(5 



THE FLORAL IVORLD 



THE PANSY GERANIUM. 



The pansy geraninm is one of the 

 most profuse blooming plants suitable 

 for window culture. It is in many re- 

 spects superior to the ordinary gera- 

 nium, being of more compact growth, 

 and is most beautiful. 



I like to start my cuttings early. 

 They will blossom sooner, and fre- 

 quently, when the plants are through 

 blooming, cuttings will fail to root. 

 When the plants begin to blossom, a 

 branch about three inches long is bro- 

 ken from the main stalk and placed in 

 water in the window to root. When it 

 is well rooted it is potted in one of the 

 smallest-sized thumb pots. For a pot- 

 ting soil a mixture of two parts good 

 garden earth, one part sand, and one 

 part leaf mold, is used, and a layer of 

 charcoal or bits of crockery put in the 

 bottom of the pot for drainage. The 

 little plant is set in the shade till 

 growth begins, then brought to a 

 sunny window, and its top pinched out 

 unless it branches naturally. When 

 the pot is filled with roots, the plant is 

 transferred to the next sized pot. 

 When the branches are about three 

 inches long, they are pinched back. 

 The plant is watered only when the 

 soil becomes dry. The repotting and 

 pinching back is kept up until Novem- 

 ber or December, or possibly even 

 later. When the plant shows buds, a 

 prepared fertilizer is given each fort- 

 night. 



Treated in this way, my plants blos- 

 som in February or March, and for 

 nearly three months are almost cov- 

 ered with the beautiful pansy-like 

 blossoms. If the old plants have no 

 branches suitable for cuttings, they are 

 • cut back severely after flowering, re- 

 potted and treated the same as cut- 

 tings. Young plants are usually better 

 shaped, however, and, I think, more 

 desirable. 



New York. Mary E. Sheldon. 



A SPRING SONG. 



Sing, sing, sweet birds, oh, sing. 



The springtime comes this way. 

 With lilies and roses and other sweet 

 posies 



That with soft zephyrs play. 



Sing, sing, sweet birds, oh, sing. 

 Out in the warm spring rain. 



That calls up mignonette, daisy and 

 violet, 

 And lilacs in the lane. 



Sing, sing, sweet birds, oh, sing, 



Both are part of heaven's care — 

 The birds and flowers of summer bow- 

 ers 



That make the world so fair. 



— Annice B. Oalland. 



EASTER DECORATION. 



Let me tell you of an Easter decora- 

 tion I shall use. You may like the 

 idea. It is for a small church, and 

 is to be placed behind the com- 

 munion rail and in front of the 

 pulpit. A few palms with several tall 

 plants of Grevillea Robusta form a 

 background, with several pots of Eas- 

 ter lilies at the ends. Between and 

 in front of the tall plants will be ferns 

 and any ornamental leaved plant that 

 I have. In front of this I will put an 

 easel five feet high, on which a picture 

 generally stands, and on this a long, 

 narrow box five inches deep. At 

 each end Asparagus Plumosa grows 

 thickly to the top of the easel; several 

 plants of Asparagus Sprengeri fall 

 over the front of the box^ with Pani- 

 cum Variegata in between. The box is 

 filled with Pteris Arygea, justicias and 

 pink and white zephranthus, two 

 plants of Anthericum Variegatum, a 

 plant of Lygodium Scandens which 

 thrives among the plants. The plants 

 will be in full bloom for Easter, and I 

 know from experience how lovely the 

 pink plumes of the justicia will look 

 among the mass of feathery green. 



Missouri. Miss A. E. Craft. 



