MAKING THE HOME. 139 



It often happens to such an one to wish that human 

 creatures could do as the alligators and water-turtles, 

 namely, go down into the mud and lie dormant until the 

 sun shines, or, what means the same thing here, until the 

 grove has arrived at full bearing. 



And now we hear a voice at our shoulder more truthful 

 than complimentary, '* Goosie, goosie gander, whither will 

 ye wander?" It is true we have strayed from our path. 

 Let us go back to our present task of making a home, such 

 an one, we mean, as we find here and there, with neat 

 fences, clearly laid out walks bordered with oleander or 

 other ornamental trees, with roses and other flowers scat- 

 tered all around, wdth broad latticed piazzas, shaded and 

 beautified by densely foliaged vines, mingled together in 

 a joyous, happy-go-lucky fashion that is charming to see. 



Bona nox, evening glory, yellow jasmine, coral honey- 

 suckle, and trumpet creeper, beauties, all of them, and to 

 be had for the digging in the hammocks all around. Thun- 

 bergia, cypress-vine, barclayana, evening jasmine, English 

 ivy, honeysuckle, all these and many more, hobnob to- 

 gether in riotous exuberance, and the glory and fragrance 

 of their loving embrace must be seen to be realized. 



This is a type of the home we would have every lady to 

 own who comes to live in our "Land of Flowers;" and 

 she can easily have it, too, and in less time than one 

 would suppose possible. To any one accustomed to the 

 slow growth and yearly check for months of vegetable life 

 in the North, the rapid, luxurious, and almost ceaseless, 

 growth of Florida vegetation is simply wouderful. 



If you own so much as twenty acres of land, in some 

 sections, it will go hard if there is not at least one large 

 or small lakelet on the tract. If it be a deep one, at least 

 in the center, it will never go dry like a cow ; build your 

 house near by, not very close, else in wet weather the water 



