, 1899-02-14
THE WOMAN'S CLUB.
LECTURE ON DECORATIVE
PLANTS GIVEN BY PROF.
B. c. BUFFUM.
Hints on Plants and Planting for Lara
mie-Interesting Lecture at Meet
ing Of the Woman's Club When the
Qeustion what Can We Best Do
For Laramie" Was Taken Up.

we uhNl w.
AT a meeting of the Woman's club
held recently, the Domestic Science de-
partment entertained the members by
addresses and papers on the subject
What Can We Best Do for Laramie. II
An interesting meeting was held and
a large number of members, including
some invited guests, were present. In
view of the Importance of the subject
The Republican publishes herewith a
review of the paper presented at this
meeting by B. c. Buffum, who is pro-
fessor of horticulture at the university
and who has given much attention to
this subject as relating to the beautify-
ing of the private grounds and streets
of Laramie. 1t is his earnest desire to
be enabled to assist in this matter and
he will be found accessible at all times
and most willing to aid persons who
are interested in the question of what
plants, shrubs and trees to plant and in
this climate and at this altitude this
is a matter requiring much experience
and considerable expense and time to
successfully grow decorative plants
and trees. The Professor said in part:
Whether a garden be a single plant
in an oyster can or whether it be an
elaborate estate it should mean some
thing and the central meaning should
be home. If you have selected the
under your care, either change your
method of treating 1T or cast it out and
transfer your affections to one which
will respond in some measure to the
loving attention you give it.
Things are permissible in public
park l~andscaping which would not
look well in the home grounds. The
public park is for recreation and dis
play, and while the general features
should be espied from nature, the for
NAL flower beds cut into the lawn and
filled the gorgeous color, the carpet
beds or the architectural flower pieces
may be fearfuliy AUTOMATICALLY made
but when looking at them the mind
rises no higher than the individual OBJ
ject. In he home grounds the aim
should be to paint a single picture and
any incongruous or striking object gov
en- a prominent position, detracts from
the harmony and unity of the whole
and is eminently u of place. | will
never insult my lawn by digging trees
or cutting out formal figures for flower
beds. and when ii comes to putting in
front of the house an evergreen or
shrub formed into a regular or
grotesque 2shape with the pruning
shears, one might as well place there
a nude statue and paint green. Brief
ly then, plant trees and shrubs in mass
es along the borders, having we'll de-
signed openings, through which may be
obtained passing glimpses of the out
side world. Plant flowers only in Dor
ders near shrubbery or along buildings
and fences.
True art must be directed by the soul
emotions of the individual creating it
and not by any set of rules. l have only
tried to present a few thoughts upon
the principles to be observed, but sup
pose you are looking for a message in
regard to the materials with which to
work. You have tried to grow various
trees, shrubs and flowers, perhaps with
results anything but encouraging. iour
naples, elms, lilacs and snowballs,
have taken on a w~oe-begone, homesick
Dahlias, chrysanthemums and cannas
daily along without blooming until
early frosts put an end to their miser-
able existence, and a multitude of other
tender plants look nervous and uncom-
Portable. Ruskin says, "a downright
fact may be told in a plain way" We
live hear the top of the Rocky noun
tains. Our annual mean temperature
is 40 degrees F., or ever less, placing us
In the Artic n Out of doors either
in the garden, yard of field we must
not expect to grow anything with
profit which will not stand two or three
degrees of frost. Attempts to grow any