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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



when once frosted fail to endure the heat well, 

 and soon begin to shoot into seed stalks and 

 thus become unfit for food. Such at least has 

 been our experience. They may be allowed to 

 stand, but to guard against the result which is 

 likely to follow, let others be put in. Such has 

 always been our custom, and we have frequent- 

 ly found the advantage, when we had ample 

 supplies, while our neighbours are entirely des- 

 titute. Nothing can well be more disagreeable 

 than to be without vegetables, and there is no 

 sufficient reason why any individual should find 

 himself so circumstanced. A little foresight 

 will ever prevent it. 



Flowers for our Railroads and other 

 Roads. 



A traveller in France notes the fact, that at 

 all the stations on the Railroad, between Tours 

 and Paris, as well as on other roads, he saw neat 

 and well-kept flower gardens, kept up by the 

 railway officials, to serve merely as ornaments, 

 which would attract and interest passengers 

 on the temporary stoppage of the train. What- 

 ever may have been the motive which actuated 

 the French railway men, it is a very pretty 

 custom, which our Railroad managers in this 

 country might advantageously imitate. There 

 is scarcely one of our Railroads which would 

 not be improved by the adoption of this cus- 

 tom. The ruling principle with our Railroad 

 managers seems to have been to have every 

 object on the line as hateful and unattractive 

 as possible, probably for the purpose of de- 

 terring passengers from sticking their heads 

 out of the windows, or from leaving their places 

 when there is a stoppage. The only exception 

 to this remark which we remember, is the 

 justly lamented Tunstall, who happily blen- 

 ded utility and ornament in all the structures 

 upon the line of the Danville Railroad, and if 

 his successors shall be actuated by like good 

 sense and good taste, this will be one of the 

 most attractive public ways in the State. 



It is perhaps idle to expect our Railroad 

 companies to do anything in this behalf, unless 

 they could be convinced that by adopting this 

 custom, they would be likely to augment tra- 

 vel, as they are eminently utilitarian in their 

 views ; but may we not address ourselves more 

 hopefully to private individuals living on the 

 line of our Railroads. Why may they not 



[give some attention to the cultivation of flow- 

 ers, as well for the gratification of public taste, 

 ,as for the improvement and adornment of their 

 homes. A home without flowers always seem- 

 ed to us to lack an element of grace and beau- 

 ty which no contrivance could supply or rem- 

 edy ; and judging from the tenacity with 

 which we cling to our memories of the buds 

 and blossoms around our birthplace, we should 

 say it lacks as well a strong and undying tie, 

 which would charm the children of the family 

 to the homestead. Make home cheerful, make 

 home beautiful, give it shade-trees, and ever- 

 greens, and flowers, if you would have the 

 children love home, — but neglect all these if 

 you would have them unmindful of home, and 

 your desires shall be gratified. 



But we have wandered from our main pur- 

 pose, which was, to put up a plea for flowers 

 along the line of our Railroads and other 

 roads. No man that has travelled in Virginia, 

 can have failed to observe the air of sternness 

 and repulsiveness which our farm-houses wear, 

 for the want of a little attention to ornament. 

 One journeys day after day, without meeting 

 with a plat of rich-tinted roses, the graceful 

 honeysuckle, or woodbine, — but all is barren 

 and bleak ; houses, fences, and out-buildings 

 stand naked and drear, and there is nothing to 

 relieve the eye, or to excite pleasant emotions, 

 unless it chance that the fields are waving to 

 the harvest. How much would the pleasure 

 of travel be enhanced, if every farm-house 

 had its flowers and flowering shrubs, stately 

 shade-trees, clambering vines, hiding unsightly 

 objects, and giving a grace and beauty to all, 

 which the dullest nature can appreciate and 

 admire. Nothing impresses a traveller in the 

 old world more gratefully, or makes a deeper 

 impression upon his mind, than the flowers 

 which he sees surrounding every dwelling, as 

 well the hovel as the palace, and consequently 

 we find every traveller making constant allu- 

 sion to this peculiarity. Why may not Vir- 

 ginia people be equally noted for their love of 

 flowers ? 



Let us have flowers about all our homes, but 

 especially, dear friends, let us have them all 

 along the line of our Railroads and other roads. 

 About four miles from Petersburg, there is a 

 farm, which never fails to attract the notice 

 and to elicit the commendations of every pas- 

 senger who happens to be seated on the side 

 of the car from which it can' be seen in pass- 

 ing ; and we have heard hundreds give utter- 

 ance to a wish for just such a place for a home. 

 Yet it has no peculiarity beyond this, that the 

 proprietor has beautified the grounds about 

 the house, with grass, cedars, hollies, and other 

 evergreens and flowers ; and after passing 

 series of homes whose owners give no heed to 

 these things, this spot comes into view like an 

 Oasis in a desert, and elicits universal admi- 

 ration. 



