298 STATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



among oar faniiors and liorticulturists, a system of exchange, by which choice 

 phints might be more Avidely disseminated, and a greater interest be awakened 

 in regard to farm ornamentation? 



FLOWEKS. 



What Uowers shall the fai'mcr's wife cultivate ? She has so little time ! How 

 shall she get the largest amount of enjoyment from the means at command? 

 Shall she order everything in the florist's catalogue tiuit she may have heard is 

 beautiful, or that the catalogue itself says is so? It is so tempting, tiiat long 

 array of names and descri])tions I Slie loves beautiful things so much — she 

 sees in prospective such a lovely flower garden! ''Man wants but little here 

 below," but when a woman thinks of flowers, there arc sometimes so many 

 things to want I Good friend, let common sense come to the aid of imagina- 

 tion. Do you know how to raise choice flowers? How much time can you give 

 to their cidture? Do you forget that tbe money invested is but a part of the 

 price — that toil and experience only will bring large results? Look around 

 among your friends and see what they have that pleases you. ^S'^o matter 

 whether it is rare or not, so long as year after year it will bring you and your 

 children a gift of beauty that will till your hearts too full for words. Put such 

 as have only a short-lived beauty into the background, where their unsightli- 

 ness when out of bloom will not otfend the eye. Some plants only need room 

 to root, to be ready for years tofjetlier to come with tlieir floral oiferincr. Even 

 the tough green-sward or an overhanging tree will not prevent their advent. I 

 have a lily that yearly throws up its golden bells in such a place. Observation 

 M-ill give you much yaluable information about such things. 



Be sure and Jiave plenty of roses and hardy climbers. How could June get 

 along without roses? — and how cold and barren are our 2)orches without tiie 

 garlanding of vines ! Even the grape will add home-likeness to the dwelling, 

 and if tlie front is occupied with prettier things, this may well adorn the rear. 

 You will need some annuals. Perennials, bulbs and shrubbery, though yield- 

 ing large returns for little labor, do not tpiite All the bill. The best way I have 

 found to raise annuals is to devote a spot to them especially, have it thoroughly 

 enriched, and well i)lowed — where the plants will bear transplanting, raise them 

 in house, hot bed or cold frame — small boxes made of thick jnipcr folded diag- 

 onally and fastened with a pin and ])acked closely in bed or sliallow box, are 

 very good to raise plants in and the plants can be set in the garden with little 

 disturbance — giving them plenty of room in their final home, and hoeing them 

 as you would corn. This may not produce the best landscape results; but 

 there will be flowers for kitchen, dining room and parlor, flowers for tlie sick, 

 for the children, and for friends. If you have taste enough to create a picture 

 out of your grounds, and plenty of time, you may prefer a different manage- 

 ment. 



Among plants you may raise from seed, let me name, as horticulturists do 

 fruit, a dozen very satisfactory kinds. 



I place the verbena first. It is a little trouble, but worth it. You want good 

 seed, and should sow them early. Transplant all to one bed where you can see 

 them daily and hourly. Put tlie plants at least a foot apart, hoe them a few 

 times and let them run. Next may come the companionable ])ansy. Give 

 it a shady place and wait till fall or the following spring for full satisfaction. 

 The double zinnia, a grand flower for an annual; ]ietunia and portulacca, for 

 passers by as well as yourself; phlox Drummondii and white candytuft — sow 



