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Show I (From " Vick's Floral Guide") IMPROVEMENTS. A few years iince the lop cabin with its well-sweep, well-sweep, and rail fence and bars, and its yard covered cov-ered with wood and chips, were seen "on almost every country road. We have nothing: to say against log cabins. They were proper for a new and wooded country, and sometimes picturesque a necessity and a blessing:. Many noble men have commenced life in log- cabins, but we observe that thcydid not stay in them longer than necessary. But in the settled country the log; cabin has gone, never to return. A few, however, outlive their day and usefulness, and put on a thriftless aspect, generally characteristic of their present owners. s Their places were soon occupied by little wooden j box-like cottR5.es. usually painted white with in- tense green blinds. The yard was cleared of chips E and surrounded with a neat fence, a straight walk . leading from the street to the front door, while a few beds, bordered with shulls or sj$)ues, contain ed Poppies, Hachelor's Buttons, Grass Pinks and ', " Swest Williams. Ho lyhocks and Lillk's added both beauty and fragrance to the little home garden. gar-den. A narrow border in the background contnin- Icd Thyme, and Sage, and Summer Savory, and similar treasures for the good woman's culinary uses, while a patch of Tansy and Peppermint were sometimes grown for the good man's bitters. These too. are fast passing away. The old houses which were considered so nice and grand, and which tle carpenters made somewhat in the similitude of packing boxes, but which sheltered much of beautiful home life and were olten brim full of happiness, became old, or too smal , or too plain, and with the aid of architects and buiiderg, new houses arc befng erected, with handsome chimneys and pointed gables and curious porches syul strange windows that one might almost think cmcnated from fairy land. With new houses come changes and improvements in the garden. The old ilowers and ilnwer beds are no more ; the ' front yard" has become a lawn, and instead of flowers a few weeks in the year, there are now beds of unbroken un-broken beauty from carlv Sorinir until the Frost IHK King lays his cold hand upon leaf and flower. The change has done much to make people bet-B bet-B ter, healthier and happier ; but its happiest effects are with the women and children, affording health-ful health-ful recreation and ennobling amusement. Some of the men, we fear, are enjoying blessings they H neither appreciate nor deserve. We have heard of a few rare cases left who try to show their man-hood man-hood by contempt of beauty. They are, however, B remnants of a race almost extinct. Men of brains B are helpers in the good work, and nobly aid the B weaker and wiser ones in makinghomes of beauty. B Nothing has afforded us more pleasure than the demands we are constantly receiving from Teach crs for suggestions for the improvement of School houses and their surroundings. Many Teachers obtain Flower Seeds that they distribute among B the Schollars who take' pleasure in theit culture, and little prizes are often awarded to the most successful. In some caces we have allowed Tcach-crs Tcach-crs to offer a year's subscription to our Magazine B for a prize, and shall be happy to do so in many more cases. This has transformed many an unsightly un-sightly box of a srchcel Into a pretty rural neet as B mc J' we have tried to show in the engraving. (See cuts.). By a little labor the children can make rea pictures of the old weather-beaten school houses, and will take an interest in the work, if encouraged to do so. The hoys will make a rustic porch over the door .which maj- soon be covered with vines. The girls will make hanging-baskcts for the windows and plant ferns on the cool shady side of the building, and form flower beds in the sunshine. Children will learn all the better with these fair Hiings about them, and acquire taste and refinement which will sweeten and beatif all their lives, the result of which, in the great future, j no philosopher is wise enough to tell. |