the strawberry rows. Floriculture. Transplanted centaures im-perialis from flat into paper pots—soil, a rich loam. Planted begonia leaf-cuttings into flat. (Sarhetr 3Fanqj A sunflower lived in splendor Amidst companions gay Within a wondrous garden Where flowers danced all day. There dwelt beneath this flower A pansy, oh so sweet! She wore a gown of yellow, Green slippers on her feet. The pansy loved the sunflower And every day she’d sigh Because her great, tall lover Above her towered so high. The sunflower was too proud to bend, The pansy was too shy, So Cupid’s dart was rusted. With pride he could not vie. The sunflower loved this lady And when on her he’d gaze, His lovely face shot sunbeams From all his golden rays. Alas, such love in gardens Oft endeth like the rest, Which tho’ they’ve sprung in Ardens By Hymen are not blest. L. Eanitecape darkening ®ripa Tuesday, April 27, was a lovely day and the beginning of our landscape gardening trips, always so much enjoyed in the past, and according to our feelings, to be equally enticing in the future. A whole day of garden visiting was before us, so a merry crowd of students, each bearing a small parcel, obviously meaning lunch, gathered at Mr. Morris’ gate in Chestnut Hill. He greeted the class and very kindly conducted us over his entire place, showing every nook and cranny, telling us many interesting talcs about the various shrubs and pointing out features of special interest. Every bush that is hardy in this latitude is somewhere in the garden, and the result was a little upsetting to our vanity when we tried to identify them. Lunch time found the class hot and hungry at the Stenton Mansion. After rest and refreshment, we fairly reveled in this old house, and found the garden very interesting—quite in keeping with the old place. But our time was short, and we soon had to be on our way again, as two places still awaited us. A short walk brought us to a drive shaded by lovely trees, which led up to the home of Miss Fox. It did not take long to reach the garden gate, which swung open and revealed an old, old garden, lovely in its over-grown green and splashes of color from many bulbs and early phlox. We wandered through the paths and explored little recesses that unexpectedly appeared among the bushes and vines, until we were called away to visit a neighboring garden. Mrs. Wright met us and much to our delight went over the garden with us. It was bright with many-colored tulips and early perennials. Just beside the garden an old quarry had been converted into a rock garden. The vines, blooming plants and trees made a delightful surprise of unexpected color as one came up the drive or peered down from the garden. The woods which lay across from the house was just beginning to show the colors of the wild honeysuckle and dogwood, and it was with regret that the hot and tired company left the cool recesses and trailed out of sight for home. Tuesday, May 4. Everyone looked particularly happy in spite of the drizzling rain, for Miss Ely, of Bryn Mawr, was hostess for the day. The morning was spent in visiting a nearby garden. Here a small garden lay back of the house on a terrace, and sloping down from this on another level lay the drive, from which a stretch of lawn led to a brook running through a wild garden planted in ferns, flowers, shrubs and trees. The wild garden proved the most attractive to the students, and not a corner was left unexplored and unadmired. Twelve o’clock found a hungry crew bearing down upon Miss Ely’s home, and after a delightful luncheon we went out into the garden. We found it inclosed by a screen of high shrubs, inside of which was a deliciously cool combination of blue, white and yellow flowers. A perennial border led from one side of this toward the greenhouse and vegetable garden. The lawn, dotted with lovely old trees and some smaller flowering ones, spread away from 13 the house on every side. The trees made an attractive background for the house. Our enjoyment was cut short all too soon by the whistle of the afternoon train, and once more we were on our way back to school by way of Philadelphia. Tuesday, May 11. Another landscape gardening day arrived with lovely weather for the trip. The first garden to claim our attention was that of Mr. W. W. Frazier, of Jenkin-town. The old box hedges that inclosed the flower garden and also the vegetable garden were the envy and delight of everyone. The gardener told us in a most interesting way how he took cuttings from them, and showed us a row of baby bushes growing sturdily and soon to have the honor of decorating the garden alongside of their parents. Mrs. Fisher’s garden was to be our next delight, so we hurried away and left the little box bushes to grow alone with many admonitions to try and live up to the glory of their parents. Soon the entrance of the place was in sight, and the drive leading up to the house wound in among a lovely wood of wild flowers and old trees. The garden here consisted mainly of a perennial border, gay with flowers of many colors and backed by shrubs of every kind. Once in a while a bright-colored azalea of enormous size gave contrast to the greens of many shades and blended in with the smaller flowers clustered around its base. The border ran along the one side of a curving path. On the other side of it there lay an open meadow sloping down to a group of trees and filled with daisies. The path finally ended near the wood, and the road leading past the house invited us up in that direction, where stood the automobiles which whirled us away to Mr. Gement Newbold’s garden, which was not far off. This garden, which lay quite a distance from the house, was built in two levels, forming a smaller garden several feet below the larger one, both of which were filled with flowers in bloom and ones still to come out. The woods, filled with rhododendrons and azaleas, proved as enticing as it had last year, for, you see, this was the second visit for some of us. We wandered enchanted up the woodsy path till we finally caught a glimpse of the rock garden, which had apparently been an old quarry of fairly good size. Low growing plants of brilliant hues covered the rocks and edged the paths that were laid out in many directions. The paths led to a straw-thatched summer house which nestled in the lowest portion. The sun was getting low when the class started for home with a feeling of contentment for a day well spent. Tuesday, May 25. Last week found us at the school, discussing our past trips, but this week we started out again with increased interest on our trips. This time it was to a place in Doylestown. We had been told that it held many charms, and indeed we found it so. The garden was quite different from anything that we had seen before and had many surprises in the form of fountains tucked in here and there among the green statues, unusual bird baths and jars of unique design filled with plants. The trickling water gave a feeling of rest and coolness, added to by the soft shades of green obtained by evergreens, boxwood and shrubs. Splashes of bright color lent variety and charm to the whole. Pheasants of rare kinds strutting proudly around in 19 vine-covered inclosures served to make one feel more than ever cut out from the outside world. We remained enchanted by it all for a long time, and when we went away we took with us an impression and memory not soon to be forgotten. These have been our trips thus far. What special delight the future holds for us we do not know, but of one thing we are sure: that the past pleasures afforded us will not soon be forgotten by any of the class, and the students are very grateful to Miss Lee for her interest and guidance in this work. Here’s to the future and more gardens to come! —Frances Shinn- We wish to thank all our exchanges for their publications received during this past year, and trust that they have enjoyed and profited by our magazine as we have by tfteirs. The editors as they enter upon their new duties next fall have our best wishes for success. We welcome the Chestnut Burr among our exchanges. The Clio has interesting stories and some good cuts. Lasell Leaves, all your departments are good. Your criticisms of exchanges are excellent. The many stories in The Irwinian shows the interest of pupils. A table of contents would not come amiss. The Magpie, your pages contain a good story, “La Danseuse.” Some cuts could add to the attractiveness of The Thurstonian. “The Bells,” in the March number of The Tatler, is worthy of comment. We have enjoyed the Maryland Collegian. Putnam Hall Chronicle is very good, as usual. The story, “Love and War,” is interesting and well written. Les Collines has a good literary section. The Wallcourt Lion is always interesting. The cover and general arrangement of the magazine is very attractive. The Gleaner publishes a good commencement number. The Western Oxford is a welcome mem. ber of our exchange list. 20 jicljool trtea March 25. The students enjoyed an interesting talk given by Miss Mary Blakiston on “The Playgrounds of Philadelphia.” March 26. Mr. Briggs, of the State Agricultural Department, was spokesman for the entire day. In the morning, armed with pruning shears and a ladder, he gave a practical demonstration of proper methods of pruning. The program for the afternoon included a talk on spraying and spraying materials, followed by a trip to the vineyard and the pruning of some of the vines. In the evening, despite his strenuous day, Mr. Briggs gave a most interesting talk on “Birds,” showing us his valuable collection, which includes a passenger pigeon. April 21. Great excitement 1 We drew lots for the assignment of our Vegetable Garden. Then began such a digging, raking, hoeing and marking, and finally, sowing of -seeds as you never did see before. April 26. Moving Day! With one accord and a Henry Ford we gaily made our long delayed entry into the new building. It was all very strange at first, but now that the smell of fresh paint has worn off and some of our misplaced belongings have come to light, we begin to feel less like visitors and more like permanent residents. May 6. We owe one of the jolliest times of the whole year to the “Cottagers” who gave us a glorious straw-ride. After a delightful ride along shady lanes, we stopped at Willow Grove and enjoyed a picnic supper, which included all sorts of delectable eats. To be sure, the deviled eggs were forgotten in the excitement and bustle of starting; but, after all, what’s an egg or two among friends? Everybody having eaten just a little more than they possibly could, we piled back into the wagon and, packed like sardines, with tli e superfluous ones hanging on by their eyelashes, cracked the whip, and the fiery steeds charged on towards Hatboro. It was a wonderful night, and with the aid of a dozen tin horns, we tried to convince the world at large that we, at least, appreciated it. May 7. Mr. H. W. Selby, connected with a large commission house of Philadelphia, gave an interesting talk to the students on marketing. May 15. First lesson of the Preserving Course. The class meets every Saturday afternoon from 1.30 to 3.30 in the kitchen of the old building. May 19. Fatal day! Antirrhinums were ruthlessly beheaded. Sounds like the Germans, but I cannot tell a lie, the Seniors did it with their little knives. May 22. For days we heard nothing but Fair, Fair, Fair, but alack! alas! when the 22d came it was anything but fair. For it couldn’t have rained harder when Friend Noah took to his ark. But the Conference and Sale refused to be submerged and our friends likewise refused to be kept at home. The machines arrived in a steady stream— big ones, little ones, gray ones and blue; taxis and limousines, touring cars, too. Onward they came, bringing farmers, dukes and lords. May 27. “All the world’s a stage,” but in this case all the farm was a stage, for the Pathe Moving Picture Company bore down upon us and wound up our reels to the tune of hoeing, raking and dynamiting; hence we hope soon to have that long-dreamed-of pleasure of “seeing ourselves as others see us.” 21 (Hanning anb reserbing As the seasons of abundance of fruits and vegetables come around we are moved, like the bee, to lay by for the winter. How best to keep over these valuable additions to our diet is a question. Before we had any knowledge of the action of bacteria the most common way of preservation was by means of drying. In this way we kept apples, corn, pumpkin, peaches and so forth. To this method was added the use of such preservatives as vinegar, spices, salt and large amounts of sugar, as in jams and jellies, all of which prevent the growth of micro-organisms. The packing of vegetables in barrels of sand or in holes in the ground away from the bacteria-filled air was still another way. The modern method is the thorough sterilization of product and jar or can, and sealing to prevent further contact with the air. Through the extensive scientific experimentation carried on by the agricultural department of the Government and departments of various colleges we have come to a definite understanding of the causes of the spoiling of fruits and vegetables. This is the first step towards satisfactory preservation. Besides bacteria we know that yeast and molds have a part in the spoiling of fruits and vegetables. These are present in the air. To yeast is due the fermentation of fruit and production of gas, as we see it in a jar which has been “working.” The presence of this wild yeast in the air was made use of in the old-time process of making salt-rising bread. In order to be sure of the keeping of fruit and vegetables when canned, we must practice sterilization about as carefully as a surgeon. The first step is to see that the jars and cups are thoroughly boiled; spoons, funnels, strainers and other apparatus dipped in boiling water. If one bacterium escapes it is capable of producing 17,000,000 others in twenty-four hours. A well swept room dusted with a damp cloth and which has the disinfection action of sunshine some part of the day will have less of these little organisms to bother us. Next to the thorough sterilization of jars and utensils is the importance of fresh rubbers each year. They become stiff and porous with age and use and it pays to buy many new ones rather than lose one jar of fruit. For the best results the material to be canned should be in its prime. Only when fully ripe is the flavor well developed. The over-ripe and specked fruit is harder to sterilize and should be saved for jams and preserves. In making jelly, sealing is not necessary, because the large quantity of sugar makes an unsuitable place for bacteria and yeast to grow; but it must be covered to prevent mold spores from dropping upon the surface. If the jelly stands uncovered for some little time it is a good plan to brush over the surface with alcohol, which will kill any mold spores, or to put a piece of paper dipped in alcohol on the jelly before pouring over it the melted paraffine. One of the points to remember is to get the fruit at the time when the pectin, the jelly-, making material, is at its best; also that small fruit should not be picked after a rain, as the fruit absorbs so much water.. If necessary to wash It, it should be done very quickly, for the same reason. 22 There are two general methods of canning: the open-kettle plan, in which the fruit is cooked and then packed in sterile jars; and the other in which it is placed directly in the jars and cooked. The object should be to have the product as near like the fresh fruit as possible, only sufficient sugar for good flavor being used. Fruit is better canned than preserved, as the excess sugar in preserves makes them harder to digest. For the very acid fruits, such as cranberries and currents, the sealing in a sterile jar with cold water has been found successful. Rhubarb can be treated in this way also. The large amount of acid in these foods prevents the growth of micro-organisms. When we come to canning vegetables, the lack of much acid and the presence of protein in some of them makes it much more difficult to sterilize. It has been found that a second boiling on the next day, and even a third day, is necessary to be sure that all bacteria escaping the first and second time are really killed. Cooking in the jar is also a most efficient way. With proper sterilization, commercial preservatives are never necessary. Dr. Wiley tells us that these taken continuously are injurious to health. When starting upon the day of canning, much time and temper can be saved by having everything at hand. If possible these things should be available: scales, quart measure, preserving kettle, plated knives, large spoon of enamel or wood, tablespoon and fork, pint and quart cans, new rubber rings, jelly glasses with covers, cloth jelly bag, stick on which to hang bag, large bowl, boiler in which to steam jars, a funnel, dipper, old cloths, saucer and spoon for testing, and a colander. Of the different kinds of jars, each has its own advocate; the screw-top, the snap-top and the lacquered tin lid, which has to be renewed each year. For the small family, pint jars are most practical. Tops of all kinds can be renewed when worn or broken. The great necessity for a sufficient amount of fruit and vegetables in our diet is being stressed by physicians. We can only be sure of sufficient mineral compounds, acids, water and bulk to make a properly planned dietary, by having daily fruit and vegetables in our bill of fare. The practical importance of a better knowledge of canning has been recognized by the U. S. Government in the canning clubs which have been organized in the rural districts. People have been stimulated to take care of the excess production of the farm and thus prevent much waste, and, incidentally, give themselves a much more healthful dietary during the following year. The young people have been interested to increase the production of their farms when it has been shown them that it is feasible to can and market the product. During the past season something like ioo,-ooo women and young people have been instructed in the canning classes under the supervision of government demonstrators. Thus it has been shown that it is practical for the producer to handle the excess product to his great advantage. In the ordinary household, with the small purchases for canning and hiring help to do the work, it may be more economical to take advantage of the commercial product. The important points of the whole matter, however, are the proper selection of fruit, proper utensils on hand and suitable processes to prevent growth of bacteria, yeast and molds. —Sydney Evans. 23 “The season may be dry, Or the rain may seldom stop; But there’s never any failure In the dandelion crop.” The U. S. has shipped a carload of watermelons to Germany so that the Kaiser can feed the Germans on the Rhine. The following epistolary specimens were written by Chinamen to a lady who was managing a missionary hospital in the interior. The wives of the writers had been patients in the hospital; the one died, the other was cured. Wrote the bereaved husband : Dear and fair madam:—I have much pleasure to inform you that my dearly unfortunate wife will be no longer under your kind treatment, she having left this world for the other on the night of the 27th ultimo. For your help in this matter I shall ever remain grateful. “Yours reverently, « � And the Chinaman whose spouse was spared wrote as follows: “Dear she:—My wife has returned from your hospital cured. Provided males are allowed at your bungalow, I would like to do your the honor of presenting myself there this afternoon. But I will not try to repay you. Vengeance belongth unto God.” Teacher “What are the three words the seniors use the most?” Johnny—“I don’t know.” Tteacher—“Correct.” How to tell the flowers from the weeds: pull them up by the roots. If they are flowers that will be the last of ’em; if weeds, only the beginning. “How is it farm products cost more than they used to, Si?” “Wa’al,” said Mr. Hayseed, “when a farmer is supposed to know the botanical name of what he’s raisin’ an’ the zoological name of the insect that eats it, an’ the chemical name of what will kill it, somebody’s got to pay.” Miss Bang—(in carpentry) “Dot and I made this table for my room.” Miss Bing—(reading the Cosmopolitan) “That’s nothing, I just made this magazine-stand alone.” “Charles,” said the teacher in the botany class, “can you tell me the difference between annual and biennial plants?” “Yes’m,” said Charles, “annuals are plants that die once a year and biennials are those that die twice a ear.” 1 “If there is one lesson of history that is unmistakable it is that national strength lies very near the soil.”—Daniel Webster. 24 G.M .DECK6, CO. HARDWARE HOUSE FURNISHINGS AMBLER ND 00L5 ppr''- ' HEATING TINSMITHING PENNA. VICTOR MAYER Ladies’ and Men s Tailor H. R. NIBLOCK Restaurant and Oyster House Steam Dyeing and Scouring Altering, Cleaning and Pressing. Repairing Neatly Done Oysters in all Styles Meals at all Hours WE MANUFACTURE ICB CREAM B ll42A e 421 Butler Avenue, Ambler, Pa. 417 Butler Afenor ambler, pa. Both Phone BANK F. S ARNOLD OF AMBIB, PA. J. Watson Craft E. H. Faust President Vice-President Win. A. Davis, Cashier Dealer in Beef, Veal, Lamb and Pork SAUSAGE, SCRAPPLE, BUTTER, EGGS AND POULTRY Fort Washington, Pa. Bell Phone GOOD THINGS TO EAT PREPARE FOR THE WINTER NOW BY ORDERING YOUR Canned Fruits and Vegetables, Preserves, Jellies, Fruit Syrups, Marmalades, Grape Juice, Catsup FROM THE School of Horticulture for Women 18882510 H. J. DAGER, INC. SUBURBAN REAL ESTATE. INSURANCE AND MORTGAGES FARMS A SPECIALTY AMBLER, PA. J. Watson Craft Ambler, Pa. Manufacturer of and Dealer in “Enterprise” Brand of Scratch and Mash Feed Dairy Feed constantly in stock. Complete Lme of Building Material LEHIGH COAL Pittsburg Electric Fence and other Fencing Materials CREO MAKES HENS WEIGH, LAY, PAY Kills lice and mites. Cures diseases of poultry. Cleanses, disinfects. Easy to use. 35c per pint bottle. STILLWAGON, THE DRUGGIST GOOD THINGS TO EAT Canned Fruits, Preserves, Fruit Syrups, Marmalades, Grape Juice, Catsup and Tomato Pickle, Evaporated Apples and Pears. MADE IN AMERICA MADE DY WOMEN FOR SALE DY WOMEN AT THE School of Horticulture For Women W. N. HEISS --DEALER IN- Dry Goods, Notions, Millinery, Men’s Furnishings 303-305 Butler Ave., AMBLER, PA. THIS BOOKLET FROM THE PRESS OF GEO. W. LUTZ II SOUTH MAIN ST. BELL phone AMBLER. PA. i GREENHOUSE ERECTED FOR MR. F. DISSTON AT ST. DAVIDS. PA. FIND OUT FROM US WHAT A GREENHOUSE COSTS EVERY once in a while after we have told a pros pective customer what the cost of a greenhouse will be to meet his particular requirements, he declares that if he had known they could be bought so reasonable, he would have had one long ago. There seems to exist in the minds of a good many, the impression that greenhouses are a millionaiie's ab luxury. Unquestionably, they do add greatly to the eyes to many of their delightful possibilities. pleasures of the so-called moneyed class; but you don’t have to be anything like a millionaiie to luxuriate in the joys of possessing one. We have a booklet entitled TwoG’s, Glass Gardens, or a Peep Into Their Delights, ” that we would like to send you. It will set you right on many of your wrong greenhouse impressions, and open your ' ‘ ighl............. New York Boston Chicago Tord fiurnhamfo. SALES OFFICES PHILADELPHIA. Franklin Bank Building Rochester Cleveland Toronto Montreal AMBLER BAKING CO. Whatever else you may select in your daily order of food supplies remember the two strong points about our products: THE SANITARY METHODS employed in making the goods and the STANDING INVITATION to the public to visit the plant at any time. BREAD—ROLLS—CAKES BAKERY: AMBLER, PA. and the Roof A Stray Spark Caught That spark destroyed more than the home —it has swept away things that neither money nor labor can restore— things that sentiment and love have rendered priceless. Some cold, bleak night you and your family may also be mournfully looking at a heap of ruins that a few minutes previous was your home, unless you protect yourself against the devastation of the stray spark; the one certain protection is to roof with Ambler Asbestos “Century” Shingles. But don’t do it until you’ve proved to yourself that they arc fireproof—not partly, but absolutely. Send us your address and we will mail you a sample Ambler Asbestos “Century” Shingle and also tell you where you can most conveniently obtain them. Hold this sample shingle over a lamp. Hold it there as long as you like and it won’t burn—it can’t—it’s asbestos. Test the shingle for toughness. Try and bend it. You can’t. Just because you can’t, it makes a roof that lasts— nobody knows how long, but at least as long as your house. Look at its beauty—its soft, artistic, unfading colorings. It comes in red, blue-black and gray. It doesn’t need paint and it never will. KEASBEY MATTISON COMPANY, Dept. A, Ambler, Pa AMBLER Offices and Warehouses in all Important Cities throughout the United States Asbestos Shingles A m. A _A - • An Ambler Asbestos Century Shingle roof can't wear out. doesn't depreciate, doesn't look, split nor warp. It stands up equally well in the coldest winter and the hottest summer. Its only expense is its first cost and that is low. quality and worth considered. Right now. write us for the sample shingle. FOR THE KEEPING OF ACCOUNTS MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY SELECTIONS OF------- USE MOORE’S MODERN METHODS 177 LOOSE LEAF OUTFITS FROM $1.25 UPWARDS Leo Lukens SOLE AGENTS 23 North 13th Street 719 Walnut Street PHILADELPHIA STATIONERY BLANK BOOKS PRINTING WOODLAWN INN A. L. KLINE, PROPRIETOR Delightfully located, eighteen miles from Philadelphia. Meals a la carte. Dinners arranged for motor parties. Large airy rooms. Guests can be accommodated all the year. Diamonds, Watches Clocks, ,c:u- -Cut Glass, French Ivory, Novelties, eic. AT Lamphere’s Jewelry Store AMBLER, PA. POULTRY FOR SALE BROILERS OR FRYINO CHICKENS to 2Yt lbs. @ 28c. per pound SOFT ROASTERS 4 to Q'A lbs. @ 28c. per pound Dressed but not drawn unless ordered. Delivered by Parcel Post School of Horticulture for Women TELEPHONE 66 J-1 AMBLER, PA. FfcOCCD’Q SEEDS, PLANTS, BULBS yaLLIX D ARE thoroughly reliable. Successfully used by leading Gardeners during the past seventy-seven years and dependable in every way for best results. DREER’S GARDEN BOOK FOR 1915 describes and offers the best Novelties and Standard Varieties of Roses, Hardy Perennials, Decorative Plants, Bedding Plants, Garden and Greenhouse Plants, Water Lillies, Flower Seeds and Bulbs, Garden and Farm Seeds and everything needed for Garden, Greenhouse, or Farm including Garden Implements, Fertilizers, Insecticides, Lawn Mowers, Lawn Rollers, Etc. also gives valuable cultural notes, especially written by experts. This Garden Book is the most complete catalogue published and is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photo engravings, four colored plates and four duotone plates. Every one interested in the garden or farm should have a copy which is free at our stores, or will be mailed upon receipt of application. SOW DREER’S LAWN GRASS SEEDS FOR SUREST AND MOST PERMANENT RESULTS HENRY A. DREER PHILADELPHIA , PA 6 ’ Upholsterer, Cabinet Maker and Finisher Furniture repaired and recovered or made to order, to fit any place in your home; made right, and we beat Philadelphia houses on prices. Let us show samples of carpets, linoleums, awnings and shades; estimates furnished. A. LAPETINA 409 Bailer Annie AMBLER, PA. Keystone Phone 3A xBell Phone 26 m SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE FOR WOMEN AMBLER, PENNSYLVANIA 18 MILES FROM PHILADELPHIA Spring Term of regular 2-year course begins FEBRUARY 14, 1916 Practical and theoretical training in the growing of FRUITS. VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS Simple Carpentry, Bees, Poultry, Preserving, School Gardening, Elementary Landscape Gardening The demand for trained women to fill positions, along horticultural lines, is steadily growing. ELIZABETH LEIGHTON LEB, Director Consultant to (he Garden Club of America $4? 4? sj? sft? 4? % 4? $4? § € CONTENTS A Warm Welcome to “Wise Acres ..... 2 A Vacation Venture................. 3 Trenton Fair....................... 4 Orchids............................ 5 The Drive.......................... 6 Water Gardens...................... 7 Organic Matter in the Soil......... 9 The School Garden..................10 Autumn Days........................11 Le Reveillon......................1 1 School Notes.......................12 Coming Events......................12 Rymed Riddles .....................13 gj g % $ §5 d$6 45 d$6 2$5 $S 4545 6 5 £§6 5 9§6 6 $6 ($§ 4 WISE-ACRES 4 Vol. ii October, 1915. No. 7 Published Quarterly by the Students of the School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. Entered at the Ambler Post Office as Second-Class Matter STAFF Editor-In-Chief, Louiie Carter Business Manager, Loi� Go Advertising Editor, Katherine Cohen Associate Editor, Jane Righter Exchange Editor, Amy Woodruff Secretary, Pauline Greathead Associate Advertising Editor, Dorothea Helweg One Dollar a Year Single Copy, Twenty-five Cents Ptarttt 'Qilelccmte ta “ piise JVcres ” STroin an (Aittnirtng Jfrienb “Wise Acres” is a good healthy baby one year old, “going on two!” It has grown apace and justified its careful and tender upbringing. Its nurses are so faithful and capable that nothing can go amiss with it now, and it has passed that fatal period, its “second summer.” May its wisdom and acreage increase as fast as its years! May it carry a message of health and cheer as well as wisdom wherever it goes! Its object is to give you a breath of fresh, invigorating country air during the winter months. It will also tell you where to buy fresh country vegetables and fruits, and establish connections directly between producer and consumer. It will give you hints for good cultivation, drop a few words of wisdom occasionally as to the success of new methods; perhaps tell you how to make two crops grow where one grew before and many other matters of interest. And fun! Oh, yes, plenty of it! Sentiment too, for our lusty infant has a heart as well as a head. In other words, it is a perfect child! It looks good to me, Try it and see. A dollar well spent You will never repent. “A GODMOTHER.” 2 A BUciration Venture I went to Canada this summer in search of adventure, experience and to find out how much I had learned at the School of Horticulture about real work. I was not expecting much financial gain, which was fortunate as it saved me from disappointment. It was raining in torrents when we arrived at Lome Park and continued to do so almost without cessation for three days, so our introduction to The Hostel was anything but encouraging. The Hostel is the camp which the owners of Glen Levin Farm have established for the girl pickers who come out from the city to harvest the fruit crops in the neighborhood. It consists of three shacks, each having sleeping accommodations for about ten girls, and a fourth which contains the dining room, kitchen and laundry. Our room was in the shack known as The Bungalow, which had six bedrooms opening out onto a screened porch. So we were comfortable enough but exceedingly dull during those first wet days, passing part of the time profitably in rolling bandages and sewing shirts for soldiers, a la Sister Susie, in the big living room at Glen Levin. When the weather cleared, after three or four days, the sunshine was a welcome sight, but the rain had done its damage, for the raspberry crop was nearly ruined. The next four weeks proved to be very busy and interesting ones. Every morning, after a 6.30 breakfast, the girls departed to the different farms to which they were assigned as pickers, and then it was work more or less steadily until 5.30. About 6 P. M. the girls would come straggling back to The Hostel, tired but cheerful, comparing notes as to work and the day’s profits. “How much did you make today, Bella?” “O, I was lazy, only picked five carriers (at 12 cents a piece). The berries are awful over at T’s, had to chase all over the patch to get that many.” Then there was a great hurry to get dressed for dinner at seven o’clock, for we were a cleanly crowd. Fresh middies appeared, and faces had a scrubbed appearance and our hands were clean, even if they were black, for berry picking does not improve the appearance of nails. I invented a way to keep my own from stains one day when I was going to be a lady and go to the golf club for tea in the afternoon, but it's a secret to the trade and can only be told to those who really need the information. After a short experience as a picker I was promoted to the rank of foreman. I owed the raise” to the war, nearly all of Mr. H’s force of men having enlisted, and to the rain which had made the crop light enough for a girl to handle. I had to assign my force of pickers to their rows in the patch, keep them supplied with empty baskets, carry the full ones to the packing sheds and then pack them into crates for shipment. It really was interesting and I grew to feel quite vitally concerned over the condition of the berries and the probable price “we” would get for them in Toronto. Besides the raspberries and blackberries, which were the chief crops during my stay, the girls picked strawberries, cherries, plumbs and apples, and on some farms did considerable weeding and hoeing. Straw- 3 berries were the most popular and must have been quite profitable, judging from the talcs they told me of their earnings. The girls who came to The Hostel were of many sorts, teachers, stenographers, school girls, servants and a very few prospective farmers like myself. They were nearly all either Scotch or English, and they called me “The American 1 They all seemed to regard “The States” as a great and wonderful country, and one, a very amusing English girl, had lived several years in Cleveland and was positively puffed up with pride about it. Had it been Philadelphia, dear knows what would have been the result! The Hostel closed August 28th and the girls dispersed to their various homes and occupations. I moved up to Glen Levin and stayed on to help with gathering in the plums, bleaching celery, and giving the blackberry patches a few final pickings. When I left I took away exactly the sum of money I had brought, having paid all my expenses, a whole lot of experience and the feeling of having had both a profitable and an enjoyable adventure. Clara M. Bell, Class of 1916. ®l]e UFrertfon JFatr We went to the Trenton Fair, And all the world was there From ham burg steak grandmother made To the world’s champion wrestling maid ; Mechanical plows, and Happy Jack, Who could not get his temper back, Farm implements where engines puffed, And quaint old dolls the Quakers stuffed, And biplanes soaring to the stars, Race tracks, Y. M. C. A.’s and bars, And tunes in every sort of time, People from every land and clime, Flowers in many a glowing shade, Varieties of cabbage staid, Soft white-downed, high-prized, Chinese geese, The world-famed wise man’s only niece, And every kind of shout and yell And perfumed air to vilest smell; Bookmakers, plain folk, city skate, Push, eat, and stare, and crowd and wait. 4 (©rcljibs Among our rarest and most beautiful flowers are found the orchids which, with their indescribable coloring and their strange, fantastic mimicry of birds and butterflies, are of peculiar fascination. Their origin is more or less shrouded in mystery, for they come to us, for the most part, from far distant tropical jungles and arc often procured only after the greatest hardships and difficulties on the part of the collector. Some men devote their entire lives to this work and are never successful in finding a truly valuable variety. Many of our fairest specimens come from Brazil, and each year collectors, making their way up the Amazon, travel far into the interior through mountain districts, or into marshy lowlands, always in search of new specimens. The trips are usually made during the months when the orchids are in dormant condition, as blooming specimens could never be carried back to port with any degree of certainty as to their surviving the journey. So it is all a game of luck and chance whether they secure a truly valuable variety, for sometimes after spending many months in the wildest regions of the tropics, exposed to innumerable diseases and hardships, they return home only to find when their orchids bloom that they have nothing but the most common varieties. New varieties, and especially those of beautiful form and fragrance, are of the greatest value; in some cases a single plant has brought as much as ten thousand dollars. The flowers have unusual lasting properties, and a well-formed flower will frequently last for three months on the plant and in certain varieties the cut flowers are almost as lasting. Orchids, in habit of growth, are epiphy- tal, growing upon trees, but deriving no nourishment from them. It is often that they are obtained from high limbs with the greatest of difficulty, which only adds the more to the spirit of danger incurred in the expedition and increases the value of the flower. The plant when detached appears dry and ill-shapen, showing no promise of its perfect bloom. It requires considerable skill to remove a plant from the branch or tree, for each separate root must be loosened with the utmost care lest the vitality of the plant be lowered. Immediately after a plant is separated from the tree it is wrapped in damp moss and laid in a tin box, and in this condition they carry satisfactorily. Collectors usually take donkeys with them to carry the plants and the boxes are hung to the saddles. It is said that the collector usually arrives home with three-fourths of his specimens in good condition. ;The statement has been advanced that certain species of a rare Brazilian orchid can be pollinated only by the mosquito. The insect is first attracted by the bright color of the flower, to the lower drooping petal commonly known as the lip, and upon this petal it is guided by the two tiny rows of yellow fuzz to the honey cup of the flower. As it passes its body brushes the ripened pollen, which is borne in this way from flower to flower. It is of interest to note that there are at present six thousand known varieties. For one with the love of adventure what endless possibilities and how great the reward if he penetrate into some portion of the tropic hitherto not thoroughly explored and return with the six thousand and first variety. 5 %tje of a Metropolis At times when the rush and unrest of the city weary and quite overwhelm one, the longing and impulse is strong to seek the wild woodlands and wide stretches of uplands where the bobolink calls to his mate and the shy little star grass peers up through the green in a tentative way. One lingers for a moment in the crowded thoroughfare and then, with a sigh for the beauty so far afield, turns instinctively to Riverside. There clings a certain indescribable charm to this spot, so commonly known to its habitants as “The Drive ’ whether thronged with its gay procession of saunterers or quite deserted, as on a rainy hour. Then the soft grey of river and sky is broken only by the darker density of the Jersey Shore. The friendly rain hammers its gentle tattoo on the solitary umbrella and the quiet peace leaves one with a contented heart. But it is best to seek the sequestered paths, early, before the city is astir. Then the river is bluer than the sky as its dartles its iridescence of blue and gold, while the sunbeams dance on its choppiness. One hears the first whistled music of the starling and notes the tiny pink buds of the barberry nestled in the green, the first shy heralders of spring. And there the seagulls sport above the water, now soaring high into the air and now with a whirl of grey and white swooping downward to the waves, those mighty lovers of the sea. |Then as the morning wears on, and the city has breakfasted, the nurse maids saunter down, each with her small charge. The stately English maid with cloak and cap passes with haughty glance the little rosy-checked lass, fresh from the hills of Ireland, and the little French madainoiselle conscientiously chatters her native tongue, though it be in rebukes and cross phrases. Strange species of elephant and duck and dog meander idly here and there, obedient to the wills of their young masters, and shouts and joyous laughter mingle with the noisy roll of amateur skaters and feigned “honk honks” of sturdy velocipedists, for childhood revels on “The Drive.” After the luncheon hour, the children renew their play, joined by the older ones from school. Pink and white dimpled babies under pink and white downy coverlets coo forth their happy music, or rudely awakehed from their nap raise their voices in mighty lamentations, displeased with the world and everything therein. And then the sun sinks lower and lower in the west and “The Drive” is quite deserted save for a few who linger here and there. The rifted crimson flames brighter across the sky and for an instant it remains in all its brilliant beauty and then the colors blend and slowly fade away. And as dusk deepens and the shadows lengthen, for a misty moment, twilight reigns alone. One by one the lights shine out from the myriad, windowed houses towering there, and suddenly by the movement of some unseen hand, far up and down the drive, the lamps twinkle and shine forth, the silent sentinels of the night. The heavy busses lumber by and the slow-paced footfalls of the police mingle with the drowsy twitter of the birds and the gentle swash of the waves upon the shore, and it is evening on “The Drive.” 6 L. C. Plater darhens From centuries long gone by it has been felt that no landscape effect is complete or perfected without the charm and beauty which water lends, and so we have today our water gardens which originated in theory with the Japanese many decades ago. These gardens are classed as those formal and those naturalistic. It is perhaps the latter which appeal to and interest us the most strongly. The first important consideration is the water supply. If a natural pond is to be used, the circulation of the water is essential, that no stagnation may occur. Often in the country a small stream or brooklet may be diverted and so regulated that the sun will warm the waters and tropical lilies be grown. If a city water supply is available, the desire for a water garden may be easily realized. In such a spot, however, the water spigot looks rather utilitarian and a hose-pipe may be used with success to supply the water. In artificial pools where cement bottoms and sides are used it is not necessary to bring the cement to the top, as stones rising a little from the water about the edge give more natural and beautiful lines. It must be remembered that the water garden is, except in cases of grottos and pools hidden in the woods, a feature of the landscape, and its setting is of the most decided importance. This framing of the water garden scene may be perfected through vistas here and there and luxuriant growth of trees and shrubbery which will mirror their fantastic shadows and reflections in the water. The sky line may be varied by the tree tops, Lombardy poplars towering through a mass of foliage and silhouetted against the horizon give an “echo” to the picture. But here, too, moderation must be exercised and the natural beauty of the garden must not be distorted into a museum for spectacular horticultural effects, and care must be taken that only plants adaptable to the location and conditions be grown. About the margin of the pool many beautiful effects may be obtained through careful and judicious planting of shrubbery and such low growing ornamentals. Small runnels may be made at either side, making the adjoining land swampy, and here in the bog garden the subacquatic plants may be grown, of which there are many exceed-ingly beautiful native varieties, such as the swamp mallows, bulrushes, water ferns and sagitarria, which, if properly cultivated, flowers beautifully. The rich masses of shrubbery, rhododendrons, azaleas, iris and cardinal flowers form a screen for the tree trunks and in blooming season add a gorgeous beauty. It is perhaps the contour of the water garden that requires the most skilled treatment. Prince Puckles, the great German landscape architect of a century ago, wrote “The projecting tongues of land must for the greater part run into pointed, not rounded ends.’1 Professor C. F. Sargent, in describing his own artificial pond on his estate at Holm Lea, Brookline, Mass., has written, “The base of these elevated banks and promontories opposite are planted with thick masses of rhododendrons, which flourish superbly in the moist, peaty soil, 7 protected as they arc from drying winds by the trees and high grounds.” Moss grown rocks jutting from the land and forming miniature archipelagoes add variance, and water lilies of many varieties are always a part of the garden— Nymphaea Marliacca is hardy and beautiful, Nuphar, Nelumbrium and the European Nymphae, alba and Gladsoniana are excellent. When planting it is often found desirable to set them out in the spring, each plant in a box eight to ten inches in depth, filled with a mixture of equal parts well rotted loam and manure. The pink and yellow lotus are also most decorative in effect. Gold fish lend added fascination often and in a large pond gold perch are beautiful. According to several authorities gold fish are of great use in clearing the ponds of mosquito larvae and such a service should be much appreciated. Beauty must not be the only consideration in our water gardens, for with this must be combined comfort and repose. The water garden must bo that corner of quiet towards which we may turn our footsteps for a reviving breath of nature. Katharine Cohen, Class of 1917. (In the following anecdote is brought out rather forcibly the extreme ideas of balance and symmetry once dominant in gardens). “Lord Selkirk walking on his terrace, in his garden in St. Mary’s Isle, which had a summer house at either end, found in 011c of these a boy imprisoned for stealing apples, and in the other a son of his gardener, about the same age, looking out with a doleful countenance. Meeting the father, Lord Selkirk expressed his sorrow, supposing that the boys were accomplices. “Nae, nac, my lord,” said the gardener. “My laddie’s 110 thief, but I just put him there for symmetry.” 8 Organic jHatter in ilje jsfoil Organic matter is the soil material in which takes place most of the important activities of micro-organisms, because its substance furnishes the food essential to their growth. And these micro-organisms bring about important beneficial changes in the soil. Certain conditions are needed to promote plant growth and produce maximum crops. The soil must have the proper physical structure, an abundance of available plant food and the presence of beneficial microorganisms. The best method of supplying these micro-organisms to the soil is of the utmost importance to all agriculturists. To obtain the desired fertility one might resort to commercial fertilizers, cultivation, irrigation or a system of hot air heating. But by far the best way, the least expensive and the most efficacious is to supply to the soil beneficial bacteria by fertilizing with green manure, that is growing a crop for the purpose of turning it under. There is no danger, as might be supposed, of this crop removing the plant food from the soil, for when it is turned under the chemical elements that compose the plant food are returned to the soil which is, in consequence, increased instead of diminished in fertility. Moreover, the nitrogen derived from decomposed organic matter is held instantly available as plant food. The leguminous crops are the most desirable for using as green manures. Their deep roots bring the phosphate compounds nearer the surface where they are available for shallower rooted plants, and the potassium compounds are brought nearer the surface in the same way. The structure of the soil also is altered by the growing of green manures. The deep roots force the soil particles further apart, making it more granular, the humus being somewhat plastic and the lightest constituent tends to hold the soil in a looser condition and the large pore spaces thus produced afford better ventilation. In consequence, by the presence of organic matter, heavy soils are made more granular, less sticky and easier to work. Sandy soils are also benefited but in a different way. They are bound more closely together, there is a diminution of excessive porosity and aeration and roots are enabled to get a firmer hold. Warmth of the soil is largely dependent upon its color and other conditions being uniform, the darker the soil the more readily it absorbs the sun's heat. Soils plentifully supplied with decomposed organic matter are darker in color and therefore warmer. This is of especial importance when an early crop is desired in market gardening and in the forcing of vegetables. The water supply is likewise affected. On account of its sponge-like porosity, humus readily takes up and retains water, thereby preventing baking of the soil and greatly aiding the germination of seeds. As it is true that organic matter has these great effects upon the soil, and the consequent production of maximum crops, it would seem natural that green manures should be grown very extensively. But such is not the case. Therefore, plant now for winter crop to be ploughed under in the spring. S. G. .. ©ur jicljoui darben Early last spring, if you had happened to pass the Forest Avenue School of Ambler, at recess time, you would have seen happy groups of children chattering together, and if you had chanced to pause a moment no doubt you would have heard bits of the latest school child gossip. Elizabeth, did you hear we’re going to have a school garden ?” Yes, and I wonder what it will be like.” “Why, we’re going to have a little garden, each our own, where we can plant things and watch them grow and maybe take them home, too.” How do you know so much, Virginia Dirkin ?” ‘Cause my mother read about it in the paper, and we're going to have a real teacher, too.” At the sound of the gong, recess is over, and the children hurry back to the schoolroom, eager in the anticipation of their gardens so soon to be. For a number of years, a member of our Hoard of Directors, interested in young America, and especially the country lads, had had the hope and ideal of a school garden as a part of the regular curriculum; but it was not until this last spring that the ideal became a reality and we had our first school garden in Ambler. An interested and benevolent citizen of the town loaned to the school an acre of land, ideally situated. This garden ground was only one block from the school buildings and a stretch of woodland on one side afforded abundant shade for out-of-door lessons, while a row of cedar trees added to the picturesqueness of the backbround. Fortunately we had a landscape gardener among our Directors, so we deviated from the cut and dried, checker board pattern of a school garden and planned three main curving walks, meeting around a central flower bed, and dividing the garden into three main sections. The work was made optional to the children of the fifth and sixth grades and in this way we sought only those who were truly interested and loved the out-of-door work. To the astonishment of all, seventy-five children handed in their names as desiring garden plots. Three classes were, therefore, organized and each of the three main sections were divided into twenty-five individual plots, fifteen by twenty feet in size. The school provided the tools, the vegetables and flower seeds and also the tomatoe, pepper and eggplant seedlings for each plot. The work was begun in early spring as soon as the ground was prepared. Then came such rakings and hoeings and firming of seed rows as would instill interest into the waywardest laggard and such breathless interest when the first little seed leaves peered up from the ground! So the gardens grew and flourished under the eager care of the little gardeners who kept up the work with almost unflagging interest through the summer days. The school garden, a new venture, in one season has proved a success, and this small beginning, we hope, will, in future years, bring great rewards in that our farmers of tomorrow may learn the proper way to plant and tend vegetables and learn the love of flowers and Nature’s miracles. “To teach a child that there is a why for every fact of nature, to train his observation to an acuteness in detecting facts, to train his mind to work out what seems unfathomable, to give him confidence of his own powers in dealing with nature, and to give him courage to attack any problems that require investigation”—this is what the school garden should strive to do. Marguerite M acCraight, Class of 1916. 10 (Autumn (pans Autumn has come, atid has clothed the fields with golden rod and filled the grassy banks with asters. The first strav brilliance in the woodlands has opened into fuller glory ’till even the tiniest leaflet and most timid blade is touched with gold. The wind is up betimes of a morning sweeping across the meadows anti tossing the gay branches, and it sets each little cloud a-sailing in the sky. One wishes that Time would lose itself in the beauty and the breezes, and forget the world with its routine of labors for an hour or so—for such days should hardly end! The birds gather for their autumn journey, and such twitterings and giving of instructions as never was heard before. Hundreds of drowsy little swallows bask on the wires above in the last lingering hours of sunshine and the innumerable little voices are blended in incessant song, and now one will venture away, others following, circling about the meadows, until myriads seem to be darting everywhere, but only to return to the lazy life of the wire lines with a still drowsier flirt and twitter. Then comes the first killing frost and robs the garden of its glory and the blackened, shrunken blooms remain but a ghostly memory of former shades. Along the roadsides in the twilight the crickets still make melody, and above, the bats dart blindly here and there uttering their sharp, shrill cries. The hooting of a solitary owl breaks clear through the stillness and the stirring of some wee insect as it lulls itself to sleep again. And autumn rules far over all the countryside. yic The sky is laced with fitful red— The circling mists and shadows flee, The dawn is rising from the sea— Like a white lady from her bed. cfrctllmt And jagged brazen arrows fall Athwart the feathers of the night And a long wave of yellow light Breaks silently on tower and hall, And spreading wild across the wold Wakes into flight some fluttering bird And all the chestnut tops are stirred And all the branches streaked with gold. Oscar Wilde. 11 JIcItodI September loth. What means this merry hustle and bustle? Tis the girls of the P. S. II. W. coming from far and near to answer the call of the hoe, and to enlist in the ranks of the horticulturists. Behold the last year’s juniors come back to play the merry roll of the all-wise seniors, and note the little juniors fresh from the city trying hard to learn why heavy soil is light and light soil is really heavy. September 23d. The Senior Class visited Meehan’s Nurseries and spent a very enjoyable afternoon studying the various trees and shrubs- Won’t someone please ask us the difference between a walnut and an Ailanthus tree, for we are dying to tell them ? September 29th. All aboard for the Trenton Fair! Side shows, pink lemonade, tintypes, vegetable, flower and fruit displays were each visited in turn and enjoyed to the utmost, and the literature collected in the form of circulars and catalogues will keep us well supplied with light reading matter for the rest of the year. October oth. The first tea of the winter ; but on account of the rainy weather our guests were conspicuous by their ab- (Eontutg Special Lectures, Tuesday Afternoons, 3.30 to 4.30, 1915-1916. October 19th. Mr. Ernest Hemming, “Herbaceous Perennials from a Commercial Standpoint.” October 26th. Mrs. James Rhodes, “Chrysanthemums and Iris.” November 2d. Miss C. Miller. Tea 4.30. November Oth. Mrs. Frances Duncan Manning, “Horticultural Journalism.” sence. However, the faculty, the juniors and the seniors, who were hostesses for the day, were there and all pronounced it a great success in spite of the rain. We hope that the first Tuesday of November will be a bright day and that all of our friends will come out for the second tea. October 7th. Mr. II. O. Benson, of the United States Agricultural Department, gave a lecture and practical demonstration of canning and preserving, which was enjoyed by the entire school and many visitors. (Note the preserving class resplendent in their new caps, decorating the front row). In the evening Mr. Benson gave an illustrated lecture on the canning clubs of the country, telling of the work now being carried on with such enthusiasm in rural communities. October 12th. Mrs. Harris and Miss Georgiana Harris gave 11s a delightful concert. October tlfth. The Senior Class with Mr. Doan sojourned to Fairmount Park to study the different trees and especially to note the fall coloring. The height of our ambition has been reached—we have at last seen a Hercules Club. November 23d. Mr. J. Horace McFarland, “How to Help Your Home Community.” November 30th. Miss Anne Macllvane, “Flowers and Fruits in the Philippines.” December 7th. Mrs. J. C. Bright, Illustrated Lecture on “Gardens.” Visitors’ Day. Tea 4.30. December 14th. Miss Anne Dorrancc, “Roses.” 12 £ unteb JviitMes (TWENTY BIRDS) 1. A serious nuisance is the------ Every farmer will tell you - 2. Cross and quarrelsome is the------ Yet we admire its plumage-------. 3. Oft kept in a cage is the brilliant We sometime feed him pieces of 4. We like the saucy, pert, brown And always hope he will come 5. Sweetest of songsters is the------ When he sings we always say--------! ( . Wise, we say, is the round-faced----- Yet the bright daylight makes him-----------------. 7. Most common in the barnyard is the Useful the whole year round to-------. 8. A familiar emblem is the.......... Oft his likeness is found on our tender.............. 9. Useful too is the well-known--------- That yields 11s his feathers before they are---------. 10. The timid, gentle and beautiful------ Is an emblem of peace and of tender-------. 11. Far out at sea may be found the It enlivens the moments of sailors ------. 12. Sometimes in a cage is found the Making sweet music through many a-------------- 13. Fond of the water is the----- Oft shot by the sportsman who has good-------------. 14. Two and fro o'er the barnyard flies the-------------- High o'er the mire where swine do---------------. 15. A foe to poultry is the------ Of his stealing chickens we hear much-------------. 16. A sweet singer is one kind of a And seldom is it the mark of an 17. A bird of ill omen is the-------- Bringing fear to the heart of a 18. Sometimes the notes of the little brown........... Are heard in the forest solemn-------. 19. An untamed bird is the long-billed With legs as long as a common 20. In old houses is sometimes found the------ Building its nest in a cozy---. Some of your hurts you have cured, And the sharpest you still have survived, But what torments of grief you endured From the evils which never arrived! Emerson. 13 G.M.DECK GCO HARDWARE HOUSE FURNISHINGS AMBLER heating tinsmithing PENNA VICTOR MAYER H. R. NIBLOCK Ladies’ and Men’s Tailor RestalIl.a„t and Oyster House Steam Dyeing and Scouring Altering, Cleaning and Pressing. Repairing Neatly Done Oysters in all Styles Meals at all Hours WB MANUFACTURE ICE CREAM Br 421 Butler Avenue, Ambler, Pa. 417 Butler Avenue Both Phones AMBLER, PA. THE FUST NATIONAL MI p. $ ARNOLl IF Ml H. Dealer in Beef, Veal, Lamb and Pork SAUSAGE, SCRAPPLE, BUTTER, EGGS AND POULTRY J. Watson Craft E. H. Faust President Vice-President Win. A. Davis, Cashier Fort Washington, Pa. Bell Phone HONBY I’RESERVES School of Horticulture for Women Ambler, Pennsylvania GIFT BOXES OF FOUR ASSORTED JELLIES OI JAMS IN ATTRACTIVE LOW GLASSES WITH WHITE CAPS, $1.00. Currant Jelly........ Strawberry Preserve.. Gooseberry Jam....... Cherry Jam........... Orange Marmalade..... Honey, lt� oz. jar...................... Canned Peaches, one and two quart cans. Canned Pears, one and two quart cans.... Canned Currants, for pies .............. Canned Blackberries, for pies........... Canned Gooseberries, for pies........... Canned Cherries, for pies............... Canned Asparagus........................ Canned String Beans..................... Pear Butter................ Spiced Pears............... Spice Peaches.............. .20 .20 .20 .20 .20 $ .40 per quart .50 .50 $ 35 .50 per quart .35 .50 .50 .50 .50 .50 .50 FLAVOR, TEXTURE AND APPEARANCE ARK THE BEST. OUR GARDEN AND ORCHARD PRODUCTS ARE USED. Jams and Jellies Canned Fruits and Vegetables H. J. DAGER, INC. SUBURBAN REAL ESTATE. INSURANCE And MORTGAGES pahms a specialty AMBLER, PA. CREO MAKES HENS WEIGH, LAY, PAY Kills lice and mites. Cures diseases of poul' try. Cleanses, disinfects. Easy to vise. 35c per pint bottle. STILLWAGON, THE DRUGGIST FRANK PALUMBO Ladies’ and Men’s Tailor knight building Ambler, Pa. BOTH PHONES J. Watson Craft Ambler, Pa. Manufacturer of and Dealer in “Enterprise” Brand of Scratch and Mash Feed Dairy Feed constantly in stock. Complete Line of Building Material LEHIGH COAL Pittsburg Electric Fence and other Fencing Materials W. N. HE1SS ---UKAL1R IN- Dry Goods, Notions, Millinery, Men’s furnishings 303-305 Butler Ave., AMBLER, PA. THIS BOOKLET FROM THE PRESS OF GEO. W. LUTZ II SOUTH MAIN ST. AMBLER. PA. HELL PHONE The House of “Michell” (ESTABLISHED OVER A QUARTER CENTURY) Is the most completely equipped establishment of its kind in the United States. Call and inspect our various departments, or write for our large descriptive catalog. FLOWER SEEDS, VEGETABLE SEEDS, LAWN FIELD GRASSES, FARM SEEDS. GARDEN TOOLS, POULTRY SUPPLIES, INSECTICIDES, FERTILIZERS. HENRY F. MICHELL CO., 518 Market St., Philadelphia Plant Establishment, Nurseries and Trial Grounds, Andalusia, Pa.