The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-04-27
VOLUME XLVI.
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
By J. L. POWER

NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVEN
By ]. L. POWER.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

preparing for their annual flower
shows, while others are getting ready
TO make their first attempt in this line.
Still others are preparing at this early
date for the great autumn Chrysanthe-
mum shows, for which few of our
towns are famous.
This is as it should be, except that
these pleasant affairs should not be
confined to few towns, but every
town, and even country neighborhoods,
In Mississippi should have at least one
flower show each year. There is no
section more abundantly blessed than
ours in the requisites-soil and climate
for the perfect cultivation Of flowers,
but there are few sections, even in cold
and barren regions, where so little at
tention is given to horticulture. Per-
haps one reason for this is that Nature
has done SO much that we expect it to
do all. With the wonderful plant life
of our State luxuriating as it does, with
climate that develops and soil that
nourishes almost anything given to its
care. and with swamp land and hill
sections literally overrun with their
burdens and beauty of fragrance, there
is absolutely no reason why Mississippi
should be one step behind any other in
the successful cultivation of flowers.
So many of our women are seeking
new ways of winning bread, so many
are treading the rough, unaccustomed
paths of independence" (?) in strange
lands, strangers, when right at their
doors broad, fertile acres stretch out
on every side, actually hungering for
the privilege of adding to the family
exchequer by the floral wealth they
could bear.
In New York hundreds of women are
Independent from the sale Of violets;
others are growing rich from their rose
gardens, and others still, as general
florists, are employing armies of work.
men Tor work-womeu), and making
comfortable incomes. In our own State,
to come back to the few who have cour-
age to make the venture and energy to
keep everlastingly at it, in season and
out of season, there are several ladles
in and near Bonneville who have built
up fine regulations, and who make
good incomes with their specialties in
the chrysanthemum and rose lines.
Natchez also has a small violet farm
not far from it's historic boundaries.
There is lady near Fayette, by the
way, whose violets - superb double
white-grow in greatest luxury and
beauty, and would bring almost their
weight in silver on the Chicago market.
Natchez, Hazlehurst and Crystal
Springs have been holding flower shows
for years, and the result, in quicSened
interest, careful cultivation and beauti-
full gardens and homes, has been of
great benefit to these towns, as well as
an ever increasing pleasure to the
ladies.
With so fine a horticultural depart
ment as the A. e. NJ. College possesses,
where everything that grows in Mis-
sissippi is to be had, with instructions
for it's cultivation, there is no excuse
for any further lack of interest in this
matter on the part of our people.
Every tree and plant that grows adds
to the beauty Of the garden; every
pretty garden is so much gain to the
town, and when every town begins to
plant forest trees instead of the ragged
"china berry," and to cultivate neat
gardens, in place of bare, neglected
yards. Mississippi will not need to beg
desirable people to come down here to
live. They will come any how, and be
glad of the chance.
In these beautiful spring days when
nature tempts old and young alike out
into the fields and woods, parents and
nurses should be most careful of the
little folk who so delight to run about
and gather for themselves the floral
wealth that lies about them. 1t was
only few days ago that the little year
old son of Mrs. w. A. Colley, of ViclSs
burg, died from eating handful OF
wild violets. These flowers, innocent
and beautiful though they seem, are
deadly poison. The same is true of the
exquisite yellow jasmine.
Mississippi Knights Templar, and
their ladies, who expect to attend the
Grand Encampment Knights Templai
at Louisville in August next should
communicate without delay with Hon
Z. N. Thomas, chairman committee
Grand Commandery of Mississippi The
committee has leased a large and nicely
furnished residence, and can entertain
sixty to seventy-five at $500 per day.
The indications are that there will b'
fully two hundred Templars from Mis-
sissippi at the grand conclave.
The State Historical Society held
what was undoubtedly the most inter
esting meeting of the series of annua
meetings, in Meridian last week Th'
eapers, which were of genuine literary
and historic value, will be published il
book form.