loral 6a,mriEt ixml Pictorial Some 
WINTER FLOWERS. 
Naturally the first enquiry of every true flower- 
lover, or at least every window-gardener, would he : 
How can I get flowers to bloom during the long, 
dreary winter months f what will they he ? and 
what kind of soil will they like '? To such, I would 
say, take The Floral Cabinet, for therein you learn 
all this and much more ; but at the same time study 
the nature of each plant, and learn, too, by expe¬ 
rience. Strictly observe three things : Your plants 
must have plenty of moisture, air, and good food to 
thrive well. Now prepare your soil; for most of 
plants good garden-soil, leaf-mould, and a small 
portion of sand does well. For Calla Lily I use 
well-rotted chip-manure alone, or sometimes put in 
leaf-mould, while for Cactus there must be more 
sand used. Those who are so situated that they 
cannot take care of many plants during winter 
would, of course, want those that were the least trou¬ 
ble and at the same time the most sure to bloom. 
To such I would recommend Calla Lily, Oxalis, and 
Chrysanthemum. I am sure these three cannot fail 
to bloom if properly treated. They have always 
bloomed for me when treated in the following man- 
About the last of May or first of June I set 
my Calla and Oxalis under a tree out in the yard and 
let them rest (by watering only enough to keep them 
from drying completely up) until the first of Septem- 
shake 
re-pot in good 
rich soil and set in the shade a few days, giving but 
little water until after they have started to grow, 
after which there is little danger of giving the Calla 
too much. During winter I water the Calla with 
almost boiling hot water, taking care not to let it 
touch the stalks. In fact, I never water any of my 
plants with cold water, as it retards their growth. 
The Chrysanthemum I let grow out in the garden 
until August, when I lift it carefully and pot in the 
usual way (I do this after sunset), taking care not 
to cramp the roots in an unnatural position, yet 
using as small a pot as can accommodate it. Water 
well and set in the shade a week or two, after which 
bring it gradually to the sunlight, though never set 
it out in the heat of the day. After it is done bloom¬ 
ing I set it out in the garden to there remain until I 
want it again. By following my plan of treatment 
with above-named plants I think any one, though 
poorly situated, may have flowers all winter. There 
are many other finer plants that we can have bloom 
in winter, but I recommend these three because 
they are less trouble than any I ever kept, and sure 
to bloom, and cost so little that they are within the 
reach of the poor. There is many a poor mother 
who would love to have such things (if she had the 
room) to brighten her dreary, cramped home, but she 
feels that it is impossible, for during the short winter 
days her time for each duty is quite limited. But 
perhaps she can have summer flowers. They are the 
simplest and least expensive ornament of the home¬ 
stead, imparting an air of taste and comfort, and 
awakening dreams of beauty, especially in the minds 
of children, that will never entirely fade from the 
memory, but will linger as reminiscences of home, 
and as oft-recurring incentives to strive after a better 
life. Those who cultivate summer flowers alone 
would best choose annuals, as they are the cheapest 
and produce the desired effect the quickest. Some 
annuals, too, are deemed absolutely indispensable, 
such as Zinnia, Phlox Drummondii, Petunia, etc. 
Most annuals should be planted about the first of 
May, or when all danger of frost is over. As a gen¬ 
eral rule, seed planted three times their own diame¬ 
ter germinate readily. In planting, great care 
should be taken in regard to harmony of color, 
height, and period of flowering, as we all know 
what a fearful effect would be produced by no taste 
being exercised. Keeping a garden clear from weeds, 
too, all will agree, adds as much to its appearance 
as arrangement. It has been said that a garden is 
an evidence of one’s character. In the picture of the 
sluggard we read: “ I passed by his garden and saw 
the wild brier. The thorn and the thistle grew 
higher.” Lelia Merrit. 
Calhoun, Henry Co., Mo. 
FLORAL GOSSIP. 
The various Geraniums and Fuchsias which had 
given our urn so gay an appearance through the sum¬ 
mer were taken up and stored in the cellar, for a 
resting-spell to continue through the winter, and 
their places were filled before the removal to the 
house with a Begonia Rex, another Begonia having 
bright green leaves spotted with white, which are 
sometimes in the year almost a gold color, a Camphor 
Plant which is still in bloom, and a small Century 
Plant which we pet as complacently as though we 
expected to live to see it bloom. These plants are 
not very uncommon ones, and though 1 have before 
me the image of an impertinent miss who once de¬ 
clared to me with a disdainful toss of her head that 
she never kept any common flowers, I must still 
declare that I would sooner have thrifty, healthy, 
common plants, than sickly, scraggy, uncommon ones, 
with unpronounceable names, hailing from no one 
knows where. I have quite a respect for novelties, 
and count a goodly number among my plants, but I 
think some of the good old plants full as beautiful, 
and we know how much we can depend upon them. 
For instance, there were no plants in our collection 
that produced more loveliness than our large Olean¬ 
ders this year, a double pink and single white. They 
blossomed from the first of June until after hard 
frosts. They were then covered with buds, but on being 
tran sferred to the cellar they dropped off. They are tak¬ 
ing a winter’s rest, and I presume will be as hand¬ 
some as ever next year. I have a beautiful Dwarf 
Palmetto which was sent me by a friend in Texas. 
It is very attractive, and every one who sees it re¬ 
marks upon its beauty. 
I also have a singular plant which I raised from 
seed. The lady who gave me the seed says it is a 
Black Pepper tree. It has beautiful fern-like leaves, 
and a spicy fragrance arises from its leaves upon be¬ 
ing touched. It grows quite fast, but mine is not a 
year old yet, and has never blossomed. 
Our plants are all furnished with good drainage. 
ionijiuiiion. 
We usually place charcoal on the bottom of the dish, 
then fill up with the best soil we can get. Water 
freely. But it is necessary to study the nature of 
flowers, as some plants require more water than 
others. Then in a warm, dry time they need it much 
more frequently and copiously than in a cool time, 
when the water does not evaporate so freely. In 
the winter the greatest difficulty seems to be to keep 
the plants at a uniform temperature. They are apt 
to get too warm in the daytime and too cool at night, 
and great precaution must be taken to guard against 
this, or certainly no blossoms need be expected. I 
have made a comforter to hang up over the window 
near which my urn stands. Instead of using batting 
to stuff it with, I used old papers, putting in at least 
a dozen layers, then tacking it to keep them in their 
places. This I hope w ill contest Jack Frost’s right 
to enter. 
I certainly do not approve of doctoring either peo¬ 
ple or plants when they are well: but. in direct oppo¬ 
sition to this theory, I have taken to putting a large 
spoonful of ammonia in the water I use for them once 
a week, and I am very much pleased with the result. 
The very best thing usually, after plants are properly 
potted, is to water them and let them alone. There 
are a great many killed by too great and injudicious 
care. Perhaps, as I have had considerable experience 
in preparing and exhibiting cut flowers, and have 
had good success, a description of some of my ex¬ 
hibits may be of benefit to others. 
Last June there was a fair held near here, and I 
made a lovely floral ornament of Moss Rose buds, 
green Moss, and Roses. The moss was arranged in 
a large shallow box, twenty inches by eighteen, and 
one inch deep. This was a perfectly flat sheet of 
green. A cross, as large as would conveniently lie in 
this box, was made of Moss Rose buds, and at the 
crossing a bunch of full-blown Roses. The cross was 
formed by sticking the stems of the buds in damp 
sand, which was concealed by the moss. The 
flowers were raised above the moss. I raised a great 
many Moss Roses, and think there is nothing lovelier 
than the buds. 
I once saw a floral ornament in the shape of a 
star, six feet across, composed of stalks of bright 
Gladiolus. It was showy, but not at all artistic or 
of delicate design or workmanship, as such an arti¬ 
cle should be to be admired. 
For hand bouquets, small flowers, rose-buds of all 
descriptions, perfumed foliage, and tasteful arrange¬ 
ment are necessary. A very pretty pair, which 
gained a red ribbon, were formed of a creamy-white 
Rose-bud, rather larg'e in the centre, surrounded with 
blue Ageratums, then a row of Candytuft, and then 
Moss Rose buds with a border of small Rose Gera¬ 
nium leaves. 
Later in the fall I made them of a Tuberose for 
the centre, then Verbenas and Lemon Verbenas, with 
the border of Geranium leaves, before putting in the 
bouquet papers. Hand bouquets should be nearly 
flat, that is across the top, only slightly raised towards 
the centie. Scarlet Salvia and Geranium blossoms 
were often used. White flowers are always beautiful, 
but delicate-colored flowers, with a dash of bright 
scailet and just a tiny bit of yellow, brighten up a 
bouquet wonderfully. 
£8 
1# 
ofp 
^1% 
/; 
I! 
