44 
Lakeview Seed Farm, Rochester, N. Y. 
FLOWERS appeal to our better nature. Every one who has s 
house should raise flowers. A great deal of beauty can be 
displayed even in a small space, when one has a taste for 
the beautiful. Flowers do much to make the home attractive. 
A house with no flowers about it can hardly be called a home. If 
farmers would make the home attractive by the cultivation of a 
few choice flowers, they would find that the boys and girls would 
be more contented with life on the farm. Children have an innate 
love of the beautiful, and if they do not find it at home, they 
naturally seek it elsewhere. I hope my farmer friends will try a 
few flowers. I am sure they will find that they pay as well as 
any farm crop. There are things in life of more value than 
money, and one is, a noble manhood and womanhood in our chil- 
dren. Anything that developes this is the best and wisest invest- 
ment. Try flowers, and watch the result. 
Success in the cultivation of flowers depends not only upon a 
judicious selection of varieties, but also upon a knowledge of 
their habits of growth and the conditions requisite for their full- 
est development. Plants poorly developed may produce blos- 
soms, but not of a sort to please the eye or satisfy the grower. 
To secure flowers that area source of pleasure to both grower 
and beholder, the plants must be of vigorous growth and fully 
developed. 
The first condition is a proper soil, which should be light, fri- 
able and porous, and not liable to become dry and hard. A stiff,, 
heavy clay soil, or that which is too dry, should be avoided. The 
soil must be prepared by thoroughly pulverizing and made fine 
and smooth by careful raking. Then remember, in sowing the 
seeds, the following particulars : 
Do not sow the seed when the ground is wet and heavy. 
Do not cover fine seed too deep. The general rule is too cover 
about three times the diameter of the seed. 
Press the soil firmly over the seed. 
Shade the ground if it drys out too quickly. Sometimes a- 
newspaper fastened over the seed will answer. 
Do not be in too much of a hurry for the seed to come up. 
Some seeds germinate very slowly. 
Do not pull up your flowers for weeds before you know f he- 
difference. 
Finally, by exercising care, patience and perseverance yon. 
may expect flowers that will amply repay all the labor bestowed 
upon them. But do not scatter your seed broadcast and at ran- 
dom, and then wait to get "something for nothing." Yon 
won't get it if you do. 
|§§t? If any of my customers should want any seeds or grow- 
ing plants not in my list, I will take pleasure in getting such 
seeds or plants for them. 
ALTSSXJM. 
A hardy annual, flowering from early spring- 
till frost. Flowers pure white and of a pecu- 
liar, delicate fragrance ; very useful in making: 
all kinds of bouquets ; grows freely from the 
seed in the open ground, and makes a very 
pretty border for a bed. 
Alyssum, Sweet— Hardy annual; flowers 
small and sweet, in clusters ; 6 inches. Pack- 
et, 5 cents. 
SWEET ALYSSUM. 
ASTER. 
No flower is more popular than the Aster, and few have held 
so high a place in popular esteem for so many years. The seed 
may be sown during the months of March and April under a 
frame or in the greenhouse, and transplanted in May. The 
