OUR BACK YARD. 



77 



neighbors, and the little garden, like the widow's 

 cruse, is always full. 



We began with the grass, which is the foundation 

 of all gardening in these latitudes. Having smoothed 

 off the ground with a rake, we invested a quarter in 

 a package of "mixed grass seed," which we sowed 

 evenly all over the parts of the yard destined to 

 constitute our "lawn." The basis of most of these 

 mixtures is Kentucky blue grass, which not only 

 comes up itself, but seems to have a wonderful in- 

 fluence in inducing the grasses to the manor born 

 to come up also, for the fun of choking it out. So, 

 between the Irish and the Know-nothings, we soon 

 had quite a respectable display of green to serve as 

 a setting for our flowers. 



is sufficient to repay all expense and labor, and the 

 honest florist gives you your money's worth, though 

 he also gives carte blanche to his artist. 



Our first venture was a dozen roses, which ap- 

 peared so small when they arrived, all in one little 

 cigar box, that we were discouraged with the pros- 

 pect. But when planted out and well manured, 

 they soon took heart of grace, and in a year's time 

 they were quite respectable in size. But I would 

 advise the amateur florist to whom money is not an 

 important object to buy well-grown plants in the 

 first place, and save much waiting and uncertainty. 

 We bought in the same manner most of the standard 

 varieties, and now have, in the rose season, quite a 

 fair display. We have found it best not to experi- 



Ot;R Back Yard in its Second Summer. 



We next pored over florists' catalogues with a 

 pleasure which, alas, we can never know again — the 

 pleasure of anticipation ! It is one of the saddest 

 facts of life that knowledge is bought at the expense 

 of the capacity to enjoy. The flowers which we 

 then saw with the eye of faith, while contemplating 

 the phenomenal representations of the catalogues, 

 we not only have never since beheld with our phys- 

 ical eyes, but we cannot now enjoy its visions, as in 

 our days of trustful ignorance. Yet the mild reality 



ment with novelties, but to leave that to those who 

 have more money and time. There are well-tried 

 sorts enough to provide all reasonable variety, and 

 the inexperienced will save themselves many diisap- 

 pointments if they confine their purchases to such. 

 A Cheshunt Hybrid, a Reine Marie Henriette, a Mi- 

 crophylla and a very profuse-blooming white rose, 

 name unknown, are our climbers, and, aided by hon- 

 eysuckle, clematis, jessamine, Virginia creeper and 

 several other vines, they serve to quite effectually 



