Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-06-26
FLOWERS ADD TO
GLADNESS OF EARTH

PLANT hope and Joy will grow.
Every brown bulb bury in the earth
In the autumn promises fragrance and
beauty. A flower will unfold to add to
the gladness of earth and the festival
Of springtide."
When the speaker had arisen from
his knees where he had been setting
out tulips, his friend, leaning over the
fence watching him remarked:
"You have always been called the
Primrose Man because you are
magician at getting primroses in your
garden, but if you talk more in that
strain | shall call you the Preacher"
The Primrose Man only laughed,
and said under his breath SO she did
not hear him: oh woman, woman.
When are you satisfied" Then he
went on out loud as he opened the
gate and invited her in:
You know though many men and
women in this village do not, that 1t
is proper to plant bulbs as long as
the frost has not gripped the ground.
Come in and take stock of what |
have been doing and tell me what you
have DONE Dame Of the Hollyrocks."
Il always plant according to rea-
sons of my own" she said, smiling as
she read the labels on his neat wood
en- stakes. Il do not expect to be as
successful with bulbs for spring flow
ering as am with hollyhocks in July.
Hollyhocks grow as lavishly for me
as primroses do for you. Perhaps
because l love them, or Is 1t because
l take care of them? l never pass
them without digging bit around
the roots You know, l believe that
flowers feel encouraged when we pet
them"
There Is no doubt about 1t. Some
day when some one translates the
feeling Of flowers, we shall hear
story worth listening to. Let us make
the most of November sunshine.
When the snow flies, like to look out
OF my window and have a day dream
Of the first snow drops, the scillas,
narcissus and hyacinths coming up.
Spring has more than earthly beauty
No doubt his pride was justified as
he counted the rows Of tulips-the
earliest crowns of gold, the snowy
"LImmaculee," the Due Van Thols,
the Cottage Maid and the Duchess of
Parma-all to be out bright and early
in the spring. Then came the fanciful
parroquets with fringed and corrugat-
ed petals, and for later May, noble
line of the Darwin tulips.
The Hollyhock Woman agreed that
took bulb catalogue and was willing
to buy the lists as they were printed,
could have blossoming bulbs in the
spring 80 gay that the whole village
would walk that way to look at them.
II have been thinking" she said,
that most of the gardens all through
our neighborhood look rather melan-
choly this autumn. | make habit OF
keeping my plot Of earth tidy the
year around. OF course, you do, too,
because you hire gardener to work
at It, Just walk around the block
WllH Iue, Idho uUlcS, anu tuCA "o
shall come back, and I'll praise your
bulb garden to your hearts desire.
There is something in the autumn air
that makes one long to walk"
Right willingly" said her compan-
ion. brushing the earth from his hands
and covering his basket with dry as
paragus SO that no passer by would
be tempted to help himself. "You
must come back, for you have not
seen my fritillaria imperialis."
Il know what you are trying to tell
me; 1t Is that the reason most crown
imperials-the fritillarias-do not sue
ceed is because we do not plant them
on their sides, but upright instead. Ii
every one knew the charm Of that
plant, the hanging bells and their
fragrance and the way birds love-
them, crown imperials would be as
plenty as crocuses in all the yards
The Hollyhock Woman led the way.