^ 2 AMBR ICAN OARDEN. 
j,cl, us be thankful that (hero »,■« „ot more 
121 
of such thaiikless creatures 
in uialdug beds you xviu „o,,d onlyaboui 
•20 feet of strong twine, a tape line or ten' 
foot pole, iuwl tbree hanl-wood stakes alxml 
15 inches long, lialf an incli in iliaineter aiai 
pointed at one end. A good sulistitide for 
tlio wooden stakes is iiaif-iiudi wire |)oiui,ed 
at one end, and wliieli any l)laeksudtli can 
furnisli. One of tlieso stakes is to l)e uswi 
as a scratcliing-pin, and tiie otiiers for iioid- 
ing tlie string at tlie i)oints of lauiius wliile 
liic outiine of tiie bed is being marked. 
If the bed is to be made in tiie so<i, tiie 
grass sliould llrst be cut sliort, in oriier tiiat 
tlie mark of tlie scratcirmg-piii may be 
jiiainiy seen. Tlie outiine may be easily ami 
neatly cut by any old taiiie-kiiifoground to an 
edge. After tlie edge is cut, spread two or 
three iuclies of weii-rotted iiiaimrc over the 
bed, and dig it under. Tiie soil sliould be 
• made moderately rieii ami mellow to tlie 
deptli of at least a foot. 1 f the bed is to be 
made on tlie naked ground, lirst spread the 
immure and dig it uuder. Then put in the 
stakes, mark tlie outline, and lay the sod 
so that it laps over tiie mark aliout an inch, 
so that a clean edge may be out. ISeat the 
sod down firmly witli the back of the spade, 
scratch the outline again, and cut the edge. 
The middle of the bed sliould not be raised 
more than two or three inches above the 
edge or border. Nothing, to nic, is more 
unsightly than a llo«cr-bed raised a foot or 
more in the center, it is not only in bad 
taste, but it is bad for tlie plants. Hake the 
surface ofl' clean and line, and the bed is 
ready for planting. Tlie size of the bed 
sliould be made to correspond witli the size 
of the place, bearing in mind tliat a small or 
moderate-sized bed loolcs better than a 
very large one uuder all circum.staiiees. lii 
a countiy door-yard I woulil prefer two 
small beds to one large one. Tliey can be 
made more clVective, and allbrd an op^iortu- 
iiity for a greater display of color. 
Having made the bed, the question natu¬ 
rally arises, IVhat shall we put init? Keeping 
in view the object with wliich 1 set out, i 
will name only such plants as can be easily 
obtained and easily grown. 1 will first give 
a list of what .are called “bedding plants,"’ 
which the villager and tlie farmei' can buy 
cheaper than lie can raise. Among the best 
of these for our present purpose arc the 
Scarlet Pelargonium or Geranium, CoIvms 
V erschaffeUii, Petunia, Achyranthos, Salvia, 
Ageratuin, Verbena, Fuchsia, and Ganna, the 
last with a groundwork of Sweet Alys.sum, 
Slignonctte, and Lobelia crinus. There arc 
others, but these are good and easy to grow. 
'I’bey may be set from 10 to 16 inches apart, 
except the Fuchsias and Gannas, "o * 
should be at least two feet. '1 hesc p an s 
"'ill cost from .§1.60 to §3.50 a dozen, ant 
late in the season somewhat less. 
I have said that a bed could be filled wi' i 
heautiful dowers, at aca.sh outlay not to ex- 
oeed 10 cents. It so happens that the f 
of .annuals presents us with some o_ 
most charming bedding plants we < > 
though they are seldom used for thj 1 
pose. I will name a list that fiowei ^ ^ 
“kd that can be raised without the .u 
hot-bed. The seeds of all of them 
bought for five or ten cents a ^ large 
packet wiU fui-nish plants enough foi • 
hod. have used them all, and know just 
what they will do. You can buy them in 
mixed colors, or eaeli eoior distlnet. |.'or 
the beginner 1 would name I’lUox Drmii^ 
moiulH, l’el,nnla. Double/.innla. Dwarf Nas- 
turtimn, (Jounohwhii, miiwr, niauikm C'ln- 
Neinoplnla, .SehizanUms, Fsebsebolt- 
■/-la, (lodeCiii, ,S,i,hilu Kplimileux, Tkniibn-f/ln 
aliUa, and for a late be.l, I’ortniaca. I coiild 
name ol.liers, but the list is long enongb to 
se.lect from. 'J'lmnlu’riiia ulula and its varie¬ 
ties arc rnnning oi' climbing plants, but they 
are beautiful bedding plants notwitbstand- 
ing. VVben tlie rnnners reaeb the edge of 
the bed, yon have only to torn tlieiii towards 
the middle to keep the bed in good form. 
JHtuiUim OhuicuMH is called biennial; lint it 
(lowers the lirst year, and a bed of it will 
last several years in good condition. It is a 
bcantifnl, free-blooming plant, and a gi'cat 
favorite among those who know it. Ih-ddc- 
wbjii is one of its be.st forms. I may sug¬ 
gest that only one kind of iilaiit should be 
imt in the .same bed; but the kinds of plains 
may be changed from year to year to suit 
one's taste. 
The seeds should be sown early in some dry, 
sunnjf spot and transplanted when an inch or 
so high, .selecting a cloudy day foi- the pur¬ 
pose, if possible. Otliorwi.se, water the 
jdaiits freely. Sow the seeds thinly in drills, 
and press tlie earth upon tlieiii. Gut tlie 
weeds down as soon as they are big enough 
to be seen, is a good rule for universal ap- 
lilicatioii. It is so easy to do it at this time, 
but so hard w lien they get to be large. 
It is the duty, as it ouglit to be the pleas¬ 
ure, of every man who owns a home, not 
only to improve it, but to make it boauliful 
and attractive to bis family, and esiiecially 
to ids cliildren. Kvery child, at least, ought 
to feel tliat there is no place like home, l.et 
the farmer remember liow the wife toils day 
after day to help liini make the farm pay, 
and wliat a tender, sootliing, and sympa¬ 
thetic being slie is in the sick-room, and then 
let liim resolve tliat lieiicefortli he will help 
licr to make lionie both beautiful and happy. 
Let me hope Unit I have said somctliiiig that 
will be helpful to liini in carrying this reso¬ 
lution into efVcct, knowing, as I do, that he 
will lind it a pleasure, ami not a toil, to sur¬ 
round his liome witli these silent-speaking 
but cloiiuent children of Nature, whose sweet 
breath and beautiful array are a perpetual 
delight, not only to those at lioine, but to all 
wlio pass by on tlie way. 
A GKAND STRAWBEERT EXHIBITION. 
It is proposed to hold the coming .rune in 
New Y-ork a Strawberry Fxliibition, under 
the auspices of the American Institute Karin- 
ers’ Club. The rapid progress in Stra wberry 
Culture, and tlie many new varieties intro¬ 
duced within tlie past few years, make 
an exhibition especially 
continue two days 
meetings will be held for _ 
thenicritsof the various varieties on exhi¬ 
bition and on Strawberry culture iii gen- 
ti It is expected that all the extensive 
Str-iwberry growers witliin convenient reach 
oj New York will exhibit, cooperate 
;,«,U.e«ndert.dng,so.tc>m.te th^- 
hibitionas we 1 as he me » 
rLT^-r-lSideupon 
such 
It will 
and during its progress 
tlie discussion of 
suitable date, but as soon as the arrange¬ 
ments have- been uoinpicted, circulars and 
prize lists will be issued and mailed to any¬ 
one desirous to receive them who will 
address the secretary, D. It. Garden, Ameri¬ 
can Institute, New York. 
THE OHADTAUQUA TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB. 
'J'bc grand success of tlic Giiautauqiia Lit¬ 
erary and .Scientific Circle witli its .60,000 
pujiils, constituting the large.st school in the 
world, has suggested tlie idea of organizing 
a branch society for agricultural and horti¬ 
cultural education. Modern educational .sy.s- 
teiiis, those of the Kindergartens, especially, 
are rapidly superseding tiie old routines. 
Colleges and liigli schools, e.xccllentas many 
arc in their special ficld.s, arc sadly ineffi¬ 
cient in reaebing and educating tiie hun¬ 
dreds of tlion.saiids who. while obliged to 
stay at home, long for knowledge and self- 
improvement. To all these this in.stitution 
extends the liand of welcome, and is pre- 
jiarcd to furnish all the educational facilities 
that circumstances permit, and that are best 
adajited to the ability, energy and diligence 
of each juipil. And all this without any ex¬ 
pense wliatcver except tlie nominal mcniber- 
sbi|) due of 25 cents. 
The main objects of tlie C. T. C. C. are: 
First, to help it.s members to learn .sometbing 
about the earth on wbicb we live, its plants. 
Mowers, and fruits, and to make the aciiuaiiit- 
ance of the plants and animals on the farm 
and in the liousc; secondly, to lielp its mem¬ 
bers to become traiued, skillful, and accom- 
plislied; and, tliirdly, to show tliem liow to 
use their skill and knowledge in gaining 
liealtli and happiness. Fourtlily, to show 
its members bow money is earned, to point 
out the way to many useful trades and arts, 
and to sliow tliem the value of good aud 
honest work. J.astly, to sliow by the study 
of nature sometliing of the Creator's won¬ 
derful ways ill imiuaging tills beautiful 
world. 
The liome of the C. T. C. C., or liead-ipiar- 
ters for work aud information concerning all 
matters, excepting flic entrance of new 
members, will be at Houghton Farm, Mouii- 
t.iim ille. Orange Co., New 6'ork. Hougli- 
ton Farm is a large, first-class farm, devoted 
to all kinds of farm crops anil garden work. 
Everything is carried on at the farm tliat 
can be found on any farm in the Nortliern 
.States, including cattle raising, horses, jiigs 
and slieep, orchards, greenhouses, poultry 
yards, kennels, and dairy, and fruit, flower, 
and vegetable gardens. Tlicre is, besides 
all tliesc brandies, a first-rate meteorologi¬ 
cal and experimental station. Each depart¬ 
ment is carried on to obtain the very best 
results possible. ■ 
.Nowliere else could such admirable facili¬ 
ties be found as are here placed at the dis¬ 
posal of tlie Club, by the liberality of 5lr. 
Ijawsoii Valentine, the proprietor of Hough¬ 
ton Farm. 
Althougli the C. T. C. C. is as yet scarcely 
well orgiuiized, its success is already fully 
assured, and the amount of good it may pro¬ 
duce is simply incaieulable. 
Circulars explaining fully the details of 
the course of studies and conditions of 
membership—aud we advise every boy and 
girl readerof Tiik Ameuicax GAUDUXto be¬ 
come a member—may be had by addressing 
C. T. C. C., Houghtonrarm,Orango Co., N. Y". 
