JAN. SI'S 
N 
ft 
grafting far tjjf fining. 
FLORICULTURE FOR YOUNG PEO¬ 
PLE-NO. II. 
JOHN Jf. DICKIE. 
Ik tUe Rural of December 13 th, I told you how 
to sow flower seed In order to have the beat of 
success. The next thing Is the selection of varie¬ 
ties; for, without a proper knowledge of the num¬ 
berless sorts advertised In our catalogues, a very 
unwise selection might be made. To tell the exact 
truth, but a small per cent, of our annuals are 
capable of giving general satisfaction, although 
they will always oe of Interest to the florist. 
What the great majority want In a flowering plant 
Is good color, neat habit and prolonged bloom; 
and In. the following descriptions I shall conscien¬ 
tiously endeavor to give you the cream of the 
great tribe of annual flowering plants portrayed 
In tlie catalogues of our seedsmen. First, then, 
upon the list, let us place 
Phlox Drummonuii.—T his flower does not make 
quite so dazzling a display as a bed of Geraniums, 
but It far surpasses that popular bedding plant In 
delicacy. Do not sow tbe seed too Chick. Let tbe 
plants stand one Inch apart In the seed bed, and 
water well. Transplant to the permanent bed 
from the 5th to the 10th of May, setting one foot 
apart, no more, uo less. Buy seed of mixed varie¬ 
ties the first year, which will coat you ten cents, 
and produce from one to two hundred plants, 
which will bloom until alter light frosts, provided 
you keep the seed-pods cut off. As a rule, you 
will always have better flowers and more con¬ 
tinued bloom, by cutting off tbe bios, oms as they 
fade. Those varieties from which you wish to 
save seed can be grown In some retired spot. 
FortulaOa.—O ften called “rose moss.” Well 
known, but positively unequaled for brilliancy 
of color. Keep the soi I damp with a little moss 
until Lhe seeds start. Set the plants sLx. inches 
apart. The double rose flowered will keep In 
bloom nearly all day, and Is very desirable. From a 
paper of the seed you will probably obtain twenty 
double flowering plants. The rest will be stugle 
and semi-double. When, after prolonged bloom, 
the planus grow long and ungainly, cut back 
and they will start out anew. No plant bears 
trimming better, as It can Oe cut Into any shape 
with impunity. 
Petunia. For a constant, brilliant display with¬ 
out extra care and attention, this flower excels 
any annual with which I am acquainted. Seed of 
the common sorts of blotched and striped costs ten 
cents a paper, while the more tancy sorts are 
twenty-five cents. Begin with the inexpensive 
kinds. They flower more profusely, and make a 
better display. Set is inches apart; a packet of 
seed will lurntsu planus enougn mr a hall dozen 
beds. 1 have planted them along a fence and hod 
It completely covered by September, making a 
moat beautiful picture; but the soil must be very- 
rich to produce this effect. 
Poppv.—D on’t laugh, dear young reader, for a 
bed of popples properly at tended to, is a dazzling 
sight, and will attract general attention—as much 
so as anything in y our gardens. Having a tap¬ 
root It will nut transplant, and the seed must be 
sown in April—surely by the first of May—In the 
beds where they are to bloom. Thin out the 
plants to one toot apart as soon as they appear. 
When they begin to bloom do not allow a single 
pod to form under any circumstances. From 
neglect or Oils caution poppy beds are not worthy 
the name longer than two or three weeks: where¬ 
as, by not crowding them, and renewing all laded 
flowers, they will blossom from two to three 
months. The large flowered sorts are the best, of 
which [ name Double opium Poppy. Mursellland 
Pteouy flowered. Now don’t ueglecl this flower 
because IL is old fashioned. You might just as 
well refuse to sing Old Hundred. Try a bed next 
spring and report results. 
Salvia.— A great many Imagine they cannot 
grow r Salvia from seeds, simply because it Is grown 
largely' by florists. This Is a mistake. For ten 
cents you can purchase a packageOf seed sufficient 
to plane a large bed. For fall flowering there are 
few plants that equal Salvia splendens. Seed 
germinates rather slowly, set two feet apart, If 
the soil Is rich. You can let the seed lorm on 
this as the Petunia, as they are both persistent 
bloomers. 
Morrow Co., Ohio. 
[These are a few of the most desirable of our 
many beautiful annuals which ought to be found 
in every garden. Now Is the time u> se.ecc seeds, 
and lay plans tor the coming summer. I advise 
the members of the Horticultural Club to send for 
catalogues ot the dillereut seedsmen they see ad¬ 
vertised in the Rural, so that they can be pre¬ 
pared to make a w r ise selection ot seeds; mean¬ 
while, I hope to extend the list of such plants 
that are especially desirable and suitable for their 
gardens. Uncle Makk.j 
A HERBARIA PRESS. 
Probably no premium that we have heretofore 
offered will prove so acceptable to the cousins as 
ho. 1. 
this plant press, and especially will all who are at 
all interested ip botany, regard It with great 
favor. The young botanists of the Horticultural 
Club can here secure a neat and excellent plant 
press, something which every botanist should 
have, for a very little trouble, When plants are 
gathered they must be pressed, so that they can 
be preserved Tor ruture reference. This pressing 
Is generally done by laying the u specimens ” be- 
tween tbe leaves of an old book and then laying a 
weight upon It, but the press here offered the col¬ 
lector can lake with him In the field, and immedi¬ 
ately put the plants under pressure while they are 
yet perfectly fresh. The Illustrations give a clear 
Ideaot the press. No 1 shows It as It appeal’s 
when shut, and No. 2 when It Is open. 
Nu. •>. 
The outside is made of perforated or slotted 
birch board. Inside of these boards are placed 
thick sheets of bibulous paper, which will thor¬ 
oughly extract the moisture from the plant or 
leaf. The whole Is tastened together with strong 
straps w hich can be drawn as tightly as may be 
dt sired. A leather handle, similar to that of the 
ordinary valise, makes it easily portable. We offer 
tills press for a club of six subscribers. 
-- 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
A New Uncle. 
Uncle Mark:—I request the privilege of be¬ 
coming a member of the Horticultural Club. I am 
aged, but as you accept of aunts, why not uncles ? 
1 was unfortunately Injured w'hlle In the Union 
Army of tlie Rebellion. Previously my lire was a 
very active one, both physically and mentally, 
aud a file of Inactivity would now be to me a life 
of misery. I have been very feeble, for several 
years past. -1 have spent my time wholly In my 
garden, when the weather permitted, and 1 was 
not contlued in the house in pain and sickness. My 
work there has so far been a pleasant, profitable 
and healthy pastime. J was born and bred and 
spent my time In a city, the first thirty years of 
my tile, In mercantile pursuits, and I was educated 
accordingly, so you may be sure I ain very igno¬ 
rant of horticulture. I read some time ago lb the 
New York Tribune, that my namesake. Secretary 
Thompson, commenced at go the study ot Greek 
and Latin. Why not l, at the same age, study hor¬ 
ticulture? 1 have a large garden; one-tlxui ot 
an acre for onions; space allotted for two to three 
thousand cabbages, aud besides potatoes, sweet 
and common corn, aud culinary vegetables of 
all kinds; a Wilson straw'borry plat; and three to 
four hundred Catawba, Isabella, Concord and 
Clinton grape vines, 1 have liad it so arranged 
since my discharge from the army, as 1 was not 
able to do much work myself, that most of Lhe cul¬ 
tivation can be performed by a horse. 
I was not prepared for the seed distribution of 
last year, so was very unfortunate with them. I 
am proud or the Acme tomato and the Beauty of 
llebrou potato. This fall I have had a team of 
oxen for half u day, breaking up fresh ground, 
aud as the Weather was so very favorable, 1 am 
now well prepared for experimenting and growing 
flowers without Interfering with our regular 
crops. 
There are three large rocks near by one of the 
entrances of my garden, with a space between two 
of them large enough for a summer-house, or ar¬ 
bor. 1 Intend to build one there similar to tne one 
In the birds eye view of the Experimental Grounds 
of the Rural. I wish you to be Informed that I 
am a lover of nature, lo the extreme of adoration, 
and that l live in a beautiful and romantic place, 
under High Point, one of the high mountains oi i he 
catsklll range. Behind my house the rocks are 
seen toweling more than one hundred led In night, 
aud in some places they rise forty to sixty feet 
perpendicularly. In front between my house and 
garden there Is a deep rocky ravine, with rocks In 
fantastic shapes, precipices perpendicular, forty 
feet and mure hi depth. My home looks small, 
surrounded with tills precipitous graudeur; and 
when clothed In the garniture of autumn, In gol¬ 
den and bronze, green, red and purple hues, har¬ 
monizing with the neutral tints of the bare and 
mossy rocks, It portrays a beautiful and romantic 
sight. All who love the beautiful and romantic 
would not be content with those three naked 
rocks at the entrance of the garden; they would 
waul them clothed to correspond with the rest or 
the scenery and I hat Is just, my feellug. 1 have 
Improved them, some Utile In my Bight, by heap¬ 
ing a lot of knurled tools upon them. My neigh¬ 
bors talk to me of blasting them out; bull love 
nature to much in its wild ruggedness, to commit 
such a sacrilege. 1 would rather see a rural gate, 
a flower plot, a rustic arbor, aud the rocks clothed 
with, ferns and creeping plants. 
City bred aud educated as i was, my knowledge 
is too limited to proceed to clothe those naked 
rocks to make them harmonize w4th the rest of the 
surroundings, hence l have to appeal to you for 
assistance; ior which 1 shall ever be grateful. 
Ulster Co., N, Y. Joun Thompson. 
[You are very welcome to jolu the Horti¬ 
cultural Club. Your age and experience will cer¬ 
tainly enable you to give tbe cousins much sound 
advice, and your appreciation for the beautiful In 
nature will lead you to point out the beautiful to 
them. As to the manner In wnlen you can best 
cover the large rocks you mention, 1 should ven¬ 
ture an opinion more confidently had f seen the 
rocks and surroundings. I would recommend to 
set some plants of the Vlrglnu Creeper, Clematis, 
Dutchman’s ’Pipe, and other vines round about 
them; these will soon cover them with a profusion 
of green. Or, If the place Is not too exposed pre¬ 
pare the soil and plant some Grapevines to cover 
the rocks, and thus make them useful, as well as 
ornamental. A wire trelUs can be stretched over 
them to which the vines may be tied.— Uncle 
Mark.] 
Dear Unci.k Mark As 1 like to read the let¬ 
ters from the Cousins In the Rural, I will write one, 
too, aski ng 111 may Join the happy band and become 
a member of tUe Horticultural Club. I am ten 
years old, and go to a school, about three quar¬ 
ters ol a mile distant. 1 am very fond of flow ers 
and we have a good many house plants some of 
which are In bloom. Among them are a Calla and 
several Geraniums, both red and pink, and an 
Oxalls that blooms the most of the time. We also 
have a nice oleander, but It has never blossomed 
and Is about three years old. Will some one tell 
me how to make it blosaorn ? This being my first 
letter to you l will not make it too long; but If 1 
see It In tbe Rural I may write again. So good¬ 
bye, with love to all tbe cousins, 1 remain one of 
them. Estella. 
Southington, Conn. 
[1 shall be glad to put you on tbe list when I get 
your lull name.—U. M.J 
®|f |1 uhIh. 
HIDDEN MEN OF PROFESSIONS. 
1. ’Tis evident I struck her. 
2. In law ye resign. 
3. Tbe Modoc torments bis victims. 
4 . With physic 1 annoy. 
5 . To leg Is Uatore’s falling. 
6 . As i fell a stud entered my eye. 
7. Ilow late a cherry tree bears ? 
8. Tut, tut, Orlando! 
9. I saw this Toria no more. 
10 . Ibo, tan Is tbe stuff to cleanse bides. 
11. George olog Is through. 
12 . Tell me tbe fact orslna? 
13. You are a perjuror. 
14. It broke Ruth’s heart. 
15. You know our big ram, ma, Rian bad 7 
10. The music 1 announced. 
17. .What a butnp i received 1 
13. That torn eyelid Is Inflamed. 
19. By her bib l.io, grap her. 
20 . Do survey Ernest's farm V 
81. Mtn! Is M terra ’’ earth ? 
22. Do you the treasure receive ? 
23. To Join the clergy, manage well. 
24. Ned, 1 tormented him. 
25. That Journal Is trashy. 
EVAnswer in two weeks. Little One. 
TRANSPOSITION. 
Tou ill eth tofs lape noomgiltk, uot nl bet musrem 
ral, 
Tawli a dlte fo volgln romemsle surshe dasyl r’oe 
em heret, 
Fo a gouny dan sollmeght glfrue, fo a recal dan 
uusyn wobr; 
A miles klle bet High fo gormlnn—tl sauntk em 
neve now; 
Fo a pahpy, ypliap yad meard, fo a tufrue clilwh 
saw' ot eb; 
Tub eth yojs tu bet smyclt turfeu enon ubt neaveli 
nac eea; 
Koi bet pue morf ym meridbng spll saw henewred, 
Dan pohe’s slat llckerflng yar saw nedquech. 
t»f ~Answer In two weeks. l. o. 
-»♦«-- 
HIDDEN ANIMALS. 
1. Have you read David on Keystone State?” 
2 step up Pygmlllon. 
3 I will set tbe leg Iraf fearlessly. 
4. Rash Ogdeu spurred bis horse. 
5 Hand me the glove-box. 
%3T Answer In two weeks. 8. 
-m-- 
DROP LETTER PUZZLE. 
T-e-a-r-f-c-s-f-o-a-e-b-o-e^l-1-; -b-o-e-a-d-a 
o-t-l-e-h a- L o-o-t o-w-l-n-t-l-p-a-. Fill tbe blanks 
so as to form a text ot Scripture. 
Answer In two weeks. l. 
-»♦» - 
A DIAMOND PUZZLE. 
A vow'el; an animal; an Anglo-Saxon divinity; 
tbe Juice of a tree; a consonant. 
Answer In tw'o weeks. o. 
-- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Jan. 17. 
Hidden Drinks.— 1. Cocoa; 2. Rhine-wine; 3. Broma; 
i. Buttermilk, 5. Ginger-pop. 6. Flip; 1. Wassail; 8. 
Mum;9. Pulque, lo. Bittern; 11. Tpnlc-beer, 12. Toltay; 
13. Mrtluvhn, 11. Absinth; 16. Ratafia; 18. Catawba. 
17. Madeira; lo. .M.iimray, lit. Muriseluuo; 20. Ouracou ; 
21. Whey.;:.!- Drake's Plantation Bitters; 23. l'oaaet; 
24. Houcnou* tea; 35. Angelica. 
Drop Letter. Rend your heart and not your 
garments, aud turn uutu the Lord your God, for Ho in 
gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great 
kindness, aud repeuteth Him of the evil.” 
Half Wood Square: 
Insult 
N o i s o 
Size 
Use 
L e 
T 
Maltejk Cross: 
GRUNT 
APE 
PET 
EH ARM O A 
ROMAN/, OFF 
CD SAN F F 
Y V Y 
DIN 
POKER 
Downwards, “ Uptmavik." 
Across, “ llmnanzuji." 
abliatjj ^failing. 
SPEAK SOFTLY. 
Speak softly, gently ever 1 
There is no wiser part; 
For harsh words pierce like steel v 
The yeurniug, loving heart. 
As gems reflect In brightness 
Every flitting beam, 
Let words reflect in kindness 
Love’s sunny, love-lit gleam. 
Speak softly, gently, ever; 
There is no better plan— 
For angry words can never 
Effect what kind ones can. 
For, O! a soft word spoken 
May move the stubborn soul 
That still would prove defiant 
Should words of thunder roll. 
Speak softly, gently ever ! 
Words breath! uk nought but love 1 
And soon our blighted Eden 
Will bloom as realms above. 
- 
THE ENJOYMENT OF THIS WORLD. 
That the things ot this world afford a certain 
degree of pleasure is testified by all svlio possess 
them, whether they be Christians or not. But that 
they confer no great happiness la equally the tes¬ 
timony of all; and those who possess most of them 
are often most sensible of dissatisfaction and want. 
This arises In part from their nature; It is not pos¬ 
sible that perishable things should feed the hunger 
of an Immortal being. Yet there can be no deubt 
that, should we acquire them and employ them In 
the best manner, we might enjoy them far more 
than we do. W by Is It that we find In the ordinary 
gifts of Providence so little happiness? 
One i-eason may he superstitious conviction t hat 
God will be displeased. There are many who fear 
to rejoice in riches, lest God become jealous. But 
there maybe an enjoyment of the world wholly In 
accordance with His will. Paul assured the people 
of Lystra that He filled the heathen world not 
only with food, but. also with gladness. The same 
apostle directed Timothy to teach the rich that 
God gave them all things richly to enjoy. There 
Is no necessary antagonism between the things of 
this life and the God whose power creates them 
and whose providence bestows them. Only when 
we worship them as Idols, or use them as screens 
to shut ills glory from our eyes, do we provoke Him 
to anger. But this la not the way In which we may 
best enjoy them. 
Another common reason of our failure to enjoy 
the world may be found In our envy ot others who 
are more fortunate than ourselves, in the pres¬ 
ence of their splendor our own disappears from 
view, like the moon when the sun rises above the 
horizon. It is the story of Human repeated; we 
can have no peace while MonleeiU Is permitted to 
sit at the king a gate. A wiser course would be to 
enjoy not only our own possessions, but also the 
possessions ot others. Expelling envy from the 
heart, we shall perceive that the palace or the 
rich, built to be admired, was therefore built for 
us, and we shall enjoy Its architecture equally with 
its owner. We shall be able to thank the million¬ 
aire for keeping tils spacious la wns, in order that 
we may feast our eyes on them We Shall look at 
the gems and Jewels and dresses of fashion as worn 
for our Inspection, aud we shall rejoice In their 
be inly, and tbe more that we are not subjected to 
the cost of their purchase. All things will become 
ours. 
Another reason that we enjoy our possessions so 
little Is that we impart so little of them to those 
who are needy. Selfishness and happiness are Im¬ 
placable foes; they cannot dwell lu the same 
breast. The riches that we strive to enjoy selfish¬ 
ly are a curse and a bitterness; they tall utterly to 
bless; they are apples ot Sodom, full ot dust and 
ashes, which the hungerer loathes. What we give 
we most truty gain. 
Nor Is the highest enjoyment round merely in 
Imparting of our superfluity that whose loss we 
do not feel. The law' ot sacrifice is the law’ of hap¬ 
piness. NoL until we give so largely as to become 
conscious of want, do we reach the greatest joy of 
giving. And lu a world where there Is so much 
misery, both of body and spirit, It ts possible for 
even the most wealthy to attain this happliicas ot 
sacrifice. 
The only other reason of our failure to enjoy the 
world of which we care to speak at present may 
be found In our failure to enjoy the hope of bliss 
In the world to come. There Is no antagonism 
between worldly Joy and spiritual Joy. Nay, the 
latter Increases the former. The man who regards 
his money only as a means of present gratification 
does not derive from It a tithe of the satisfaction 
which would come to ldm did ho believe that he 
may lay it up In heaven for eternal use, that he 
may make friends with it who shaU welcome him 
to everlasting habitations. The Joy ot the spirit, 
ual life does not eclipse the joy of the earthly life; 
on the contrary, did we live as we should, the one 
would rather Illume the other, and make It more 
conspicuous, as the suu lights the earth, and re¬ 
veals its beauty. The man who knows not God 
knows not how to employ His bounties In such a 
way as to derive from them the highest satisfac¬ 
tion .—The Watchman. 
■ -—■ - 
Hk w’ho makes the fullest use of God’s gifts Is 
their real owner, lor property does not become 
possession until the proprietor becomes the mas¬ 
ter.—a. a. Times. 
- *■-*-+ - 
To forgive our enemies, yet hope that God will 
punish them Is not. to forgive enough. To forgive 
them ourselves, and not to pray God to forgive 
them Is a partial piece of charity.—Sir Thomas 
Browne. 
