Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES f. TRACEWELL.

server. The slightest raggedness along
| grass borders stands out plainly.
That well-cared-for look which goes
with constant cultivation OF the soil
is vastly missed in the small garden
where Summer heat causes the gardener
to fail in this most essential duty.
Flat, baked earth, taking on all the
smoothness of concrete, is ugly In the
garden, especially after one has seen
beds mulched in the proper way. IL
is really remarkable what vast dit1er-
ence this one action may make in the
appearance of q small garden. The
ideal would be beds cultivated con-
StantIy, especially as soon after rain
as possible. The recent unsettled
weather has made this really hard
task, During the past three weeks or
SO no one was to be blamed for not
cultiyating as much as necessary, since
it is rather dtsheartening to paw around
in the earth for several hours only to
have all that work undone during the
night.
Yet the fact remains that this neces-
sary garden operation should be done
as often as practical not only for the
benefit to the soil. but especially for
the general appearance of the garden.
1t is second only to proper care OF
grass plots and grassy paths. ms
latter care. of course, must be the very
first consideration. The man who in
vents lawn mower which Will take
care of the extreme edges will make
q billion dollars III these United States.
The job Of clipping edges with shears
is no easy one, especially during the
hot days Of July and August.
There is some inclination on the part
ttNn xgtNr
of the soil. or cultivation or mulching
is of most benefit in that it allows oxy-
gen to get into the soil, that the old
idea Of conservation of soil moisture
has been somewhat overdone. Possibly
SO There is no doubt, however, that
the one big thing cultivation does Is TO
improve the looks OF garden.
Summer care OF the garden involves
taking OF faded blossoms and picking
up from the ground fallen petals and
other debris. There is one school OF
garden thought which deprecateS tidi-
ness, which 1t calls business. but
there can be little doubt that this school
has overlooked the distinction between
the two kinds of gardens, big and little,
and therefore failed to discriminate be-
tween essential neatness and mere fool
iShneSs.
IL Is true Ludt tiltEe IL IL CEl TAIN buAOhi
quality in a garden in middle and late
Summer, which must not be interfered
with. Luxuriousness of leaf, bounty OF
flower, rampant grass growth, these
are part of the season. To deprive a
garden of them is TO work counter to
the seasons.
A finished look, however, is even more
essential in Summer than in Spring
During April and May there was an APP
pearance of incompleteness about the
place, due TO the backward season, and
the fact that the ANIMALS had not yet
got started.
Summer, however, sees everything at
its height, with the exception of GER
tain flowers, such as the glorious dahlia,
the cosmos and the chrysanthemum,
With few exceptions, the peak of the
garden has been reached. 1t is. there
fore. necessary to give the place the
maximum of attention.
Above all, a home garden ought to be
finished in appearance. 1t is not por-
ton of the wild, but an inclosed space
In civilization. TO look its best 1t must
be complete. so far as 1t goes, no matter
how little or how much it has in It,
Let the small garden be finished, then
1t is a good garden. satisfaction to
its owner and pleasure to all those
others who may behold 1t.