The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-02
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

hey oauner, BOD JemlSon and others who
 have done good work in this line
 I am reminded of this by beautiful little booklet gotten out by the Jemison Real Estate and Insurance company. It is pretty piece of book making. The illustrations are effective in that they show how the grounds should be laid out and the planting done.
 The text prepared by L. H. Bailey for the American Association of Nurserymen, is the work of perhaps the greatest au- thority in America on the subject and that is the reason that I am calling spe- cial attention to it, for it seems to me a book which can be made profitable by any one caring to beautify his home sur roundings
 John Sparrow. in his foreword. is at his best, for he turns loose his poetic inn agination and gets rid of some pretty fancies. John camouflagcs as a wit and a humorist. but we all know that at heart he is rank sentimentalist, and is never happier than whan giving unbridied
 
 he has ever indulged in verse. but I cite the paragraph below from some one of his prose poems.
 The jewel must have it's proper setting. or it will lose much of it's beauty So the home, the jewel of life, must have envi- rons or lose much of it's charm A house without trees or grass or flowers may be beautiful in line and form, but it cannot escape the penalty of bleakness. | Women and children will not love it. No matter how barren the ground around residence, it can be made to express beauty and thus not only enhance the at- fractions of the house itself. but also supply the family with other pleasures that make for contentment and health"
 Now, maintain that this Is going some to have come out of a head as bare as 1 that of the genial John, who cannot even boast of an imperial lock or fringe around his dome, for his shining pate is in state of indecent exposure.
 The publicity committee responsible for the issuance of the booklet throughout the laffd well says that "the American home is the bulwark of the nation. To make
 it attractive without, as well as com fortabe within increases it's efficiency in main aiming the good citizenship upon which the security of the American re- public depends. The association of nur- serymen, a nationwide organization with an honorable history of 42 years, is ear nestly interested in the betterment out side of the American homes'
 | Until I built home on a bleak hillside and saw it sitting high and bare above the sidewalk without tree or shrub or l flower I had no idea of what a. change could be wrought in a few years by care 1 full planting and a lot of hard work Many have handsomer homes than mine, but none have more home-like place. and I take pride in the statement, for I did not leave it to any one to do, buts went to work, and by the taste and help of my wife made ie> look like place where people lived and not merely camped.
 | I state this to show that where there is will, way can be found without the expenditure of a great sum of money, and then when one does it himself he gets the full joy out of the transformation. He learns to be on good terms with every tree. to chum with every shrub, to take a pesronal interest in the lawn, to be so- licitous of the vines. to watch out for the annuals, to love every blossoming rose, and to wait the coming of the song birds. and for the arrival of spring when na- ture touches the home grounds with her wand of loveliness.
 l
 l But if you haven't the time or the love for such work and can afford to turn it over to a nurseryman, do sit now. before it is too late, and get an early fall start so that you can cash in on the coming spring and summer time. I have watched with interest the planting of the grounds just below me next to the golf course. It was known as the home of the bachelors. Archie Carpenter did have lovely rose garden set out and planted beautiful crepe myrtle, but now the place has been laid out and beautified by an expert. The l house has been tied to the grounds with shrubs and I am sure it will be thing of beauty in few years
 also took great interest when Felton Wimberly, another neighbor, built his magnificent home and planted it perhaps in the most elaborate manner of any home in the city. Tn the day that this was being done, I was busy around my own place. and I used to stroll over to see the landscape gardener and nursery man at work digging and planting He has great variety of Towering shrubs, evergreens and all kinds of ornamental plants. and with the flowers it makes one of the show places of Birmingham. | I think, however. the man who got the quickest action in the way of getting his grounds in shape after the completion of his beautiful new residence is neighbor John c. whitefield. Nothing but the finest advice and the best workmanship | could ever have secured such results. for within a year he had his lawn, shrubs. plants. roses, and vines looking as if they had been busy for seasons It was done without regard to expense, but am sure 1 it has paid handsome dividends in the way of pleasure.
 ! One of the picture places of Birming- A> sA ciI Io tANx