Among the Flowers With Rexford 



PRACTICAL HELPS IN FLORICULTURE FOR AMATEURS 



[This department is under the entire charge of Mr. Rexford, and everything not signed 

 by another name is from his pen. Readers are cordially invited to correspond freely with 

 Mr. Rexford, addressing him in care of this office.] 



AS the Xew Year is beginning, quite 

 naturally we look back over tlie year 

 just ended to see what has been ac- 

 complished, and to draw from its lessons 

 S-onie ideas for the coming year. 



In this department of Ho^ie axd Flott- 

 ERS I have done someflunri towards ac- 

 complishing the purpose for which the 

 magazine was established, but nothing like 

 what I would be glad to do, and what I 

 aim to do in the future. It has been a 

 year largely of experiment. One has to 

 become sure of his audience before he can 

 feel quite sure as to what to say to it. I 

 am glad to feel that, more and more, 

 I am getting in touch with my readers. I 

 feel this because of the letters which come 

 to me from^ them. The only regret con- 

 nected with the receipt of these friendly 

 messages from unknown friends is, that 

 I cannot answer each one of them person- 

 ally. But this is out of the question, there- 

 fore I take this way of giving a general 

 answer to my many correspondents, and 

 thank them for the interest they are taking 

 in the magazine. Bear in mind, my 

 friends, that it is our aim to make it your 

 magazine, and do not forget that you 

 can help us to make it more and more 

 what it ought to be by sending us bits of 

 personal experience among the flowers. 

 Tell us, in a few words, what you have 

 done, or found out about plants, out or in- 

 doors, that is new to yon. Very likely it 

 will be new to others, and therefore help- 

 ful. One man cannot know everything, 

 nor can he think of many things which 

 might interest others, but an interchange 

 of ideas will miake it possible to put before 

 the readers of Ho:me axd Flowers a 



thousand and one suggestions which will 

 be of benefit to them. Therefore, take the 

 editor into your confidence, and tell him 

 vhat you tliinl' about things. Tell him, 

 in your letters, just what you would say to 

 him if you and he were to meet in your 

 garden. If there is anything you don't 

 like about his department of the maga- 

 zine, say so frankly. If there is anything 

 you want to know about, suggest to him 

 subjects you would lilve information on. 



Don't try to select from the list some- 

 thing that will startle the world because 

 of its importance, but tell us about the 

 little, simple things that have been of 

 benefit to you. These are what we want 

 to hear about, because the rest of us can 

 make us? of them, while the big things 

 might l^e out of our reach. I want my 

 part of the magazine to be practical, and 

 helpful, as well as interesting, and an idea 

 to be practically helpful must be one that 

 others can apply in their own field of 

 action. I don't want theories. We have 

 too many of them now. But I do want 

 letters that will help others to grow 

 flowers well — that will tell how success . 



was attained and difficulties overcome. 

 ❖ * * 



I have been greatly pleased to know that 



the work of home improvement has grown 



in interest during the past year. Letters 



have come to me from all over the land 



telling what has been undertaken, in a ( 

 . ■ f 



humble way. where nothing had been done ;i 



before. This is as it should be. These i 



humble home beginnings are the founda- | 



tion on which the success of the larger i 



work of public improvement must be ; 



erected. 



