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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



[November 



made themselves unspeakably useful to the 

 world. 



Spring at last has come among us in her 

 gay attire and her warm sunny days are 

 hastening on; soon the prairies, meadows 

 and hillsides will be blossoming with the 

 sweet, wild flowers; soon May day will come 

 when at early dawn young men and maidens, 

 boys and girls in innocent glee will be wan- 

 dering over the meadows and climbing the 

 hillsides to see who shall find the first spring 

 blossoms. The Anemone and trailing Asbu- 

 tus will be among the first and loveliest to 

 greet them. In colder climes than ours 

 they often show their sweet, modest faces 

 ere the snow departs. 



The opening Spring is the fit time to 

 commence the study of plants and flowers, 

 and their cultivation, and who have so good 

 an opportunity as the farmer and his farrily, 

 who have lands enough, and whose pursuits 

 naturally lead to it? They should, one and 

 all, father, mother, brothers and sisters, 

 interest themselves in this pleasing employ- 

 ment. The time devoted to it would not be 

 missed, and it would add much to the beauty, 

 refinement and comfort of every farm-house. 

 Particular portions of ground should be 

 given to flowers and shrubbery of various 

 kinds, and they should be laid out in good 

 taste and well cared for. As this is the 

 proper season, let me urge it upon the far- 

 mer's wives and daughters especially to give 

 their bits of leisure to this employment. 

 They can never regret time thus spent, nor 

 happiness and instruction thus obtained. 



Sarah. 



Room Plants. 



The present is an appropriate time to say 

 a few words about growing plants in rooms. 

 There are many persons without the con- 

 venience of a greenhouse, but in whom the 

 love of plants is so strong that they will not 

 be without them during the winter, even 

 though they have to grow them in a garret 

 window; and it is a happy circumstance 

 that they can do so. We never pass a win- 

 dow in winter, with its few Scarlet Gera- 

 niums, and perhaps a pot of Mignonnette, 

 etc., without thinking that there dwells with- 

 in that house a soul full of the aspirations of 

 a better life; and we can well imagine how 

 many lonely moments have been lighted by 

 the presence of these silent yet cheerful 

 companions: the light and sunshine so essen- 

 tial to their own well-being they impart to 



those who care for them. There is a strik- 

 ing resemblance, in many respects, between 

 women and flowers, more especially in the 

 modesty, loveliness and sweetness which 

 we are willing to concede to both; and 

 we should naturally expect to find, and do 

 find, as a general thing, that women have 

 a nicer and more refined appreciation of 

 flowers than men. Her organization, more 

 delicate than that of man, intellectually and 

 physically, fits her better to discriminate 

 the finer shades of beauty. It should, there- 

 fore, excite no surprise to find among wo- 

 men the most constant lovers of flowers. 

 Probably two-thirds of the flowers found 

 in rooms are grown by women, and the 

 number might be greatly increased with a 

 corresponding diminution of that unnatural 

 craving for excitement now quite too com- 

 mon. We know of nothing better calcu- 

 lated to beget home attachments than the 

 love and culture of flowers. 



* We should be glad to do or say something 

 to increase the number of those who grow 

 room plants. It is true that plants cannot 

 be as well grown in rooms as in a well-con- 

 structed greenhouse; but, notwithstanding, 

 there are some kinds that may be grown and 

 flowered in a manner quite satisfactory, and 

 with results highly gratifying. Certain con- 

 ditions are necessary for the best success, 

 and these it is our object to point out. The 

 greatest obstacle to success is dryness of the 

 air: this may, in a measure, be overcome by 

 a table suitably constructed, and the selection 

 of plants best adapted to a dry atmosphere. 

 The table should be the length of the win- 

 dow, and two or three feet wide, the boards 

 being tongued and grooved. Around the 

 ed'ge nail a strip three inches wide, making 

 the corners fit tight. The table is then to 

 be filled with two inches of clean white sand. 

 With a table of this kind, the foliage of the 

 plants can be frequently syringed or sprink- 

 led with water, which keeps them clean and 

 promotes their health; the drippings and 

 surplus water are caught and absorbed by 

 the sand, and the floor of the room is thus 

 kept clean; the sand, indeed, ought to be 

 kept constantly wet, and even watered for 

 this purpose, if necessary. The evaporation 

 from the sand will diffuse itself among the 

 plants and through the room, and thus over- 

 come, in a small degree, one of the chief 

 obstacles to the successful culture of plants 

 in rooms. The table should be fitted with 

 rollers, to facilitate the operation of watering 



