CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 13

CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

THE JOY OF EFFORT That “the game is greater than the prize” is an old and very true saying. Why does the athlete spend months in arduous and self-denying training for a contest that may last but a few minutes and bring him a prize worth only a few shillings? Why does the keen exhibitor spend hours with his chrysanthemums to bring them to perfection? The “joy of effort” supplies the answer—the love of the contest for itself, in the case of the athlete; the “love of the flower” for itself, in the case of the keen gardener. To find happiness in your garden is the first essential element of success, the success that spells real happiness and contentment, whether the prizes be great or small. There is satisfaction in work well done that comes from nothing else, and the child who is keenly interested in his garden is for ever seeking methods of doing more and doing it better. Everything that helps him he prizes: that is why members of the Children’s Gardening Circle prize the movement that has helped them to enjoy their flowers. This movement has added to their “joy of effort” as nothing else has ever done. To you all may I call on you to give of your best this year, both at school and in your garden.— “CARNATIC.” NEW MEMBERS David Allcock, 5 Millward St. Kathleen Allcock, 5 Millward St. A very hearty welcome to you to our big Garden Circle. I do hope you will enjoy your stay with us. Yes, I will send you a gift of needs. C.G.C. CHEER FUND Uncle Wai, ss. Bonny Glen, 5s 6d. Doug. Soundy, 2s 6d. Bradshaw Girls, 4s. Miriam Luty, Is 3d. Norman Luty, Is 3d. Jack Bish, Is. Mary Humffreys, 6d. Jean Williams, 2s. Many thanks t<s you all. It is very encouraging indeed to find so many members having the C.G.C. at heart. Thank you all, dears. It is a wonderful response.—“Carnatio.” LETTERLAND Grace Churches.—Thank } uu, Grace, for your donation. Your parcel is ready so will you pleas? call at the Avenue office for it, it you have not already received it. Jean Williams, —Had a pop around to your garden this week. You have some nice dahlias. Thank you, Jean, for helping our funds along.

Uncle Wai, —Many thanks for your donation and also gift of seed. Everything is going O.K. Jack Bish, —Thank you, Jack, for your donation. Hope you have* had some nice flowers this year. Douglas Soundy,—Thank you very much, Douglas. Sorry to hear of your accident. Hope your hand is soon O.K. again. Bradshaw Girls, —Many thanks indeed for your donation and also help with our drive for flowers for the hospital. The boxes were magni icent. “Laughing Princess,” —Do hoj>e you met with success at your show and enjoyed the many beautiful flowers. Many thanks for your donation. “Little Housemaid,”—Yes, Elsie, you may change your pen-name if you wish. The parcel will be posted to you. Pleased to hear about your garden. “Bonny Glen,” —Many thanks indeed for your handsome donation to our fund. As you did not sign your letter you have me guessing. Our very best thanks to you. “Linaria,” —Many happy returns on your twelfth birthday. I hope it will be a happy one. I was very interested in your letter. “Montbresia,” —A very interesting letter, Mildred. You should soon have a very pleasant garden. It is certainly worth all the hard work you have to do. “White Daffodil,” —My thanks vO Norman and yourself for donating to our funds. I am sure aunty had a most enjoyable time. We must get her to tell us more of the gardens she saw. Why not write her a letter? SHOP DAY As we are holding a shop clay on Wednesday, March 17, I have published below a list of useful articles thai. could be made by nearly every member. All these articles can be made cheaply, and are very useful for the home or the garden. Next week I will publish a further list of useful things that can be made cheaply. I would like every member to help and make this shop day a successful one. Handkerchief Bag.—Materials: One celluloid doll, about 6in., i'yd. of gay print and. iyd. ribbon. Cut the doll off at the waist. Cut a strip 9in wide off the width of materia:, ana use this to make a little top for the doll. A hat could also be fashioned of this if liked, but it is not necessary. Sew up 18in. strip to form a bag (13Hn. deep by 18in. wide), leaving both sides open for 7in. Hem or face these openings. Gather top in to fit. doll, making a skirt, and attach firmly to doll’s body, and tie ribbon over join, leaving a loop at the back to hang it up by. A smaller amount of. material used makes a smaller bag and makes a useful present. Slip a neat little handkerchief inside.

Attractive, Easily-made Bath Mat. —Materials required are one clean sugar bag, half a yard of gay coloured towelling, fifteen or eighteen inches wide, and a strip of bright trimming. Open out ,wash and iron the sugar oag, Place the towel on side where printing shows, pin securely, and fold the bag in to meet the edge of tJie towel all round, using a hot iron to press in place. Then machine an inch-wide strip of good washing material over the join right round, and sew a hanger on the back. Linen Book-covers.—Linen bookcovers are useful yet quite inexpen-

sive and quickly-made gifts. Coloured bias binding sewn along th? edges and a touch of bright embreidery is all that is needed by way of ornamentation. Cut the cover from linen or crash, making it the siz of the book on which it is intended to oe used. Stiff-covered notebooks or exercise books, when fitted with linen covers, make books for recipes, household hints, gardening notes, etc. Applique or embroider suitable designs on the covers—fruit, vegelahks, or a tasty pie or cake on a recipe book, flowers or a garden scene of /i watering can and a flower pot plant on the gardening book, and so on. These covers are washable and may be removed quite easily for washing when desired.

Useful Stocking-hanger.—A stock-ing-hanger is a very useful gift, and is made of a plain wooden coathanger and six clip clothes-pegs, all of which are enamelled in a dainty colour. The pegs are suspended on ribbon or cord at inervals along the hanger. A tiny flower design, or the initials of the recipient painted on in contrasting colour, make this gift even more delightful, but if this is done, the first coat of enamel must be allowed to dry thoroughly before applying the second colour. Pretty Writing-case.—You will need two sheets of cardboard about 9in. by 6in. Fasten together with ribbon or tape, and then cover completely with chintz or any other suitable material. Pockets may be made by stitching some more of the material on the inside of the case so that when the two sides of the case closed there are two neat pockets, one for the envelopes and one for letters. Sew a piece of ribbon to each flap, so that the case may be securely tied when ot in use. Enamelling Articles.—Most people have some enamel paint of various shades in the house. This can be used to decorate wooden coat-hangers. Paint the coat-hanger over in a pretty shade, say blue or pink, then use any other colours to paint a few flowers and leaves. Children especially are delighted with these pretty hangers. Then one can enamel round tobacco tins in pretty shades and decorate and put in needles, cottons and mending silks. These do not take long to make. Quite a number can be enamelled at one time and they make acceptable, dainty gifts.

Home-made Handkerchiefs. —Half a yard of 36in. boiling crepe de chine in any pretty pastel shade will cut eight squares of nine inches. Turn in as little as possible and crochet a pretty edging around handkerchiefs with stranded cotton. Add a tiny spray in one corner. Takes about 20 minutes or less to make one. Child’s Stuffed Animals.—An easilymade child’s toy can be made by tracing the outline of an animal, a bunny, elephant or dog, on -lyd. of bright, fadeless casement cloth costing 3d. Outline and embroider the feathers with stranded cotton and machine on wrong side. Press carefully and stuff with clipped wool or kapok. These cuddly toys are quickly made, inexpensive, and last longer than bought toys costing twice the amount.

Make This Apron.—A sugar-bag apron is a very useful thing to wear when you are working in the garden or in the house. Get a sugar bag, wash and iron it. Cut it out to fit yourself and leave two pieces for the straps. Turn in a half-inch hem all the way round. Get a ball of pretty coloured wool and blanket stitch all around the hem. Make a pretty spray of flowers on the bottom of the

apron. Work these in chain stitch or stem stitch. For the garden make a , big pocket which will hold a pair of scissors and string. Worn-out Hot-water Bags.—Cut off the neck part, fill with some springy filling rather loosely and bind the two edges together firmly. You now have a damp-proof cushion for kneeling on when gardening, or a comfortable pad for the milking stool. Another useful article to make is a bag for carrying a wet bathing suit in. Just cover in cretonne and make a handle of same. A Pair of Over-sleeves.—When gardening or doing housework a pair of over-sleeves will keep the sleeves of your dress clean. Get an old pair of woollen stockings, hem each end after cutting off knee and foot, and put elastic in the wrist end. GROWING CYCLAMEN HINTS FOR THE NOVICE Although the Persian cyclamen are hardy enough in the northern parts of the Dominion, in speaking of hardy cyclamen it is generally understood that those delightful little species such as C. coum, C. neapolitanum and C. european are referred to. The method of planting these differs from most other hardy bulbs in that the corms are buried with their tops only just below the level of the soil, the base of the corms resting on a layer of sand. The first year after planting one should not expect many flowers, for they take a year or two to establish themselves. Thereafter the quality and quantity of flowers produced increases yearly. The spring-flowering species like C. coum are at rest from January to the end of March, and the autumn-flower-ing species of which C. neapolitanum is a good example rest from the end of December until early February. These are the ideal times for planting but, of course, plants established in pots may be transferred to the ground at any season of the year when conditions are reasonably favourable.

This may be a distinct advantage to beginners in the cultivation of these delightful little plants. The positions in which these miniature cyclamen flourish best are: The partially-shadod places under trees, where the light is not too much obscured; at the base of walls; on dry sloping banks in partial shade or on secluded spots on the rock garden under the shade of some large boulder.