THK HOME BKArTTIKUK. 43 



pleasurable than achievement without competition and tor this reason 

 prizes offered to children for the best kept lawns or flowers often .prove 

 a benefit even if there be but one or two to be the win^iers. ^(jij^, the 

 prizes, it is well for the defeated to have been in the race and a^ain. 

 it has a tendency to the co-operation of those who may live on a certain 

 street or square and may extend to that much to be desired quality, 

 "civic pride." With a well kept lawn comes a desire for cleanliness, 

 and cleanliness, you know, is next to Godliness, but unlike it, cleanliness 

 s largely a matter of education. Many people are inclined to think this 

 education a function of the public schools, but I contend we have already 

 put too many such duties on our overworked and underpaid school 

 teachers and that the work shall be done by individual members, along 

 the line of settlement work, that a lawn well cared for has its influence 

 on every citizen and has a tendency to make us better members of our 

 community. 



To borroAv from a well known author, each well kept lawn added to 

 a community "is like another lighted candle added to a room." We 

 are all imitators and the examples set by such surroundings will prove 

 an inspiration year after year. 



The growing of a few annuals in well chosen places with attention 

 to the massing of colors adds much to the appearance of the horne 

 beautiful. In our soil I have found that salvias, petunias, and nastur 

 tiums thrive exceptionally well. 



Cannas, especially the hardier and coarser leaved varieties, are easily 

 grown and the bulbs with little care may be kept from year to year. 

 But it is hardly necessary to depend upon seeds and bulbs when Nebraska 

 offers such a wealth of vines, shrubs and flowers that may be had for 

 the seeking. 



In this day of conservation would it not be well for us to make use 

 of nature's gift to us here in Nebraska, the home beautiful. We have. 

 I am told, eight varieties of lilies in our state. The common wood violet 

 makes ah effective border and shows much improvement in color and 

 size with some little cultivation. Our wild roses found in every part 

 of the state are easily transplanted and are effective in beds or borders. 

 The morning glories, that so soon become troublesome weeds, may be- 

 come ornamental by judicious care. And too, our Nebraska emblem, 

 the goldenrod, is well Tii^orth transplanting. The woodbine and the wild 

 grape may be used on arbors and to clothe unsightly sheds and fences. 

 and for backgrounds and hedges, the elder and the sumac give a pleasing 

 touch of color. Situated as it is, Nebraska has been particularly endowed 

 in the varieties of flowers and vines, the states east of us have con- 

 tributed to her wealth, the plains of southwestern Texas and New Mex- 

 ico, as well as the Dakotas, and tile Rocky Mountain states have given 

 us of their best so that Nebraska affords an unique illustration of the 

 flowers of all these neighboring states. Witb this natural wealth of 

 plants all that is necessary to have flowers and shrubs is a visit to our 

 woods and fields to find well rooted plants. Besides giving us a greater 

 knowledge of our own flora we are conserving our natural resources 



