Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-08-11

It there is any room for choice
in selecting the spot or Il flower
garden, select one that is sheltered
from the wind and exposed freely to the
morning sun. With the proper amount
of care and watchfulness, flowers can be
made to grow anywhere, and no one,
ever if confined to the smallest of city
back yards need be deferred from making
the attempt; but most flowers love warm,
sunny spots, where the chill northerly
winds can not reach them, and, if the
garden is favOrably located, Il large part
ofthe work gnd disappointment attendant
upon Horticulture may be avoided. As
the laying out ofthe garden must depend
largely on special local conditions, and
should be guided by individual tastes, we
shall not attempt to lay down any gen.
eraI rules tuther than to suggest that the
complicated and eccentric forms at one
time so popular are no longer consideed
in good taste, and that the plan o arrange-
mcnt is best which combines the greatest
simplicity with Il due amount of variety
in the shape Of the bed. A thing os
peciaIly to be avoided, except in ribbon
beds and Mosaic planting, is the elabu-
ratA geometrical figures which the average
books on flower culture are 20 apt to
suggest to their readers. In preparin the
grounds, raised beds with deep walks
should be dispensed with as far as pos
sible; they suffer from the intense heat of
the summer, and the rains wash down
their edges, giving an untidy look and
sometimes laying bare the roots Of the
plants. Grass edges, unless well cared
for, are ObieCtinable on account Of the
difficulty Of keeping the sods from spread.
ing; and this is true of all r%unning-yine
cdgings, except ivy. For a large bed a
border of common flax, easily raised from
the seed, is very pretty if kept we'll
trimmed and hedwarfbox isunsurpassed
The prettiest of all beds are those neat
ly cut into the grass plot, and left without
other edging, In these the brilliant hues
of the flowers contrast well with the soft
emerald tint of the grass. 1t may be n
slight objection to these beds that the
dew on the grass makes it necessary to be
we'll shOd in attending them in the early
morning when flowers and the work Of
gardening Al most attractive. The walks
between beds may beltrcdden down and
hardened with coal ashes and gravel.
The most desirable soil for flowers is a
mellow loan. and that will he much
affected by excessive wet or drought.
As it is useless to grow flowers in poor
soil, the work offertilizing and ameliora.
ton must claim the earliest attention.
If the ground be clayey and adhesive,
dress it with sand and well-rotted ma
nure in sufficient quantity to make it
mellow and friable. Spade it and mix it
well. If the soil be sandy and loose,
spade in clay and manure in the same
way. Wood ashes are as good for all
kinds of soil, as they loosen those that
are close, and hold moisture in those that
are sandy. Every flower garden should
be well MANFRED every autumn--the ma
nure covering the ground during winter,
and being well spaded in the spring.
Drainage, natural or artificial, is alb.
solutely essential to successful flower
gardening no soil that remains saturated
Tor many hours after even the heaviest
rain is fit for the growth of flowers. BE.
fore it can be sc~cessfully cultivated it
must be thoroughly under.drained.----
GO0dh0lRt'S CvclODedia.