Show WITH THE FLOWERS by 12 EVAN VAN benthuysen dont be too anxious to sow flower dower seeds for next summers growth until you have studied what you want to auve in your garden and how you are to obtain tho the best results if ac you contemplate having a flower garden next summer see sea to it that you reserve a place for some of tile tho old fashioned lash toned lowers flowers oftentimes a bouquet of these will biln bring g more tinder lender memories ine morles to your friends and awaken more of their gratitude for you than any amount of the newer varieties february Is a good month in which to start the cutting of geraniums and verbenas verbenah ver benas cuttings of verbenas verbenah ver benas started now will root in about ten days always remember that tall plants like hollyhocks castor beans ers and cosmos are best tor for backgrounds protecting plants from cold drafts about windows Is a matter of much importance in case of severe winter weather a certain amount of cold can la be warded off by placing over them cones made of paper plants will seldom do well where gas and dust abound proper regulation of the heating beating apparatus will generally eliminate the former and regular spraying or sponging of tho the foliage of oc the latter in doing this the under side of the leaves should be looked after tor for it Is there that insects first make their appearance pe arance and unless checked by spraying they will soon spread such house plants as geraniums be gonias petunias pet unias azaleas fuchsias fuchsius fuch sias he be lio tropes snapdragons and the like do best if not watered too often during durin the winter but when it is done the soil sell should be ba thoroughly soaked and the temperature of the room kept a little higher tor for a few hours thereafter the best time to water these Is in th the a morning and on a sunny day for starting early flowers sow the seed in shallow boxes and plan to transplant the plants at least twice before they are placed in the open ground in order to have them do well it Is also essential to put them where the Is lower after each transplanting in this way they will be hardened off and made more ready for setting out in the open ground considering the small amount of caro care it requires there Is no flower more satisfactory and beautiful than the dahlia dahl li such hardy bulbs as hyacinths tulips lilies crown imperials imperiali Impe rials phlox irises ond and the liko do better as a rule if allowed to remain undisturbed in the ground tor for years it if you have any cold frame plants such euch as violets roses and carnations dont fall fail to expose them more and more to air tor for gradual hardening off before planting try growing geraniums this year next to cannas they will give more vatis satisfaction faction tor for the trouble expended than almost any an other flower mentionable be sure cure to get those however adapted far ayr growing in beds i when our easter lilies get through I 1 flo looming floodine water them until the leaves begin to fade then withold water until the tops die when that occurs you can put the pots in the cellared cellar omd leavo leave them there until autumn gladiolus bulb lets will blot blossom sorn a year earlier it if peeled before planting belna dry the husk requires a long time to soak up so the new growth can penol penot rate ritte it but it if it is removed growth starts at once for a delight all summer few vines aro are better to grow than the madeira and the columbian climber their foliage Is of a very rich glossy green and the delicate white flowers or rich clusters of the madeira vine are not only abundant but deliciously fragrant doth both vines are easy to grow and in a fairly good soil boll will attain a height of 20 or 25 feet although the asparagus spreng erl eri produces only tiny flowers its foliage Is so BO glorious so green and restful to tile the eye that it Is a plant much to be desired not requiring a great amount of sun it can be placed back of other plants and it if somewhat above them its rich beauty will willace act as a charming foil fell it Is doubtful it if there Is any other one thing in the culture of house plants so little understood as the proper application of moisture generally the best way to determine when a plant needs water Is to take a pinch of the soil and rub it between the thumb and first finger it if dry enough to become powdery water should be applied but it it Is still so damp as to hold bold between the fingers no more water will be needed tor for a time lilies of course are an exception to this rule and in Ini fact almost all kinds ok ot bulbs pansies are a desirable flower to have and a five cent package will bo be sufficient for one ordinarily to grow they want to be started indoors in a box full of rich soli soil and kept in a slightly shaded place the dirt should be damp all the time to insure which it needs frequent watering and when the pansies are planted out it Is better on this account to have the bed on the north side ol of the house V there it if given a little care they can be bd made to bloom till frost comes in the tall fall |