34 MY TEN-ROD FARM; 



ness to get at the pictures, had torn it open, hence its 

 ragged condition. Now, here is a piece of good fortune ; 

 perhaps I can find just what I want in this. We subscribed 

 for the paper last January, but as I was not until lately 

 at all interested in agriculture, my husband and the chil- 

 dren had been the only readers. I am sure, after the first 

 number, I had never looked at it. Now I examined it with 

 the greatest interest. But not a word could I find about 

 "plunging" anything. Perhaps some other number may 

 have something on this point. So I went to the book-case 

 and dragged down the six preceding numbers, and, throwing 

 my work one side, gave myself up to the search. My labor 

 was all in vain ; not a syllable about " plunging " plants or 

 pots. Yet my labor was not fruitless altogether. I found 

 a world of facts and hints about the cultivation of flowers 

 that would prove of great value to me in my new profession. 

 At last I gave up the search for " plunging," and prepared 

 to go to work again in the garden. As I passed the book- 

 case on my way out, I paused and ran my eye over the 

 titles. There it is ; just what I want. " Rand's Flowers 

 for the Parlor and Garden." Taking the book down and 

 turning to page 198, I found a chapter on " The Culture of 

 the Tuberose." This I carefully read through twice. But, 

 if Mr. McTernan was concise and obscure, Mr. Rand was 

 profuse and darker still. The whole chapter involved the 

 knowledge of so many facts of which I was ignorant, that 

 really I was but little wiser for reading it. 



