The times., 1899-04-09

me about six months before the doctors
said that must give up my school. 1
didn't object but for the fact that it was
my only means of support.
I'VE talked the matter over, my mother
and /, and determined to try living on the
farm for one year, as it would save rent,
and perhaps at the end of that time /
would be well enough to go back to my
teaching.
You have no idea what a desolate-
looking place it was when we moved in,
about the middle of January The house
was in ruins. The place had been occupied
for several years by negroes, who lived in
the kitchen, and everywhere you looked
the fields were stretches of white sand
ITO make long story short we bought
mule-we couldn't afford horse-and
made preparations for a vegetable garden.
| never saw anything like the bulbs turned
up by the plow in that garden. My mother
went wild about them. She would not
have single one thrown away but insist
ed on planting them all. So by the first
OF February half of the garden was green
with sprouting bulbous roots and my
mother, in her element, trying to decide
the different varieties.
After few days we discovered the same
green heads popping up all over the front
and back yards and in the horse lot. Then
CHANGED to walk through the fields and
discovered them in several old washes. OF
course We knew they were only jonquils,
buttercups, lilies and few other roots
equally as valueless, and plentiful in the
neighborhood. But my mother has a pas
sion for flowers. and it gave US much
pleasure watching them grow and blossom,
and the place was indeed glorified when
they bloomed.
Looking over seed catalogues, l began
to notice the prices of bulbs. varieties that
we trod upon every time we stepped out
OF our door. Then / sent on samples to
several seed houses, and asked what they
would pay for such bulbs. Two northern
firms wrote making me offers, and asking
how many dozens l could furnish You
don't know how We laughed over those let
ters, The idea of counting those bulbs
by the dozen / wrote l could furnish them
by the bushel, the barrel, the hundred
weight and would guarantee everyone.
Il received orders from both firms, and
when the tops of the plants died down |
had them carefully gathered. My mother
and / sorted and boxed them for shipment
prepare for another crop. OF course, when
our checks came, and orders to be filled
the next year, We were elated. My health
too, was restored | wrote Immediately to
other seed houses. soliciting orders for an
other year, and also asked my friends for
began TO look upon the two firms, who
first ordered of us as friends, IL they could
make suggestions as to newer or more pop-
ular bulbs for growing. They not only
made suggestions, but supplied us with a
sufficient number to begin.
You see my farm? All the hills are
terraced, the fence corners are free from
weeds, and between my crop of bulbs 1
have corn, watermelons, etc You know
it is not well to grow two bulb crops In
succession on the same land. / fertilize
haevily but never with commercial fer
tilizers-always with a compost of cotton
seed, the refuse from stables and COW lots
Such fertilizers keep the bulbs warm. and
in loamy land. like this is il is not so
easily washed out.
"Of course l plant the different yarie-
ties at different times, but cultivate them
all alike. | use the plow, and for that
reason the rows have to be rather far
apart, but otherwise they grow and bios
som pretty much as they did in our gar
den.
so far l have had the greatest de-
mand for the double jonquil the Bermuda
lily, and several varieties of gladiolus. but
| try always to plant according to my or
ders, leaving good margin in case of ac-
cidents AS a result | always have a good
surplus which, up TO the present, | have
always managed to get good prices for
No, have never had poor crop. and /
can see no reason why l should antici-
pate one. Bulbs come at a season when
rain is plentiful. our winters are never
severe enough TO kill them. although they
are often nipped and have to make more
than one effort TO hold their heads up
~ have never tried selling the bios
SONS. For some reason / have an sntip-
athy to ii, just as | would about selling
water or fresh air.
My mother is interested in producing
new varieties, and busies herself making
all sorts of experiments. She fancies it
will make me famous but as my health is
good make comfortable living and
like my work. am not bit anxious for
fame"