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FLOWEK-GA.KDENING AS A MEDICINE. 
Observing that you wish all articles to contain 
“ really useful information which will be a help and 
benefit to others,” I have thought I might contribute 
more to this result by giving my own experience 
than by writing an abstract article on some particu¬ 
lar branch of floriculture. 
Last spring, being completely prostrated with a 
severe attack of diphtheria, I was obliged to give up 
all household employment, and my eyes being so 
affected that I could neither read nor sew, it seemed 
as though I had been cast back from the “ valley of 
the shadow of death ” (Ps. xxiii. 4) almost 
helpless and useless, too weak even to be as 
thankful as I should have been for the little 
life remaining. Medical treatment alone 
seemed unavailing, and I was utterly unable 
to endure the fatigue necessary to a change 
of scene. Company and talking with sym¬ 
pathizing friends left me more prostrate than 
ever. Indeed, all the stereotyped prescrip¬ 
tions for debility and loss of health seemed in 
vain. 
Suddenly my husband, who is a minister, 
became deeply interested in floriculture. 
He, who hitherto had given no attention what¬ 
ever to such things, began enquiring of me 
concerning the habits and culture of our 
finest plants and flowers. All hours which 
could possibly be spared from his own work 
were employed in perusing catalogues, guides, 
etc., and in transforming into a flower-garden 
a neglected corner of the lawn. And as lie 
seemed to find it absolutely necessary that I 
should be near to advise in the forming of 
beds, sowing of seed, setting of plants, etc., 
by means of cushions, robes, and shawls the 
wheelbarrow was for the time being trans¬ 
formed into an impromptu lounge, and I lay 
in the warm spring sunshine part of each 
bright day, as he said, “ playing overseer.” 
Gradually the pure air, the fresh-turned sod, 
and warm sunlight—blessed means in the 
hands of our “ Great Physician ”—seemed to 
tone up the weakened nerves and arouse the 
failing energies, and I slowly began to realize 
that my dear husband’s new-found interest in 
floriculture was to try the effect of its use as a 
remedial agent in restoring a dearly-loved wife to 
health and animation. Can you wonder, then, that the 
little new-found strength was used in co-operating 
with him in the use of the means and in seeking the 
blessing ? Soon languor gave way to returning energy 
and listlessness to awakened interest, and how I en¬ 
joyed those bright spring days in the garden, helping 
to plan and make rustic vases, beds, etc. One of these 
—a Calla vase—proved such a success that I think I 
must describe it, together with some of our other 
economical arrangements, for the benefit of those 
who, like ourselves, may be much limited in means. 
We covered the half of a cracker-keg with alternate 
halves of peeled and unpeeled hickory and maple 
limbs, placed perpendicularly upon it, ornamenting 
it with wild grape-vine, and placed it upon a tripod 
of ornamental grape-vine work. This we filled with 
Callas, Fuchsias, Ivies, etc., and placed in partial 
shade, and by watering it freely every morning we 
were soon repaid by luxuriance of growth and pro¬ 
fusion .of bloom that were lovely to look upon. 
Our beds, some eight or ten in number, averaging 
fifteen feet in length and seven in width, were raised 
about fifteen inches to secure the proper drainage 
and depth of soil, and were neatly sodded, with 
paths about eighteen inches wide between. The soil, 
a heavy sod, being enriched with leaf-mould from the 
woods, well-rotted manure, spent ashes, etc., was 
rich and friable, giving promise of a great return. 
How anxiously I watched for the springing seed, and 
Eryngium Leavexworthii. 
how earnestly I worked, as strength would permit, at 
weeding, watering, and trimming the sodded borders 
of the beds, which was done by means of a grass- 
hook and a pair of sheep-shears. And as one bed 
after another burst forth in a gorgeous display of 
Phlox, Petunia, Verbena, Geranium, Pansy, Aster, 
etc., how I enjoyed wandering through the paths, 
filling baskets and vases for my own rooms and 
those of my friends and neighbors. It is a pleasure 
so pure and delightful that it never seems to pall, 
and in giving thanks to the Giver of all good I can¬ 
not but be grateful that he put it into the heart of 
my husband to use it as a remedial agent. 
We both became so “ enthused,” as “that husband 
of mine ” says, with the work that as the chill ap¬ 
proach of winter began to rob us of our treasures, 
he insisted on investing in a larger collection of 
house plants, that we might secure some of the plea¬ 
sure for the long winter days. Our arrangement and 
method of treating these has been as follows : 
First, then, we brought in our Calla stand, our pet 
and pride, substituting Begonias for the Fuchsias, 
that they might rest, and placed it upon a platform 
of our own planning and construction, which is a 
little less than four feet long, and about two feet 
three inches wide, with a raised edge of about one- 
lmlf inch, jointed, put together water-tight with 
white lead, and painted. Around the foot of the 
vase we have placed Geraniums, Roses, Fuchsias, 
Primroses, and other plants, in pots with their sau¬ 
cers, so that all can be showered together, 
and the water left standing on the platform if 
desired for the purpose of giving moisture to 
the atmosphere. The platform being fur¬ 
nished with No. 7 plate casters, the whole ar¬ 
rangement can be easily moved near the fire 
on cold nights with one hand. This fills one 
window, and, in our estimation, few florists 
can exhibit anything more magnificent. 
The other window has a southern aspect, 
and is occupied by a. half-round plant-stand 
four feet in diameter, "With four graduated 
steps, stained walnut and varnished, also our 
own work. On this is placed a set of three- 
inch bracket casters, and although crowded 
with heavy pots of flourishing plants, I can 
move it with perfect ease wherever desired. 
Under it I have placed a pretty bright piece 
of oil-cloth, so that we can shower all to¬ 
gether with a fine rose watering-can without 
having to make any change. There are some 
thirty or more plants of Geraniums, Fuchsias, 
Roses, Bouvardias, Carnations, Abutilons,etc., 
making one mass of beauty from the floor to 
the top step. We place those that require 
the most heat on the upper steps, and having 
fastened a small thermometer to the back of 
the stand, we can tell when the room is heat¬ 
ed to the degree required, which we allow to 
range from sixty to seventy during the day, 
and from forty to fifty at night. By damp¬ 
ening the broom frequent]}' in sweeping the 
carpet, and by a slight showering every day, 
we are enabled to keep them bright and 
clean. In addition to the regular showering, 
w r e give a thorough watering occasionally, 
but only when the soil seems to need it. The only 
insect with which weliave had any trouble is the aphis, 
which we have so far been able to control by dipping 
the plants badly infested with them in a strong tobacco 
tea, and, where there were but few, brushing them off 
with a small camel’s-hair brush dipped in water. 
It is an old proverb that “ no excellence is attain¬ 
ed without great labor,” but let me impress upon you 
the value of having large-sized casters upon all vases 
and flower-stands for the house, so that all can be 
moved together easily, by means of which an im¬ 
mense amount of labor may be saved which is so 
often uselessly expended in moving pots singly from 
place to place. Mrs. J. F. C. 
