MY HOME GROUNDS. 43 



trees there may be for the picture itself. This makes it very attractive 

 and pleasant to the eye. 



There is one thing I have been doing and which I would recommend 

 any one to do and that is to plant a number of shrubs for winter effect. 

 We have a beautiful country here in the summer time, but in the winter 

 it is dreary and I think one should grow a number of shrubs and trees 

 where the bark is colored for winter effect and also where the berries 

 are lasting into the winter, which will lesson the sombre days of winter. 

 I have not done as much in this line as I intend to do, putting out 

 more shrubs for this purpose. 



I would also advise putting out a number of sweet-scented shrubs, 

 if for no other purpose than to counteract some of the balmy breezes 

 we get when the wind is blowing from South Omaha. There are a 

 number of shrubs, such as Caly Canthus, Sweet Brier and others, which 

 can be put out, and every one should have at least one basswood tree 

 in their yard for the fragrance it will give. 



I have also put out a large number of Tulips, Phlox and Peonies. 

 They are very satisfactory flowers for any one to grow and I would es- 

 pecially recommend the Phlox, which is a continuous bloomer and many 

 of them are sweet scented and with the beautiful flowers they have are 

 very attractive. The Peonies are very satisfactory and are a beautiful 

 flower, as you know, but the bloom is short lived but well worth the 

 care. I have nearly 200 of them out. I have nearly 600 tulips and they 

 were beautiful in the time of bloom. Also I had a good many roses, and 

 they are a very satisfactory flower to have out, as you all know. I have 

 a good many other varieties of flowers, such as the Snowdrop, Scilla, 

 Crocus, Larkspur, Columbine, Hardy Pinks, Chrysanthemums and Lily 

 of the Valley and many other flowers which are all quite satisfactory. 

 The early flower is the Snov/drop. It comes out when the snow is on 

 the ground and has a beautiful eft'ect at that time. The Crocus follows 

 it soon. They die down at an early date, so they may be set out on the 

 lawn and will not be injured at the time it is necessary to mow the 

 same. The Scilla is a very beautiful flower and I would advise any one 

 to put it out. It comes after the Crocus and is a beautiful little flower. 

 I think also the Lily of the Valley every one should have if they have a 

 shady place in which to place them. 



I have one annual which I would recommend any one to have if 

 they have a fence or trellis, and that is the English Bean, Scarlet Run- 

 ner. It has a beautiful red flower and it is an edible vegetable as well 

 as an ornamental flower. 



In closing there is one thing I would like particularly to impress 

 upon this gathering, although it is a digression from my topic, and it is 

 something which I do not believe has been urged sufficiently in this 

 state, and I wish to make it emphatic, and that is the necessity of 

 beautifying the school grounds more thoroughly. In my business (which 

 is the farm loan business) I have been thrown out in the state examin- 



