The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-08-30
SOME OF AUNT MARY'S EN-
PERI nj ENTS.

"iohS. IL your plantS uTc uolilS Woii
ito not try experiments unless on
plants you arc willing to lose
One of my kcencst delights was to
visit my Aunt Mary at some time dur
ing the summer. had done 80 for
many years past, and / returned to
the city only TO look forward to the
time when | should again find myself
under her humble but comfortable
roof. One summer came upon her
partly unawarcs and found her in Il de-
jccted mood. | was surprised at tins
Aunt Mary was usually 30 happy.
"Why, Aunt Mary" could not
help crying out, "yOu look troubled.
What Is the matter ?'
Before she answered | had to sit
down and have glass of milk and Il
doughnut. You may bavc had milk
like that, but Il doughnut-nevcr. |
defy anyone to produce a doughnut
that will equal one of Aunt Mary's.
They arc par excellence. After had
partaken Of the simple repast Aunt
Mary led the way out into the garden.
| followed mcckly. Coming to Il wire
flower stand, she halted, pointing Il
trembling finger at what stood upon it.
"Did you ever 2" she asked
! had to acknow ledge that "ncvcr."
"Ef ! wasn't so all-iircd foolish il
never would a. happcrcd," she began
to explain. "l'm always IN fur any
kind Of improvements, you know. 1t
was through me that they drilled fur
gas and found it. They've all been
thankin' me ever since fur the comfort
it's gwen them. Wen, my plants were
doin' nicely, they looked thrifty, and
they blossomcd. John started to take
one o. them city ncwspapcr--onc o.
them that's got 'Womcn's Pages
Chlldrcn's Pages 'IlouschoId Pages,
and 'Floral HINTS 1t was 'Floral Hints
that done it. read 'cm all | started
to do 'Gm. done 'em. There's the
result -
We both stood looking in silence.
"lCs my ldee," she went on, "that
them that writes floral hints fur city
newspapers never saw no flowers al
all and don't know a Carnaton from
a Rose. Maybe it's them that swccr
the floors and clean out the spiltoons
as docs the floral hints when they have
a. lew spare lnlIuICS.
"But Why did you do what they
wrote Il person ought to do 2" asked
"Surcly no one knows better than you
how to take care OF plants. Yours al.
ways look thrifty, they arc always
blOSSOming.
"l'm great fur experiments, you
know" she rambled ON. cit was
queer things they told person TO do
but | did 'cm, fool that | was"
"Iou take the Mayllowcr. Aunt
Mary, cont you p | asked. "That's
a reliable publication"
"Oh yes, take that" she replied
"But John says newspapers are up-to-
datcr.n
When l looked at the flower stand |
thought they were "up-to- -datcst.''
Aunt Mary didn't say anything for
some time, so | walked up to the
stand and, touching a tall plant that
had but one leaf at It's summit, ! ask
ed
"And is this your beautiful Rubber
plant?n
"That's it," Aunt Mary answered,
"' 'For worms in the soil,'n she con-
tinucd, quoting from the "Floral
Hints" she had read, ''make a strong
solution OF baking soda and water
Apply twice a week. The worms will
come Kissing TO the surface, wrlthr
ami then die in great agony, uftcl
which they may be gathered up and
thrown away"
Aunt Mary folded her arms and
looked askance at the Rubber plant.
81 didn't gather up no Worms,n she
went on, "but | ohd gather up leaves.
And now there's only one more tc
gather up. 1t looks rs If it wanted tC
be gathered right away" and she touch.
ell it lovingly.
My eyes next rested upon another
plant that was us bad OF as the Rubber
plant just mentioned. "Surcly this is
not your Coral Bcgonla ?" asked.
"'A Cora! Bcgonia will bloom more
ircely,'' she fell TO quoting again
"if little cayenne pepper is put into
the water with which 1t is watered
This also has tendency to make the
blossom more brilliant IN hue"
felt like laughing, but the look on
Aunt Mary'S face prevented me.
"Maybc it would make the flowers
more brilliant,' she said sadly, "but
l'll never find this out. It's past
lowering"
"You had such q beautiful Palm.
Where is that 20 next asked.
"It got scale on" she said. 81
thing that was better. don't rcmcm.
1 "a