Evening star., 1926-01-18

There are two books any one can get
| Tor nothing that are among the most
| interesting to be secured, for the SIM
pie reason that they deal with the
| actual, practical things of everyday.
The big mail order catalogue comes
| for the asking, as does the annual seed
| catalogue. We have just received our
copy of 1926 seed catalogue, the pro-
| duction of one of the biggest and old
| est seed houses.
1t is a monumental volume, Of 200
pages, illustrated with beautiful colored
plates of vegetables and flowers and
hundreds of illustrations in black and
white, green and sepia. l wish every
home in the United States could have
| a copy OF this really beautiful book.
No matter IL one has no garden, or
! Is so unfortunately situated that he
may never have one, this fine cata-
| logue will add to the joy of living, If
only through the dreams which it will
inspire
This catalogue Is more than a mere
| list Of seeds. 1t is the gateway to the
garden. Coming in the coolest time of
the Winter, 1t brings fresh news of
Spring. pictures of Summer. CLEANS
of distant sunsets, dreams Of happi-
| ness.
Is not that a great deal for any book
to do, no matter II it cost many dol
lars? There is a book to be secured
In the bookstores now for $40 a copy,
| a volume which will interest but not
| inspire. which will hold the attention
but Will leave the spiritual faculties of
| man untouched.
This catalogue. on the other hand,
| that costs one exactly nothing, will
| leave you the better for its perusal,
and, If you act upon its advice, will
bring the CLINT of health to your
cheeks and put you in touch with all
| outdoors.
Truly, big nothing's worth,
l have never been able to get over
| a sense Of gratitude upon the receipt
OF this splendid catalogue. OF
course. it is a business proposition,
| pure and simple-and yet. hold, Sure
ly the men who put out this book
for 1t IS indeed that-also feel some.
| thing OF what the writer has tried to
express here.
If there was not more than a de-
sire to make so many dollars year
behind this book, 1t would not be as
hne a catalogue as 1t is. One does not
have to be a dreamer to be sure of
| that. Mere utilitarianism will not ac-
count for the loving care put upon
this catalogue.
No. the inborn love of men whose
fathers were in this growing game
shines forth from every page Here,
II anywhere, one may find where the
backbone of the republic lies. 1t has
its place in the farmers and the gar
deners and the meloving people
who raise few vegetables and
| flowers.
, Mr.. Mencken has written with his
usual ability of the "men of the
cities: and. if I gather Alright from
his words. he believes that these city
men are better than small town folk
and other clodhoppers.
In my opinion, the shoe is distinctly
on the other foot. There Is very little
city does for man. except to make
him stuck up to use a homely ex-
preston. 1t takes the small town and
the country to put an edge on a man
and make him really superior, with a
superiority that Is based on nature
To dine in a swell cafe" at midnight
and talk glibly of plays and authors
may be some folks idea of really
living, but the man who gets out in
his garden and chats with his neigh
Dor over the best way of controlling
plant Zee is perhaps nearer the real
| thing.
X X X
Our catalogue starts off with lawn
grass seed.