THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



7.h 



derful in nature. "I'ack to the sdil' needs to be a health 

 slogan as well as an economic one. But what kind of 

 soil? The best answer is that of modern scientific farm- 

 ing, which conserves the soil as well as man. Science 

 was long a very artificial thing ; but it is now being nat- 

 uralized. And the encouraging thing is that science pays 

 in efficiency and dollars and cents. Scientific farming is 

 not only the most profitable, but it is one of the greatest 

 conservators of public health. 



"And yet how foolish some sanitarians are! One al- 

 leged scientist recently stated that he would as soon his 

 children played with poison as with earth, as all of the 

 pathogenic bacteria came from the soil. And another 

 'city builder' wishes that not one blade of grass be al- 

 lowed to grow within the limits of the city. Children 

 know better, and 'scientists' should. 



"Let us get back to the soil and the sun ! Let us cea^e 

 contaminating the soil and the atmosphere, and sanita- 

 tion will progress by leaps and liounds. Sanitarians are, 

 perforce of circumstances, compelled to make insanitary 

 conditions tolerable : but what a great work could be 

 done were these unnecessary conditions removed and the 

 sanitarian allowed to devote his attentions more to man 

 in a proper environment ! Man himself is the great 

 problem, after all. This world is a place 'where every 

 prospect pleases and only man is vile." Too long have 

 we blamed our troubles upon this good old earth that 

 we have abused so sorely. Let us begin with ourselves 

 and let the earth wag along as the Creator intended it 

 should." — Digest. 



THE SNAPDRAGON. 



H. J. Moore. 



The Snapdragon — Antirrhinum from anti, like, and 

 rhin. a nose or snout. Few if any of our well known 

 garden flowers are more satisfactory generally than the 

 one in question. For filling beds or borders of any size 

 it is useful and will furnish a beautiful display of bloom 

 from July until the end of October. In color the flowers 

 are so varied as to render possible the most beautiful 

 schemes, and lasting so long, successfully bridge over the 

 entire summer and autumn. For cutting the snapdragon 

 is also useful, and lieing easily raised, flowers are at the 

 command of ycjung and old. Two very popular types of 

 snapdragons are tall .Antirrhinum majus, and the dwarf 

 or Tom Thumb kinds — A. majus manum, these latter 

 being btit varieties of the former which is likewise the 

 progenitor of most of our valuable garden forms. In 

 addition to the foregoing there are many handsome spe- 

 cies less known perhaps, but nevertheless excellent border 

 or rock garden plants. 



Being of perennial habit the snapdragon may be in- 

 creased by cuttings as well as by seeds, and while it is 

 generally increased by the latter method, by cuttings is 

 the only certain way to increase many colors or varieties, 

 September being the proper month for the operation. 



Insert the cuttings in a bed of sand in a cold frame, 

 water carefully and shade from sunlight. Keep the frame 

 closed, ventilating only during ' the day when the tem- 

 perature is high or when moisture condenses excessively 

 on the plants and on the inner surfaces of the frame. 

 When rooted transfer the plants to boxes or pot them 

 off singly, and place them in a cool greenhouse until the 

 spring. By propagating early in the spring good bedding 

 plants may also be obtained from cuttings — bottom heat 

 at this time being of course essential. 



Plants of named and well established varieties should 

 be raised from seed, the quickest and most satisfactory 

 way being to sow them indoors during March or April, 

 and after transplanting into flats, thence into four inch 



pots to place the plants into cold frames to harden off 

 preparatory to bedding out. Those who have no facilities 

 for raising the seedlings indoors may sow the seed out- 

 side as soon as the weather and soil conditions will per- 

 mit. These plants will, of course, flower somewhat later 

 than the foregoing, but w^ill nevertheless afiford a pleasing 

 display. Magnificent border etifects may be created by 

 planting the tall growing kinds towards the rear and the 

 dwarf ones along the front of the border. For this pur- 

 pose, when purchasing seed, the heights of the plants 

 should be carefully noted and indicated on the label bear- 

 ing the name of the variety. The distance apart must be 

 governed by the height of the plant, overcrowding being 

 deleterious. Fifteen to eighteen inches may be regarded 

 as approximately right. Seeds should be sown outdoors 

 in patches very thinly, the seedlings being thinned out 

 as desired. 



The Antirrhinum is not solely a garden subject, for if 

 sown in the greenhouse during any of the fall months 

 and potted commensurately as it grows, excellent jilants 

 in full flower may be had during the late winter and all 

 through spring, while for cutting purposes a bench filled 

 with plants will amply repay the labor. It is customary 

 for many florists to lift the plants from the garden ere 

 they are injured by severe frosts, and after removing the 

 old flower stems to plant them in benches for the winter's 

 supply of flowers, a very economical practice, and there- 

 fore to be commended. — Canadian Florist. 



THE OLD MAN. 



Be kind to your daddy, O, gamboling youth ; his feet 

 are now sluggish and cold ; intent on your pleasures, 

 you don't see the truth, which is that your dad's 

 growing old. Ah, once he could whip forty bushels of 

 snakes, but now he is spavined and lame; his joints 

 are all rusty and tortured with aches, and weary and 

 worn is his frame. He toiled and he slaved like a 

 government mule to see that his kids had a chance; 

 he fed them and clothed them and sent them to school, 

 rejoiced when he marked their advance. The land- 

 scape is moist with th.e billows of sweat he cheerfully 

 shed as he toiled, to bring up his children and keep out 

 of debt, and see that the home kettle boiled. lie 

 dressed in old duds that his Mary and Jake might 

 liloom like the roses in June, and oft when you swal- 

 lowed your porterhouse steak, your daddy was chewing 

 a prune. And now that he's worn by his burden of 

 care, just show you are worth all he did; look out for 

 his comfort, and hand him his chair, and hang up his 

 slicker and lid. — Walt Mason. 



JUST AS OF OLD. 



Just as of old, the moments come and go. 



The Spring with its flowers, and the Winter with its 



snow. 

 The hours pass away, the seasons warm and cold, 

 And Time runs along today just as of old. 



But, ah ! how we change as the years come on anew, 

 The heart grows strange that once was fond and true, 

 And dear friends part, while others pass away. 

 And sadly sighs the weary heart, day after day. 



But just as of old, the many stars appear, 

 And greet us again as in some forgotten year. 

 And flowers bloom anew and rivers ever flow. 

 Just as they did in days of )ore, long, long ago. 



