Evening star., 1947-06-06
This and That
Bu Charles z. Trdce1DeH.

One of the most interesting garden books OF
the season is THE Lazy Gardener" by William
C. Pryor of the Soil Conservation Service OF
the Department of Agriculture. 1t is pub
lished by Longmans, Green and Company.
A resident of nearby Virginia, Mr.. Pryor
found his home gardening none too hard. He
made wonderful discovery that many others
have made, no doubt, but which few turned
to such good account
The plain fact is that it is the nature of
growing things to grow. The author points
this out with good humor and much excellent
advice, and makes the reader see that being
lazy in gardening sense, may be both great
fun, and-Work!
Being a lazy gardener then, according to
Mr.. Pryor, is not being so very lazy, after ALL
1t is more not being worried too much, either
by nature or that odd facet of nature, the
human mind
just sit back and let nature take its course.
He gives us all the old problems-seed cata-
logues, lawns, unwelcome guests, landscaping,
grow and many more.
Even the herb garden is not neglected.
Readers with the most gardening experience
will get the most from this book, because they
have gone through all the problems, and
worked them out much as he did.
But the newcomer to the gardening scene
and this means the thousands who yearly are
moving to the suburbs of our greater cities
will get good hard common sense and advice OH
gardening, at the same time they are shown
graphically how to take nature as it comes.
The lazy gardener is an odd species We may
suspect that he-or she, although she may re-
sent this-is motivated largely through lack
of spring to do the necessary physical work
The wonderful thing is that, despite dearth of
inner physical compulsion, one may in time
build up the character which bends the knees
over at first hated tasks
This is the glory of mankind, that it may be
done. Who is there who cannot recall a time
when getting out of bed was a task-and yet
we got out of bed? Who fails to remember a
time when working on algebra problems was a
task scarcely to be faced? And yet We worked
on them, and marvellous to recall, got them
right
1t is this capacity of the race to bend the
knee and do what at first may seem hard that
finally accomplishes so much. Good books are
written that way, no less than engineering
constructions raised to completion.
Perhaps when we bend our knees in prayer,
some of us accomplish wonderful things, too
despite our lack of an inner urge. Such would
have been helpful. but if it were not there it
is not there; the time comes when the bloody
head and the failing limbs force us to bow,
and, bowing, We find help where it has
always been found. We are lazy prayers
but the infinite good takes us in.
LazlnesS may be a good as well as vice.
1t is one of the real accomplishments of to-
day that we no longer hurl the charge of orig
inal sin at erring persons, especially children,
but start at once to find out what is wrong in
the inner life, that deeply hid source of action
resulting in, one way crime and terror, and
the other, peace and happiness
Lazy gardeners We may prove to be, but if
we take the work as it comes, and do the
best We can, without quarreling about it,
either with gardening mate or the neighbors
or nature, We may end at last with good
garden a tanned skin, and some little knowl-
edge of the great good in growing things,
washed by the rains, blessed by the sun, great
source of power. one with the invisible and
surely in tune with It,
clod of earth no larger than ones thumb
is brother to the world. A leaf of grass is a
marvel in your own yard. Sunset and sun-up
come to nearby Virginia and Maryland just
the same as to the far Pacific Isles You are
fortunate when you do not have to 60 to such
places because the famous sights come to
you wherever You are. If you are sensible
enough to adjust> your eyes to take them In.
Call it lazy" II yAu want to, il Is mighty nice.