e quickly. One should not take up
celery plants and perhaps leave them a long time before placing in new
quarters. Plant immediately. It takes little to upset a celery plant and
check its growth. So never take up a whole lot of celery plants at one
time. Take up a few, keep them moist, plant them, and then start again.

[Illustration: Elizabeth Sowing Small Seed From the Package. Photograph
by Helen W. Cook.]

"I am not going to say a word about corn. You all remember the boys'
work of last year. Your teacher has planned next Friday afternoon for
the boys to discuss this at school. So we shall not have our meeting,
but I shall come to the school to hear their report. I hope our girls
will take notes on this. For I know that Eloise has decided to raise
corn next year; Helena is going to; and Leston will not be out of the
corn contest this season.

"The cucumber is the next vegetable in the line. This is a plant from
foreign lands. Some think that the cucumber is really a native of India.
It is believed that it was brought here by the Negro, and that a species
of cucumber from Africa became finally at home in this country. A light,
sandy and rich soil is needed--I mean rich in the sense of richness in
organic matter. When cucumbers are grown outdoors, as we are likely to
grow them, they are planted in hills. Nowadays, they are grown in
hothouses; they hang from the roof, and are a wonderful sight. In the
greenhouse a hive of bees is kept so that cross-fertilization may go on.

"But if you intend to raise cucumbers follow these directions: Sow the
seed inside, cover with one inch of rich soil. In a little space of six
inches diameter, plant six seeds. Place like a bean seed with the
germinating end in the soil. When all danger of frost is over, each set
of six little plants, soil and all, should be planted in the open.
Later, when danger of insect pests is over, thin out to three plants in
a hill. The hills should be about four feet apart on all sides.

"Egg plant is another vegetable we have not tried. It is another of
those which has been improved by crossing, usually with peppers and
tomatoes. But as we are not Burbanks yet, I shall not talk of that side
of egg plant culture. Some varieties of egg plant grow to a large size
but the smaller fruits, on the whole, have the better flavour. A good,
well-worked, rich garden loam is the soil for this vegetable. The seed
may be planted out in the open in little drills six i