270 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
Single specimens grown in the mixed border are at 
all times remarkably attractive, on account of their 
neat, compact manner of growth, their pretty flowers 
and the profusion with which they are produced. When 
the plants are small and growing in the flower border, 
they are very liable to be attacked by immense num¬ 
bers of fleas which will soon destroy them if not at¬ 
tended to in time. A slight dusting of soot or tobaccc- 
dust is an effectual remedy if applied when the foliage 
is wet. Inside they are rather subject to the red spider, 
so that they should be frequently syringed or sprinkled 
as a preventative rather than a remedy. When grown 
in pots give a compost composed of two-thirds well- 
rotted sods, one third well-rotted manure, with the ad¬ 
dition of a little sand. Give the pots good drainage, 
and the plants a little liquid manure-water occasionally. 
In the open air, during seasons of drought, give occa¬ 
sionally copious waterings and the next day stir the sur¬ 
face of the ground with a hoe or rake. When used for 
bedding purposes, the plants should be placed a foot 
apart each way, the following being the most desirable- 
varieties : 
B. Cerviakowski. A beautiful variety, the azuro blue- 
flowers having a clearly defiued white centre. 
B. Elata cerulea. The flowers of this variety aro of a 
beautiful azure blue. 
B. Elata Alba. A variety of the abovo having white 
flowers: very desirable. 
Other varieties frequently mentioned iu catalogues are:: 
B. Elata GrandiJIora. 1 can see no difference be¬ 
tween this and Ceruka. excepting that in some plantB 
the flowers are a trifle larger. I prefer Cerulea 
to this. 
B. Roezli. The flowers of this variety are described 
as being of a beautiful azure blue, with a clearly de¬ 
fiued white centre, and being double the size of the 
other sorts, but I confess being very sadly disappointed 
in it. From a packet of seeds I obtained a considerable 
number of plants, not one of which proved true to the 
description in any respect. ChaS. E. Parnell. 
AN HERB FARM. 
Not far from the village of Mitcham, in the English 
county of Kent, is a farm which is said to be the only 
one of its kind in the world. Flowers and plants are 
raised upon it in immense quantities for the manufac¬ 
ture of essential oils, scents and medicinal preparations. 
The New York Times, in a description of it, says: 
“There are acres of Roses for making rose-water: 
"Violets, Lavender, Peppermint, and other herbs for oils 
and scents: Licorice, grown for its roots, which contain 
a peculiar kind of sugar that is found in no other plant, 
and known as glycyrrhizine, and appears as the common 
black, sweet, gummy substance used as a medicine for 
coughs and colds; Chamomile, grown for its pleasantly 
hitter and tonic flowers; the white-flowered Poppy, 
whose round seed-capsules are used for making extracts 
and for fermentations; Lovage ( Ligusticum levisticum), 
whose root is used as an aromatic stimulant, a species 
of Cucumber ( Momordica elaterium) from which a purga¬ 
tive drug called elaterium is made; the Red Cedar, grown 
for its leaves, from which a powerful medicinal oil is 
distilled; a white-flowered plant, Solarium nigrum, so- 
called because it belongs to the family Solanacea, to 
which the Potato and Tomato belong, and which has 
.black berries that are virulently poisonous; also the re¬ 
lated plants belonging to the same family and equally 
poisonous, Atropa belladonna, the fatal Deadly Night¬ 
shade, which has beautiful purple flowers formed very 
much like the blossoms of the Potato; the common Hen¬ 
bane, Hijoscyamus niger, and our very common Jimson 
weed, or Daturia Stramonium, both well-known as 
poisonous drags used in medicine. Here are grown 
sweet and bitter, fragrant and fetid, wholesome and 
deadly, beautiful and repulsive, and all derive their 
opposite qualities from the same kindly soil, the same 
warm sun. the same gentle, sweet dew-drops, the same 
beneficent showers, and the same life-giving air. 
“ From this garden and its laboratory, with its stills- 
and alembics, the whole world is supplied in part, and 
the business of this Mitcham herb-farm is world-re¬ 
nowned. Its harvest time is' a scene of picturesque 
activity. Hundreds of women and children are busy 
here in the fields of Roses; there among the white-flow¬ 
ered Chamomile, which is grown much as our common 
sweet herbs, the plants three or four feet apart each way, 
and is planted annually. Lavender and Peppermint last 
three years, new beds being made by transplanting from 
the old btds successively. Licorice is newly planted 
every spring from cuttings of the roots, which are long 
and go down several feet into the soil. The business of 
the farm is a rich one, because it is a highly skilled one, 
and is a branch of agriculture in which there is very 
little competition.” 
SEED SOWING. 
Sow seed in season, lest thou sow regrets, 
'When the sun’s love-glance warms the bounteous earth, 
And the lark skywards carols at the birth 
Of young Narcissi and fair Violets. 
In vain wilt thou bewail uncultured clay 
Bleak with neglect, o’erspread with noisome weeds; 
Spots which might have been full of flowers to-day, 
Hads’t thou but heard the voice of Nature plead. 
Like after-thoughts of good, seed sown too late 
Time half develops, leaves the sport of fate. 
The perfect flower with which we mourn to part 
Doth not in losing bring the aching heart 
One-half such grief as might-have-beens, with tears 
Striving to wash out memories of lost years ! 
Rowland Brown - 
