The true northerner., 1880-04-30


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 garden,
good seeds and plants. BE careful and not
give them the poorest bit of ground that can be
found, but good piece that III fit for garden.
Learn them how to plant and take care OF 1t.
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 10 well,
for this garden can be the means, il 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 Ill 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 1t up. Never
scold your children for anything. You can tell
them OF their ,aults, and correct them with
iir1nness without scolding. Encourage them IN
well doing, and, as 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 workmen and women 0or l mean to
give the girls garden 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 80 doing 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 not, when children, get
into the habit of putting everything in Its place.
Some of you will be astonished to see what an
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
III doing things well!
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 / eIl-
couragcd him in their cultivation, also. / be-
lieve in having flowers where there are children,
for flowers have refining influence Yes, l.,
too, believe that flowers have a refining intiu-
ence. Take, for instance, the old fashioned
white lily, or, AZ 1t is now called, Lilium Can
didum there Is a stately grace and dignity about
il that attracts attention. 1t seems to me to
be the queen of all flowers. Our blessed Savior
III 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 Ill its beauty, or inhalng 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 will there is n way.
Whoever reads the % Home has an opportunity
of learning something on horticulture from Mr..
Rennes letters. Should your children live to
be bent with age aud their hair az white 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-
cated together. What, do you say that you
have no tune? 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 so
often. Some of You perhaps live in the city
and have no room for garden. Let your chill
dren have some plants i'll 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
a child owned one plant, 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 a morning
glory i'll February. IvYs MOTHER
AISswonTH, Iowa.