The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1889-01-16
How to Make Home Beautiful.

Editor Floral Department.
What depth of meaning to some, and
how little to others, conveys the mention
of flowers
Little do those not possessed of an in
terest in this phase of plant life, conceive
of the amount of true enjoyment derived
from the engrossing occupation of the
cultivation of flowers.
Contrasting the bare, white. sandy
patches (by courtesy called yards) which
are so frequently met WITH with the well
cared for garden, rich in bud and bloom, it
isa source OfwOnder thati tits Oincentive
to a more universal effort to adOrn and
make beautiful our home surroundings.
In this much favored cline, lack of means
certainly cannot be set forth as a reason
for this sad neglect, for we have but to
look around us and we behold rare treas
ures on every hand.
In the hammocks are almost innumer-
able vines, beautiful enough to adorn the
richest palace, which are to be had only
for the digging up and transplanting,
while everywhere are countless beauties
OF every kind, now struggling for life
under the adverse conditions of the roam
ing cow and raZOr-back and annual fires,
waiting for some friendly hand to lift and
place them beyond the reach of harm,
when they will show results that will
prove astonishing What better can you
ask for climbers than the beautiful Caro-
lima, or yellow jessamine (Gelsemium SEM
pervirens), the foliage of which is always
green, the handsome trumpet creeper
(TecOma radicans) with it's rich, deep, or
angr flowers, the delicate Rignonia capre-
Olata, and any number of others equally
meritorious? For shrubbery we have
the handsome fringe-tree (Chioranthus
Virginica, a species of the beautiful Rho
dOdedron, several species ofAndromedas,
Viburnums, the familiar elder, etc., etc.
And for trees, who can ask for more than
the stately live oak or the towering pine,
with it's long streamers of silver-gray
moss, the magnificent Magnolia grandi-
flora, the sweet bay, the water oak and
any number of others? What is more
beautiful, for a small tree, than the dog
wood, SO pleasingly fragrant in spring,
loaded with it's large white blossoms?
Then come to the tlatwoods, where in
such profusion we find, in it's season, the
lovely fairy lily" which is So pleasing
for it's delicate, sweet fragrance, and the
"red lily Qillium catesb@i, Floridas
only representative ofthe greatlily genus.
This last as an oldnegro once describedit
to me in his peculiar dialect, "has bigger
bush den de white lily" (zephyrant6es
treatia). In some of the swamps Cri-
mum Americanum, sometimes called
"spider lily grows in abundance, while
also in wet places that beautiful and de-
serving plant, Gamma faccida, is found in
almost unlimited quantities. Fancy the
disgust of the 'cracker," when the much
despised "saw-palmetto" (saw palm) is
mentioned, but try pair, one on each
side OF the gate, and note the effect.
Then there is the stately and graceful
cabbage palm; put nice one on each side
OF the piazza steps. For small plants go
out into the pine woods and look around
you, and you will find any quantity of
pretty things to fill up with, beauties
that our Northern sisters would ''give
anything for"
Why then fence in and maintain a
standing eyesore, when the remedy is
easily within your reach, only to be APP
piled by yourself? Truly, familiarity be
gets contempt, when passing by our own,
the sisters send off and pay fabulous
prices for some highly advertised novelty,
which, if it grows at all, rarely gives sat
lsfactlon. SISTER.