THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



277 



FLOWERS FOR INVALIDS. 

 A lady writing about the pleasure 

 that flowers give to invalids, tells the 

 following anecdote to illustrate her 

 words : 



'' Several years ago, when I was a young 

 housekeeper, I was startled one Sunday 

 morning by the request, from a working 

 blacksmith, for some grapes for his sick 

 wife. We had no greenhouse or vinery. 

 Our little bit of garden was most unas- 

 suming, and I could not tliink what made 

 the man come to me. 



'* However, I told him that I believed 

 a friend of ours had some early grapes, 

 and if I could get some, his wife should 

 have them in the afternoon. My husband 

 walked out with me to our friend's house. 

 Some grapes were most willingly given 

 for the invalid, and some flowers for our- 

 selves. 



" I gathered two or three pretty and 

 sweet flowers — I remember that a carna- 

 tion and two sweet peas formed part — 

 tied them together, and we took them 

 with the fruit to the sick woman. 



" We were taken up to her bedroom. 

 There she lay, pale and emaciated, with 

 an ominous flush on her cheeks. We 

 handed her the longed-for gi'apes. She 

 said ' much obliged. ' 



" But when I held out to her the few 

 flowers I had brought, she snatched them 

 so eagerly that I was startled and awed to 

 see the delight they gave to one who was 

 evidently so near the confines of the 

 Unknown. 



" I called again in a day or two, and 

 saw the flowers carefully preserved and 

 looking bright in a doctor's medicine 

 bottle close by her bedside. That scene 

 taught me a lesson I have never forgotten, 

 and I hope it is not without its use also." 

 Floral Cabinet 



The thbbe best double flowering 

 OERANiDMs for bedding purposes are 

 Bishop Wood, Summit of Perfection and 

 Henry Canuell. All these are of dwarf, 

 compact liabit, very floriferous, and pro- 

 duce tlieir flowers in large trusses. They 

 stand our liot, dry summer weather with- 

 out sustaining the least injury. 



NOTES ON BEETS. 



Having grown an assortment of Beets 

 for exhibition, I avail myself of the 

 experience gained in growing them 

 (added to previous experience as a gar- 

 dener of thirty years' service), to note 

 their respective characteristics and value. 



The Blood Turnip Beet is the favor- 

 ite standard variety in nearly all private 

 gardens, and as a market Beet. There 

 are many sub-varieties, the earliest of 

 which, introduced about ten years ago, 

 is the Dark Red Egyptian. This, when 

 young, is of excellent quality, but needs 

 successive planting if relied upon for 

 all-summer supply, and is of little value 

 under any circumstances for winter use. 

 Previous to the advent of the Egyptian 

 Beet, the Early Bassano was the favor- 

 ite, and a very fine Beet it is. But 

 even had not the Egyptian come to 

 supplant it, Bastians Early lUood Tur- 

 nip Beet would have done so, I think. 

 Bastian's Beet is rather obscured by the 

 Egyptian, and is not widely grown, but 

 is nevertheless a valuable variety, and 

 has the merit of keeping its tenderness 

 through the summer, not needing suc- 

 cessive plantings. Ilatclis Early Tur- 

 nip Beet is a variety po[)ular around 

 Boston, while Simon's Early Turnip 

 Beet is in use near Philadeljdiia. But, 

 undoubtedly, the best of this class for 

 general use is Dewing s^ which is very 

 thoroughbred, with small neck, smooth 

 root, and symmetrical form. I do not 

 know how it could be bettered. 



The half-long varieties are quite ex- 

 tensively grown, and are in no particu- 

 lar inferior to any others, though more 

 popular, so far as my experience extends, 

 in private gardens than among market- 

 men, They, as well as the long-rooted 

 sorts, are rather better keej)ei's through 

 the winter than any of the Turnip- 

 shaped ; yet all kinds need to be kept 

 j)acked in sand to retain their plumpness 

 and flavor, and when so packed I find 



