The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-17
M E N w o M E N
 A ND T H N G s

thought I had lost the garden napit as I dropped out as gardener during the four years of the war as my time was taken up fully by my regular job and the added war activities in which gladly served.
 Once gardener, always gardener. It's about as compelling as that of the newspaperman, for once let printers ink get on your fingers, it will be harder to wash away than the damned spot" which wouldn't let Lady Macbeth sleep.
 If a fellow wanted to reform, he couldn't, that is if in his past life he had ever let his name get on the list of the seed men. for just before the sap begins to rise his mail box will be flooded with catalogues so trasingly worded and so beautifully illustrated, that before he knows it he is ordering stuff
 I have books galore on. gardening, farming and Horticulture and horticul- ture for I never get interested in any subject without getting up on its-fiter- ature. But take it from me if you really want to know the practical end of it, there is little use in spending money on high priced volumes for the catalogues will put you next to the things you want to know.
 few weeks bac,s when catalogue made it's appearance in my home, I determined not to even glance over it. but the temptation was too great and before I knew it I was deep in it's con- tents and figuring in my mind as to just the kind of seeds which would fill my wants. It's needless to say that one look in the book was my undoing, and now I have the bug" with the old time vigor.
 I know some of you fellows who are in middle life and have to- sit in an office all day, but who years ago came to town from the country where you were next to growing things, are won- dering if you have lost you love to see the seed sprout out of the bosom of motlYer earth and begin to put forth shoots getting ready to flower and fruit later on. If so, and you have a little plot of ground, begin to dig in t and plant something.
 The best way to enjoy working around the place is to have overalls, an old slouch hat and a pair of easy shoes If you will dress the part, you will soon live up to it, but if you trust merely to fishing out some cast-off clothing, you'll never be real sure enough to goodness gardener, for they will be too much trouble to assemble. On the other hand if you have hook in your closet for your working clothes, you will be apt to want to get into them when you have the time and the weather calls you out of doors.
 
 It is equally as important to have the proper gardening tools and to keep them in good condition and always in a place where you are sure to be able to find them. If I had to start over again, would first of all have a tool house where I could lock them .ip an d keep them out of the weather. II have spent enough in having them taken or lost or become worn out from iln- proper care in the 12 years have lived at Mountain Terrace to have paid for a good place in which to keep them.
 City folks ride along the country and see how carelessly the farmers leave their blows. tools and machinery exposed to the weather and they call it shiftlessness, but many town people are just as negligent in the care of the tools which they buy from time to time. How few autoists are there who really keep their car in first class condition. and yet the sight of reaper out in the rain causes them to criticise the man who is so improvident. I am taking whole lot of this to myself For years I kept my place spick and span, and then the war came on and labor was scarce and needed for war production, and I was busy and after caring for the way things began to look I soon got used to it and lost pride in my home and grounds. I'm not grieving over much, however, for in spite of those who have urged people to make the cus- tomary repairs and build, I'm quite sure that those who have followed the advice have found that it was very expensive. I speak feelingly as am paying some bills today for some work,
 I believe that Russell Hunt is the only one of my neighbors who year in and year out, war or peace. has stuck to his garden. and he has mighty good one. Others have caught the fever for awhile. and some few were awfully enthused and did some real hard work, but by degrees from one cause or the other have abandoned the game. Bob Redus kept at 1t until he was unfor- tunate enough to lose one of his arms, and he was always successful in hay ing fresh vegetables for his table
 
 do not deserve any credit for get ting back into my work clothes for the weather this year has been con- tinual call to office men to come o.1 into the open and get d whiff of the balmy air. I have always prided my self on being an athlete and in the pink of condition but the four years of the war when was foregoing my accustomed exercise left my wind short and my muscles flabby as I dis- covered when-I got back into working harness.