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

Page 15 text:

Py ilje tUErracc in darken All the long golden summer afternoons as 1 gardened in the narrow stretch of border ground by the terrace, I watched the littie mud wasp at work upon her home. Back and forth she flew, bearing each time the minutest bit of clay to add to the structure of her dwelling What industry, what mother instinct she displayed as bit by bit she shaped the little cone-like form which was to hold the myriad, clustered cells. And then, when the cells were all perfected, she would venture forth to capture and paralyze with her swift sting the prey whereon would be laid the precious eggs. Each time as she returned, and, hovering about the spot, at length alighted and crawled up into the interior, still cool and moist with the dampness of the clay, I could hear her busy workings as with saw»-hke sounds she firmly pressed and shaped the clay. Day by day I watched her as she passed me, her wings darting their iridescence of blue and black and gold in the sunlight—until one afternoon she failed to come. All the countryside lay wrapped in hazy sunshine and the breezes moved lovingly among the branches and waved in sweet rhythm the flowers at my feet, and in all peace and beauty, 1 missed the busy sounds and bright darting of the little mud wasp. The half-formed cone was dry and baked in the heat of the noon day and no little builder came to finish out the form. And at my work I mused and wondered what had kept her. Then that evening, as 1 walked along the country roadside, I passed a little stream and there as I crossed it I found in a deep hollow in the mud made by the press of a heavy foot, the poor crushed body of a little mud wasp. I stooped and took it in my palm. Ah! could it be that it was the little builder by my terrace? All the glossy beauty of the wings was smeared and crumpled and the little body had lain there hurt and mangled where she had so busily been gathering the plaster for her home. My poor little mud wasp, all your hopes and labors cherished by your instinct, dulled forever! And still the dried half-finished structure hangs upon the terrace bv my garden waiting for the builder to return. ' ‘ L. E. C. 11

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porch boxes have been drafted into service. The sight of lettuce and radishes growing lustily in the front yard is a pleasant relief from the not uncommon combination of petunias and salvias. Three hundred home gardeners entered the garden contest and about one hundred and fifty vacant lot gardeners wished to compete. When the judges learned the number of visits they would have to make, they said, “Call us ‘slackers’ if you must, but how can we visit four hundred and fifty gardens?’’ But it has been clone. The prospects for more gardens in 1918 are very encouraging as already requests have been sent in for assignments for next year. Ruth LaGanke, Class of 1916. CONSERVATION OF COAL IN GREENHOUSES. The four greenhouses at Ambler used to burn a hundred tons of coal per season. Last year this amount was reduced to forty tons, whilst, at the same time, the income from the greenhouses was almost doubled. This happened before the days when economy was popular; but now we can tell to sympathetic ears how the feat was achieved and the coal bill for the greenhouses diminished to half. Just four very simple rules were followed: 1. Lower temperatures in the houses to the great improvement in color or scent and health of the plants. 2. Low fires on mild days and nights irrespective of the month these happen to occur. This was always a safe saver. 3. Keeping low fires in the morning even after cold nights when anticipating sunny days. 4. Early closing of the ventilators to retain the sun's heat when anticipating cold nights. Briefly then, in stoking, use the natural heat of the sun and thy intelligence. 10 Edna M. Gunnell.

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tEcn 3faUg juniors Tune: Ten Little Niggers. Ten jolly juniors, ain't the class just fine, One fair maicl had a faint heart, and so-o we are nine. Nine jolly juniors on time just one came late; In fact she never came at all, therefore we are eight. Eight jolly juniors find gardening just like heaven One was lonely, off she went, so now we’re seven. Seven jolly juniors up to all sorts of tricks Sad to say one hurt her hip, leaving but six. Six jolly juniors apparently alive If one got chewed up by her dog. we'd be but five. Five jolly juniors all the boys adore ; One eloped with her Valentine, that's why we're four. Four jolly juniors ready for a spree One bumped her little nose, it bled, now we are three. Three jolly juniors with appetites for stew. Ice cream for supper, that left but two. Two jolly juniors with chocolate, nut and bun, Locked the door on eats galore, now we’re but one. One jolly junior found solitude no fun Answer at roll call, ‘‘None, none, none.’’ No jolly juniors life's a blank and bore Let's call them back again, yes, ENCORE. Tune: Ten Little Indians. One jolly, two jolly, three jolly juniors, Four jolly, five jolly, six jolly juniors, Seven jolly, eight jollv, nine jolly juniors, Ten Jolly Juniors all. 12 Mary Jane.