OUR COUNTRY LIFE 



For one of the beds we tried pink snapdragons but 

 they were not sufficiently bushy and they were too fond, 

 even in the dwarf variety, of reclining along the ground, 

 making a ragged and uneven appearance. 



"Baby ramblers would look well for one of those 

 beds," quoth the Constant Improver pensively one 

 autumn. 



"They do blossom all summer," assented his com- 

 panion, "and when fresh are beautiful in color." 



"When fresh" was the trouble. I could not bear to 

 cut off any that showed a trace of beauty; in conse- 

 quence, rarely was the bed in perfect condition and 

 never thick enough. Dwarf roses, Cecil Brunners, 

 Bon Silenes and Killarneys with a ground covering of 

 mignonette, sounded ideal; but the mignonette in the 

 enriched soil covered not only the ground but the roses, 

 smothering any attempt at bloom, and the entire effect 

 was dull and wanting. 



China pinks we have had in one bed, and they are 

 fairly satisfactory; they require a great deal of care 

 to keep the seeds from forming, but they are striking 



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