Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-06-28
AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC.

BY sowing nitrate Of soda in small
Quantities in showery weather, under
trees. a most beautiful verdure will be OBJ
Pref. Beal, of the Michigan Agricult-
ural College, tells US that flower beds are
often done more injury than good by wa
,erines that do not penetrate to the roots.
He advocates placing in the beds small
.;le inst so as to be beneath the surface,
and when watering the beds, instead of
snripklipg, make these tile full, from
which it will distribute to the parts of
,he plant which most need it, and without
over stimulation, it will thus refresh and
invigorate.
strawberry Sirup.-Make strip in
the proportion Of three pounds of sugar
10 half pint of water. Boil and skim
until clear. Have ready the strained
mice of good favored strawberries. Allow
Two and a half pints of strawberry juice
TO the three pounds of sugar. Let it boil
for about five minutes; then take it from
the fire and pour into self sealing glass
lars. This is fine tlavoring for ice
cream. and also makes refreshing drink
by diluting with clear cold water.
Many of our wild flowers exhibit
beauty and delicacy of form and color
equal to cultivated plants. But ii is rare
to see an arrangement Of these exhibiting
ANYTHING like delicacy. The reason is
that the early spring blossoms are very
sacculent and easily bruised, and will not
bear the pressure of the hand in bunch
without willing. But if plucked care
fully and carried in box from the air and
sun and placed loosely in vase, giving
them the same after care of other flowers,
they will remain beautiful for many days.
The blood-root, triturus, violets and phlox,
with the leaves of anemone and squirrel
corn, If deity arranged, form exquisite
MISUNDERSTANDING.
speaking of drying flowers the Floral
Cabinet says: There are many of our
brilliant flowers, such as dahlias, pansies,
pinks, geraniums, sweet williams, carna-
lions, gladiolus, which may be preserved
so as to retain their color for years. White
flowers will not answer we'll for this pur-
pose nor any succulent plant, as hya-
cinths or cactus. Take deep dishes, or
those of sufficient depth to allow the flow
ers to be covered an inch deep with sand;
get the common white sand, such as is
used for securing purposes, cover the bot
tom of the dish with layer about half an
inch deep, and then lay in the flowers,
with their stems downward, holding them
firmly in place while, on sprinkle more
sand over them, unit all places between
the petals are filled and the flowers buried
out Of sight. A broad dish will accom-
modate quite a large number; allow sufh-
Gent sand between. Set the dish in
dry warm place where they will dry grad
ually, and at the end of week pour Oft
the sand and examine them; if there is
any moisture in the sand it must be dried
out before using again, or fresh sand may
be poured over them, the same as before.
Some flowers will require weeks TO dry,
while others will become sufficiently dry
to put away in week or ten days. BY
this simple process flowers, ferns etc,
are preserved in their proper shape as
well as IN their proper color, which is far
better than to press them in books. When
arranged in groups and mounted on cards,
or in little straw baskets, they may be
placed in frames under glass.