Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-03
HOUSEHOLD JOYS.
The Decoration Value of Different
Flowers and Their Culture.

me decoration Value of Different
Flowers and Their Culture.
Written for The Evening Star y
To those who have but limited space ana
time to give to the culture of flowers ia =.
well to know how to choose those varieties
that yield the best results with the least
labor. 1t has grown to be an almost mi
versal custom to employ floral decoration
at every meal. even in the painest house
holds, and thus to feed the eye with beauty
as We take our daily bread. 1t is an evil
dence of the growing refinement of the
people and ought to be fostered by precept
and example. The smallest yard and a few
sunny windows can be made a depot of
supplies throughout all the seasons with a
very small expenditure of time and, money,
and the pleasure derived from personal
efforts in cultivating flowers, is much
greater than that derived by a mere pur-
chaser. Bought flowers are like adoptai
children. They are simply better than
none.
There is great difference in the keeping
quality of flowers when cut, and in the
small garden this trait should be chiefly
considered. The first on the list that live
the longest when cut are the chrysantha-
NUNS and next the cosmos. The plants of
each when once established are a perpet-
! ual Inheritance. The needs of chrysan the
NUNS are annual enrichment, and the
cosmos will SOW it's own seed. Next the
carnations withstand the tooth of time
with great fortitude. All of the family Of
| Jonquil and narcissus are famous for LON
gevity, and when once established IN the
| garden will take care of their own poster
| ity. All the lily tribe are fine keepers. SO
| are the begoRias. Scarlet geranium is a
| useful decorator. but scarlet sage has no
| value off the Lawn. Heliotrope is only for
| a day. The hyacinth lasts long, but it is
| too heavy a perfume fer the house. For
| foliage the asparagus is almost immortal.
| 1t will outlive any flower, and 1t is by far
the prettiest green decoration every
| ones command. The smilax lasts long, but
| is of a more tender growth. For winter the
| violet leads the van. We shelter ours IN
| the garden, with a sash leaning against
| the south side of the fence, and secured to
| the fence by two leather straps. Above the
| sash is a piece of mating for the extreme
| cold days. They are held back on mild
| days by hook and staple.
| When the mercury begins to fall Ii is q
| moments work to drop them over the violet
bed. The kinds that give the most con
slant bloom are the North Carolina white
and the English hardy blue violets. and we
prefer to bring them in the house In clunr
| of bloom, sending them back to their chilly
bed when they have served their time in
the dining room. The holly tree branches
! last q long time in water; SO does the haw
| thorn, and branches of rhododendron. whose
buds are formed in the autumn will burs
| into bloom if put in a sunny window and
well nourished with ammoniated water.
! wafer ana N IN MONA.
| Flowers soon exhaust the water. The am
monia is an antidote to ferment and to mi
crobes, which. in warm room, become
poison to plants. Branches of the hardy
ivy and princess pine, secured in bottles an(
the bottles concealed in the folds of a cur
tain, will trail and grow about a window IL
a charming way. Concealed behind a pic
ture, the vines of sweet potato will com,
out to the light The bottles should be wei
corked and the stem passing through moi
| in the cork to the ammoniated water an,
| changed once a fortnight. Roses are shor
lived but by covering a bowl of them will
wet tissue paper at night their beauty /
prolonged. A sunny window in a cool room
is the place for winter flowers to grow, bu
by selecting low-growing plants and cover
ing them with glass cake covers such a
the confectiOnerS use, they thrive anywher
in the house. Go to the woods upon an,
fair day, remove the fallen leaves and brin
home what young plants you will find wait
ing for the call of spring-partridge berry
hepatica, blood roots, spring beauty, ferns
trailing arbutus; plant them in moss, whic
you will also take up with the soil Pu
them on a round dish, a meat platter
and cover with a glass dish If you hav
nothing better. invert glass finger bowls o
lamp shades from the chandelier, covere
with a pane of glass. Watch the quiC
/ growth and bloom developed by the warmt
: and moisture under the glass. One ca
have a miniature green house if he has q
command an old glass showcase. 1t sc
cures clean, moist atmosphere for tn
plants. They do not dry out and disarpoin
you. They thrive, and when you raise N
Id breath from paradise win salute yo
like benediction. S. 2. o.