PLANT YOUR GARDEN IF YOU CAN
=A New Flower Game=
BRIGHT summer days are the time to be out of doors in the sweet, fresh
air, with the birds and flowers, where there is plenty of space to run
and have a good time. What a lot of games can be played in the open.
There is Hide-and-Go-Seek, Catcher, Tag, Hop-Scotch and many more. You
will be able to add a number to the list. Probably, though, you have
played all of them over and over again, so we will try and think of
something new. We must have a game that will be lively, interesting,
and at the same time require a certain degree of skill, and the game
must be one where we can enjoy the making of things requisite for the
sport; but the material must not cost more than a few cents.
I have it! A game of flowers with roses that will not wilt or fade but
last for a long time fresh and bright. We will call it “Plant Your
Garden if You Can,” because one cannot always be absolutely sure of
planting the flowers, and that is part of the fun.
=Two Dozen Roses=
will be needed for this garden game, half a dozen white, half a dozen
red, half a dozen yellow and half a dozen pink. The flowers are of
tissue paper and very pretty.
Cut squares measuring twelve inches along each of the four sides, from
white, pink, yellow and red tissue paper; the dotted lines on the
diagrams indicate where the paper must be folded (Fig. 185). Fold each
square across the centre (Fig. 186). Fold again crosswise through the
centre, forming a small square of four layers (Fig. 187). Again fold,
this time diagonally (A to B, Fig. 187), and you will have a triangle
(Fig. 188). Fold once more diagonally (Fig. 188) A to C; this will give
Fig. 189. Cut straight across from E to dot D (Fig. 189), then cut a
slash an inch and three-quarters deep in the centre of the edges as
shown by the line F in Fig. 190. Open out the paper (Fig. 191). The
slashed edges will form the petals of the rose. Curl each corner edge
of every petal with a blade of a pair of scissors according to dotted
lines on the petal (Fig. 192).
[Illustration: Fig. 185.—Square 12 inches each side.]
[Illustration: Fig. 186.—Square folded once across centre.]
[Illustration: Fig. 187.—Square folded twice.]
[Illustration: Fig. 188.—Four layer square folded diagonally.]
[Illustration: Fig. 189.—Triangle folded diagonally through centre.]
[Illustration: Fig. 190.—Second triangle slashed on edges.]
[Illustration: Fig. 191.—Unfolded triangle with slashed edges for rose
petals.]
[Illustration: Fig. 192.—Section of paper for rose showing one curled
petal.]
Begin by holding one corner of one petal between the thumb of your
right hand and one blade of the scissors; gently pull your thumb
and the scissors blade outward, sliding them along each side of the
petal, while you hold the remainder of the paper steady with your left
hand. The thumb rubs over the petal; at the same time the edge of the
scissors blade scrapes the under side of the petal, which causes the
paper to curl. Fig. 192 shows one petal with both of the side corners
curled. When you have curled around the first half of the circle, turn
the paper over and curl the petals around the other half of the circle
in an opposite direction. Fig. 193 gives two petals curled forward and
two backward, representing two petals on each half of the tissue-paper
rose. After all the petals are curled lay the centre of the tissue
paper out flat and place on it three level teaspoonfuls of flour; then
gather up the edges of the rose and wind a strong thread several times
around below the petals and above the flour-bag formed by the centre of
the paper (Fig. 194). Tie the string, adjust the petals and the rose
will be finished (Fig. 195).
[Illustration: Fig. 193.—Two curled petals on each half of rose.]
[Illustration: Fig. 194.—Flour in centre of paper and string around
below rose petals.]
[Illustration: Fig. 195.—Finished rose and flour bag.]
=Mark Out Two Flower Beds=
where the roses are to be planted. Each bed must measure three yards in
length and one yard in width. The beds must run parallel to each other
and be separated by a space of three yards. Each of the two flower beds
must then be divided crosswise through the centre, making four flower
beds in all, two on each side—one for every player. Fig. 196 shows the
plan with flower beds divided. The circles denote the station points
or places where the players stand, and the dotted line the direction
the roses should take when played by the girl or boy stationed at the
position marked “Barbara.” The other players send their roses in like
manner over the intervening space to the flower bed diagonally across
from their position.
[Illustration: Fig. 196.—Plan of flower bed for game.]
That there may be no mistake regarding each particular enclosure where
the different-colored roses should be planted,
=Use Flags=
to designate the color of the various flower beds. From inexpensive
cotton cloth of a solid red color cut a flag eighteen inches long and
twelve inches wide; hem the raw edges; then tack one end of the flag
on a slender stick one yard or more in length; sharpen the free end of
the stick and push it down into the earth at the outer back corner of
the flower bed intended for the red roses. Have the flag stand straight
and firm. Make a white, a yellow and a pink flag in the same way. Erect
each in the outer back corner of its own bed, which will be the bed
where roses of corresponding color are to be planted. All the flags
must be of equal height.
[Illustration: Fig. 197.—Tape in clothespin for pegging to ground.]
If the game is played at the seashore on a smooth, hard beach, mark out
the flower beds by running the end of a stick along in the sand. If the
game takes place on a level lawn, use white tape for marking the beds;
peg the tape down to the earth with common wooden clothespins (Fig.
197), first sliding the tape in the clothespin (Fig. 198).
[Illustration: Fig. 198.—White tape outlining flower bed.]
=The Four Rackets for the Game=
are ordinary flat palm-leaf fans, one fan to each player.
The game is played by sides, and calls for four players, two on each
side.
=The Game=
is that each player in turn shall plant as many roses in her own garden
as she can. Every player has six roses of one color; the two holding
respectively the white and the red roses are on one side, while the two
with the yellow and the pink roses take the opposite side. When all is
ready and the players are at their stations, a signal is given and the
game begins.
The first player holds one of her roses out with the left hand, strikes
it with the fan-racket held in the right hand, and endeavors to send
the rose flying and land it in her own garden. If she succeeds, the
rose is said to be “planted,” and scores her one point, but should
the rose go beyond the boundary line of her flower bed, fall short of
it, or the flour-bag of the rose be broken, the play is a “failure”
and scores one point for the opposite side. When a rose falls on the
boundary line of its own flower bed, the play is a “fault,” and the
player may try again with the same flower. After the first player has
had her turn, a player on the opposite side tries her skill, for the
turns must alternate from side to side. The game ends with the playing
of the last rose, and the side scoring the greatest number of points
wins the game. All roses when played must remain where they fall until
the close of the game, with the exception of those falling on the
boundary line of their own beds.
=A Tally Card=
will be required for keeping a record of the game. Make one of white
pasteboard (Fig. 199). The initials can be changed to those taking
part in the sport. Every point scored must be written under the color
and initial or name of the person who scores it. When, because of the
failure of one player, the opposite side scores a point, the score
must be recorded in the third column belonging to that side on the
tally card under the word “Won.”
[Illustration: Fig. 199.—Tally card.]
=To Determine the Choice of Sides,=
which shall be first, and the distribution of colors, draw straws for
the colors and toss for position of sides. To draw straws, take four
straws of varying lengths, and grasp them in your hand in such a way
that the extending ends of the straws seen by the other players are the
same in length, while the uneven ends are closed within the hand; allow
each player to draw a straw. The girl or boy taking the longest straw
has first choice of colors; the player holding the straw next in length
has second choice, and so on.
To toss for position of sides means that a player from each side shall
toss a small stone toward a stick laid on the ground two yards distant
from the spot where the players stand. A twig placed on the spot may
mark the point from which the stones are to be tossed. The stones must
be tossed in turn, not at the same time, and the player whose stone
comes nearest to the mark wins the right for his side to the choice of
position on the grounds, also the right of first play.
One charm of this game is that the roses when volleyed by the players
invariably land on the ground blossom uppermost, and these twenty-four
bright blossoms scattered over the green lawn or sandy beach, with gay,
colored flags outlining the four corners of the garden court, and, best
of all, the group of merry boys and girls, make a very attractive and
pretty scene.
The game, though intended for four players, may also be played by
either two or eight players. When only two take part, each must play
the twelve roses belonging to his side; in other respects the rules are
the same as in a four-handed game. When there are eight players, four
must stand on each side and each player have three roses, two players
necessarily playing the same color, but not in the same bed, as the
garden on both sides must be divided into four beds that every player
may plant roses in a separate flower bed; otherwise the original rules
hold good.
“Plant Your Garden if You Can” may be adapted to the house when chill
Autumn days appear and the weather grows cold and rainy. When played
indoors the beds may be marked out by white tape as on the green lawn,
only in this case wooden clothespins would be of no use, and thumb
tacks, such as are used by artists, must take their place to fasten the
tape down on a bare wooden floor, and safety-pins when the floor is
carpeted.
[Illustration: Fig. 200.—Home-made Santa Claus as He will Appear on
Your Hearth Christmas Morning.]