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We t? ' ahfsadfjaefiajlfk MRS. CARRIE BELLE GABLE. HYMN TO THE FLOWERS. Day stars! that ope your frownless eyes to twinkle From rainbow galaxies of earth's creation, And dew-drops on her lonely altars sprinkle As a libation. Ye nation worshippers! who bending lowly Before the uprisen sun, God’s lidless eye, Throw from your chalices a sweet and holy Incense on high. Ye bright mosaics! that with storied beauty The floor of Nature’s temple tessellate, What numerous emblems of instructive duty Your forms create! ’Neath cloistered boughs, each floral bell that swingeth And tolls its perfume on the passing air, Makes Sabbath in the fields and ever ringeth A call to prayer. Not to the domes where crumbling arch and column Attest the feebleness of mortal hand, But to that fame, most catholic and solemn, Which God hath planned; To that cathedral, boundless as our wonder, Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply; Its choir the wind and waves, its organ thunder, Its dome the sky. There as in solitude and shade I wander Through the green asiles, dr stretched upon the sod, Awed by the silence, reverently ponder The ways of God. Your voiceless lips, O flowers'are living preach ers, Each cup t pulpit, every leaf a book, Supplying to my fancy numerous teachers From loneliest nook. Floral apostles! that in dewy splendor “ Weep without woe and blush without a crime,’ ’ O, may I deeply learn, aud never surrender • Your love sublime; “ Thou wert not Solomon, in all tSiy glory, Arrayed,” the lilies cry, “ in robes like ours ! How vain your grandeur! ah, how transitory Are human flowers!” In the sweet scented picture, heavenlv artist, With which thou paintest Nature’s "widespread hall, What a delightful lesson thou impartest Os love to all! Not useless are ye, flowers! though made for pleasure, Blooming o’er field atd wave, by day and night, From every source your sanction bids me treasure Harmless delight. Were I in'churcidess solitudes remaining, Far from all vol-.* of teachers and divines, My soul wou dflnl.in flowers of God’s ordaining, Priests, sermons, shrines. A CHAT ON HARDY BULBS. In purchasing hardy bulbs for spring flowers, this query forces itself upon one irresistably. “ How can I the finest display for the least money ?” in the first place, no ond need expect a bed of flowers, no matter how rare, to rep resent money value. If you expect a vis itor to glance at your tulip-bed, for instance, and calmly point out variety after variety, inquiring the name and price, you are greatly mistaken. Named bulbs, in par ticular, are a snare and delusion, because they are invariably from 3 to 5 times as expensive, and give you not a whit better flowers. Nine times out of ten, those who purchase named sorts, do not label them alter the first season, and consequently have a lot of unnamed bulbs the next spring, after all. Our advice is to buy mixed varieties of hardy bulbs, leaving the named sorts to cheapen in the hands of amatures and professional florists. Hy acinths are the most expensive bulbs we have, that is, the imported. Those grown in our own soils degenerate, and do not produce as fine spikes of flowers as those fresh from Holland; but still, for an out of door show, these degenerate ones are best after all. The coloring is brilliant, and the spikes are strong enough to stand erect in spite of the severest storm. Mixed hya cinths can be bought very reasonably now from any florist and will give satisfaction. Tulips are showy and cheap. Many named varieties can be bought for 5 cents each. They make a flue display, and blooming early as they do, we appreciate their brightness. The man who goes fishing and sits in a cramp-inviting posture on a narrow thwart from early morn till dewy evs and calls it fun, is the same chap that never goes to church becausq the pews arep’t cppjforta bla. WINTERING FLOWERS. This month we will be busy preparing a winter home for the floweres. We must see that the conservatory or the pit is cleaned and all broken glasses repaired by new ones. Then how safe we feel, when the frost king comes with his icy breath, to know our pits are well cared for. Keep all your old caipets and mats, so that when a snow storm or hard freeze is expect- i ed, you can cover your pit. Take care ' to place some weight at each end to keep | the heavy winds from blowing the cover- ; ing off; or you can lay boards over the sash. Never try to clean the snow off your 1 pit, as it is warm under the snow and it is : best to let it remain until the weather, moderates; then go at it after the sun gets warm and let as much sunshine in the pit as possible. Never allow the cold air io strike directly on the plants,—it.retards growth and is death to all blooms. If the water should rise in the pit, and not get too high, allow it to remain; it will not hurt your flowers, indeed it will prevent their freezing; should any flowers or plants get frozen, carry them into a very dark closet, I or a better plan, cover the the pit entirely, i keeping >t perfectly dark until all danger is over. This is what the florists call “ thaw ing in the dark.” I know from experience what a benefit it is. Should your callas freeze, plunge the leaves in cold water sev eral times, then return to the pit in the dark. TO MAKE GERANIUMS FLOWER IN WINTER. There is perhaps no plant better suited for prolonged flowering during the winter months than the Geranium, if handled in the following manner: Procure young plants of the varieties you wish, about, the middle of May. Put them in four-inch pots, this being the best to keep them in for the next four months. Use well-decay ed sod, adding about one-third cow manure. Mix thoroughly together; but do not make too fine, as the Geranium-delights in rather a rough compost. Place them in a shady i situation, first putting about four inches of ■ ashes under the pots. This will have the ' ! effect of keeping worms and other insects ; J out of the pots. Keep them on the dry side. as you do not, want to encourage growth.- Should any flowers appear, pinch off; also the leading shoots, to keep them in shape. Toward the end ot September repot them in six-inch pots—that is, six inches in di ameter—in the compost recommended above. They will now commence to grot# freely. About the 10th of October put them in their winter-quarters, selecting the window where they will get most sun and light. Plants treated in this manner will flower the whole winter. LILIES. Now is also the time for potting lilies to bloom in the house or conservatory. The best for this purpose are L Auratum, Longiflorum, Harrissi and the Lancifoli ums. All bulbs, as soon as received, should be carefully examined, and any decaying matter removed They should then be laid in soil, or better still", cocoanut fibre, in a moderate condition of moisture, until the bulb recovers its usual plumpness and the roots are just on the point of starting from the base. Then they should be potted out as required. It is best when planting to surround the bulbs with soil. Manure should never be dug in with the bulbs, though they accept it gratefully as a top dressing, liberally applied after they have been established. The soil should contain I a good part of rich heat and nearly one third sand. If a strong tuber of Calla Histata Var- ' iegata (Spotted-leaf lily) can be procured. ' it will form a highly ornamental plant. ; We saw one planted in a twelve inch pot, I that was a beauty indeed. It filled the pot with strong shoots, the leaves being beau tifully spotted and so nearly transparent that one could almost see through them. This lily is also a very free bloomer, al though the flower is not as large nor as white as the regular Calla Lily. THE AMARYLLIS. An excellent plant for the house is the Amaryllis. It never fails to send up its flower-stalk crowned with three or five beautiful lilly-like blossoms. Last spring we had one to send up two stalks, each bearing five exquisite blooms. The color is a bright crimson, with broad band ot white down the center of each petal; they are large and showy, being from 5 to G inches across the bloom. They require very little care. Give an abundance of water while in bloom, and keep dry for at least two months after flowering. I keep the bulb growing for some time after blooming, to develop it for future flowering, but it should be dried off for sometime be fore blooming. Don’t move the bulb, sim ply let the earth get dry. ROSE AMBROSIA. Most persons will agree that the rose has enough in its perfume and beauty, to sustain pretentions as queen of flowers, but it seems that, the rose can be made exquis ite also to a third sense. Several years ago a confection of rose petals was served to Emperor William. It was the gift of an English lady, and came from Alexandria, where the rose thus prepared, is considered a strengthening as well as a delicate dish; but Egyptian cooks are said to be the only ones who understand the art of preparing it, and the right species of rose for this pur pose grows only in that region. A Smyrna house, is said however, to export jelly of roses. Perhaps research might find away of converting other flowers, besides East ern roses, into delicate food. In that case, cookery and floriculture would strike up a closer alliance than it now seems possi ble for them to have. The shades of color in a flower vary re markably, even in the course of the same day, according as it is lighted by the direct sunshine of mid-day or by a north light from a bright blue sky, and it is known that flowers themselves seek by preference the warm orange rays of sunlight. M. L. Hugo has been making some experiments on the modifications induced by electric light, the results of which he communi cated lately to the Paris Academy of Sciences. He finds that under this influ ence the Nidularium exhibits a beautiful red portion in the centre of its clump of lanceolated foliage, the electric light ap pearing to him to intensify its red lustre. The Caladium exhibits red particles disper sed among the white or green leafage, the brilliancy of this red appearing sensibly “ tarnished,” and approaching a reddish brown.— Exchange The growing of Chinese narcissus in wa ter,is becoming a favorite fashion with ladies in some parts of the East. It is a custom said to have been introduced from China 1 into California by natives of the Flowery Kingdom. The Chinese narcissus grown in waUr, , affords a very interesting and beautiful house-plant, and the method of procedure i is so simple that any one may try it. Place the'bulb in a shallow bowl, propit in place with small stones and fill the bowl with water. . . f This should be done about six weeks be fore the plant is wanted in flower. Then set it away in the dark to make root-growth, the same as is done in cultivating hyacinths in water. When the roots are well started remove the plant to a sunny window and it will grow and bloom with no additional attention but a little fresh water every day.—Exchange. For Woman’s Work. THE PROBLEM OF LIFE. On this bead one feels inclined to say with the great writer—“all has been said;” yet it still remains a mystery greater than the pyramids, a riddle unanswered, unan swerable. When confronted by its endless vexing perplexities, we feel tempted to lollow the example of the polite Frenchman, who, when contradicted by a lady in a state ment which he knew to be true, simply made her a grand bow and departed. Doubtless many a one of the “care i ncum bered thousands” would have made his grand bow to existence ere this, had he not been restrained by the strong arm of divine law. As it is, many a one rides in the tournament of life with lance head pressed hard in a mortal wound to keep the blood from flowing. The mortal wounds are not all one must suffer. The dust and sand flies on a march, often wring cries of agony from the wounded that the shock of battle has failed to move. It is not only’ the hill country' that tries the strength. The dull monotony of the level tracts is often more wearying. To gaze down the road ot life and see never a break or a turning to vary its arid tedium, will make the stoutest spirit quail. In those dark hours between midnight and dawn—the battle-ground where the spirit and the flesh meet in mor tal combat—many a stricken heart cries aloud in its anguish, “ was there ever such misery as mine?” Ah ! yes. The present is but a repetition of the past and a proph ecy of the future. What is, has been and will be again. Take courage, scourged spirit; clasp duty to your bosom, and wrest a blessing from the stern-visaged visitant ere you let her go. Strive on, till like him who, standing just outside the portals of eternity, said: “ I have struggled and fought with the legions of wrong till my armor has caught the gleam of eternity’s sun.” The shield may be dinted and the helmet hacked, but the gleam of that sun will banish the scars and turn life’s battle-worn armor to gold. Eiggam Renmah. For Woman’s Work. THE BEST OF FRIENDS. The sight ot a mother and child who are quite inseparable, not merely through the mother’s solicitude or thechild’s helplesness, but through genuine preference for each other’s society, is one of the most beautiful in the world. Motherhood, beautiful under all circumstances, takes an added embell ishment from an affectionate companion ship of this sort. There is such an attach ment between little Daisy and her mother’ as if they were not merely mother and daughter nor woman and child, but jolly good friends as well. Not long ago Daisy was induced, by a lady who was on terms of intimate relationship, to go and visit her for a day or two. Daisy spent the time allotted, and then was bronght back by her hostess’ who remarked with a smile.- “I’m afraid that Daisy didn’t have the best time in the world. She wept slightly once or twice.” Alter the lady had gone, Daisy’s mother asked her: “Were you homesick, Daisy?” * ( No, not homesick, you know, but I guess I was a little mother-sick, mamma!” After the demonstration that followed, Daisy asked.- “Were you happy while I wa« away, mamma?” “Not very happy Daisy,” “Then I guess you must have been child sick, weren’t you,mamma?” . And the mother thought she was. For Woman’s Work. DEPARTURE OF SUMMER. CARRIE BELLE GABLE. Ere in the Northern gale The summer tresses of the trees are gone, The woods of autumn all arouud our vale, Have put their glory on. The mountains that enfold, In their wide sweep the colored landscape round, Seem groups of giantkings in purple and In gold That guard enchanted ground. The departure of summer leaves us sad, when we look around us and notice the ab sence of all the treasured plants that bright ened our gardens and homes. “Blessings brighten as they take their flight.”-aiuL-tli£- quenching of so much song, sunshine and sweetness that we have enjoyed through the fleeting months of summer, naturally brings a feeling of depression. We visit the places once filled with Summer splen dors and find no more the brightness that was wont to gladden us as we wandered by the silvery stream, beneath wide spread ing boughs of oaks that stretched their emerald arms to support the tender cling ing vines now brown and sere. The air is full of echoes of depanted joys. But to some the cold, fresh days bring a renewal of health and happiness, while to others, a sense of something gone fiom out their lives. Though our nest has been rifled and we mourn over the empty shells so sugges tive ot joys and hopes that once were ours, there must remain in the heart an assur ance that the summer will come again, bringing with it all the fresh gladness that has left us. Ah, no, not ended, we have extracted its honey and distilled its dews, and the song we fancied bad come to an end is merely laid away, to be put in tune at a warmer, brighter day. Nature must change her melodies. She sings in a major key for a time, but the plaintive tones of the winds as they rustle the dying leaves bring, if not a gladness, still a soothing feeling, like some noble psalm that is more elevating than the turbulent trill of the summer warblers. Os all months of the year October is the one for reflection; as we review the past we cannot but contemplate the future. The annual death of the leaves and flowers and their annual resurrection teach a beau tiful lesson. What is more richly instruc tive than the verdure of spring? Field and forest mantled In emereld in April, whitened with blossoms in May and June, awaken al! that is noblest and best in our natures. The rich summer beauty, the luxuriance of the harvest, the brilliancy of autumn inspire us with richer and riper thoughts. The whole summer is a con tinuous feast that we try to share with our friends. The saddest day of the year to the lover of flowers is, one that succeeds a hard frost. A thousand attachments are severed in a few hours. The wilderness that had blos somed as the rose has become a blackened sepulchre at the touch of the icy lips of King Frost. But we have only to wait a few months and we hail once more the vernal spring, for ’tis only through death that we live again. There are a multitude of blessings for every sorrow, for— t ’Twould be a lot too blest Forever in the emerald shade to stray; Amid the kisses of the warm scuthwest To live aud dream for aye.