Since
gardening tends to develop in fortunate sections and to die out in
others, we have laid off our town map in seven parts and made a rule
that to each of these shall go three of the prizes.
Moreover, no two consecutive prizes can be awarded in any one of these
districts. Where a competitor takes the capital prize no other can take
a higher than the third, and if two in one district win the first and
third prizes no one else there can take a higher than the fifth. So on
through to prize twenty-one.
Still further, a garden taking any of these prizes can never again take
any of them but a higher one, and those who attain to the capital prize
are thenceforth _hors concours_ except to strive for the "Past
Competitors' Prizes," first and second.
Thus the seasons come and go, the gardens wake, rise, rejoice and
slumber again; and because this arrangement is so evidently for the
common weal and fellowship first, and yet leaves personal ownership all
its liberties, rights and delights, it is cordially accepted of the
whole people. And, lastly, as a certain dear lady whom we may not more
closely specify exclaimed when, to her glad surprise, she easily turned
the ceremonial golden key which first unlocked the Carnegie House of our
People's Institute, "It works!"
THE PRIVATE GARDEN'S PUBLIC VALUE
What its pages are to a book, a town's private households are to a town.
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