Milford chronicle., 1938-04-15
BUDDY LEARNS TO SHARE
EDITH BRANDS

The summer that Buddy was five
Mrs. Sandusky helped him make his
first garden. A man came 10 dig up
the ground where vegetables were 10
be planted, and in one corner be
made the earth'yery fine and soft for
floYers-part was for Mother and
part for Buddy. They laid OF rows
for plants and made ready.
Buddy went with Mother to the
nursery. For early flowers they
bought plants that were in bud. so in
short time they had pink. red. pur-
pie and white petunias and more than
dozen poppy plants with fringed
blossoms In yellow. orange and deep
red ts
Buddy and Mother each had four
rows of zinnias, but these did not
come into bloom until later. When
they did the garden was "fiowery all
over. as Buddy said. with big and
little zinnias, dark and light orange,
red, pink, brown, yellow, white and
crimson. These zinnias were Buddy's
favofitcs, because they were 50 stur-
dy and strong on their stems.
Mother tried to teach Buddy about
cutting his flowers every day, but he
liked to see them on the bushes and
plants. He did not like to cut them
for anybody, not even for Sister who
begged for some to take 20 her teach
er, nor for Reg who wanted some for
his friend who was at home with the
measles. To every request Buddy said
sNor.,' e,ee e
when the two older children COM
planned that Buddy would not share
his flowers. Mrs. Sandusky said. You
may cut all the flowers from my
plants every morning. We will di-
vide thems some will be for the house
aud some for each Of you to give.
away. But we'll let Buddy do exact
ly what he chooses. and we shall see
what happens, for I think the flowers
will teach him a lesson he needs"
As Sister and Reg cut Mothers
flowers more and more buds appear
ed. Buddy's plants bloomed. and be-
fore long the blossoms dried. Then |
the plants began to turn yellow. One
zinnia dried UP.
Buddy looked at Mothers bed
so gorgeously. then at his /
own. and began to wonder what was
the matter.
When he told his mother, she took
his hand and went with him. She |
called his attention to the dried flow
sr on petunia plant and showed him |
the little seed pod at its base. Buddy |
found several more. They took on |
the lids and shook the seeds upon a /
piece of paper.
Next they gathered all the dry /
blooms from the zinnia that was dy-
ing. and took them to pieces to find 1
reeds in the heads. though there were
40 seed boxes.
Then Mother said. See If you can
ind seeds on my plants" "
He searched them all but found
zone, no petunia boxes. no dry zin-
Tia heads.
Now Buddy. this is a lesson about
ylants you will want to remember.
Fhe work of plant is to make seeds.
When its work is done it dies
. Like my zinnia?'
"Yes, Buddy. IL you cut flowers
very day. they cannot make seeds
.AlM Du kAlEI DAuOAA hAA I
nine are doing. So. Buddy. you have
o choose: do you want seeds or do J
ou want blooms"
81 want blooms" he said.
"The plant shares blooms with you. :
o be fair you'll have TO share with
Tiers"
"Ill share. will not be stingy any
lore. I'll share with you and Sister, :
nd everybody"
"Then bring the clippers and Ill
I'll you what TO do"
Under his mothers directions. Bud
v clipped every blossom from his :
lants, leaving only buds, then he =
lowered his plants with the sprink- /
,r. In day or two he had flowers, =
nd after that, he cut them every
ne. and shared them, as he had plan I
ed. :
In the late summer, under Mrs.
directions. he let his :
ioicest plants keep some of their :
lessons so as to set seeds. These
,eds he watched ripen. and finally 4
, fnok fhatu off and nut them aWaY