House and Garden 
get more pleasure than he could out of almost any¬ 
thing else he might undertake. 
If there is a stream near the house, or anywhere 
on the grounds, the boys of the family will take de¬ 
light in building a rustic bridge over it, if they get a 
little encouragement from the father. Such work 
not only amuses them, but it is one phase of a prac¬ 
tical education. It teaches them how to use saw and 
hammer and square. And it makes them quick to 
see the beauties of outline, and the combination of 
grace and utility that can be worked out in even a 
little bridge over a brook. If there does not happen 
to be a brook to span, it is possible that there may 
be a ravine which can take the place of one, over 
which a bridge would be convenient, as well as at¬ 
tractive. I believe in educating the boys to an ap¬ 
preciation of the possibilities of home-beautifying, 
and in encouraging them to make the most of what¬ 
ever qualifications they may have in this direction. 
Boys like to originate and they like to have credit 
given for all that deserves commendation. One of 
the most effective ways to make a boy take an inter¬ 
est in his home is by getting him to do something 
to make it pleasant. There is much about any 
place that hoys can do, and will do, willingly, if 
they are given to understand that you would like 
to have them do it. I bis may be a digression from 
garden-talk, hut, after all, is it ? Aren’t the hoys 
growing plants in the home garden ? 
I hope that every owner of a home will set out at 
least one peony plant this spring, if there is none 
growing there. 1 his because I consider the peony 
one of the very best of our hardy plants for the or¬ 
namentation of the home grounds. It is hardy, 
robust, wonderfully showy when in bloom, and in¬ 
creases in size and value indefinitely, if given proper 
care. And the care required is slight. It should 
he liberally manured each season, taking care not 
to disturb its roots in working the manure into the 
soil. If this is done, and grass is kept from growing 
close about it, your plant will soon develop into one 
of great size, from which scores of magnificent flow¬ 
ers can he expected annually, and these will increase 
in size and quantity as the plant grows older. The 
peony does best in a rather heavy soil. It strongly 
resents any interference with its roots. Disturb 
them this season and you will probably get no flow- 
ers from it next season. Therefore, if your friend 
who admires your peony begs for a bit of it, steel 
your heart against the promptings of friendship and 
say “No" to the request. And, having said it, 
stand by your decision, much as it “goes against 
the grain" to refuse. You can have fine peonies 
only by leaving their roots undisturbed. Keep that 
in mind, and when anyone asks for “just a little 
toe" of your plant, give, instead, the catalogue of 
some dealer who can furnish all the roots anyone 
is willing to pay for. Peonies are among our most 
valuable flowers for cutting. Five or six expanded 
blossoms, a few buds just ready to open, and a 
quantity of its own foliage will make a magnificent 
decoration for the parlor. 
Perennial phlox is another hardy plant that I can¬ 
not too strongly recommend to the attention of any¬ 
one who is planning to add to her list of border- 
plants this season. It will “take care of itself” 
better than any other plant I have any knowledge 
of. But because it can do this, it ought not to be 
obliged to, for it will do so much better with proper 
culture that it ought always to be well cultivated. 
In order to get the most out of it, it should be given 
a rich soil, and never be left to fight for possession 
of its quarters with weeds and grass. When neg¬ 
lected, it will seldom grow to a height of more than 
two feet, or two feet and a half, but the same plant 
hoed about and manured, will often attain a height 
of five feet, and send up scores of stout stalks, topped 
with enormous panicles of bloom. We have no 
other flower that gives such a solid mass of color. 
To secure best results from it, it should be plant¬ 
ed in groups. By using some of the tall growing 
varieties at the rear, then a \ariety of medium height, 
with dwarf sorts in the foreground, it is an easy 
matter to secure a great bank of bloom in scarlet, 
crimson, carmine, lilac, mauve, or white. Each 
color can he used separately with fine effect, or in 
combinations of harmonious colors. The white 
sorts relieve all other colors, and harmonize with 
them perfectly, but beware of putting the lilacs or 
mauves with the crimsons or carmines, if you do 
not care to have a color-discord that will positively 
make the eye ache. But these lilacs and mauves, 
when used with the white sorts, at some distance 
from their more brilliant-hued relatives, are so dainty 
in tone and tint that you will he delighted with 
them. 
Right here, let me say that it is an excellent plan 
to divide old plants of this phlox, and, for that mat¬ 
ter, nearly all border plants that have been neglected 
so long that they seem to need a renewal of vitality. 
Cut them apart and make new plants of the portions 
removed. Fill in about the part left with rich soil, 
and by midsummer your old plants will he as thrifty 
and luxuriant as when in their prime, and your new 
ones will he better in every way than the old ones 
would have been if given no attention. 
Are you going to put out any shrubs this spring? 
If so, why not plant an English hawthorn ? lo my 
mind this is one of the most beautiful of all our 
shrubs, with its shining, dark foliage and cluster¬ 
ing clusters of dainty white flowers. Its unopened 
buds are almost as beautiful as the expanded 
flowers. 
Flave you ever grown Daphne Cneorum ? If not 
you have a treat in store for yourself. This ever¬ 
green shrub—better known in many localities as 
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