THE PARLOR GARDENER. 149 



nia in full bloom : instead of modestly closing, in 

 imitation of our gentle mimosa, they will forth- 

 with scatter, spreading out in every direction 

 with a brusque and instantaneous movement. 

 Some time after they will return to their for- 

 mer position. This property of the stamens of 

 the Sparmannia, less generally known than that 

 which manifests itself in the closing of the leaves 

 of the sensitive plant, is not less curious or inter- 

 esting to observe. 



Forced Strawberries. 



If you have two or three double windows 

 instead of one, place pots of strawberries upon 

 the glass stands of one of them ; they will bloom 

 in January, and will give, each one, five or six 

 strawberries in February, when out of doors the 

 earth will perhaps yet be hard frozen, or covered 

 with snow, and the river will be covered with 

 skaters. At such a time a single strawberry, 

 gathered from a plant forced by your care, in one 

 of your double windows, will have the right to 

 seem supremely delicious to you. 



