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SAVING FLOWER SEEDS. 



SAVING FLOWER SEEDS. 



A LITTLE time and attention in saving flower seeJ 

 in the full, will save much time and vexation iu the 

 spring, and will add much to the beauty of your 

 garden. Save the seeds only of the most beautiful, 

 and thus you will have good reason to hope that the 

 varieties will keep constantly improving. Label 

 every variet}', and put away carefully in a dry place. 

 It is quite interesting to look over these packages of 

 seeds of a winter evening, and enjoy in anticipation the 

 beautiful flowers they are to produce, especially if 

 you put on the pqipers a few remarks as to the quali- 

 ty of the flower. For instance, "Light Pink Aster, 

 — this was the most perfect flower I had last season. 

 Seed obtained from G. P., of Rochester." We give 

 below an extract from a delightfully written nrticle on 

 this subject in Putnam's Magazine, entitled Living 

 in the Country: 



"Mrs. Sparrowgrass," said I, "let us have some 

 nuts and apples and a pitcher of Pinghampton cider; 

 we have a good cheerful fire to-night, and why should 

 we not enjoy it ?" 



When Mrs. Sparrowgrass returned from giving di- 

 rections about the fruit and cider, she brought with 

 her a square paper box filled with garden seed. To 

 get good garden seed is an important thing in the 

 country. If you -depend upon an agricultural ware- 

 house you may be disappointed. The way to do is 

 to select the best specimens from your own raising; 

 then you are sure they are fresh at least. Mrs. Spar- 

 rowgrass opened the box. First, she took out a 

 package of seeds, wrapped up in a newspaper — then 

 she took out another package tied up in brown 

 paper — then she drew forth a bundle that was pinned 

 up — then another twisted up — then out came a burst- 

 ed package of watermelon seeds — then a withered ear 

 of corn — then another package of watermelon seeds 

 from atiother melon then a handful of split okra 

 pods — then handfuls of beans, peas, squash seeds 

 melon seeds, cucumber seeds, sweet corn, evergreen 

 corn, and other germs, then another bursted paper ol 

 watermelon seeds. There were watermelon .seed 

 enough to keep half the country supplied with thi 

 refreshing luxury. As the treasures were spread out 

 on the table, there came over me a feeling that re- 

 minded me of Christmas times, when the young ones 

 used to pant down stairs, before dawn, lamp in hand, 

 to see the kingly toy-gifts of Santa Clau^e. Then 

 the Mental Gardener, taking Anticipation by the 

 hand, went forth into the future garden ; the peas 

 sprouted out in round leaves, toinato put forth in 

 aromatic spread; lettuce threw up his slender spoons; 

 beans shouldered their way into the world, like 

 yEn^ases, with the old beans on their backs; and 

 watermelon and cucumber, in voluptuous play, sport- 

 ed over the beds like truant school-boys. 



" Now," said I, " Mrs. Sparrowgra.ss, let us arrange 



these in proper order; I will make a chart of the 

 garden on a piece of paper, and put everything down 

 with a date, to be planted in its proper time." Mrs. 

 Sparrowgrass said she thought that an excellent plan 

 " Yes," 1 replied, tasting the cider, " we will make a 

 garden to-night on paper, a ground plnn, as it ^''"^ 

 and plant from that; now, Mrs. S., read f** '""^ difier- 

 ent packages." Mr.-;. Sparrowgra="' '-^'^'^ "P ^ P^per 

 and laid it aside. "I think." said she," as the third 

 paper was placed upo- ilie table, " I did not write 

 any names on the ^v;eds, but I believe I can tell them 

 apart; these." ^''-i'^ she, "are watermelons." "Very 

 well, what next?" "The next," said Mrs. S., "is 

 either niuskmelon or cucumber seed." " My dear," 

 said r, " w'e want plenty of melons, for the summer, 

 but I do not wish to plant half an acre of pickles by 

 mistake ; can't you be sure about the matter ?" — 

 Mrs. Sparrowgrass said she could not. " Weil, then, 

 lay the paper dowii and call off the next." " The 

 next are not radishes, I know," said Mrs. S. ; " they 

 must be summer cabbages." " Are you sure now, 

 Mrs. Sparrowgrass," said I, getting a little out of 

 temper. Mrs. Sparrowgrass said she was sure of it, 

 because cabbage seed looked exactly like turnip seed. 

 " Did you save turnip seed also," said I. Mrs. Spar- 

 rowgrass replied that she had provided some, but 

 they must be in anotl^pr paper. " Then call off the 

 next; we will plant them for cabbages, whether or 

 no." " Here is a name," said Mrs. Sparrowgrass, 

 brightening up. "Read it," said I, pen in hand. — 

 " Watermelons — not so good," said Mrs. S. " Lay 

 that paper with the rest and proceed." " Corn," said 

 Mrs. Sparrowgrass, with a smile. "Variety?" — 

 " Pop, I am sure." Good, now we begin to see 

 daylight." " Squash," said Mrs. Sparrowgrass. "Wint- 

 er or summer ?" " Both." Lay that paper aside, my 

 dear." " Tomatoes." " Red or yellow ?" Mrs. Spar- 

 rowgrass said she had pinned up the one and tied up 

 the other, to distinguish,'but it was so long ago, she 

 had forgotten which was which. " Never mind," 

 said I, " there is one comfort, they can not bear with- 

 out showing their colors. Now for the next." Mrs. 

 S. said upon tasting the tomato seed, she was sure 

 they were bell peppers. "Very well, so much gained, 

 we are sure of capsicum. The next." " Beans," said 

 Mrs. Sparrowgrass. 



There is one kind of bean, in regard to which I 

 have a prejudice. I allude to the asparagus bean, a 

 sort of long-wiuded esculent, inchncd to be prolific in 

 strings. It does not climb very high on the pole, but 

 crops- out in an abudance of pods, usually not shorter 

 than a bill of extras, after a contract; and although 

 interesting as a curious vegetable, still not exactly 

 the bean likely to be highly commended by your city 

 guests, when served up to them at table. When Mrs. 

 Sparrowgrass, in answer to my question, as to the 

 particular species of bean referred to, answered " Li- 

 mas," I felt relieved at once. "Put the Limas to the 

 right with the sheep, Mrs. S., and as for the rest of 

 the seeds, sweep them into the refuse basket. I will 

 add another stick to the fire, pare an apple for you, 

 and an apple for me, light a cigar, and be comfort- 

 able. What is the use of fretting about a few seeds 

 more or less ? But, next year, we will mark all the 

 packages with numcs, to prevent mistakes, wou't^we, 

 Mrs. Sparrowgrass ?" 



