Summer Meeting. 75 



"ii 



lily of the valley will multiply and grow better for a dozen years if they 

 are not confined in too limited a space. I have a crocus bed that has not 

 been disturbed for 12 years and it has grown to be a magnificent collec- 

 tion, with colors ranging from purest white to deepest purple ; some are 

 striped, purple and white, w^hile others are a deep rich yellow. I have 

 a grand bed of the lily of the valley ; it is on the north side of the house 

 and for efifect I have planted the blue flowered evergreen myrtle among 

 the plants, the myrtle in no way seems to incommode the bulbs and it 

 grows very luxuriantly. 



It is not difficult to grow flowers if one really cares to succeed. I 

 -would advise the amateur to begin with those of easiest cultivation and 

 not try to have a great many at first. Where a woman does her own 

 housework and cares for a family the fewer flowers she has the better. 

 I would recommend for the busy housewife nasturtiums for table vases 

 and geraniums for yard display. Of all the hardy shrubs the finest in 

 my estimation is the Spirea-Van Houtei. The hardy rambler roses are of 

 the polyanthe class and very satisfactory. The crimson is a general favo- 

 rite, but the white, the pink and the yellow are all good, and will pay 

 ^well for planting and culture. In shrubs one should always have the 

 white and the Persian lilac; they bloom early, grow easily and have 

 pretty foliage. 



I would like to emphasize the fact that a few shrubs and plants w-ell 

 cultivated, properly pruned and cared for, will be far more pleasing than 

 many which may sufifer from lack of attention. I would also, in closing, 

 once more say that individual taste or expression in floriculture should 

 not be despised or discouraged. ' 



I have seen lovely hedges of hollyhocks and if my taste ran to 

 peonies exclusively then I would be a peony specialist ; but I would not 

 grow things I did n^t care for because it happened to be a fad of my 

 neighbor or the fashion of a day or year. 



Express thyself , oh, living soul, 



Thy right to think is not of man; 

 God giveth thee a deathless role, 



Be faithful to His word and plan. 



The flowers bloom where'er they are. 



Each in its place smiles to the sun; 

 Not one small plant the pages mar. 



Its mission o'er, its life is done. 



Not so is the immortal soul ; 



It ends not here the task begun, 

 But where eternal ages roll, 



Work here commenced shall there be done. 



