76 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
so thickly set as to form dense spikes. Very useful for 
small decorations. 
5 . Gesnerceflora .—A robust growing species with large 
bright green foliage and bearing long spikes of very 
large flowers which, as indicated by its name, are not un¬ 
like those of a Gesnera. One of the very best for flower¬ 
ing at midwinter. 
A. Heeri .—A robust growing species producing light 
scarlet flowers, and very effective when grown to a 
comparatively large size. It is usually at its best 
during January and February, when it is of special 
value. 
S. Ianthina, which has obtained considerable attention 
under the designation of Hoveyi, is valuable for the dis¬ 
tinct shade of color it affords. It has a rather strong 
habit and blooms freely, the flowers being of medium 
size and a rich rosy purple. Its season of flowering is 
November and December. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
The Best Acre of the Farm. 
T HE best acre of the farm is the garden, and the one 
that yields the greatest profits when properly man¬ 
aged/ and, withal, the acre we rarely meet. We have 
occasion annually to look over a great many farms, and 
come in contact with a great many farmers, and we can 
truly say that we have not met one during the past 
three years who was the possessor of a garden worthy of 
the name. Nor do we know of a farmer that appreciates 
vegetables, fruits or flowers for their intrinsic worth. Al¬ 
most every farmer has an orchard, or rather, has a regula¬ 
tion number of fruit-trees planted, but without regard to 
selection, as to variety or of their adaptation to the soil or 
climate in which they are to grow. As a general thing, 
our farmers seem to look upon choice fruit with contempt; 
they cannot understand the value in the family of early, 
medium and late fruits of their respective sorts, or that 
they are of the slightest importance in domestic economy. 
We remember visiting in a single day, during the past 
autumn, nearly, if not fully, twenty farmers, and in not one 
instance were we asked to see the orchard or garden, but 
in nearly every instance we were asked to see the pigs, 
which seemed to be the only production in which they 
were heartily interested. 
Almost every farmer has what he calls a garden, in 
which may be found a very small and equally poor selec¬ 
tion of poorly grown vegetables, and, as a rule, an abun¬ 
dance of weeds. But what a rarety a good garden is in 
connection with the farm, the proper and legitimate place 
for one! The farmer is the man of all men who should 
have not only a garden, but the best one possible. He, of 
all men, cannot afford to be without a garden, yet he is 
the only man who tills the soil and says he cannot afford 
to have one. His plea is, that it interferes with his farm¬ 
ing operations which are of greater importance, when, as 
a matter of fact, it should be the most important part of 
his work, because it is not only the most essential to his 
happiness, but because it pays the best dividends on the 
capital invested, in healthful, nutritious and delicious food. 
Every farmer, no matter what the size of his farm may 
be, should take an acre adjoining his dwelling, enclose it 
with a fence, which should be made to answer for a grape 
trellis, as well as to keep out all depredators. The plot 
should be in the form of a parallelogram, say 100x400 
feet, with a border of three feet in width all around, in 
which should be planted grape-vines in such varieties as 
will best succeed in the soil and situation that is to be 
given them. This border, like all the rest of the garden, 
should be made rich and worked very deep. The vines 
should be planted eight feet apart and always kept well 
pruned and properly trained, and we need not say that the 
border should be kept perfectly clear from weeds. In this 
border there should be nothing else grown excepting, per¬ 
haps, early radishes and a row of lettuce, and it should 
be separated from the main garden by a path three feet 
in width, covered with coal ashes to make it dry and 
hard, and to prevent the weeds from growing. 
The plot should then be divided into two equal parts, 
with an avenue running through the centre wide enough 
for a horse and cart to be driven through. On each side 
of this avenue should be planted a row of currant and 
gooseberry bushes, which will require a space of four 
feet on each side. This will form two plots, 175x88 feet 
each. One of these should be devoted to asparagus, 
rhubarb, strawberries and other small fruits. The other 
plot should be devoted to early and late vegetables. If 
the ground is of a tenaceous character, it should be 
thrown up in ridges in the fall, in order that it may be¬ 
come thoroughly pulverized by the action of the frost dur¬ 
ing the winter. As soon in the spring as the soil is fit to 
work plant peas, onions, radishes, lettuce, early pota¬ 
toes and beets ; also have, ready to transplant, early cab¬ 
bage and cauliflower plants in sufficient quantities for 
family use. Later on, as soon as all dangers from frost 
are pa^t, beans, both pole and bush, summer and winter 
squashes, melons in variety, a few hills of cucumbers, a 
succession of peas and, in fact, any desired vegetables may 
be planted. Where early peas are sown; the ground may 
be cleared in time for a crop of celery, and where the 
early potatoes are grown, a crop of turnips, for fall and 
winter use, can be obtained. 
Now, after the small fruits have come into bearing, let us 
take an inventory of the garden and see what the acre up 
to thistime has furnished for the table. Very early in the 
season we had all the rhubarb that we required for sauce 
and pies, and for which purposes there is nothing more 
wholesome. Next in order asparagus, the most delicious 
vegetable the garden affords, and a splendid appetizer. 
Soon thereafter radishes and lettuce were ready for use. 
Before we tire of these the strawberry season commences, 
and what dish is equal to strawberry short-cake, smothered 
with rich, sweet cream, which can only be had where it is 
produced ? And now, in the height of the strawberry 
