The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1899-12-08
FRAGRANT FLOWERS


NHuNNUu
given herewith Ed
don't think we fully appreciate beau
tiful flowers when we have them 10
abundance and constantly with us, 1
did not realize how essential they we're
to my pleasure till we came 10 this land
Of lofty mountsins, vast, drsary, monoto.
nous plains, cactus and rsttlesnakes;
even bunch Of the despised dog-fennel
would have appeared beautiful My
eyes we're aweary fer a sight Of the home
trees, green grass and, above all, bunch
Of fragrant. beautiful flowers
The Wind and weather Of that part Of
New Mexico being uufaverable 70 out
door cultivation Of flowers, ] soon had
my windows full of geraniums, the plant
OF all others that ia the comfort OF the
busy house wife, that grows aud blooms
In spite Of heat aud dust, 40 oversupply
Of water or lack Of moisture
About this time the flower catalogues
began to dnd their way to our home
They Wbfe fascinating and deluding |
was possessed OF a desire TO own and
grow everything, and had bay window
put on to that old adobe house, the
sight Of which was never ending
source Of amusement and jest to the
cowboys. Bat they always found their
way inside to admire the plants aud ere
many months passed. one cold, snowy,
dismal Thanksgiving day--One Of those
cowboys closed his eyes Ia that last long
sleep, and his narrow bed was covered
with flowers from the window that be
had laughed at and iested about.
When We came to this land Of sun
shine, favored with chico and alkali, we
had it all to learn over, aEd the same
old teacher, Experience" was director,
for conditions were in every way differ
ent; aud our fret efforts were much like
the little boys who wrote, "Ihis morning
took up fora culture, noon planted a
seed, evening dug it up to see il it had
grown" / planned and laid out a gar.
deu the designs Of which would have
been the envy OF a professional planted
the seed and turned on the water, and
tho designs and seed went out together,
aud that summer I had three plants, a
double sunhower. a saffron and one
pappy--and by the way, that ia the only
poppy have ever been able to grow.
The next spring the echoes of the
sweet pea fad reached US and we made
over that flower bed with new soil from
tho hills, sand from the arroya and ma
nure from the COW corral, mixed all
thoroughly, plowed trench six inches
deep FOR peas, planted them six inches
apart, covered them two inches, kept
them damp till they began to grow; and
as they grew drew dirt to them till they
were banked up about six inches, and
Watored thSm once week throughout
the season and put in all my spare mo
ments and all the resting time OF the
family cutting blossoms, giving 20
frieuds sll they cared tQ have, thEowiDg
away hundreds ol them, and then, not
being able to keep them from forming
seed pods, just left to their fato, which is
to quit blooming when you quit cutting
them.
Rnd that all hardy annuals do we'll.
Petumas fringed double and single do
we'll and are no trouble to grow; the
single ones seeding themselves and con-
ing up every spring till they become a
puisance in the garden. Verbenas uOed
to be planted only once, and You have q
supply Of plants every spring from self
Gown seed. Zinniae, double ard single,
marigolds, corn flowers and in fact all
the old fashioned flowers that our grand
mothers cultivated do we'll with little
attention.
/ find it advisable to plant all seeds in
boxes in the house, for two reasone-it is
hard to get seeds to germinate out of
doors. and they come in bloom earlier
when transplanted to the open ground
about the middle Of May. But if one
has but little time to devote to flowers,
/ should advise the planting OF sweet
peas alone; they are less trouble than any
other; are OF greater variety OF colors,
are mere fragrant and are not injured
by late spring froets or early fall freez-
ing, They can be planted in February,
and will begin to blossom in June and
continue to grow and blossom till No
vembeF il you do nOtgive them too much
water and will keep the blossoms cut
and not allow any to form seed
And what Joy they arel Oleudy DAYS
and clear days, wash days and bake
days. they 20 on growing and blooming
aud call tO tue tired home maker 10
come cut to see them, gather them.
share them with friends, send them 10
cheer the sick, comfort the Borrowing
deck the bride, adorn the sanctuary
to shrOud the forms OF our loved ones
who have gone before and to lead our
thoughts to the Kind Father who has
piyon us all these beautiful things to
Snioy and make US forget for a time the
old monotOuous griad Of every day
duties.
And yo husbands who have wives with
poppery ,tempers, do you know what q
safety valve a garden inay beeomel just
set aside q small plot near the house,
make il very rich 30 weeds will grow
thick and fast; plant flower seeds and
have a light hoe made sharper than an
angry wife's tongue, and wait for the
day when the stove smokes, the bread
will not bake, the children cry, the
household machinery refuses to be
Goaxed into order and the nerves are all
iD Jingle. Then see that frantic woman
toss down dish cloth and rush for the
flower garden, hoe In hand, to slay those
weeds and get rid Of all that surplus
energy; It is better than to have her
tongue staying the home peace, AMI
flowers will not protest agaiRst such
treatment II the wife declines to use
the hoe, the garden might bo a safe re-
treat for YOU, while she 10 pouring oil on
the troubled waters" and trying to ad-
iuet things Tired mothers and wives
and hOmekeepera, plant and cultivate
hoMers and be brighter, better aud
happier
Ord. Q. Norton, territorial ysterina.