Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts Part 69

It may seem to you that you are obliged to wait long and spend a good deal of labor without results, but when you have for the breakfast table some cool, crisp radishes and for dinner a head of fresh lettuce, and later a dish of sweet, luscious beets or mess of string beans, you will feel well repaid.

Let us now turn our attention to the other bed, in which you are to grow flowers. This may be treated as a sort of background for the vegetable bed. To do this let the rows of plants run the other way. That is to say, lengthwise of the bed instead of across. It is a.s.sumed that the ground has been treated as in the case of the vegetable bed.

When you have accomplished this work of preparation set your line six inches from the side of the bed nearest your vegetables, or the patch between the two beds. Make a shallow furrow the full length of the bed with your pointed stick. In this furrow sow your flower seeds of some low-growing plant such as _sweet alyssum_. Then move your line back toward the other side of the bed one foot. Here you should place some taller plants, such as _asters_. The aster plants should have been raised in the house, or purchased from some grower. Again move your line one foot nearer the rear margin of your bed and in this row plant your tallest plants. _Dahlias_ or _cosmos_ would be very effective. You must get the roots for the dahlias somewhere. Cosmos is planted from seeds.

In planting the dahlias it would be well to dig a hole for each plant so deep that when the root is set it will be two or three inches below the surface of the ground. Good results will be obtained if before putting in the roots you put a handful or two of good manure in the hole and sprinkle a little soil over it.

I have mentioned these particular plants simply as specimens. Other choices may be made and a suggested list is given at the end of this section. But whatever the selection, two things should be kept in mind.

First, that the rows should contain plants that vary in height, the lowest being placed in the front row, the tallest at the back; and second, that plants should be chosen that will be in bloom at the same time, for at least a part of the season.

If your work has been well done you ought to have a small bed of vegetables, thrifty, in straight rows, well cultivated, clean, and back of that, looking from the side, another bed of flowering plants that should be a delight to the eye, especially the eye of the possessor and maker. Of course, the beds will not present this perfect appearance for a long time because as the vegetables are used the beds will show where the vegetables have been removed. It should be mentioned, however, that it is possible to have more than one planting of radishes in a season; also of lettuce, and these may be replaced after the first planting has been used.

There are many satisfactions in gardening. The intimacy with nature furnishes one of them. To be with growing things through all the stages of their growth, in all weathers and all hours of the day gives a quiet pleasure that is a healing and soothing influence. To produce something so valuable, so necessary as food by one's own exertion and care confers true dignity upon one and a sense of worth. To eat what one has raised oneself adds a flavor to it.

From the garden as a center path, lead out in every direction, paths for thought and study.

My wish for every Girl Scout who undertakes a garden is that she may have all these satisfactions, and may follow all these delightful paths that lead to knowledge, and through knowledge to joy.

Suggested Flowers for Border

_Biennials_ such as Canterbury Bells, Foxgloves and Sweet William should be seeded early in the spring in a reserve bed to be ready for the season's bloom. In order to secure a succession of bloom they should be taken out after flowering and replaced with annuals.

_Annuals_--Of these some of the most satisfactory are Asters, Calendula, Lupin, Petunias, Rosy Morn, Snapdragon, Stock and Rose Zinnias.

Take out any plants that are not the right colors. Brown earth is better than purple annual Larkspur, magenta Petunias, orange Calendulas or red Zinnias. Keep the color scheme ranging from true blues through rose and salmon pinks, lavenders and deep blue purples and white yellows. If you want brilliant reds or magentas have them in a bed apart.

_Bulbs_--Tulips, such as Murillo, or _early varieties_ (La Reine, Pink Beauty, President Lincoln, Proserpine, Queen of the Netherlands and Rose Luisante), or _late varieties_ (La Merveille, La Reve, Moonlight, The Fawn) and Mertensiav Virginica can be along the borders.

Darwin Tulips, such as Clara b.u.t.t, Dream, Gretchen, La Tristesse, La Tulipe Noire, Mrs. Potter Palmer, Philippe de Commines, Psyche, Rev.

Ewbank, Suzon, should be planted in more shaded places.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plan for a border of Perennials]

SECTION XVII

MEASUREMENTS, MAP MAKING AND KNOTS

1. MEASUREMENTS

Every country has national standards of measures and weights which are made and kept by the governments as patterns, for measuring and comparing the instruments made for business purposes. The units of measure have been fixed by law, for it is most important that people and countries in dealing with each other shall know exactly what is meant by such words as yard, foot, pint and pound.

The unit of length used in this country is the yard. It is divided into three feet and each foot into twelve inches. The foot refers to the length of a man's foot. It is said that the length of the yard was based upon the length of the arm of an English king, but that sounds like a fairy tale. Many of our units of distance and weight have been borrowed from the English and are more complicated than those used by the French, whose unit of length is the meter. In 1799, or thereabouts, an international convention met at Paris to decide what the exact length of a meter should be, for several countries at that time were using what was known as the Metric System of Weights and Measures. It was finally agreed that the length of a meter should be equal to one ten-millionth of the distance on the earth's surface, from the pole to the equator, or 39.37 inches.

At the same convention a unit of weight was determined. Because water is so important and familiar it was chosen as the basis for this unit. A cube of water at 40 centigrade, and measuring on each edge 1/100 of a meter was taken and called a gram, which is about equal to 15 of our grains.

All peoples find it necessary in the house, out in the open and in nearly all forms of occupation to measure and weigh in order to accomplish their work.

It is part of a Scout's preparedness to know how to measure and weigh and how to judge measurements and numbers without using measures and weights.

There are rules for determining length and weight, and it is important to understand them. Measuring a distance means to find out the length of the straight line from one point to another. To get a straight line in the open when walking fix the eyes upon two objects directly in front, one nearer and smaller than the other. With eyes high walk toward these objects keeping them always in line. When approaching the first one choose another to take its place in line with it and the second. Always have two objects in direct line with the eyes.

This method can be used in marching, rowing, swimming, and when staking out the points of triangles for measuring distance and height, as it will give the shortest distance between two points.

There are three general methods of measuring distance accurately. (1) chaining or taping; (2) telemetry, and (3) triangulation. Less accurate means of measuring are by sound, pacing and timing.

(1) Chaining and Taping. The regulation chain or tape used by surveyors is 100 feet long. A Scout may use a shorter line but must follow the same rules.

Three things must be kept in mind when using a line. a. The straight distance between two points is to be obtained. b. The point where the end of the line comes each time must be marked. c. The line must be stretched tight.

This method can be used in measuring off the distance for pacing to obtain the average length of one's pace, as suggested in a later paragraph under Useful Personal Measurements.

(2) Telemetry. The second method is used in determining long distances for artillery practice and in surveying. It is called telemetry and the use of an instrument is necessary.

(3) Triangulation. This is a long word but one a Scout can learn to know and use. It means that the length of the distance can be computed by means of triangles staked out on the ground, when to measure with a line would be impossible or not satisfactory. It is not necessary to make the sides of the triangles, only the points need to be indicated as it is the relative position of the points which make a triangle and not the lines. These can be marked in the country with poles, stakes or stones; in the city Scouts could stand in position at the necessary points.

When using triangles where shall a Scout place the points?

If the width of a stream, road or field is wanted choose a place where its sides are on about the same level and if possible fairly straight.

Then proceed as shown in the accompanying diagram A. Select a conspicuous object on the farther bank of the stream, such as a tree, bush or stone and call it X. Stand opposite it at the near edge of the stream or on the bank, and place a stake A in front of you keeping X and A in direct line, walk backward a few feet and plant a stake B in direct line with them. Right or left face--(for a right angle is necessary at this point). Pace a straight line for say 20 feet and plant a stake C, one high enough to be plainly seen; continue the straight line for say 10 feet more and plant a stake D. Turn inland, (another right angle is here necessary) and pace to the point where the object X on the far side of the stream can be seen in direct line with the stake C. At this point place stake E. Measure the distance from E to D. With paper and pencil mark down the example--for such it is--in this way:

DC : CB :: DE : BX or as the length from D to C is to the length of C to B so is the length from D to E to the length from B to X or as in this example,

as 10 is to 20 so 8 is to the distance from B to X, which would be 16.

Having discovered the distance between A and B in the case given, to be 4 feet, take this from the distance between B and X and the result will give the width of the stream, which is 12 feet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Diagram A. To Measure Width of Stream or Road]

It may not be always necessary to use the line A--B but if the edge of the stream or road is crooked it is necessary in order to make B--D a straight line at right angles to A--X.

In calculating a height, as that of a tree, house or tower, the triangles can again be used, as shown in diagram B. Choose a level strip of ground; pace the distance in a straight line, from the base of the tree A, or tower, to a point some distance from the tree, and plant a pole or stake say 5 feet high B; continue pacing the straight line to the point where, lying down with eyes level with the tree base, the top of the tree can be seen on a line with the top of the pole; plant here stake C. The height of the tree AA' will be to the length of the distance from C to A as the height of the pole, BB' is to the distance between B and C. A Scout can stand in the place of the stake B.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Diagram B. To Measure Height of Tree, Etc.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Diagram C. To Measure Height with a Mirror]

There are other ways of determining height. As shown in the diagram C, place a mirror (M) horizontally on the ground reflector side up, some distance from the base of the object to be measured, in this case a tent. Walk backward from the mirror in a straight line until the top of the tent pole can be seen in it. The problem will read in this way: the distance from the mirror to your heels (MS) is to the distance from your heels to your eyes (GS) as the distance from the mirror to the base of the object (MT) is to the height of the object (TT'). Water in a dark pan or tray or a pool on a still day will answer for a mirror.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Diagram D. To Test a Right Angle]

A right angle can be tested by measuring off 3 feet on one side of the corner and 4 feet on the other side, as shown in diagram d. If the distance between the two points is 5 feet the angle is true; if not 5 feet move one point as much as is necessary to make 5 feet.

South American natives estimate height fairly correctly by turning the back to the object, walking straight away from it to the point where the top of the object can be seen by bending over and looking between the legs. Plant a peg at this point and the distance from the peg to the base of the object is roughly equal to the height.