Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-08
EVENING Chat

4
Lovers of nature In and about Har-
risburg are now admitting that while
the dandelion makes q most attractive
feature of Spring picture with its
spots of yellow in the deep green OF
lawns the spread Of the vegetable
pest has been at such a rate that one
OF these days the city authorities Will
be justified in proclaiming a period of
dandelion pulling. Dandelion ruins
more grass patches and plots in Har-
risburg every month than baseball or
crowds do in a year. The deep roots
go down into the earth and take away
the moisture from the grass and so
Wen Is this recognized at the Capitol
that every week the garden force goes
out and cuts dandelions. the holes
made by extracting the parsnip like
root being filled with grass seed. Some
OF the cities have adopted the same
tactics and private property owners
are commencing to sit up and take
notice of the harm done. Some lawns
which had few bits of golden yellow
IN the summer days last year are
splashed with the blooms now and un-
less they are gone over next summer
VIII see literally patches of dande-
| lions. The Spring raid on dandelion
Tor market purposes did not make
much impression judging from the
way the blossoms are appearing and
| concerted action is held to be neces-
sary by good many people who study
such things A friend who takes an
interest in lawns sends this little coll
lection of words:
| Pick out a dandelion and get a
salad; boil a dandelion and get a dish
o greens; squeeze a dandelion and
get tonic, but let it grow. and you'll
get nothing but weeds. For a dande-
lion in the hand is worth ten on the
lawn.
Not all the funny stories that oc-
cur In real life find their way into
magazines and the comic section of
inewspapers; Here's one that for orig
inaLty In children's sayings rivals the
pest. On a recent Sunday morning
IN Mechanicsburg Sunday school
class or children was transferred
from the primary to the junior de-
partment. The Sunday previous, two
little girls, in great excitement, came
TO the teacher and asked: Miss Kath-
arine, must we wear kimonos next
sunday when we go into the big
room ?" Wear kimonos? ?" exclaimed
the teacher in perplexity. why
should You wear kimonos?" "Well.
Mary said we must" was the reply.
oh, stammered Mary in confusion
know that's not the right word
MISS katharine, but you said we must
nave them to go into the big room!'
Light was beginning to dawn on the
teachers brain by this time, and she
laughingly said. "Oh. Mary, do YOU
mean diplomas?" "Oh. yes'm," re-
piled the child, in relieved manner,
| that's just what | meant" and she
| CT Of
understanding as they slipped into
ltheir seats to await the eVentful mo-
ment, when they should be called by
the superintendent to receive the pre-
cious bits of paper.
A number of students in the Harris
| burg Central and Technical High
schools who are fond of canoeing.
and all kinds of aquatic sports look
with favor upon the idea of having
contests on the river between the
schools. Although only few of the
students give the proposition consid-
Grafton, they feel sure that the plan
would be a good one since the dam
near the lower end of the city has been
almost completed This will keep the
water back. it is believed, helping the
boys should they decide to start the
movement to have eights row on the
river. The only trouble arising is the
| dardScraDble district, which
would probably be the place for keep
ing the shells and starting the prac-
tice. Whether or not the school board
authorities would allow aquatic con-
tests is not known as the pupils have
not taken action on the matter Sew
eral of the girls at the Central high
school also favor the idea.
Some of the members of the Legis
lature who had leased apartments un-
I'll the first of May have taken leases
until June 1. A few thought about
renting to May Is, but they are maxi
ing safe against any slip-ups and ar
ranging to stay. Several men who
have had experience with May in Har-
risburg are hoping that the weather
will be good for a while.