84 
THB 
£ASTEB BELLS. 
Lent was dreary and late that year; 
April to May was going; 
But the loitering moon refused to round, 
And the wild southeast was blowing. 
Day by day, from my window high, 
1 watebed, a lonely warder. 
For a building bird in the garden frees. 
Or a flower in the sheltered border. 
But I only heard the chilly rain 
On the roof of my chamber beating; 
Or the wild sea wind to the tossing boughs 
Its wail of wreck repeating; 
And said, “Ah me I ’tis aweary world 
This cheerless AprU weather; 
The beautiful things will droop and die. 
Blossom and bird together.” 
At last the storm was spent—I slept. 
Lulled by the tired wind’s sighing,— 
To wake at mom with tlie sunshine full 
On floor and garden lying : 
And^o! the hyacinth buds were blomi; 
A robin was softly singing; 
The cherry blooms by the wall were white; 
And the Easter bells were ringing! 
I think of the garden after the rain; 
And hope to my heart comes, singuig, 
“At mom the cherry blooms will be wliite. 
And the Easter bells be ringing!” 
— Youth’s Companion. 
SEASONABLE HINTS, 
Some of the sweetest and most desirable 
flowers for cutting have been driven from 
our gardens because no place can be found 
for them in the formal modern ribbon bed; 
and yet every person endowed witli good 
taste admires them when found in vases and 
jardinieres in the homes of friends. 
Sweet Peas are not excelled for this pur¬ 
pose. Ah, I forgot to plant Sweet Peas this 
summer! is an exclamation heard frequently 
when it is too late for sowing; but seasons 
go and seasons come, and they are forgotten 
again. If you want the most beautiful re¬ 
turn in sweet flowers for the smallest out^ 
lay, plant Sweet Peas. Sow as early as the 
condition of the ground permits, select a 
rich, w'arm location,—in the kitchen garden 
does very well, if they cannot be admitted 
in the stately flower garden,—mark out drills 
three feet apart and drop the seeds two to 
three inches apart. If sown thicker they 
will not give much satisfaction, ti'^hen 
above ground, give short brush, as with 
common Peas, keep the ground lioed, and if 
you want an unlimited supply of flowers, 
cut daily and allow none to go to seed. 
Pansies for autumn blooming may still be 
sown in a gentle hob-bed or in the house in 
pots placed near the windo.vv. As soon iis 
the plants are large enough they have to be 
pricked out, and later transplanted to a pre¬ 
pared bed shaded from the midday sun. 
This shading is an important p.art, as the 
Pansy is a cool climate plant that c.annot 
stand oui- fierce sun witliout this precaution 
being taken. In dry weather water has to 
be given daily; and all flower buds must be 
pinched ofl’as they appear until the cooler 
autumn weather. Plants in flowei 
will continue to bloom much longei’ and 
better if the flowers .are taken off every day. 
You can nevqr have too many, place them 
inevery room of your house, and gladden the 
hearts of your friends with gifts of Pansies. 
taken 
JIOENING GLOEIBS. 
ipomcea- 
The great inter^t 2 f'octiphy- 
latelyinthoMoonPlowc^^^J^^.^^^ to a few 
ton induces mo to ^^^^^yful gemis of 
other species of m, any of them are 
admiration in whatever situation th y 
^^Hpommas. eras they are p^ai^ 
called Morning Glories, forma very cxlensiv 
genus of twining or /^e 
rierennial plants of rapid 
summer season, attaining a heigh 
ten to thirty feet, and covering almost as much 
in breadth with their bright green foliage, 
the r inigniflceut white, blue or purple 
flowers which are produced from the axiis 
of the leaves in the greatest profusion from 
early in the season until the plants are des- 
tioyod by frosts in the tall. 
Butvery little care or skill is required to 
cultivate them successfully, and they may 
be givwii in any situation where they can bo 
given a well enriched, deep soil; and dining 
our hot dry summer weather a good mulch¬ 
ing of course stable manure will be found 
of decided beuefit to them. Support should 
be given early in tlicir growth before the 
plants commence to run, and during their 
season of growth they should be occasionally 
examined and their shoots trained so as to 
occupy the desired space. 
The most preferable method of obtaining 
strong .and healthy plants is to sow the seeds 
in a well drained pot of light loamy soil 
early in spring. Pl.ice the pot in a warm, 
light siiuation, and keep the soil moist, 
but not over-watered. As soon as the young 
plants are strong enough to be handled, 
transfer them into three inch pots; keep 
them close and moist until well established 
then remove to a cooler situation, and 
gradually expose to the open air, and plant 
out when all danger of frost is over. 
I. Lcari is a tender perennial .species, and 
one of the most beautiful and useful of .all; 
it is of vigorous rapid growth attaining a 
lieight of from twenty-five to thirty feet, and 
itshirge ))lue flowers .are produced in the 
greatest profusion. The seeds of this species 
should be sown early in Fcbru.ary and the 
young plants encouraged to grow as r.apidly 
as possible. A few cuttings taken in the fall 
will give a supply of plants for the ensuing 
ye.ar, or the old plants may bo cut back on 
the appro.ach of eld weather, taken up 
carefully, potted, and jilaced in any situa¬ 
tion where a winter tom iicr.aturo of hO degrees 
can be maintained. Water sp.ariugly, as the 
object is to keep the plant in a parti.ally dor¬ 
mant state. 
I. ruhro-c(/;rnlen, and I. rtihro-cterulea alba 
.are also vai ioties of rapid growtli attaiiiini' 
a lieiglit of thirty feet and sl.ould bo given a 
treatment smllar to that .advised for tli'e 
preceding, hut,as they are annuals it is of 
no use to tiy to preserve the |)hiid,s throuLdi 
the winter. Young plants n.ust he obtained 
from seeds every season. 
/. liiii.hal.a chmanUHshna has very boaiil ifnl 
3.0W large flowers With rich hhushpu^rem:;^^^^ 
... the form of a sta.-, with a hro.ad pu.a. 
white margin, and grows from fifteen 
twenty feet. 
1. hmlcranea snptirba grows from 
fifteen feet in height and has 
to 
Ion to 
l^oight, blue. 
White m irgined flowers and Ivy like 
I. coccinea, commonly called the sT 
Ipomooa grows from ten to twelve feet hig]' 
and has small scarlet flowers which are i,r ’’ 
duced in the greatest profusion. * 
I. nurridrjU grows from twelve to fifteg, 
feet high, and. in its season, is complete/' 
covered with bright ci-imson flowers. ^ 
Although those named are among the 
most desii-able and easiest grown there are 
many other beautiful species and varieties 
worthy of a j.laco in tho flower garden. 
CnAs. E. Pabnei.1,. 
HffW TO EAI8E CUTTINGS, 
If we would h.ave our g.ardens gay -.vith 
flowers the coming summer, we should now 
make cuttings from the Geraniums, Verbe¬ 
nas, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, etc., wintei-ed in 
the house, all of which will root quickly if 
the needed light .and moisture required for 
their growth are given. 
The old-fashioned w.ay of rooting cuttings 
in a small glass bottle, filled with w.atcr, is 
leaf 
window, with a south-eastern exposure, aial 
they will soon show signs of growth. 
Wet sand Is also exeellent for growing 
cuttings, and (lie.y can bo started hi it 
quicker than in coinpost, but a shallow 
an excellent method when a hot-bed cannot 
be obtained, but care must be taken not to 
let the bottle stand so close to the w’indow 
pane th.at the water will become too hot, 
.and thus sc.ald the tiny rootlets. If large- 
mouthed bottles are used, and m.any cut¬ 
tings are placed in them, cover the outside 
edge and a little of the inner rim of it with 
cotton wool. This will prevent the ev.apo- 
ration of the water, and what does dry up 
should be replenished with tepid water. 
In two or three weeks the bottle will be 
full of the tiny white roots, and then the cut¬ 
tings must be transplanted into thumb pots, 
or, if the season is favorable, they can be 
placed in the beds where they will gi'ow 
i-apidly, and soon put forth buds and flow¬ 
ers to repay you for your labor. As you 
take each cutting fi-om the bottle, dip the 
roots into a little sand, slightlj' wanned. 
This will keep them apart and make them 
grow' bettei- and prevent the cuttings from 
wilting after transplanting. Stir the roots 
gently in the sand, until each fibre becomes 
well coated with it. If pots are used, fill 
them neai’ly full with a rich, saud}'^compo.st, 
and press it towards the edges of the pot, so 
as to leave room in the centre for the roots. 
Put them in gently and give the plant a lit¬ 
tle twist to thi'ow out tlie roots, or spread 
them out carefull}’with a haii-iiiu. Then 
jnit ill more .soil and pi’css it tightly about 
the roots. 'Tight planting is one of the si*- 
cret.s of success in raising plants from cut¬ 
tings, for if the soil is lightly thi'own in, 
and no heed is taken to make it in clo.se con¬ 
tact with the I'oot.s, they cannot start into 
growth as quickly, and will often wither 
up. IVater the.young plants well, and .shade 
them from the hot sun for two or three days 
and you will not lose one of them. 
(httings can also be started in pots of 
sandy compost, wil.h a glass tumbler placed 
over them to coniine tlu' molstui'e, which, d 
not given, will cause the cutting to wilt and 
die, but If kept under gla.ss and shaded from 
the sun for two days or so, it will not wither 
Then place the pots in the warnu’.st 
