The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming.Shaw, Ellen Eddy
General
The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming.
Shaw, Ellen Eddy
Gardening -- Juvenile literature
"In putting up your seeds in envelopes give a few cultural directions
on them; that is, tell how to plant the special seed. Also, put on when
to plant and the proper soil conditions under which planting should go
on. If the seeds are those of flowers add information concerning height,
colour of blossom, and time of blossoming. Someone might like to know
also if the seed was that of an annual, biennial or perennial plant.
Think out a neat, attractive way to fix these envelopes. If you do not
wish to sell them, they will serve as nice Christmas gifts.
"Among the garden trappings which we made last winter are things you
could easily sell. Such a plant stand as Jack made for his own room is
certainly marketable. Make samples of your wares and then take orders
for them. Again, these represent Christmas gifts, too.
"Rustic seats, a woven mat of corn husks to kneel on when weeding, a bit
of nice trellis work, a little tool house are all possible pieces of
work.
"I saw once what a boy called his handy boxes. These were wooden boxes,
with hinged covers and handles, so that they might be carried about. One
was for seeds. This box had partitions inside, and all the different
envelopes of seeds were arranged in the different cubby holes. Another
box had garden accessories. The word sounds interesting. It means all
the little extras needed in the work. Labels, small stakes, a garden
reel, measure, knife, cord, note book, pencil--all were in the box, all
were things which the boy often used. You can make variations on these.
But a box which may be carried about has advantages over one that is
screwed up in the tool house.
"I believe the flower-gathering basket would sell well. It is not that
it is a rather picturesque sort of Englishy custom to go out and pick
flowers with a pretty basket tucked under one's arm, but it is very
inconvenient, very hot work, and very mussy, to have to hold bunches of
flowers in the hand as one gathers.
"In some places where there are summer colonies it is possible to sell
bunches of flowers. I knew of a case where big bunches of sweet peas
were brought to the hotel every morning. These sold for ten and fifteen
cents the bunch and went like hot cakes.
"The girls may think of all sorts of wicker mats and trays that would
make the garden tea more attractive. One ought to think of the aesthetic
side.
"I have not mentioned working for others. Hire yourself out. Let it be
known that you can and will weed, mow lawns, plant and transplant for so
much per hour. Someone may be going off for a few weeks; see to it that
you are the boy or girl to be employed. Prove yourself faithful.
"In the winter make garden utensils and also attend to the bulb end of
it. At Christmas time you could do a big business.
"Someone might make and bottle kerosene emulsion. Paste on each bottle
directions for using. Print very neatly, so it will look well.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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