Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-11
PRICE ONE CENT



slderAblo Plot OF Ground.
By all means let the boy have q gar.
den II il be only bunch of sun
flowers in six feet square city back
yard, let him have something Of his
own to plant and watch the growing of.
But If you live in the country. you
can let him have a considerable plot of
ground, where he can raise flowers. and
also edible vegetables Nothing will
ever taste so good to him as his own let
tuce and boats and radishes
Don't imagine for a moment, how
ever. that your boy, unless he be gen.
ius. will know how to take care OF these
plants Of his No matter how much he
loves them. he viii require good many
hours Of careful teaching aud training
before he is able to do efficiently even
his small duty by his garden patch.
The trouble is that boys love so many
things If they loved their gardens
only. or their lessons only, or bali play
ing only, or stamp collecting only; but
it Is with them as with tho perplexed
lover" How happy could they be with
either We're tother dear chnrmer aways"
1t is good deal more trouble to see that
the boy keeps his garden wen than it
would be to keep it yourself; but it is
good deal of trouble to bring up 3 boy
right anyhow, and that is something
that mother might as well understand
at the outset Those who try % do it
by easy means generally rue 1t with an
guish of soul in the end.
II never knew boy who was fond OF
a garden, said a wise man who had
brought up many boys, to go far astray.
There seems to be something about work.
ing the soil and loving its products that
does the boys good morally rs well az
physically. And honest Jan Ridd says:
The more man can fling his arms
around Natures neck. the more he can
lie upon her bosom like an infant, the
more that man shall earn the trust and
love of his fellow men. Again he says:
There is nothing better fitted to take
hot tempers out of men than to go gar
dening boldly in the spring of the year.
And every one who has tried t,is can
testify that it is true
A certain little boy, who left garden
ct home to take trip with some friends.
wrote home TO his mother, II am hav-
ing splendid time, but / wish every
morning that was sitting on my little
green cricket in the aclg yard, watching
my plants grow. This little boy always
thought that some time, if he watched
closely enough, he should see flower
open, but, beyond few four
o'clocks, he has never witnessed this ever
recurring but niagically secret phenom-
enon
If possible, supply your own table
with your boys produce at ruling mar
ket rates, having it well understood be-
forehand bow the money will be ex-
pended.
Praise whenever you consistently can;
offer prizes for the best fruits. flowers,
and vegetables IL you have several boys
at work; and in every way treat the en-
terprise with cons deration aud respect.
Many boy who has put his best efforts
into his garden loses heart when lie hears
it sneered at or made light Of Your
| garden? Oh dearl l never thought of
thatl What does that amount tor"
It can not be too early impressed upon
boy that whatever he does should be
done well. Therefore make his garden
seem as important as you can without
dwelling unduiy upon it; and remember
that the physical and moral effects Of
the garden are not ALL The infOrma.
ton that boy gets from it concerning
varieties of seed and soil may be invalu-
able to him later on.