Smyrna times., 1881-07-13
Flowers of Easy Culture.
BY PICKET.

They seem to rest one so much.
Some one asks: "Then why don't you
grow some?" AS her mind reverts to the
work she has to do, beginning in the early
morning and ending only as she lays her
tired body down to rest late at night, she
answers: ooh, haven't time to attend
to them. The hens would scratch them
up, or the weeds smother them, and
should hate that worse than not having
any"
We want to tell those farmers wives
who love and desire flowers, and who
have so little spare time, how easily
bare and unattractive front yard, or lawn,
can be frightened and beautifed with a
class of flowers which have the happy
faculty of nearly taking care of them
selves. 1 refer to percnnials and extra
hardy ANIMALS.
Many of our most beautiful flowers are
to be found among the hardest perennials.
| Where is there flower of brighter or
more varied colors, or more beautiful than
the old Sweet William (Dianthus barbat-
us)? Hundreds of flowers with pompous
and high-sounding names, and not one
tenth as beautiful or desirable, are an
nually sold by florists at fabulous prices.
Then there is the slender, graceful
Aquilegia, (COlumbine), the clean and
pretty Delphinium I4arkspur), the tail
and stately Double HOllyhock (Althea
rOsea), and many others worthy of place
in the fairest and most aristocratic garden,
and hardy and vigorous enough to grow
and bloom in spite Of ill-usage and weeds
The chief election to perennials is that
they do not keep in bloom as long as a
few of the best ANIMALS like Phlox, Pc
tunias, ETC.; but they certainly do bloom
a great deal longer than large majority
of the highly recommend ANIMALS. BY
cutting off the flowers freely for bouquets
and preventing the formation of seed,
Sweet Williams, Larkspure, Dianthus and
some others will throw out little side
branches at nearly every joint, and con-
tinue to bloom two months or more
will name the perennials in the order
in which they have, with me, proven
hardy, desirable and beautiful under the
, most adverse circumstances. / believe
J our peculiar soil and climate would test to
the utmost the vigOr and hardness Ofany
plant, and such as succeed here will dc
well anywhere.
We will place Sweet Williams (Dianthus
barbatus), at the head of our list. The
t seed sOwn in June or July will make good
strong plants for next years Towering,
Select cool, shady spot on the north
, side of a fence or building. Spade W
and pulverize the soil, then make hole.
about half an inch deep and two inches
apart, and drop three or four seeds il
each hole. Cover slightly, then damper
the soil and spread a newspaper over the
whole bed, fastening it down with clod.
or sticks. In a few days the plants viii
be up, and the paper should be removed
in the evening. Keep the soil damp unit
the plants are well established. Chickens
dogs, ETC., may be kept off the bed by
placing little hedge brush on il.
The plants may be removed to where
they are wanted in October. A bed thre,
or four feet wide along the fence is the
best place for them; or they may be Sc
in small clumps anywhere in partly shaded
or damp spots bare of grass.
Set the plants about foot apart, and i
hogs, cattle and chickens run in the yard
place some brambles over the beds, fisten
ing with small stakes. These may be lef
over them if necessary, and the plants
will grow up through them and bloom a
J well as in the finest garden. Some seeC
should be allowed to ripen and fall off
then if the beds are hoed once or twice ,
year it will grow, and the beds be renewed
with strong plants and new colors every
\ year or two.
The next on our list is Aquilegia (Co
lumbine,) one of the neatest and mos
graceful plants know of. 1t cannot b,
{. made to bloom as long as the Sweet VIII
! liam, but the foliage is pretty. There ar
several colors, and a bed of Aquilegias il
If full bloom is q beautiful sight. The,
should be set among the Sweet Williams
or back in a cool and shady corner l
will do well almost anywhere, and j
abundantly able to take care of itself i
once given % good start. In rich soil an,
u damp, slightly shaded locations, hav
seen them grow five feet high and covere,
, with hundreds Of flowers, Plants may b
grown the same as Sweet Williams, am
4. increased by dividing the roots. The
g should be set twelve to eighteen inche
k apart.
For pretty and clean foliage, beautiful
:. flowers, vigorous habit and ability to "ho
m its own row." the Ddphinium (Iarkspul
is not surpassed. In good soil it will gro,
q four or five feet high, with spikes {
9. flowers six inches or more in lengtl
= The colors are blue of all shades, pinl
IS white and variegated. Sow seeds tn
same as Sweet Williams Plants may b
. increased by dividing the roots in fall Z
- spring. Set ten or twelve. inches apar
is The annual Larkspurs are very hardy an
desirable. Seed sown either in fall G