PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 213 



heartfelt gratitude, as we only moved here last summer, and have not » 

 plant or a seed to begin with." 



Writes another lady in an extreme section of Illinois, five miles from any 

 postofficc, and twenty miles from our nearest market: " It seems to me if 

 the inhabitants of the thickly populated East, only knew how isolated we 

 poor mortals are from our neighbors, and how few. our sources of enjoy- 

 ment are, compared with theirs, they would commiserate us sufficiently to 

 divide their flower seeds and roots with us." 



Anotlier writer says, he is a boy, " but he loves flowers as well as any 

 lady." 



Another in far Iowa writes: ''That ho has retired from the active scenes 

 of commercial life to the far western prairies, a pair of us, as was in the 

 beginning, male and female, at the age of sixty-five years, we are endeavor- 

 ing to prolong our stay in the modern garden of Eden, by cultivating it 

 with our own hands. It makes our stay more pleasant to cultivate fruits 

 and flowers. Please say to the Club, that I am deeply interested and 

 materially assisted in m}' labors by their weekly reports." 



These brief extracts will serve to illustrate the spirit and scope of their 

 interesting letters. They demonstrate several things, to wit: 



First. That in the most retired and humble homes of our land there are 

 multitudes of American ladies who are so refined, as to love enthusiasti- 

 cally the cultivation of flowers. 



Second. That good flower seeds, worth cultivation, are hard to obtain, 

 even from some seed stores. 



Third. That the generous off'er of Mr. Prince ought to be succeeded by 

 others of a similar kind, thus rendering the American Institute a rival of 

 the Patent Office. If it will send out good desirable seeds only, it will 

 soon prove a blessing to the country. 



Fourth. These letters clearly demonstrate another thing, that there is a 

 very great want of plain, simple directions how to cultivate flower seeds 

 well 



Fifth. That florists and amateurs must "help those women," who so 

 earnestly long to make their homes attractive and beautiful, especially 

 those who are united to husband farmers, who, as one lady writes, do not 

 care whether weeds or flowers grow around their homes, or at least will 

 not make the least effort to check the weeds or cultivate flowers. 



Mr. Pardee gives the following remarks about 



The Cultivation of Flowers. 



In the beautiful language of Wilberforce, who said " P"'lowers are the 

 smiles of Divine Providence," let us then prepare the way for these smiles 

 in all gardens and windows. To do this, we must study their nature and 

 adapt the earth to their wants, and then we shall brighten the smiles of 

 all around us. A lady says: " My flowers are stunted, miserable, unsightly 

 dwarfs-, the blossoms single, when I desire them double. Why is it so?" 

 I will try to answer this practical important question. For such coarse 

 productions as corn and potatoes, farmers plow, harrow and furrow for 

 planting, and plow, hoe and cultivate two or three times, thus frequently 

 stirring the earth. How is it with your flower bed? Is it half prepared 



