- Author: Cheryl A Potts
I love books, and am needing to rearrange my computer-library- guest room to accommodate my growing collection. I have been spending time on Pinterest searching for fun book storage ideas, but as of yet, have not taken the time to hang brightly colored ladders from the ceiling or lug up my stairs an old non-working refrigerator to add to my shelf space.
The other day while shuffling through my stacks of unshelved books, I came across one of my more interesting gardening books, a Sunset book. I know, you all have tons of Sunset books and magazines around, but this one was published in 1941. (Egads! That's before even I was born. ) It is aptly named Sunset's Visual Garden Manual, and is just that. Each individual page is devoted to a one topic and divided into six bordered, hand drawn, black and white pictures. Topics include such things as weeds, lupine, camellias, lath house culture, asters, and winter storage. A whole page containing six of these 4"x4" pictures covers the complete topic of vegetable gardening. Just became aware, only common names used in Visual Garden Manual.
One of the more interesting pages is that of soil testing. The first picture, shows a pile of soil and a human hand reaching in and apparently pouring something onto the pile. The text suggests that one go to the drugstore and obtain litmus. If the litmus paper turns red, the dampened soil is predominately acid; if it turns blue, it is alkaline. The next two pictures demonstrate the use of an early soil testing kit in which solutions change color indicating pH balances, much like the ones that can we purchase today at the big box stores. The next panel shows a few plants and tells you that if you have moss, sorrel, a strong growth of foxglove, bracken fern or any other plant thriving in acid soil, you have acidic soil. On the other hand, lush growths of clover or alfalfa indicates a "sweet" soil. Yes, they call it sweet soil. The next to last picture shows various sizes of screens in which to sift your soil though to determine if you have clay, sand, or loam. The last picture is a drawing indicating the combination for best results, stating that between clay and loam is ideal.
As I leafed through the book, I was made aware of how little gardening has changed over the years, and if we were to look deeper, even centuries. Of course there are new methods devices and terminology appearing all the time, but the basics are the same. Sun, water... Well, you know the routine.
I enjoyed what the author, Elsa Uppman, said in her introduction. The same words would be just as true today as sixty-five years ago:
"Gardeners are not magicians and a real gardener never pretends to be one."
"Most gardeners are a patient lot."
"Real gardeners are rarely, if ever bored."
"A real gardener is rarely discouraged or depressed."
And lastly, speaking of soil, she states, "It binds us to the best in man's heritage, a heritage rooted in a desire which could find its first expression only after men had ceased preying upon one another and will find it highest when men again settle down to live and work in peace."