By Henry T. Williams. 
MY FRIEND'S GREENHOUSE. 
What to describe first, where all is so wonderfully 
beautiful and full of interest, is the query ; but as my 
eye always searches out for the choicest flower-gems, 
I will introduce you at once to the heart of the house, 
where, half hidden by Callas, Brugmantias, Laures- 
tinus, and other rare things, stands a huge Century 
Plant. The east wall of the greenhouse is covered 
with the rarest Begonias that it has 
ever been my good fortune to see. These 
Begonias are all planted in old tin fruit 
cans, white-washed, holes made for drain¬ 
age, and a perforation in the side for 
hanging up. It is wonderful how Bego¬ 
nias and Cacti thrive in cans. It must 
be that the rust in the cans acts as a 
tonic on the plant. The Begonias fall in 
abundant drapery over the wall, entirely 
hiding it from view. Near this tangled 
mass of Begonias is a beautiful specimen 
of variegated ivy-leaf Geranium, crimson 
and gray—it is very lovely. A large 
Ilova Carnosa trained across the house, 
and at short distances soft sprays of 
Smilax caught lovingly at it and fell 
gracefully from above. Primulas look 
at us with their bright faces; Jessamines, 
Mahernias, Perns, Azaleas, Bouvardias, 
Coranella, Japonicas, an innumerable 
variety of Cacti, Sedums, and a large 
army of choice plants charm our eye. I 
must not omit to describe the graceful 
hanging-baskets, home-made, which add 
greatly to the effect of the scene. These 
are made by knocking the end out of a 
fruit can, cutting the sides with sharp 
shears, or knife, into narrow strips ; form 
these into basket shape, place a wire 
around the edge and another for a handle; 
line with moss, and everything planted in 
them grows as if by magic. If my flower sisters were 
to try them, they would never throw away an old can 
while they live! In the beginning of this article I 
referred to Brugmantias. I am surprised that they 
are not more extensively cultivated. There is nothing 
more lovely or ornamental for a lawn. I saw one last 
summer about seven feet high, on which were two 
hundred flowers opened at one time. It was beautiful 
beyond conception. The plant requires but little care, 
not more than you would bestow on an Oleander; and 
with its wealth of pure white fragrant flowers hanging 
so gracefully among its dark green foliage, no more 
attractive plant could be placed in your garden. In 
the north corner of the green-house is a fine specimen 
of Rhyncospermum, growing in great luxuriance, vie- 
ing with a large Cape Jessamine for beauty of flower 
and foliage. The Rhyncospermum is a semi-tropical 
plant, of easy cultivation, and pays a large dividend to 
its owner in star-like blossoms. I would advise all 
4 
IN 
30 , 
■B 
■ -j .* 
- 
iISflSt/I 
feet. Make incisions in the Cereus with a sharp pen¬ 
knife and insert the branches of Crab Cactus, holding 
them firmly for a few minutes. They will soon grow 
and need no special care. It is to be regretted that 
ladies do not learn to graft; they could become quite 
skilled in it, and would be richly repaid, especially among 
their roses. They appear to look upon grafting as a 
thing that belongs exelsively to skilled gardeners, and 
by no means attainable by ordinary work¬ 
ers, whereas, the truth is that women are 
very successful in this branch of garden¬ 
ing when they attempt it. A nice judg¬ 
ment and gentle manipulations are all that 
are necessary to accomplish this now mys¬ 
terious art. But I am admonished by the 
length of this article to leave my friend’s 
treasure-house of flowers brimming with 
refreshment, and blessing this grim, per¬ 
sistent winter weather, feeling grateful 
that it has been my privilege to appro¬ 
priate so much of its perfect loveliness. 
In these days of gold and iron how re¬ 
freshing it is to come across a charming 
paper like The Ladies’ Floral Cab¬ 
inet, around which is ever floating an 
atmosphere of Apple-blossoms, Roses and 
all the fragrant favorites of the flower- 
garden. I never think of the Cabinet 
but visions of the beautiful float o’er my 
brain, and I have derived so much in¬ 
formation and pleasure from its perusal 
that I feel under an obligation for the 
value of the benefit, and would like to re¬ 
quite the obligation. 
Libonia Floribunda. 
I 
A FIREPLACE DECORATED WITH FLOWERS. 
flower lovers to invest in one. The sweet Bard of 
Avon assures us it— 
“ Is wasteful and ridiculous excess 
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, 
To throw a perfume o’er tho violet.” 
And so I have felt it to be in this attempted descrip¬ 
tion of my friend’s lovely flowers. I would describe 
to your readers a Cactus which elicits much admira¬ 
tion, and which, I am sure, would lead many to imi¬ 
tate. A Cereus grafted with innumerable branches of 
Crab Cactus. The process is easy and the effect per- 
How Like a Garden our school ap¬ 
pears these pleasant summer mornings! 
Each of the twenty-six pupils has a small 
flower bed which she cultivates, and at 
the ringing of the bell they appear, with fresh and 
rosy faces and heads adorned by garlands or clusters 
of gay blossoms. The love for flowers and children 
is a redeeming feature in the Turkish character. The 
swarthiest and coarsest soldier wears a nosegay in his 
button-hole and cultivates the ground about the guard¬ 
house, or fills its windows with pots of flowers in full 
bloom, and his hard, stern face relaxes into a smile of 
tenderness as he lifts a little child into a carriage 
or a boat .—From “ Romance of Missions,” by Miss 
West. 
