oral sSaEiiiei ami Pictorial Home 
omjiaruon, 
one in a box. It did not grow very large and I took 
it into the house when cold weather came. This time 
the seeds ripened, and being in a hurry to see if they 
would come up, I planted one. Surely that one was 
good, for in a few days it was up; 1 cared for it through 
the winter, and early in the spring planted the others; 
one came up. I transplanted them into the open ground 
about the last of May. They have grown very large 
and I think I shall have plenty of seed this year. 
Spaffordsville, Conn. Mrs. C. J. Agard. 
tion. We recommend the following list for those who 
have plenty of room, and a selection from the same 
for those who cannot use the whole: 
Adlumia Cirrlrosa. A beautiful hardy biennial- 
climber. Grows well in a shady situation. Always 
seeds itself. 
Alyssum Saxatile. A very showy plant; flowers 
yellow; early. 
Acpiilegia, Columbine. Of this there are many 
varieties, all extremely beautiful. 
Hardy Pink. Many va¬ 
rieties, all beautiful. 
Sedums. Suitable for rock-work, edgings, &c. 
Hydrangeas. Exceedingly ornamental plants. 
EXPERIENCE IN GROWING PLANTS OUT 
OF DOORS. 
I have cultivated flowers for more than twenty years. 
But for several years past I have sent to the seedsman 
for seeds, and how I have quite a variety. We have 
a large yard and it is well filled with flowers. I 
have a compost heap for my flower garden, composed 
of manure mixed with road- 
My flower-beds 
scrapings, 
are oval, round, heart-shaped 
half - moon, and one long 
chain-bed; they are raised 
a little, with turf around the 
edge, consequently they re¬ 
quire trimming quite often- 
In spring, as soon as the 
ground is suitable for work¬ 
ing, I spade up my beds, 
pick out the grass, work the 
soil till it is fine and mellow, 
then spread leaf mold and 
manure over the beds and 
rake them till the earth is 
fine and well mixed; then 
my beds are ready for seed 
or plant s, as the case may be. 
For some plants I use 
much more from my com¬ 
post heap than for others. 
Last spring I made a 
small pink bed with nearly 
half the earth from my com¬ 
post heap; the result was I 
had very large, beautiful 
flowers. Pinks need about 
half manure to grow nice 
large blossoms. Small beds 
are prettier when they con¬ 
tain but one variety of plants. 
I appropriate one large bed 
to Verbenas; they will do 
better in poorer soil than 
Pinks. Pansies require a 
good supply of manure; Nas¬ 
turtiums require but little. 
I start a large proportion 
of my seeds in the house in 
boxes, pots or pans, or any 
convenient thing. I fill the 
boxes with rich garden soil 
and leaf mold, press it down 
and sow the seeds, always 
keeping them moist, and 
sometimes 
covering them jBgggjSjijg|j|LA^V7i| 
with panes of glass. When 
the plants get large enough, 
or there is danger of getting 
drawn, I prick them out in 
small pots or other boxes, and when the weather be¬ 
comes warm and all danger of frost is over, I trans¬ 
plant them into beds, watering them as I set them out, 
and keeping them covered for a few days until the roots 
get hold of the fresh soil. The soil in flower-beds 
should be loosened often and be kept free from weeds. 
Several years since I had some Bicinus Sanguin¬ 
eus. They grew very large and looked very nice, 
but the season was not long enough for the seed to 
mature, so, last year, I sent for more seed, and, re¬ 
membering the experience of the previous year, planted 
A Beautiful Conservatory. 
HARDY PERENNIALS. 
In our last number we put in a plea for Annuals, 
and intended making it at the same time include Peren¬ 
nials, but were prevented by want of space. All that 
was said in favor of Annuals can be as justly said in 
favor of Perennials. With but little care and at a 
small expense, a collection of hardy plants can be had 
that will give a succession of bloom from March until 
January—in this climate. A start in this direction is, 
of course, more expensive than with Annuals, but the 
fact of only having to buy once is worthy of considera- 
HHfK 
jyraSiMfJIi 
Siis* 
'i|Va v 'tSB? r § 
if' -'i 
■> e 
