Ratling for f|t jjoititg. 
FLORICULTURE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE — 
No. 3. 
JOHN N. DICKIE. 
Antirrhinum (Snapdragon).—'Tills flower lscatar 
logued as a perennial, taut I should describe it as a 
biennial flowering the first season, i have never 
been able to keep It over two years In this latitude. 
Seed germinates readily, but be careful not to sow 
It too thick. Set the plants one foot apart. In 
August cut the plants back and they will produce 
shoots which will keep green nearly all winter and 
flower better the second year than the Urst. Seed 
of the mixed varieties is best, as selected seed Is 
Inclined to sport. 
Aster —This flower has been wonderfully Im¬ 
proved of late years, it, Is not a perpetual bloom¬ 
er, rarely remaining In perfection over three 
weeks; but on account of Its great beauty should 
Had a place tu every garden, in order to have a 
continued show, sow part of the seed In April and 
the rest In May. Almost any of the varieties 
found In the catalogues will glvegoodsatisfaction; 
but I will name .veto Rose as a particularly choice 
sort. 
Balsam (Touch-me-not) —No flower can give 
my youug readers greater satisfaction than this. 
They are perfectly double and grow freely from 
Reed. Do not set out the plants before the middle 
of May, and when the plants make four Bets of 
leaves pinch out the center shoot and keep the 
side branches well trimmed. All the Balsam re¬ 
quires la molsturo and plenty of manure. They 
are, therefore, much finer In wet than tu dry sea¬ 
sons. 
Bkowaj.ua.—I began the cultivation of this 
flower about ten years ago, and expect to grow 
It as long as I am able to handle a hoe. The 
flowers are small. In color blue and white. The 
blue X prefer, as that color Is more rare. It In¬ 
creases In size and beauty until frost, and can then 
be taken up and potted for the bouse. Set the 
plants not leas than eighteen inches apart, lor It 
will grow two feet high in a rich soli. The seed Is 
very flue, and the plains, as they appear, very 
minute. Sow on the surface of the soli, and 
sprinkle a very little earth thereon, pressing down 
with a board. If you sow deep it will never ap¬ 
pear. 
Cei.osia (Cockscomb).—A well grown plant of 
this superb flower is worth a whole bed full of the 
poor things one generally sees. Seed will germi¬ 
nate in three or four days. Thin out well, and 
transplant into the richest sou you have. By good 
cultivation I have raised “ combs ” sixteen Inches 
long with stems eight inches In width. Let us see 
If some of our young readers cannot exceed this 
next year. The tall and dwarf sorts will give 
equally large heads. The other special sorts ad¬ 
vertised In our catalogues l cannot recommend. 
Oentkantii us.-Another flower not generally cul¬ 
tivated, it is a continuous bloomer, and were it 
not that the stem Is a little clumsy It would be un¬ 
surpassed for boquets. Does not require very rich 
soli. Is very easy or cultivation, and will attract 
the attention of all lovers or delicate flowers. 
Di ANTUUs.—The varieties known as Chinese and 
Japan Pinks are not fragrant but make up for this 
falling In habit, duration of bloom aud coloring. 
Set the plants six Inches apart and keep the seed 
picked off. If you neglect this they will not bloom 
over a month. The varieties Imperlalls, Laclntatus 
aud Heddewegll are the best. 
Marigold.—I cultivate but one variety of this 
plant, which you will And In the catalogues, Tage- 
tes slgnata pumlla. The flower Is as much or a 
marvel as the name, as It forms a dense globular 
mass as round as a ball, covered with flowers the 
whole season. 
Pansy.— sow seed as early as possible, and set 
the plants In a oed on the north side or the house 
or fence. Make the soli very rich, and water the 
plants every day or two thoroughly. This Is the 
secret of raising fine Pansies. Water and manure 
—these will give your flower the envy of the whole 
neighborhood. 
Ten Weeks Stock —Truly a magnlflcent flower, 
but rather hard to succeed with. If loft, In the 
seed bed too long, the plants become drawn; and, 
as a rule, I be seed purchased of our best seedsmen 
will produce a small proportion of double flowers. 
Still it Is really worth one's while to meet with 
some failures In order to see aline double Stock. 
I do not recommend this flower to my youug read¬ 
ers with the same assurance as the other, but if 
you wish to experiment, let it be with the stock. 
Verbena.—S eedling Verbenas are not so line In 
color as those raised from cuttings, but the plants 
are larger, stronger and more persistent in bloom. 
Get the seed started as soon as possible and set the 
plants is inches apart. A bed composed wholly of 
jotted sod is best for the Verbena. 
And now, dear young reader, 1 have given you a 
list of the best annuals for general cultivation. 
There are many others very desirable, and which 
I would not be without In my garden, but for a con¬ 
stant, brtlUnnt show, those enumerated are the 
best. 1 shall conclude this series of articles with 
a chapter on the arrangement of flowers In the 
garden. 
Morrow Co., Ohio. 
-- 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Dkar Uncle Mark:— it gives me great pleasure 
to be able to write thesellue3 to you to congratu¬ 
late you on your success In forming the “ Rural 
Horticultural Club;” and what a pleasant time 
you mud have In reading the letters from the 
young membera of the club, with now and then a 
line from the “old folks at home." But theirs 
no doubt are of but little satisfaction to you ; yes, 
only a bother to you. I have but few words to say 
about out-door work at this present time. The 
severe cold has killed many so-called hardy plants 
sbrubs and vines, but Hydrangea paniculatagran- 
dlttora must bead the list of hardy or Iron-clad 
shrubs. Roses of all kinds are dead down to the 
ground. I am so sorry, t will have to wait so loDg 
to see my pets again; but will place my hopes In 
an all wlBe Being that they will return In due 
time tn make the air sweet with their fragrance. 
Dent/.las are too tender unless In very sheltered 
places. Forsythla verldlsslma the same. My 
much-petted Honeysuckle Is entirely dead. I 
regret this as it, Is such a splendid vine or climber. 
The Trumpet Creepers are all alive up to this 
time. In looking over the beds of bulbs to-day, 
the Crocuses and Scllla also Snowdrops were mak¬ 
ing their appearance above ground and remind 
us of the coming spring, 
Dear Uncle Mark, I wish to say a word regard¬ 
ing flower seeds or any other ki nd; now,l hope you 
will not consider me ns a beggar of seeds, but I 
would thank you or any ot the Rural Cousins for a 
few seeds of any kind they might have tn spare. 
T only make this request having lost all such as 
well as other property by the “Are fiend.’’ I well 
know the Cousins will return the many small 
favors they have received from me through the 
Rural In times past. Thanking you for your 
kindness, 1 wish ycu success with the Rural Hor¬ 
ticultural Club as well as other cares of life. 
Oregon, Mo. J. M avlr. 
(j. w. Maple sent me last fall some flower seed 
for distribution among the Cousins. I have kept, 
thts to accompany my regular seed distribution to 
the members of the Horticultural Club, which will 
take place in a few days.— uncle Mark 1 
Dear Uncle Mark I am only eight years old 
and can t write very well, but I would like to join 
the Club. 1 have a sister five years old and a 
brother five mouths old Will some of the cousins 
please send a nice name tor him 2 I am going to 
farm a good deal this year. Wc live ou New 
River In Pulaski County, and have huge melons 
every summer, now wc love the Rural at our 
house! Mister read the last one nearly all to 
pieces. My grandma has a monthly rose In bloom 
In February. It I see this letter In print next 
week, I shall go out and stand on my head. 1 
know you are sorry sister Is not writing, but she 
has gone to New hern toaec her grandma. You 
have no nephew that likes you better than 
Pulaski Co., Va. Frank Wysor. 
Dear Uncle Mark:—I have been thinking about 
Joining the cousin’s circle for a long time, but have 
deferred wi lting until now. We have taken the 
Rural for nearly thirty years, and like It very 
mvch. Maple Leaves wished us to tell about our 
gains and failures. T think that would be a good 
plan it we were all like her. “ I have none to 
speak of." l j. q. 
Clymer, Chaut. Co., N. Y. 
<pf fn$lfr. 
HIDDEN FEMALE NAMES 
l. ’Twas Cass and Randolph. 
*.4. Scat! her lu Ella's milk pan. 
3. Down In Cecil 1 asked her. 
4 . ’11s best her baby should rest. 
5. That parcel 1 am sure Is mine. 
0. See the gem mamma gave me. 
7. A Christian asks no fee. 
8 . I am In earnest In excellent. 
fl. Ilecla raised an eruption. 
10. Do see me line my frock. 
11 . Claud, 1 am home-sick. 
12. ’Twas well enacted. 
13. It Is Inclement In England. 
14. Anabel, vlrago-llico she scolded. 
15.1 have a set of coral. 
10. Don't tell Anna. 
17, By holding the cord Ell aided. 
15. Eliza bethought her In time. 
13. Hand me the corn Ell and oblige. 
SO. See Liz at work. 
21. A hyacinth l admire. 
22 . Do rally once more. 
23. In castle Dora thy child Is kept. 
24. Ned navigated the river. 
25. on the lea no roving feet ere trod. 
Little One. 
-»»« 
A FRACTIONAL PUUZLE. 
One-ninth of milk-punch; one-seventh of whis¬ 
key ; one-sLxth of brandy; ono-thlrd of ruin; one- 
ninth of ginger-pop; one-eighth of sangarce; one- 
ninth of lager-beer; one-elgluh of glnsllng; one- 
mnih of chocolate. Take one from each and form 
a drink. 
rar - Answer In two weeks. l. 
-»-*-A- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Feb. 28. 
Hidden Drugs.— 1. May-apple: 2. Rhubarb; 8. Cam. 
phor; 4. 8ply«lt(i; 5. None ueiu, 6. Nux voimea; 7. 
Muriatic acid; ». Catechu; M. Cubeb: 10. Copaiva; 11- 
Tanln; 12. Lavender; 13. lppecne; 14. Chamomile; la. 
Kiuo. 
Name Puzzle. —Philander; Atiptietiuo: Trlutam; 
Reginald Ingram. Initials form “ Patrick. 
Our Weeu’s GROCEBlEa. -Soda; tea;sirup; giuger; 
starch; yead; salt. 
Drop Letter Puzzle Do you not know, that they 
who minister about holy things live of tUesacrillcc; 
and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the 
altar. Even so hath the Lord also ordained that they 
who preach the Gospel should live of llio Gospel. 
Diagonal Puzzle: 
Primula form “ A eon." 
Diagonals form "Aire." 
Diamond Puzzle: 
D 
NAP 
N O M A D 
DAMAGES 
PAGAN 
DEN 
,S 
The Literary Revolution. 
Volunteers. 
Our Friend* know how, like “ leaves," our hooks work when they pet into n neighborhood. It is common for 
the sight of ono to sell a hundred. In one ease a sample of “ Cniversul Knowledge'' actually sold 4.000 volumes 
within a week. It (tot inton large manufacturing house, and "took" more rapidly lluiit ' smallpox ' ever dull Our 
customers Invariably become our triends and volunteer to work lor the Revolution. 
Our CutnlDpui', handed to an acquaintance by one who know > our hook- or Knows us, with one pood word ol 
commendation, will he of real and probably of (treat service to tbe "icvoluilun," Will not every mend who receives 
an extra in talon uu make such use of it? Wc will gladly send any i|iiamily lor wise distribution. 
1 > 1 v 1 1 Jivroi'l'ww Tito (UeeesK of this movement continues 
JKi6IIlcil IB J A fAp, 1 * tu Ik- without parallel in literary history. 
Hut little more than a voar ago otic large printing press was siinicient for its needs To day our tacilUlcs, equalled 
in extent bv onlv a row ot the old millionaire publishing houses, arc taxed to the uttermost, but cannot meet the 
demands lor our hooks. For weeks wc have been running onr presses twelve hours a day. recently extending the 
time to fourteen hours; ns one set of hands cannot long endure such continiu d labor, we have already started tvva 
sets of hands, and the machinery, which never tires, will run the entire twenty.tour hours six days in the week. 
r lvwr It has not been commonly known that 
JL V ^^€311_ 111 U (l.lll* type i- bow set and distributed bvana- 
cbinerv. it is a verv interesting sight tn se" the machines at work which have set tin ty petti our “'Acme Libra¬ 
ries "of “ History."'“ Biographc." •‘Classics," and The Library Ungatfnr. With iludr aid onchunii does the work ol 
live bv the old band process One oilier at, work tor us lias twenty -ixot then i mul m i hh: 1 1 r * : i, 1 > .n it (l, iw or o u t e 
building. Probably no invention ever more severely tuxed the ingenuity ot man, and none vs as ever mote com, 
pletelv successful. 
Great Oflfers ITO 'R^iOIZ Of thlS 
tiso our books and convince people that wc arc really telling the truth about them as H n. sCOhitv m iiimnciure me 
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even less than we have done. With the special object ol dent unstinting to tbt ' «y JM* 
which arc being done for lovers a( good hook., uud making lutthpi ndrcrttsiPg unueccMurv, !' 
three ,/rntl too/,.- otic or more cl which IS sure (Oho wanted by r vejy intelligent OVV tie I Id »>CC»K fhev f'ryicpn. 
sent out large and rapidly .growing list ofSUPdard Books, in .jpahty ot paper, priming, binding, ..mf dir,Stratton., 
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The Editors and Publishers „ rcl ,ii I;. 1 represent them, and that we do all v\e agree to 
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ers are now found In almost every village tn the United States and Canada. 
' Life and Words of Christ. 
Bv CuNVTNciiAU Geikis D. D. I’riec rod ucod from 83 to SDcts.: beautiful brevier type, neat strong cloth binding; 
- postage, S els. 
“ Profoundly interesting—marvellously cheap.”—Albany Evening Times. 
“ in lusciufitinir roRdinff/*—Boston Loin won wealth. _ ... 
*• riiu of nil the Lives or-Ohrist—u marvel of cbeapnoss/ —T ortlnnd Christian Mirror. , ,, 
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A ijreat and nphlc work, rich in Tnforination, elegant Mai scholarly in style, earnestly devout in feeling.”- 
I‘""-''l'; 1 isnmiik ot proiound learning.’ — Arnhhishop or York. review 
“A work, of Lilian lie industry, of the highest literary rank, and breathing the spirit of true faith m Christ. —Dr. 
SJww'bonb It Itwl Od-wt Nic«, and a man might well sell a thousand others to become 
P°*?5»89f .*f .... .U., »_Rwv. r. n. Swunrcn. 
Jouraal. 
Acme Library of Biography. 
The Book of Fables. 
S&’susK.’tUSSs: 
8 cents. Ready ...„ iu>.v wiw tm inmwi »v»r remiiiiff nr reference, the*, hest ever issued. It 
VERDICT OF PRESS AND PEOPLE: 
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pries It is a marvel in bookmaking. Ttbyrvph, litlsburgh, la. ... . , 
J, , » - orduKin 1 bid you God-speed in tile worthy enterprise ot giving tis goou Itteraun t 
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One of Man 
at low prices. It 
A Country I 
and cheap. We i 
l'ort Henry, N. V. 
and commend Its 
tint, st. Do it La, Mo, 
him atkd liis ware* among my acuiuinliiuees 
lUtsiilc of the 
are not material-aro more than made up by tbe amazing cheapness of the vvor 
deserves credit for the part it l* taking m popalarizing standard literature, tin 
tntiaii Union, N. Y. 
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