Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-06-20

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LAID OFF A PLOT IN THE BACK YARD AND
BEGAN WORK.
I'm going to make one. I've got 1t all
planned out, and I'll fix up something
to be proud Of"
But our back yard Is no place for a
garden" she protested. IT'S mostly
In the shade, you know. and the soil
must be very poor. l wish you had
spoken about 1t before you bought
these things"
Don't you worry about the shade
or the poor soil. my dear woman.
shall grow only such things as love the
shade. and little guano will make
the soil get up and hump In a way to
astonish you. Besides, have a spe-
cial object in view. I will now get
into an cid suit and prepare the various
beds. Digging and raking and SMELL
ing the fresh earth will carry me back
to the old farm days again"
When he had changed his clothes, he
laid off a plot In the back yard and
began work. The brickbats, old bot
ties. states and broken kettles had
remained undisturbed for years, but
Farmer Bowser persisted until ut the
end of three hours he had prepared
a bed 10 feet long by 3 feet wide.
During his labors he burst his suspen-
ders. broke his spade. pulled the han
die out of the rake and lost an eye out
Of his spectacles. but he won out In
the end. When the bed was ready,
he called Mrs. Bowser out and said:
This. you understand, Is only pre-
liminary. | have prepared this for an
experimental bed. Later on l will lay
the whole yard out into circles, cres-
cents, crosses, ETC."
"What sort Of experiment. she
asked.
"I will inform you later on this even
ing. l shall rather mix things up In
this bed. | shall set out onions. toma-
toes and flowers, and / shall plant the
seeds OF cucumbers and melons and po-
tatoes and add few hills of corn"
'I should think that a few apple
trees, a grape arbor and an artificial
lake would help things along" she OBJ
served.
"Just so. was expecting you to say
something mean. When you under
stand my object, however, you may
change your mind. i shall now proceed
to SOW and plant. and when / have fin
ished you can send the cook out to gath
er the 5000 clothesplns, the 5000 forks
and the 1000 spoons have dug up In
making this small bed. / do not wish
TO find fault-no husband ever does
but it you could only manage to plant
what few dishes we have left out here
somewhere we could eat of the ironing
board with our fingers"
There were two clothespins, one old
fork and broken spoon In sight, but
Mrs. Bowser didn't dispute his figures.
he had regained his good nature be-
fore dinner was over, and after the
meal be assumed the patronizlng air of
the average husband and said:
81 Informed you that had special
object in mixing up things In that bed.
and I will now explain It Did you
ever give a thought to the vegetation
around your
"Yes, several OF them"
81 am glad to know II, and l win
mark II In your favor. What theory
have you got as to why seeds grown
att doesn't need any theory. Nature
intended everything to reproduce itself.
viii produce again"
"But there must be favorable innu.
ences."
"Of course. 1t needs sun and rain"
Anything else, Mrs. BowserT'
Nothing special. l guess"
"what about the moon"
"Why. believe that some old gran
nies contend that the moon has some
sort Of influence on vegetation, but j
don't think that any level headed farm
er believes It."
That was the point Mr.. Bowser had
been leading up to. and there was the
light Of triumph In his eyes an he walk
ed back and forth and said:
"But IL the moon does influence vege-
tation, II II exercises the greatest infiu-
ence over the planting and growing, IL
II would make difference Of 500 per
year to every farmer TO consult the
moon, then whatr
"Why, 1t would be a good thing for
the world at large to know" she re-
piled.
Exactly, and the man who proved 1t
to the world would become famous and
renowned, wouldn't he?"
Certainly. But what has all this to
do with your planting a dozen different
things In one bed"
"Just this: am going to prove the
truth or falslty OF this moon business"
"But how can you prove or disprove
such n thingT asked Mrs. Bowser.
"By experiment, of course. Tonight
is n moonlight night I shall take
seat beside those tomato plants and
onion sprouts for an hour or two and
observe what influence the moon has
on them. l will continue the expert
ment for a week, and by the end OF
that time shall know one way or the
other"
Mr.. Bowser decided to do his watch
ing from to IL o'clock or later, and
he cdIEieu out ~ CuuiA anu BOb hOtcDoOh
and pencil ready before the hour. When
he finally passed out, he expected the
cook, who had been watching proceed |
ings. would say something, and she did |
Tossing her head and giving her words |
a tinge OF contempt, she said:
"Pll leave the back door open SO you
can plunge in at any time"
But why should l want to plunge |
inT he asked.
Because there'll be n bust up of |
some sort, OF course"
He gave her a glare and passed on,
and after walking twice around the =
newly made bed he sat down en- 4.