6 



7HB FLORAL IVORLD 



This leaves quite a deep place. As 

 fast as they grow, hoe the dirt up to 

 them. I stick mine with brush, and 

 plant them very thick, so there will be 

 enough after the cutworms have gone. 



When the sun gets very hot, mulch 

 them with any old litter; it keeps them 

 moist, and the flowers last longer. 

 Keep off all the old blossoms and do 

 not let ihem form pods, for it stops 

 them from blooming. 



Mrs. J. M. Fowler. 



Massachusetts. 



SPADING FLOWER BEDS IN FEBRUARY. 



My beds are now deeply spaded and 

 exposed to hard freezing. This not 

 only purifies the soil, but makes it 

 mellow, and, from experience, I know 

 they will retain the moisture through 

 the entire season. When late spaded 

 they dry out, and much flower seed is 

 lost for want of moisture. Then per- 

 haps the seed man bears the blame of 

 sending out poor seed. 



In early-worked beds the cutworms 

 are frozen to death and many insect 

 eggs gathered by the snow bird. 



Later I cover my beds with old pul- 

 verized cow manure that has not been 

 exposed to rain, and by planting time 

 the manure is incorporated in the soil, 

 tt makes the beds warmer, too. And 

 the beds are in fine condition for any 

 kind of seed. 



Illinois. Annie J. Paddick. 



GROWING OF COMIVION WOOD FERNS IN 

 THE HOUSE. 



I have a very pretty window garden 

 of begonias and foliage plants, with 

 pretty vines. But my delight the whole 

 year is my common wood ferns, which 

 always do so beautifully for me. I 

 take much pains in selecting pretty 

 small and medium sized ones, and 

 get plenty of pretty moss at the same 

 time. I take small, round pie tins, or 

 long bread tins, according to where I 

 want to place them, and put in any 



ordinary dirt (of course, the woods dirt 

 the best), and put them in thick, so 

 they will look nice and bushy, and put 

 moss all about the roots, covering the 

 dish completely with it. Then water 

 them often. If they get dry they will 

 die. I have them always. I have a 

 pretty large bowl of them on my dining 

 table the year around, and in summer 

 have them in cosy corners and many 

 places. The only secret is, keep them 

 moist. 



Mrs. Josie A. Woodhull. 

 New York. 



FERNS AND LILIES IN THE WINTER. 



Every flower lover should grow a few 

 ferns in his winter collection. These 

 lovely children of the groves and dells 

 are flne for household decoration, eas- 

 ily grown, and furnish an interesting 

 study in plant growth. Although igno- 

 rant of their names, the details of 

 their growth and structure, the busy 

 housewife shows her fondness for 

 them, stealing away from her weary 

 labors to tend these beautiful plants. 

 Our woodlands abound in many beauti- 

 ful varieties. With care they may be 

 removed, never withering in the least. 

 Use soil from the woods, rich, black 

 earth and leaf mould. They can be 

 grown successfully outside of a fern- 

 ery, in a shaded or north window. 

 When the room is to be swept, remove 

 the ferns, so that the dust will not set- 

 tle on the foliage. Give them plenty of 

 water, but not too much, also plenty of 

 fresh air, avoiding a draught. 



Every collection should also have the 

 Easter Lily, to have lilies at Easter. 

 'Tis the fairest flower that blooms on 

 earth, teaches lessons of trust, remind- 

 ing us of the Christ who, when He 

 dwelt here below, said: "Behold how 

 they grow. They toil not, neither do 

 they spin; the Father's love arrayeth 

 them so." 



Harriet W. Leighton. 



Nebraska. 



