The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-07-31
MARGARETS FLOWERS.
In Her Missions She Learns that the
Sweet Smelling Blossoms are
the Favocites.

.Is it fragrant?n is the first inquiry
made by the majority of people tt
whom a new flower is presented. L
the inquiry is not made, the fact of it
odorous or odorless condition is al
once tested. The impulse is SO genera
as to furnish evidence for the con
clusion that fragrant flowers r gen
orally loved.
A choice, elegantly formed, richly
colored rose looses something of its
at-tractiveness If it be scentless. We
expect sweetness of a rose. The happy
little Bonnie Silene, always lovely
with its variety of color and invari-
able sweet, spicy perfume, is a CON
constant fayorite, and will doubtless
so continue so long as roses bloom.
The influence of q Don pervaded by
the soft odors of fragrant flowers is
at once soothing and inspiring. In
voluntarily gentle thoughts creep into
the mind. Courage returns, hope
springs up, faith in the divine guild
ance is awakened, thoughts of heaven
are stirred.
Our Margaret is q true flower lover.
Last season from her little garden plot
she carried floral blessings to dozens
of her friends, rich and poor. She
noticed that none of her offerings
were so acceptable as the sweet-scent-
ed flowers. !.
"How that mignonette brings back
my girihoodw said n gentle invalid
MY bridal bouquet was of lilies-of-
tha valleys said another.
"Violets were my mothers favor
ite,n whispered a patient sufferer.
This year Margaret is devoting Just
two-thirds of her available garden
space to fragrant flowers. The Eng
fish violet beds have been extended
by transplanting. By good care these
are made to bloom until late in the
season. A large sunny corner is given
up to the sun-loving heliotrope.
Numerous slips of both light and dark
varieties have been planted in rich
soil, and she will be able to gather
full sprays with a lavish hand until
the very last of summer days.
August lilies, ascension lilies, yell
low lilies, and pond lilies have their
place in Margaret's garden, the last
in a miniature pond composed of a
half barrel sunk in the ground. Truth
compels the statement that these last
are not always successful, although
fresh roots and earth from the pond
are often procured. But when a fair
white and gold lily does come to
bloom in the old barrel, it seems to
Margaret fairer and whittier and sweet
er than any flower that ever bloomed
out of paradise.
Mignonette forms a long border
down the walks, sprinkled with sweet
alyssuin, and each will yield an
abundant harvest. Margaret keeps
these carefully gathered, Sc that the
strength of the plants need not be
wasted in seed bearing. A great
handful of fresh mignonette is al
ways to be found in a small glass
hanging basket in her room.
For sweet green leaves there are
lemon-verbena-two large trees care
fully kept from year to year-some
old-fashioned, sweet-scented gerani-
ums, and, very much older-fashioned,
that plant beloved by our great
grandmothers, the feathery blue
green comforting southernwood,
whose pungent odor recalls many a
youthful memory in the hearts of the
older ladies.
Mention should also be made Of the
equally ancient red roses, the spicy,
slightly double, deep crimson variety,
with bright golden centres, which
used to grow in our grandmothers
gardens. Margaret has a half dozen
or more elderly ladies among the pen
sioners of her bounty, and the red
roses and southernwood are to them
an especial delight, as they are to the
most aesthetic of all her friends, fol-
in spite of the efforts of florists to
produce new varieties, there are GER
tain old time favorites that eve lose
their charm, and the fragrant flowers
are always of this sort.-Haapers
BGzGT.