GREENHOUSE, CONSERVATORY, AND 

 <- u HOTHOUSE FLOWERS 



LOVERS of flowers who have learned how much their favourites 

 add to the charm of a home, when cut and arranged by skilful 

 fingers in bowls and dainty vases, feel a great blank when winter 

 comes and cuts off the supply of bright and fragrant blossoms. 

 The rooms seem empty and bare, the furniture does not show up 

 so well as it used to do, and the dinner-table looks dull in spite of 

 snowy napery. What can be done? Buy? Yes, if near suitable 

 shops or markets. Flowers are cheap enough now, in all con- 

 science, and the market men take care to maintain a beautiful 

 and varied supply. But those who live in the country find cut 

 flowers very difficult to procure, although coals and bacon may be 

 abundant enough. Besides, the bought flower is never quite the 

 same as the home-grown one. An independent observer might be 

 cruel enough to say that it differed inasmuch as it was better, but 

 that suggestion we put out of court at once. It is not better 

 it is not half so good to us, and that is the consideration which 

 really counts. 



It is out of this craving for home-grown winter flowers that a 

 desire for glass-houses grows up. In the midst of our gloom 

 and sorrow we suddenly see a ray of light. Winter and spring 

 flowers ? Of course. We can have them in abundance, and of our 

 own growing. It is merely a question of spending a few pounds 

 with a horticultural builder, and a few shillings with a purveyor 

 of flower-pots. We ponder this idea, and it grows on us. The 

 more we think of it the better we like it. We see a fair vision of 

 floral charm when we make up a cheerful fire, draw the curtains, 



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