THE PARLOR GARDENER. 127 



"Watering. 



When your terrace has a southern exposure, the 

 earth contained in the boxes forming the border 

 requires watering two or three times a day ; the heat 

 reflected from the floor of the terrace, especially 

 when of metal, causing a far more rapid evapora- 

 tion than would take place in the borders of a 

 parterre having a similar exposure. These water- 

 ings, the sowing of seeds, sticking slips, trans- 

 planting, removing day by day the faded flowers, 

 and gathering of seeds for next year, will be just so 

 much healthful exercise for you in the open air of 

 your terrace garden. 



These attentions and this work of which you 

 must be careful to do no more than you can do 

 without over-fatigue, without occasioning feelings 

 of exhaustion will imbue you with a taste for 

 ornamental plants; which, becoming more and 

 more lively as you proceed, will finally expand 

 into a real love, such as that with which we 

 love living beings reared by our care. With your 

 sex it is matter of instinct to love all that is gen- 

 tle, tender, elegant, and graceful. 



