Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
7 1OUSE=
HOLD
LINT"S

With spring in the air. and all green
things parting with slender fingers the soft
brown earth, then pushing and elbowing
each other in a friendly contest to see
which shall get there first, an exception.
indeed, Is the woman who does not feel the
force of that old command, ''go dig Hap
py is she who has place to dig, even
though her ventres 90 not always turn out
in accord with her expectations. Garden
ing Is the best EXCISE in the world for the
nerves. even though. to quote bright Cali
fornia woman. 1t Is ''delusive solace. Ma
laria and neuralgia infect the early and
late dews and damps, tetanus turks in the
loan. and fruitful source OF neighborhood
feuds are the chickens over the fence"
Though ones gardening efforts in a city
back yard are naturally restricted, there
are some compensauons; for instance, In
the matter Of chickens. To be sure. the
neighDor's cats are prone to assist in the
digging with far more zeal than discretion,
but that is a small matter and seldom pro-
ductive of ''feuds." Poverty Of soil is apt
to be the greatest drawback. AS no plant
can grow well on hard. compast soil the
ground must be thoroughly broken up,
turned over, pulverized and enriched. Bone
meal is one of the best fertilizers; also the
sweeping from the street. Left over tea
and coffee, and tea leaves put about the
roots of the rose bushes will stimulate
growth.
Among the quick growing and most salts
factory plants for the small garden are
sweet peas, nasturtiums, sweet alyssum and
candy tuft. For vines to Chamber over and
conceal the board fence, there Is the wild
cucumber for rapid growth; the Japanese,
or even the ordinary morning glory; the hop
and the Madeira vine. A border of hardy
plants is always desirable, though it takes
time to get it started. For this there are
the good, old-fashioned howers-the column
bine, larkspur. star of Bethlehem, sweet
william. polyanthus, bachelor buttons four
o-clocks. A row Of hoAyhocks single
double, beauties the back corners Of the
garden, or blots out an unsightly bit of
fence.
With the growing fancy for salads and
preserves made Of flowers, the garden that
keeps them ION tap Is distinct boon to
the housekeeper. Among the edible flowers
the nasturttum stands first. Both the
blossom and the peppery green leaves are
said to possess valuable dietetic properties,
and are used for both salads and sand
witches. For the latter, leaf lightly salt
ed, in place of the conventional lettuce, is
meeting with high favor. Sometimes by
way of variety little slice Of cream cheese
goes with the leaf. The pungent seeds of
for capers, and the best pickle makers add
few of the green seeds with the stems on
to each bottle of pickles. While the abuti-
Ion as an article of diet is comparatively
mon vegetable In Brazil. At one of Mrs.
Clevelands dinners when at the White
House. she introduced the bell-shaped BIOS
SONS of the abutilon to favorable notice as
a salad. In Europe the marigold is COM
monty used as an ingredient in soups and
broths.
Candied violets and rose leaves are al
ready a product of some commercial import
ance, as prepared in the east. They take
an earthen jar in which the top and bot
tom are the same size. In the bottom Is
sprinkled layer of crystallized sugar, and
over this layer Of the flower pedals-thuS
alternating until the jar is filled with sugar
at the top. Several thicknesses of firm
paper are then pasted over the top of the
jar, which Is set away in cool dark place
to ripen. Many housekeepers have learned
to utilize the delicate flavor of rose gera-
mum leaves in cakes and preserves. Just a
tiny bit Of the leaf laid in the bottom Of the
cake tin or added to jelly imparts flavor
that is almost universally liked.
Rose naVor1ng can be made at home,
merely filling bottle with fresh petals and
pouring enough fresh alcohol over them to
cover. This gives delicious flavor to
pudding or cake, and many have learned to
add 1t to mincemeat with advantage.
A bed OF sweet herbs is delight all the
year round. For hardy plants they are
sage, summer savory, eatnip, lovage, law
ender, tansy, wormwood, balm and berga-
mot.
A border of ruffied parsley around
flower bed combines the useful and the or
iiehhicNtoi. ne loildSe not Only Keeps green
and fresh all summer but cold weather
does not harm 1t. If the flower stalks are
cut back. so that it cannot go to seed, it
Will spring up the second summer. There
is no prettier garnish for the table than
parsley while it combines well with almost
any cut hover. With parsley bed ready
to draw upon at moments notice, the I'M
expected guest. even with the larder at low
ebb, need bring no terror.
If the table and dishes look pretty the
hostess heart is encouraged within her.
and even small edible cheer with great well
come makes the merry feast. Is there a
single blossom in the garden or among the
plants on the window sill? Pick it, put 1t
in tiny vase, with few loose sprigs of
parsley. and you have dainty centerpiece.
Is there any kind of cold meat In the Ice
box? II so. slice it thin. put it neatly on
the platter and garnish with parsley. II
there is no meat, can of salmon turned
out and arranged in low dish, with pars-
ley and lemon, looks appetizing, and tastes
so. Have you new potatoes to boil or old
potatoes to cream? Serve them with pars-
| ley sauce.
Does your soup disappoint you at the last
moment. lacking color or flavor to make 1t