Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-04-23

Flower beds on school grounds give SC
much pleasure for a little effort that labor
is almost lost sight of, Even the youngest
pupil can aid in their preparation AND
care; little fingers are often more deft and
skllltul than larger ones.
| have selected list of six different
| flowers as most suitable and desirable ha.
cause easy of cultivation. and thew viii
give better returns for the labor and care
man many others. They are pansies,
yvefoenas, asters dwarf varieties, nastur
nuns tdwarf varieties m;saonetis and
sweet peas. II you buy one mixed pack.
age OF each kind, they will afford ali the
pants you will have time to prepare beds
Tor and take care Of this year, and the SLY
packages will only cost Fifty cents. AnS
reliable dealer will furnish them TO Won
put you VIII secure better results if YOU
guy them OF some one who makes a speci-
ATTY OF growing the flower seeds he sells.
Order the seeds early that you may have
them in time.
In selecting the place for the beds you
VIII be governed by the arrangement of
your grounds. No flowers will do we'll
with entire shade nor very near trees,
GU can have them near the school house,
but not 50 near that the rain drip
ping from the roof will iuiure the beds by
washing out the SOIL Make the beds mar
row and long rather than square, that
they may be more easily cared for. You
VIII need something to enclose them or
the, edges will be worn away by the rain
and the care. Pick up the stones you have
used for your play-houses and place them
close together, side by side, making bed
tor each kind you are to SOW, about four
feet long and eighteen inches wide. If
you nave no stones you can make very
pretty beds by simply cutting out the sod
Just the elze wanted for the bed. Either
Is prettier than beds formed with boards
and Is more durable. Sod is not good for
the sides because the grass will soon
encroach upon the plants. If you use the
stones and sod must be carefully cut out.
The beds must be filed with good mellow
soil If your school-house is near the
woods the older boys can borrow wheel
barrow and spade and wheel three or fou.
loads of leaf mold to fill them. If you
orc not near enough to get the leaf mold
you can cut the sod out near the roadside
and take the soil from there, 1t will not
be quite as good as the leaf mold and will
require little more work to prepare it
for the seeds, because it will have to be
fine and perfectly free from Jumps. This
year you will probably have to borrow
tools to work with, but, If you are careful
of them, and interested in your flowers,
think 1t will be easy to secure a rake and
three or four hand weeders next year.
Make the beds smooth and level 1t is
better to SOW the pansy seeds in the bed on
the east side of the sChoo-house. They
like light, but not too much sun; the seeds
must be very lightly covered and never al.
lowed to get dry after sowing, because the
tiny germ is SO delicate that it will die if
the soil gets dry.
You will have nicer flowers if your'plants
are six or eight inches apart; if they come
up too thickly you can easily transplant
them. Keep the soil well stirred and free
from weeds, and, probably before the spring
term closes you will be rewarded by seeing
the little buds, that look like poke bonnets,
appear, and the queer little faces will look
up into yours as though thanking you for
giving them a chance to grow
The sweet peas will come up sooner if
soaked in a dish of water for a few hours
before sowing. Put them in the ground
about six inches deep, one row on each side
Of the bed. They will stand up better If
covered deeply, You will need a support
for them, and you can make it as soon as
they come up, and when they put out their
little tendrils their hands, there will be
something for them to cling to. Get four
l1t4E lnF74 fory~
feet long; drive one down about four inches
in each corner of the bed; get a stout piece
IF cord and tie to the tops Of the sticks,
enRthways, then drive down small sticks,
i've or six inches in length near the plants,
.ying Irvine on the top Of the sticks and
% the stout cork. This viii make a cheap
support for the vines, and is something you
IAN make yourselves.
Nasturtium seeds ought to be sowed about
,ne inch deep. They will do wei! on poor
'ocky soil. The other seeds must be sowed
md cared for much the same as thu pam
Ties, except that they must be sowed a lit
lie deeper.
You may not have many flowers before
he spring term closes but if you take
good care Of them you will have fine, heal
ny plants that will give you a great many
lowers all through the fall term. The par
hes will blossom until the ground freezes,
md, if cut back in the spring, will, give
,ou flowers all through the spring term.
You will need to appoint committee TO
1--WE the plants little care thIcC5n the
ummer vacation.
There are other varieties Of flowers that
bloom earlier in the season, but they are
lot so desirable for cut flowers as the cnes
have recommended; with those you will
iaqe enough plants to afford bouquet ey-
~ day.
IL you could make a I'd on the north
lde Of the schooD-house tor ferns, or under
he shade of some tree, 20 collection
would be quite complete.
MAGNETIC ANOMALY.