The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-04-29
HOME INTERESTS.
IvY,s Mother.

IVy'S Mother.
Now, as the days are growing long, warm
weather and gardening will soon be on hand.
Let me say to mothers who want to know what
to do with their children, give them a garden,
good seeds and plants. BE careful and not
give them the poorest bit of ground that can be
found, but good piece that is fit fora garden
Learn them how to plant and take care of it.
Do not stint them if you have plenty of ground;
and, no matter how much you have do not give
them more than they can care for and do itwell
for this garden can be the means, II well used
of giving many useful lessons. Let them raise
both flowers and vegetables, and so cultivate a
taste for the useful and ornamental, the good
and the beautiful. Learn them to lay out their
grounds with neatness and order. Give them
certain hours to work i'll their garden, then do
not call them away for anything else during
that time unless you are compelled TO, and then
give them enough more to make it up. Never
scold your children for anything. You can tell
them of their FAULTS, and correct them with
hrmness without scolding. Encourage them in
well doing, and, as a general thing, they viii
try to do better. Then, too, they should have
good tools with which to work their garden.
Some people seem to have an idea that old,
worn-out or broken tools, that no one else can,
or will, use, are good enough for children. But
his is mistake. If you want them to learn to
be good work1nen and women (for I mean to
give the girls garden as well as the boys), give
them good tools to work WITH and see that they
clean and put them in place when done using
for the day. By so dong you can teach them
neatness and order at the same time that you
are teaching them gardening. Many man and
woman too, spends much time looking for
things, because they did nc :, when children, get
into the habit Of putting everything in its place.
Of 10 hot
interest the children will take in bringing the
first vegetables and flowers to mother. One Of
my children, after careful gardening, sent the
first load of ripe melons that went to the market
of our town that year. What pride and pleas
ure it gave! How it encouraged perseverance
in doing things WE'LL @re
The other day an excellent lady said to me.
while speaking of her son, "When John was a
little boy he helped me in making garden, but
that did not satisfy him. He wanted a garden
Of his own. let him have it, and many mess
of vegetables came from his garden to the table.
For flowers he had perfect passion, and | en-
couraged him in their cultivation, also. l be-
lieve in having flowers where there are children,
for flowers have a refining influence. Yes, L,
too believe that flowers have a refining intiu-
ence Take. for instance, the old fashioned
white lily, Or, as it is now called, Lilium Can
didunl, there is stately grace and dignity about
it that attracts attention. 1t seems to me to
be the queen of all flowers. Our blessed Savior
in speaking OF the lily, says that "Solomon, in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Who can give utterance to an impure thought
or word while looking in the pure white face Of
the lily, so perfect III It's beauty or lnhallng Its
delightful fragrance. Yes, give your children
gardens, and mother be yourself the teacher If
possible. If you do not know how to take care
of plants or a garden you can soon learn if you
will, for "where there is a will there is way.
| Whoever reads the $ Home has an opportunity
of learning something on horticulture from Mr..
Rennie's letters. Should your children live to
| be bent with age aud their hair as white as the
new-fallen snow, they will never forget the gar
dens of their childhood, and will not think OF
! them without thinking of mother. Mother and
| flowers, the good and the beautiful will be asso-
c1ated together. What, do you say that you
have no time? Stop and think moment. You
can make your own and your childrenS clothes
palmer, still neat and pretty, but SO that
it will take much less time to make and
will cost less to trim them The time you save
/ you can spend in the garden. What you save
in the cost of trimming and in the doctors bills
| (for your own health and your childrens will be
| better will buy your seeds, tools, and plants.
| Some spend during the year enough for can
dies to get their children good set of garden
| tools. then wonder Why their children are sick
| SO much. and they must have the doctor sc
often. Some of you perhaps live in the city
and have no room for garden. Let your chill
dren have some plants in the house. Instead OF
bringing confectionery to them bring them
plants You will feel well repaid with the pleas
ure they will take in watching the growth, bud
ding, and blossoming. One winter, when was
child, owned one plant, q bridal rose. How
carefully tended and watched it; and, when
the one slender stalk showed seven full-blOwn,
beautiful white roses and three buds how de-
lighted [ was 1t was the wonder of the neigh
borhood, and yet it was mine. remember, too,
how delighted my children were with morning
/ glory in February. IvY's MOTHER.
AINswoRTH, Iowa.