The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-10-30
! MISUNDERSTANDING UNDER
DIFFICULTIES.

Lecture delivered by F. w. BURBRIDGE,
F. L. S., Curator Trinity College Botan-
ic Gardens, at the Town Hall, Rath-
mines, Dublin.
An old friend of mine who has travel
ed among the Japanese tells me that
their love Of flowers and young plants is
iq reality an absorbing passion. In the
smallest of dwellings there is an altar
like niche in or upon which Towering
plants are arranged, but they have in
some districts most remarkable custom
in connection with window-gardening
which will describe to you.
In houses wherein reside one or more
daughters of manageable age, an
empty fower-pot of an ornamental char
acter is encircled by ring and suspend
ed from the window or veranda by three
light chains.
Now, the Juliets of Japan are, OF
course, attractive, and their Romeos as
love-sick as those of other lands. But
instead of serenades by moonlight and
other delicate ways of making an inn
preston, it is etiquette for the Japanese
lover to approach the dwelling of his
lady bearing some choice plant in his
hand, which he boldly but, let us hope,
reverently proceeds to plant in the
empty vase. This takes place at time
when he is fully assured that both moth
er and daughter are at home, and need
scarcely say that neither OF them are at
all conscious that the young man is tax
ing such liberty with the flower pot
outside their window. It is believed
that young lover so engaged has never
been seen by his lady or by her mamma
in this act Of sacrilege at any rate, my
friend tells me that during his long resi-
dence in Japan he never heard of any
one being detected in the act, or inter-
fered with in any way. The fact is, this
act Of, placing a pretty plant into the
empty hower-potis equivalent to form
al proposal to the young lady who dwells
within. The youthful gardener, having
settled his plant to his mind, retires, and
the young lady is free to act as she
pleases. If he is the right man, she
takes every care of his gift, waters it, and
tends it carefully with her own hands,
that all the world may see and know
the donor is accepted as a sutton. But if
he is not favorite, or if stern parents
object, the plant is removed from the
vase, and the next morning finds it
withered on the veranda or on the path
below. In a word, if you are not the
| right man it is quite evident that this
phase of window-gardening must be a
difficult and disappointing one to carry
on in Japan.
| But one really might 60 farther, and
say that all kinds of window-gardenine
must be carried on under difficulties
I know somewhat of the troubles o.
gardening in town, and shall not deceive
you by saying that window-gardening il
easy there is, however, so much pleas
ure mixed up with the difficulties, tina
if those of you who have not done so will
| try it, you will never rest contented TN
til you succeed.
/ But how to begin is the question
Flower-pots, seeds and plants, and evel
soil or earth in which to plant them cos
J money-not much, perhaps, but stil
sufficient to deter some from making
commencement Now. a bit of turfy so
from the roadside is all you win at fir
require. If fower-pots are not Obtain
able no one need be disheartened (; a
old tin can. cigar-box-anything, j
fact, which will hold earth and allo'
waste water to run away will do. {
f course, know that you will do bette
than this, but even if some of you actr
, ally do resort to these homely maxi
{ shifts you will not be the first to do 81
: and it is better to grow few prett
A plants in an old starch box than to hay
\ no flowers at all near your home in til
8 town.
One of the great charms of windol
: gardening is the interest it excites in u
n and the amount of pleasure windol
/ gardener obtains during his rambles, Fl
It | need scarcely say he viii be most an
d lious ito see the plants grown in 9th
Q windows besides his own. Then at no
J. day times every excursion into the cou
try is doubly attractive, for, of course,
few common ferns or trailing bits
. rooted ivy viii be carefully dug up al
= carried back to town for the little gard'
s. at home. A few primrose roots from
: NOISY hedge-bank, or five or six bal
y Of the common yellow daaodil from Il
fields, will make the smallest window
r teresting il the spring. OF course
8 not advocate the wholesale collectl.
0. and destruction of our prettiest vii
le flowers in the way common near mt
re towns. but I feel sure no intelligent pl
h- prietor would begrudge the removal
q few roots if he were sure they real
d, were not to be carried away Wh0lesa
lie and sold. Apart altogether from the {
coratiye Or beautiful aspect of how'