Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-30
Marv, Mdrp, quite contrary,
How docs uour gordon nrotpR

How does Jour garden 0roDF
IT'S the weather that Is quite contrary
| J. this year and not Mary or her spouse.
| Consequently gardens, which are the delight
| and recreation of large number OF Phila-
| delphians counting as sons and daughters
| of the Founder those who dwell and have
| their vines and fig leaves, parsley and pc
tunlas, cannas and cabbage in the metro
poltan zone which unites the city proper
| of William Penn, once restricted from river
| to river and South to Vine streets, and the
| sections consolidated in 1854, taking in the
| 100 miles of the county, with the numerous
| suburbs out the Main Line, the York road
| territory and other parts OF Delaware and
Montgomery Counties.
There are lots of gardens both flower
and vegetable, in this extensive area, not
to mention the near-lying suburbs of New
Jersey, which, as Is we'll known. is the Gar
den State. Right in the city limits truck
patches are by no means unusual, while out
side every suburban homestead, no mat
ter how unpretentous, has either It's flowers
or its vegetables or most often both.
ABNORMAL WEATHER,
That 1t has had them some years. This
years abnormal conditions of temperature
and rainfall have made the past tense inn
perative The gardens are only shadow
of their wonted luXuriance perhaps 1t
would be better to say forehint of what
they should be and possibly will be II
Philadelphia and environs ever get into
what Jim Riley called 'lSnee-deep In June"
and those rare days in June written of by
Jim Lowell become rare in one sense of
the word, that Is OF quality and not of
quantity
The nights have been cold, there have
been hints, and, indeed, only n week ago
taste of frost the rains have been unusual
In number and the soil has been constantly
wet. In consequence everything is back
ward. Instead of proptious weather for
planting ant favoring circumstances to
bring the crops tsFward those that have
been planted havo been in state of more
or less suspended animation.
John Bartram, the celebrated garden ex-
pert of the EVENING LEDGER, when asked
to explain why gardening conditions were
so untoward and why those who were ac-
customed to go out back and gather
"mess" OF green peas by this time of year
In usual times and to point with pride to
buds at least on their early tomatoes, said
authortatively:
planting has been very late this year.
The ground was cold up to a very short
time ago and the fairly experienced gar
dener will not put his seed in till the soil
is warm and mellow. The ground has been
too wet to spade or plow satisfactorily.
Those who have gardened only a season or
two know cold nights are a detriment al
most fatal to success. Even II the days
are warm IL the nights are too cool growth
Is by fits and starts instead of gradual and
steady. mounting to the climax of fruitlon.
Alternate growth and retardatlon weaken
the plants and their vitality is seriously
impaired. This will be the case with those
who were Ill advised enough to plant early
gardens this year"
II see by the evening paper" said the
man who goes home on the 6:15. after he
had settled himself and his bundles in his
usual seat beside the man who rides on to
the next station south, IT see by the paper
tha horticultural "a I'm at TJa rris
burg have issued bulletin stating that
garden crops are two weeks behind. Well,
mine are more than month back. I sup
pose you lucky dogs who live in a lower
latitude are eating peas with your knives
already. Mine are only three inches above
ground and they're dwarf peas too. And
radshes l had to buy this bunch in the
market. Gee, 1 must have left them at
the office. I'll get the dickens for that"
NO EARLY POTATOES.
you chaps up In the Arctic regions are
darn lucky" replied the deacon who rode
Beside him, using mild epithet befitting
his ecclesiastical rank II only put my peas
In last Saturday. And as for potatoes. why
for years we have always eaten our first
earlies on the Fourth of July, MY first
planting this year rotted in the ground
But they're cheaper to replace than some
of my nelghbors fancy show and cactus
dahlias at dollar a bulb. They'll never
bloom any more. Died of wet feet and
premature planting, you know. suppose |
Wen have to confine our celebration of the |
nations birthday to the conventional fire. |
works. for 1 don't think the missus will |
stand for bought potatoes. She's stickler |
for the traditions"
But It is not only the denizens of the 5:15 |
going out from the local stations who are |
irked by the bad weather which has thrown |
back their gardens from week to month. |
Swapping OF notes OF misfortune is the |
misery-loyes-company occupation daily on |
the ferries leading TO Jersey and on the |
trolley lines which carry straphangers TO |
the remoter sections of the city, where |
there are room and opportunity for gar
dening.
In some favored locations in Jersey green |
peas are showing blossoms. The fact Is.
the pods ought to be filling, with Little Mar
vel or Early Alaska planted Tomato plants |
set out at the usual time have virtually |
been blighted. Those who were foFehanded |
In putting out eggplants, peppers and /
other tender vegetables are sorry now. Some /
persons have made couple OF paintings
of lima beans. but the only crop they have
10 show thus far Is that OF the bean poles.
Even where gardeners have been short
sighted but long hopeful their plots have
not been notable for results Their plants
have not taken hold properly
CAN'T RUSH NATURE.
Time. in terms OF gardening, does not
like to be taken by the foTelocS So their
gardens are at least q week late. Those
who have delayed planting till conditions
seemed tolerably safe are from fortnight
10 q month later. The only person who is
happy Is the proerastinatlng gardener. II
he does not delay too long. he may exceed
his premature neighbors IN Anal results.
This time last year petunias ana nastur-
tiums were IN blossom. The plants are nov
only : quarter grown from seed Peonies
ars Usually II haaem from early HaS On
aad tie samz IS true nf rnodpdandEoua
tbs gar he1h - Iask starting e hIeszem