The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-10

was surprised and none showed greater consternation that the Lord of the place said Mrs. Estes, laughingly. Not hav- ing but 1900 acres of land the thought occurred to him that there might not be | room enough for my flowers and his farm. l relieved the situation by explaining that the flowers were to be planted very close together-massed close against the house, and three large beds, besides, was the way l finally arranged it. This ex- planation cheered him up. and afterwards he always referred to them as our flow CTS. Having the soil already well pre- pared and highly fertlized, we soon had everything in the ground. In very short time 1t was plainly evident that those 1 flowers were running mad race. By the middle of August the Virginia creeper was entirely across the front porch, and was I peepng down the chimney on the east side of the house. It was planted at in- tervals of 10 feet across the porches. l What joy it must have been to have i such beautiful surroundings in what had formerly been a most barren waste?" Fl 1 suggested.
 'It really was" Mrs. Estes declnred
 and when the springtime came it was even more beautiful and satisfactory than ever. The fishing season came at the time and after an enjoyable day of that sort of recreation would come home each l day and gather plentifully from my gar den, One day it would be yellow jasmine and azaieas, another mountain laurel and later in the spring ferns, and still 1 later beautiful wild lilies Shoal Creek i ran through our place for several mics and the banks were lined on each side with flowers and shurhs of innumerable varieties and these l enjoyed very much, too. The knowledge, when I began my garden that our stay in the country was not permanent might have somev hat abated my interest except for the never failing delight of watching things grow My residence at Folly farm was my first experience in living where there were no i large trees to shade my flowers. Passers- b% who had been accustomed to it see nothing but a low, broad unattractiVe 1 farm house. stopped 10 take a second lock to be sure their eyes were not de- l ceiving them'
 And after once planting the annuals you felt sure they would be there each year, and the passerby would not be dis sppo'nted,H l remarked.
 l "Annuals, such as nasturtums, cosmos zenias and marigolds are always satis- 1 Factory. To brighten any beds while the other flowers were getting start
 bought dozens of the young plants of 1 salvias and petunias'' said Mrs Estes 1 And your method of keeping up your
 flower garden? l inquired.
 Was done entirely by unskilled labor lYou might say was the answer The farm hands prepared the soil. After the plants
 were put out my servants and | did the cultivatins. l might add that the ex- jpense of my garden was merely nominal. though, Of course, I will admit that by fortuitous circumstances 1 obtained the most of my plants"
 And the social side of the flower
 garden" l suggested
 There is large modieum of social sue
 cess in the flower garden I assure YOU. LfEfA
 gan until my standing among my neigh
 bors went up many degrees. The flow
 CTS did 1t all. That a trifling woman
 who did not even cook her own food would
 actually get out and grub and hoe and
 work like a Troian-was beyond their comprehension. Finally before our re-
 turn to town, If I prudently provided
 such refreshments in advance. as peanuts
 and teacakes, 1 was permitted to read
 Bible stories to the small children. and
 10 teach them something of reading and
 sewing"