FLOWER GARDEN. 



Although to the mere economist, flowers are not indispensable or di- 

 rectly remunerative, yet they have become so to the civilized, intelligent, 

 and intellectual community in which we live. The most humble cottager, 

 unless deficient in the most simple conceptions of beauty, must have_ 

 his flower-plot, and one or more varieties of flowers. The enthusiastic 

 amateur is no longer content to receive his floricultural novelties at 

 second-hand, but must have them direct from the great European centres 

 of Horticulture. We have latterly endeavored to render this necessity 

 of the amateur importing a few seeds or plants, unnecessary, by con- 

 stant attention to obtain every highly recommended novelty, and after 

 testing it, to offer it with our opinion of its merits. We shall continue 

 to do this, and shall endeavor to have, at the earliest day, every valu- 

 ble acquisition in seeds, bulbs or plants. 



Little pains are taken to have the soil of the flower-beds and borders, in 

 a friable, active state, not subject to bake. This is what renders it so 

 difficult for small flower-seeds to survive germination, and for the deli- 

 cate transplanted annuals to make a start. All that the flower-border 

 or beds require, is a dry bottom, with an annual supply of prepared 

 compost, made up of barn-yard manure, leaf-mould, or decayed leaves 

 from the woods, and such other refuse as may appear suitable to enrich 

 the heap. With different soils, special applications will be necessary, 

 as stated under the head of Esculent garden. The Hot-bed frame as 

 there described, will serve for the purpose of the Flower garden. The 

 only additional requisites are flower-pruning scissors, stakes for tying 

 up plants, labels and flower-pots. 



The Lawn, which adds so much to the neatness of the Garden, may 

 be extensive or limited in size, but should always be well prepared and 

 neatly kept. Much of the beauty of the lawn is also due to the variety 

 of grass seed sown. The usual practice has been to employ a mixture 

 of several species, which is prepared for sale. Our Lawn grass mixture 

 consists of five varieties, viz : Sweet Vernal, Green Grass, Blue Grass, 

 Herd Grass, and White Clover. From one and a half to two bushels is 

 the quantity generally sown to the acre. Persons who prefer a different 

 mixture, can have it made up to order. 



The Flower-beds may be cut out in the lawn, and in these, bedding 



