1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]VIER. 



443 



hhks* Oijpartment. 



From Hearth and Home. 

 MEABURINO- THE BABY. 



We measured the riotous baby 



Against the cottige-wall — 

 A Illy grew at the threshold, 



A id the boy was just as tall I 

 A royal tiiiier lily. 



With spots of purple and gold, 

 And a heart like a jewelled chalice. 



The fragrant dew to hold. 



Without, the bluebirds whistled 



High up in the old roof trees, 

 And to and fro at the window 



The red rose rocked her bees : 

 And I he wee pink fists of the baby 



Were never a moment still I 

 Snatching at shine and shadow 



That danced on the laltice-sill ! 



His eyes were wide as blue bells — 



His mouth like a flower unblown — 

 Two little bare feet, like funny white mice, 



Peeped out from his snowy gown; 

 And we thought, with a thrill of rapture 



That yet had a touch of pain, 

 When June rolls around with her roses, 



We'll measure the boy again, 



Ah me I In a darkened chamber, 



With the sunshine shut away, 

 Through tears that fell like a bitter rain, 



We measured the boy to-day ; 

 And the liitle bare feet, that were dimpled 



And sweet as a buobling rose, 

 Lay sxde by side together. 



In the hush of a long repose I 



Up from the dainty pillow, 



White as the risen dawn. 

 The fair little face lay i-millng, 



With the light of heaven thereon — 

 And tbe dear little hands, like rose-leaves 



Dropped frcm a rose, lay still, 

 Never to snntch at the sunshine 



That crept to the shrouded sill I 



We measured the sleeping baby 



With ribbons as v^hite as snow, 

 For the shining rosewood casket 



That waited him bi;low; 

 And out of the darkened chamber 



We went with a ihildless moan — 

 To the height of the sinless angels 



Our little one had grown 1 



I<"or the New England Farmer, 

 FLOWER GAEDENINQ FOB SEPTEM- 

 BER. 



"If we could open, and unbend our eye, 

 We all, like Moses, shnuld ebpy 

 Ev'u in a bush, the radiant Deity." 



Surely in all God's works we can trace the im- 

 print of his Divine Hand, and in our gorgeous 

 flowers He grants to us a slight glimpse of the 

 glories of that city beyond the sun, whose light 

 was never seen on land or sea! Our garden beds 

 are at the bright of their beauty and glory, now — 

 but soon the cold hand of King Frost will rob 

 them of all their grace and loveliness. Asters, 

 Zinnias, Petunias, Verbenas, Geraniums, Gladioli, 

 and all the Lily tribe form a mass of aazzling 

 brilliancy. We are greatly indebted to Japan for 

 her contributions to our list of garden beauties. 

 The first Japan Lilies were brought over in 1850, 



by Dr. Siebold ; he had also collected many other 

 rare bulbs. The packing cases containing them, 

 arrived at Antwerp during the storm of a revolu- 

 tion. They were deposited in a warehouse — after- . 

 wards used as a barrack for a troop of French 

 cavalry, and the glorious Japan Lilies were all 

 that weie saved out of the wreck, the boxes 

 being broken open, and their contents scattered. 

 Prof. Lindley, describing one said, "the diamond 

 bouquets, the queen of Spain's jewels, and even the 

 far famed, priceless Koh-i-noor itself, must pale 

 their inefiFectual fires, when compared with this 

 gorgeous flower." It is perfectly hardy, will 

 stand our coldest New England winters unprotected. 

 At first it was treated as a stove plant, but it did 

 not thrive ; now it grows in great luxuriance in 

 the open border. It is a gross feeder, requires 

 much stimulant to produce its flowers in rare per- 

 fection. Lilitim Auratum, or Golden Banded Lily 

 is much more beautiful, because with its beautiful 

 form, and coloring, it also possesses the most deli- 

 cious fragrance, perfuming the air, and delighting 

 the senses. As yet, a high price is asked for this 

 gem of the Lily tribe, but as it is easily propa- 

 gated, both by offsets and seeds, it will soon be 

 oS'ered at so low a rate that all lovers of flowers 

 can revel in its glories. Gladioli are a very pop- 

 ular flower, and high sums are asked and received 

 for "novelties." Already the species number 

 above a thousand, and each year, by careful hy- 

 bridization, more are produced. The bulbsshould 

 be stored after the leaves are killed by the frost, 

 in a dry frost proof cellar or closet. 



The handsomest flowers of Asters, Zinnias, 

 Stocks, Balsams, and all annuals should be tied 

 np, to preserve the seed, taking care in all cases, 

 but the stocks, to select those that bloom apart 

 from Jbe single varieties. With a little labor, and 

 close attention, a lady may save her seed for the 

 ensuing year, and be as certain of good varieties 

 as if she depended upon the seedsman. But the 

 largest and first blossoms of the Aiters must be 

 saved, picking ofl"all the smaller flowers, so as to 

 throw all the strength into the one designed for 

 seed. With Zinnias, select the most perfectly 

 double flowers, and mark with twine or yarn. 

 Verbena seed can be saved, and thus a good sup- 

 ply secured for another year. Seedlings blossom 

 much more profusely than plants raised from cut- 

 tings. Mr. Snow of Chicopee, Mass., makes the 

 raising of seedlings a specialty, and his beds are 

 a dazzling mass of beauty. Double flowers pro- 

 duce few if any seed. Stocks are always raised 

 from seed saved from the single flowers. It is 

 well to leave but two or three roots among the 

 double flowers, so as to have them fecundated 

 from them, rather than from the inferior fl)wers 

 of the single species. Double Pinks produce but 

 few seed which must be saved with care, and they 

 will usually blossom true to the parent stock. 



Keep your garden neatly, in this month ; do not 

 grow careless of its appearance, but prune, slake, 



