The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-06-05
Agricultural,
The Flower Garden.

10 collect as rubies and diamonds, they
would be accounted as of far greater
value, because more beautiful than ;hoss
gems. Nay, il any one Of the precious
stones had possessed, in addition to is
other qualities, a perfume as delicious
AZ that Of the most eyanesoeni Of spring
flowers, men would have battered tog il
the most valued fruits Of industry, and
poets would have embalmed il in i'm.
mortal song. II is only because flowers
are so plentiful tbs; We forget or fail TO
perceive that they are so surprisingly
beautiful. 1t is strange tha; any body
should grudge the little cost or pains
their culture requires. Yet over some
cottage door no vines are growing be-
fore them no delicate blossoms are
opening to the sky around them the
breeze Of summer watts no perfume. II
one asks why there are no flowers there,
the reply is, "oh they are too much
trouble" II is intended in this and
some articles which will follow j, TO
show that the cultivation Of flowers, so
far from being "too much trouble, 20
will give more value for less work aud
expense than any thing which can be
done or bought TO improve the surround
ings Of a home. This is as true where
there is but little space as whore there
is abundance. Let us suppose that the
ground available for a garden, after
taking of what is needed for a path,
leaves only a single bed Of earth. Give
this, if possible, some regular shape,
rectangular, diamond, oval, circular,
crescent-shaped, heart-shaped, q double
curve like an $50 only that it has a
definite form. 1t is apt to be %inconyeni-
emit il more than three feet wide as
flowers should be easily accessible. The
soil should be enriched with dead leaves
and spent manure Only those who
have had experience can use in the
garden the strong manures Of the field.
Water with soap-suds on wash-days.
II the bed has a fence at the back, put
the tallest flowers in the middle and
the smallest at the edges. For a cen
ter-piece a dahlia is good, but uncer-
tain. A caladium, with It's immense
green leaves, is snowy, but may be too
costly. The castor-oil plant is cheap,
fast growing, and will give in fall a
splendid spike Of purple or scarlet but
its long hands, which MeHicans call
paimO christi, take up considerable
room. II will give beans enough the
first year, if the season is sufficiently
long, to physic n village; but there is
need to be careful Of them, as they are
said TO contain some poisonous substance
as well as castor-oil. Around the cen
ter-piece the plants OF medium height
should be put in without much rcgu.
larity, except to give each room enough,
Summer bulbs, like the gladiolus iris,
Japan lily, and tuberosc take mp little
lateral room. All the old garden favor
ties have been much improved Of late
years. After the novelty Of an improy-
ed flower is over its price falls till it
comes within reach of ordinary purses.
There are large, richcolored, improved
flowers, whose seeds can now be had for
n few cents, that once brought as many
dollars; asters and z%innias, as double
and as close.quilled rs dahlias; chry-
santhemums, with every excellence save
scent balsams that are each a mass OF
bloom; portulaccas that only want
stems TO be mistaken for roses. Near
the edge of the bed it is better to put
in the shorter plants, which will not
stretch wei the garden-walks. These
little things may be cheap, like candy
tuft, pansies, daisies; or more costly,
like verbenas and zonal g%eraniums.
Next year there should be scattered
here, crocus, tulips, narcissus. Petu-
Mas will give any amount Of variety
and bloom. In general, n few choice
flowers show better than many inferior
ones, and are more easily managed. II
means are limited to one, two or three
dollars, even such a sum, sent to n re-
putable florist, he making the selection,
will bring back n good variety Of seeds.
II, still, anybody fears that money is
wasted when paid for flowers, let him
take a slate and calculate. Would the
same money spent in paint, decorate an
equal space even approximately, with
30 much yerdure and splendor?