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lomnaaion. 
OUTSIDE THE GARDEN. 
An amateur in tlie home-culture of flowers, who 
counts the years of her experience on half the fingers 
of one hand, who has drawn all the knowledge she 
lias from the Cabinet— what can she give back to 
her teacher. The success which has given us so much 
pleasure does not differ from that of others, who have 
told of it and how to obtain it better. Though our 
houseplauts are loved and petted treasures, we cannot 
hope to interest you in them. We have wondered, 
sometimes, why we found in this Floral Cabinet 
of ours so little about the floral world which lies out¬ 
side of lawn and garden, as these lie outside of the 
window-garden and conservatory; and if you will 
come down in the woods with us this bright, clear 
morning, perhaps Ave can have a little pleasant chat 
about some of the sweet dwellers there. 
Through the orchard and down the wood-road be¬ 
yond, where young oaks and beeches meet overhead, 
and stretch away on either hand. Years ago pri¬ 
meval pines reigned here; grand old monarchs, when 
they fell, their places were quickly taken by these 
aliens. See how kindly Mother Nature has spread 
her daintiest handiwork over the great stumps, mak¬ 
ing them fitting memorials of the old forest kings. 
How the colors of the different mosses, lichens, and 
fungi brighten the dead brownuess around; but not 
more than do the little pine-trees ; bright and sturdy 
little princes these are, growing up from the parent 
roots, strong and vigorous, under the very arms of 
the usurpers ; and the story is that by and by there 
will come a day when these shall fall at the feet of 
the young pines, which, in full possession at last of 
their inheritance, will grow with the century to the 
perfect stature of their fathers. But much Ave fear 
that meddling agriculture will possess the land long 
before the day of the young pines shall come. Here 
in spring and early summer anemones lift starry, 
ivliite faces, and afterward moonwart ferns groAV riot¬ 
ous, but no more flowers. 
Farther on, over a tumbling stone wall, and ive 
are under the pines — noble trees, though the largest 
trunk is smaller than a third part of some of the old 
stumps we have passed. Evergreens love evergreens. 
The lesser ones are always found in the shadow of 
the greater. The tree-tops, so far above us, are 
hardly so green as the brave little tilings that rise 
just above the finer needles under our feet. Here 
are several kinds of Lycopodiums, Hepaticas, 
Pyrolas, and Pipsissimas; spotted and creeping 
Wintergreen, Mitchella repens, likes to hide a little, 
but not deeply; pull away the brown covering and 
how the bright eyes laugh up in your face, from 
where it lies luxuriantly in its warm bed. Beloiv 
that large rock, in a sudden little holloAV, is the 
spring, full and overfloiving. A long curving line 
of bright green in the meadoAV beyond sIioavs Avliere 
the “ SAveet, pleasant Avater ” takes its Avay. And in 
this meadoAV, in the corner beyond the spring, is the 
paradise of violets; blue, yelloAV, and Avhite; blos¬ 
soming larger and fairer as spring passes into sum¬ 
mer, and summer lengthens towards the fall. Marsh 
Mangolds are here too ; nor do Ave disdain them, 
when Ave come for clumps of violets, which, planted 
in deep plates, will carry the spring pleasantness into 
close rooms. 
In this smooth, clear space, Loav Crenels will 
cover the ground in midsummer. The scarlet ber¬ 
ries Avliich folloAV the odd, changing blossoms make 
lovely fall bouquets; a loose bunch in a Avhite vase, 
with only their oavii green leaves. Over there Lady- 
Slippers always tantalize us from under the brush 
and bushes, rising so gracefully on longer stalks, with 
pendent moccasins of deeper rose-pink the farther 
under they grow. Beyond the meadow is the swamp, 
frozen now; impenetrable in summer except with 
boots of masculinity. Some of our choicest summer 
treasures come from here—Azaleas and Callas; our 
OAvn native Calla Palustinus; not to be placed beside 
the proud Lily of the Nile, truly, but very SAveet and 
interesting in its own quiet way. A large plant in 
bowl or vase of Avater (with a feiv pieces of charcoal 
for sweetness’ sake) Avill continue in bloom a long 
time. Blue Flags are here of course. For their 
OAvn sake, Ave could Avish that these were not so com¬ 
mon. Yet great honor is theirs ; for the SAveetest 
song that poet eA r er sung for a single flower is that 
of the “ Flower-de-luce.” Resting on this high bank 
some bright June day, looking down to the “ slug¬ 
gish meadow brook,” where the first blue lilies stand 
sweet and stately by the Avater’s edge, it AV.ere easy 
to believe that the poet too was resting here, when 
he listened to 
“ The Muse, who far from crowded cities 
Haunted the sylvan streams,” 
fit Avords of greeting to the azure-Avinged Iris queen: 
“ Born to the purple, bom to joy and pleasance. 
Thou dost not toil nor spin, 
But makest glad and radiant with thy presence 
The meadow and the lin. 
“ The wind blows and uplifts thy drooping banner, 
And around thee throng and win 
The rushes, the green yeomen of thy manor, 
The outlaws of the inn. 
“ The burnished dragon-fly is their attendant 
And tilts against the field, 
And down the listed sunbeam rides resplendent 
With steel-blue mail and shield.” 
With the song on our lips it seems almost a van¬ 
dal act to tear the fair flowers from their home ; but 
Ave Avant them for our own home’s a dorning. So down 
from the mossy bank, where white violets and red¬ 
dening strawberries are, towards the water’s edge 
Ave go courageously, though Avell knoAving that the 
royal Iris is royally guarded, and that Ave are not 
properly equipped for a tilt Avith her brave defend¬ 
ers. Alas! the drooping banners are still far be¬ 
yond our reach when Ave stand dismayed, overpow¬ 
ered. The winged warriors whizz around our head. 
The thronging rushes, those “ green yeomen,” 
stretch out helping hands, but Ave knoAV their treach¬ 
ery ; they would draAV us into the black depths from 
Avliich they rise. Every tuft of grass, every black 
root, yields us faithless footing. The “ still river” 
folloAVS our steps, and its kisses are not sAA r eet to us, 
as to the lilies. Standing here, avo look back to the 
mossy bank and think again of the poet’s song. 
What is it he says at its closing % 
“ 0 flower-de-luce! bloom on, and let the river 
Linger to ldss thy feet.” 
Then Ave look ahead at the royal Lilies, and sure¬ 
ly they are laughing, Avhile strange sounds come to 
our ears from the whispering reeds, hinting of a deep¬ 
er meaning in the words than Ave had seen before. 
Had Ave thought that the poet said “ bloom on,” be¬ 
cause, by reason of his exquisite sense of the fitness 
of things, he could not tear the fair flowers from their 
surroundings “? Not at all. He had only left his rub¬ 
ber boots at home, and loved not that the river 
should “linger to kiss” his oavii feet. Shamed and 
saddened, Ave must retreat as best Ave can; but it is 
only to return, properly “ armed ” for the contest, 
and A r ery soon the blue banners droop amid their 
green spears, in a moss-filled china bowl on our par¬ 
lor table. Avith the dainty green and gold volumes 
close by, open at 
“ Beautiful Lily, dwelling by still rivers,” 
and Ave know that our callers Avill fall into raptures 
of delight over them. 
After the Blue Flags come the Cardinal Flowers, 
Avitli their splendid dazzling beauty. Did you ever, after 
long and weary striving for the possession of some of 
these, have a strong feeling of disappointment Avhen 
at last they Avere arranged in bouquet form J ? We 
think there are no flowers more easily spoiled. 
Without the right surroundings they utterly refuse 
to shine Avith the flaming brilliance which so fascin¬ 
ated us when first avc srav them in their boggy 
home. We like best a pure Avhite vase filled Avith 
the glossiest, darkest green leaves avc can find, a I’eAv 
only drooping over the vase. Then put in the crim¬ 
son spikes, one at a time, not too closely together, 
and place the vase on a corner-bracket or stand, 
Avliere no strong light will fall on it, or else directly 
in a sunny windoAV. They are lovely in a dark cor¬ 
ner, Avliere each tiny blossom seems to glow with dou¬ 
ble power, and dazzling bright in the sunshine. For a 
table ornament fill a tall crystal vase Avith fine white 
flowers; green leaA T es and trailing vines around the 
edges and Cardinals in the midst, rising high above 
all. These are easily transplanted, taking up the 
roots in early spring or late autumn. They Avill 
grow almost anywhere if given rich earth and plenty 
of Avater, but they seem sadly out of place in flower¬ 
bed or border. Put them in some hollow or corner 
by themselves, a good many together ; or, better 3 T et, 
at the foot of an old mossy stump or vine-covered 
rock. If the frozen roots are lifted in the Avinter, 
thawed out very gradually, then given Avarmth and 
Avater in abundance, they will surely think that 
spring'has come, and begin to groAV at once. Sever¬ 
al around the fine Calla in your aquarium will leave 
nothing more to be desired. 
On this Avet bank will rise the Avise heads of the 
preachers. Very fine they are, each erect in his gay 
pulpit; but the tiniest violet teaches the same lessons 
as truly. Here, too, are the curious Pitcher Plants, or 
Huntsman’s Cups, Avith their odd umbrella blossoms. 
Do you knoAV Avhat pretty AvindoAV ornaments can be 
made of these green pitchers. Fill a large one Avith 
Avater, after suspending it by strong thread above a 
