The Grange advance., 1874-04-08

who like myself, have their own work I.
do, and large families to take care of. And
still have their flower gardens. claim
that children and flowers ought to 20 TO-
gether. Don't say the children will de.
stroy the flowers, for l know better. Our
kind Father has implanted in every soul .
love for the beautiful. Only cultivate this
sentiment in your children and they will
soon appreciate the beautiful in nature, a.
we'll - you. Well, . few words Of my own
experience may encourage some. Not that l
am proud ofmy ignorance, but to show how
much may be learned by experience. Five
years ago this spring = friend 90. one Of
James 'iok's catalogues and proposed that
~e' the farmers wives, send for few
flower seeds. Well, We go. up q club Of
'en' 1o cents apiecs. You may laugh, but
you don't know how scarce 10 cent pieces
were to the Minnesota farmers five years
ago. Well: the dollar was sent, and in due
time the seeds arrived, and some kind spirit
must have influenced Mr.. Wick, for there
were number Of extra packages that
were not sent for. Well We divided the
seeds; remember some kinds were onlv
fVe seeds apiece. Flower culture was all
the rage then, and l am happy to say hos
been ever since. We studied the catalogue
till We prided ourselves on our skill. And
now there are dollars sent by those who on
~ sent 10 cents five years ago. Well, made
two beds BY my south window so l could
see them when l looked out. The children
worked, carrying manure, and deemed it q
privilege. How l watched the seeds start.
l did not know one from the other. Their
names were mysteries to me. l had my
phlo1 close by the hollyhocks, but when my
phlox blossomed l thought it beautiful.
Then the balsams; the children discovered
the first blossom, as double as q rose.
VINO, that ever saw stalk Of balsams
pruned would not say beautiful. My flow
er garden is now on newly broken hazel
brush land. and leaf mould; think it is
the very best soil for flowers. Inever sow
my seeds in the beds, for it is great deal
more trouble. You have to weed the whole
bed by hand, and often the flowers get
drawn BY standing in the weeds. Take .
box two feet sqaars and four inches high,
filled with good earth made fine without
lumps-such seeds as the verbena and
double portulaca, pansies, cox-combs OF
any choice seeds-sow in little drills, sift
very fine dirt over them and set them on q
stand in the window, sprinkle every morn
Ing with warm water; the hest of the stove
and the sun together, will bring them up
in few days. I sowed mine last year the
10th Of April. In this way I have never
failed. When they begin to get their sec
ond leaf, set them out doors day times to
get them hardened before transplantine.
The aster, balsam, zinnia and those harder
kinds, SOW in May in seed bed in some
sheltered place, cover them with old boards
for q few days to keep them moist, the
spring winds are so drying. Transplant
when they get their second leaf Now for
arranging your garden. might give you
plan like mine, but think every one
takes comfort in planning their own gar
den. But this having a couple of border
beds, and stufing every thing in from the
pansy to the marigold, and often side BY
side by side, l don't like to see. Now
take bed of panises alone and they are
beautiful. Their bright, happy faces will
chase away the blues the quickest Of any,
thing know Of \ bed Of double portulacs,
is splendid; then petunias; had one each
side Of my border: they were gorgeous from
June till snow flew. Phlo3 too is very snowy;
bed in mixed colors in bloom, is sight to
behold. My phlox and petunias are self
sown: they come up as thick as grass l
never let them stand in the same bed two
seasons. When they are ready to transplant
I make other beds ready for them The
change is always a new feature to your
garden. For edging, the English garden
pink is the best Of anything I know Of
They are beautiful in blossoms, and in fra
GRANGE they are equal to the rose, and they
stand our hard winters. Don't neglect to
SOW a hedge Of sweet peas and bed of
mignonette for boquets for your friends.
Don't forget the beautiful vines the morn
ing glories in particular. Now must say
a few words to the old folks, grandmas es-
pecially. How wish they could see our
"grandma's bed" a. the children cali it.
Her rose, and clump Of the lilies of the
valley, German daisies, pansies and stalks