New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
HOME AND SOCIETY.
THEMES. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW

THEMES PEOPLE WANT IO kNOW-
,, 10 an sxv,,ruce o, a young married woman.
me which may interest the stay-athomes. u read
IN Tn Tribune few sundays ago. said the pros
vrous vie Of one Of rich merchants, Of the CO
operusyo marketing of a couple Of young wives. 1t
csrrIed me back to my own youth and the happy
hv-cons DAYS when we Obliged to make scanty
income as elastic possible, and when few weeks
r,t,ne was all dreamed of in the way of a summer
holiday had been brought up in the country, and
os nv mother was ALI invalid / had always managed
the garden, and flowers were my pet hobby. The
prospect therefore, Of having no plant life for the
summer was . somewhat dreary one and although, of
course I could easily have gone to the farm myself,
nv husband could not quit his business and would
not leave him alone. Necessity however, Is the
mother Of invention, and I looked over my small
domain with view TO it's gardening facilities. AS we
lived in fiat on the fourth story II seemed rather
hopeless outlook, but had happened to see little
English book entitled Balcony Gardening and 1t gave
me idea went straightway 10 our landlord, told
my story, and he good naturedly added for me three
iron balconies outside Of my dining room and sitting
windows. A step the balcony and in the
room mede them easy Of access and, with great de-
light began operations. Well the fun we had from
those bits of outdoor life was endless MY husband
slrstened them the hanging gardens of Babylon
and both he and his friends took the most active in
terest in their progress, Offering innumeTable sug-
gestions and theOTtical advice, which listened to
with all due Difference but took.
"For the benefit Of those who would like to Try
the experiment give my way of starting my plan
tations (another jeering name for my bits OF Bhen),
and only hope that tbs fair gardener, whoever she
IS viii have half the pleasure had in her summers
work decided in the first place that the
ainingroom window should be devoted to
strictly utilitarian purposes, and i called this my
vegetable garden In the other two / only grew
flowers and creepers. Knowing that the direct rays
Of the would parch the earth that nothing
inside; painted dark green on the outside it was
perfectly unnoticeable Then fitted mp all the avail
able room in the balcony with neat boxes, leaving
about three inches between them and the lining. In
this space / put tanbark, and found II adequate
protection against the heat Of the sun. The boxes
had filled with rich soil, which / had brought in a
cart from a suburban gardener and had carried up
from the street in baskets This was the most ex-
pensive part Of my experiment, and it seemed
pdd enough 10 me 10 pay hard cash for actual earth
Before putting in the soil must not forget to say
placed inch Of broken pots in the bottom to
drainage fhis by the suggestion of the man who
brought the earth and also furnished the "crocks"
and few augeyholes bored in the bottom of each
box to allow the surplus water 10 drain Off Now the
boxes al prepared and the next question was
what to plant The great thing to remember is not
10 plant too much; you want only a balcony and not
an acre lot and it is better to be content with few
good plants, remembering that by trying too many
will succeed with none. / made up my mind there
fore TO grow in my vegetable garden only those was
quite / could succeed with. l planted parsley,
radishes kitchen herbs cress and for the sake of the
experiment sOwed against the line tellis next to the
wall some peas and beans. These, however, did not
succeed very wen bat the Others did splendidy For
nv flower balconies decided not TO confne myself to
ANNALS but start creepers that would last from
year to year. | chose w1steria and honeysuckle to
cover trenis against the house If were doing the
same thing now. would add the beautiful and rapid
ola In hin1r
about il before begins It's mad for the roof AS
climbers for the front of the balcony would recon-
mend first and foremost, the large family of nastur
tums which are easily grown and are so beautiful
fhe scarlet runner morning glory the pretty little
cypress vine and canary bird flower and the everbe
loved sweet pea. To fill the boxes we have host OF
ANIMALS to choose from To give list of all that are
pretty and desirable would greatly exceed your limits
and tastes and fancies differ much that to select
is difficult Mignonete, of course pinks if You like
larkspurs sunHowers dwarf. phlox and any bedding
plants that you for few standard roses In pots
are also easy TO cultivate With judcious selection
your miniature gardens will be gay until the frost kills
outdoor flowers and then you prepare for winter
Dig over the boxes and pun up the roots o. DEAD pants
hejDg careful not to disturb the perennias Plant
dozen good hyacnths fifty croeuses few )onqwis ana
8ftv snowdrops for early bloom next spring. When
.eSere frosts come half foot Of coarse manure
yr vonr boxes LAYING down under it, protection Your
hardv climbers or else mat them up carefully IN straw
In sneaking of her servasrts-a theme BY the way
uhch however haclneyed. is always interesting, for
tho simple reason that these necessary evils are part
and parcel of our daily Ife-hrs. A. has an amusing
Glory m tell of a fair Swedish maid she engaged ule
o,her day AS cook Her mistress, who is bit OF an
aesthetic and loves the beautiful in the Kitchen
dvet with much satisfaction upon the charms Oh her
goodIooking Hebe after she returned nome' uesoi1o
ing 10 her husband how we'll she would look among
the shining pots and pans in her Immaculate K'ohe'
eTbe girl looks exactly like Nilsson" she exclaimed
enthusiastically "and has the nguie VI d 'ulo'
really want you to see her."
The next day the ooachman was TO fetch the MAD
from the station and the wagon stopped before he
gate. Mr. A. rather curious to see his w1fe's rara
avis" sauntered out upon the veranda' heiio'
Amy ~ he called out "This fat old woman coming up
the walk cannot be your beauty" His wife looked
ont with puzzled uncertainty {" It surely isn't she
said and yet-H does look something like her face;
but It can't be. Why, this creature Is enormous j.
The great fat figure wadded up TO the back door ana
disappeared and fastening to the Kitchen she found
her new acquisition swollen 30 enormous proportions,
putting and blowing in a chair.
at is very hot ma'am," said the poor thing,
struggling with difficulty TO her feet as the mistress
came in And | always feel the heat so when
travel on account of my clothes. haven't any trunk,
you see ma'am, and always like 10 have my things
with me- so l put them all on" And 1is explained
the mystery; she literally swathcd in garments
no less than dresses, Jacket shawl, and no
one knows what else besides. " And II saves my
money, too said the thrifty darnsel as Mrs A ex-
claimed in establishment
This is the month Of the eldoriOwer. All over the
land tbs meadows are beautiful with natural hedges OF
these bushes filed with the wealth Of blossoms. spread
out in creamy cymes No native bush is more beautiful
than this The eldernower naturally reminds Of
elderaower wine delightful old preparation which is
mere Of a beer than wine and in which English house
wives have always taken special pride. 1t will be re
Numbered that the L" Laird o Cockpcn" was so I'M
fortunate in his woong to arrive al time