SOMETHING ABOUT FLOWERS. 



529 



salute our cousins and other fair friends 

 this Christmastide according to ancient 

 usage and old fashioned custom, " Under 

 the Mistletoe Bough." 



The custom has been honored in the ob- 

 servance by a no less virtuous person than 

 Mr. Pickwick himself. I have only hintel 

 at some of the many legends of the mistle- 

 toe or golden bough, but will finish with n 

 selection from Eliza Cook : 



Under the Mistletoe, pearly and green, 



Meet the kind lips of the young and the old ; 

 Under the Mistletoe hearts may be seen, 



Glowing as though they had never been cold ; 

 Under the Mistletoe peace and good will 



Mingle the spirits that long have been twain ; 

 Leaves of the olive branch twine with it still, 



While breathings of Hope fill the loud carol strain. 

 Yet why should this holy and festival mirth 



In the reign of old Christmas-tide only be found / 

 Hang up Love's Mistletoe over the earth. 



And let us kiss under it all the year round : 

 Hail it with joy in our yule-lighted mirth. 



But let it not fade with the festival oound ; 

 Hang up Love's Mistletoe over the earth 



And let us kiss under it all the year round. 



A Popular Florist. 



One of the most popular florists in Toronto is Mr. E. F. Collins, 

 the secretary' of the Toronto Gardeners' and Florists' Association, 

 who a;ted as secretary of the floral committee which had charge of 

 the floral exhibits connected with the recent Provincial Fruit, Flower 

 and Honey Show. The success of this feature of the exhibition is 

 due, in a large measure, to the efforts of Mr. Collins. 



THE CARE OF WINDOW PLANTS 



WM. HUNT, ONT. AGRI. COLLEGE, GUELPH. 



I'^ O be successful with window plants one 

 must really love them and not be- 

 grudge the time and attention they take. It 

 is not usually those who exclaim the loudest, 

 on seeing a display of plants and flowers, 

 "Oh! how I love flowers!" who are the 

 most successful in their culture. 



The most successful window gardeners 

 are those who take a quiet, observant plea- 

 sure in watching the gradual growth and 

 development of the beautifully varied phases 

 and features of plant life. Many persons 

 only love flowers as decorative objects : 

 oftentimes from a sense of vanity or frivol- 

 ity. As a rule these people are not tho^c 

 who succeed best in the culture of plan*^s 

 and flowers. The true student of nature 

 takes as great a pleasure in his plants when 

 in a dormant or semi-dormant stage of com- 



paratively uninteresting growth as when 

 watching the flower buds develop into beau- 

 tiful, richly colored flowers. 



THE WINDOW. 



For window plants in winter a window 

 facing the south or southeast is preferable, 

 especially for flowering plants, as this as- 

 pect gives a maximum of sunshine and 

 avoids the cold west and northwest winds. 

 Ferns, palms, and many foliage plants will 

 succeed as well in a window facing the north 

 or northeast as in a south window, but flow - 

 ering plants will do. better in a sunny posi- 

 tion. 



Avoid draughts of cold air on plants, ..s 

 they are injurious, checking the growth, ind 

 often inducing attacks of mildew. If out- 

 side air is given plants in winter, and some- 

 times this is beneficial, give them ventilation 



"Extract from an address delivered at the provincial, horticultural convention held in Toronto, November 15 and 16, in connection 

 with The Provincial Fruit, Flower and Honey Show. 



