500 



THE GARDEIf AND ITS FRUITS. 



[CnAP. V. 



SECTION XXXI.-THE FLOWER-GARDEN-VARIETIES AND CULTIVA- 

 TION OF FLOWERS. 



-in ST, let us talk a little about the moral 

 influence of flower culture. We are just as 

 well satisfied of the beneficial moral cflfects of 

 flower cultivation, as we are that the efiects of their 

 beauty upon the senses of nearly all beholders is 

 pleasing. A mother who loves flowers is apt to infuse 

 the same feeling into her children. A love of flowers is 

 a love of the beautiful ; a love of the beautiful Is a love 

 of the good ; and so step by step the child walks in the 

 pleasant paths of love, till its mind becomes thoroughly 

 imbued with all the sentiments of moral goodness. There 

 is no spot on the farm that grows such a " paying crop" 

 as the little parterre near the dwelling, devoted to the 

 cultivation of flowers. If It does not pay In golden coin, 

 it does in all that makes life worth staying here for. What golden hours 

 of joy are spent by the family in the flower-garden ! What blessed influ- 

 ences such hours have upon the character of chlldr£n ! If you doubt the 

 moral influence of flowers, look about you, and study the character of those 

 who cultivate them in contrast with those who do not. We have long since 

 SL'ttled the question of the beneficial influences of flowers upon all families, 

 r.ud therefore devote a little space to give, upon this subject, some very use- 

 ful information. 



569. Suitable Soil for a Flower-Garden. — Upon the subject of soil, we 

 copy from the catalogue of Benjamin Jv. Bliss, of Springfield, Mass., one of 

 the most successful cultivators and sellers of flower-seeds In the United 

 States, the following sensible observations : 



"The soil best adapted to flowering-plants generally Is a light friable 

 loam, containing a moderate amount of vegetable matter, and sufiicicnt 

 sand to render it porous; but as it rarely happens that the amateur has 

 much choice of soil, it is fortunate that most of them will succeed in any 

 liiit such as Is of an extremely dry, sandy, or calcareous nature, or of a stilf, 

 heavy, retentive character. In the former, the plants are sure to be starved, 

 and in the latter, if they ever fairly take root, there Is generally an undue 

 development of the foliage at the expense of the flowers. In soils of this 

 description much may be done by thoroughly breaking iip the superficial 

 crust, or, as it is technically termed, ' trenching' it at least one spade deep, 

 digging in sharp sand or road-scrapings, and if the operation be performed 

 in autumn, so that the loosened soil Is thoroughly exposed during the winter 

 to the disintegrating influences of frost and other atmospheric agencies, the 

 advantage will be greatly increased. 



