To the east, beyond the walk, is another picture—­Shasta daisies and blue cornflowers.  On the north side is a brilliant hedge of red sweet peas.  On the east and south of this most exquisite picture are Iceland poppies, red pyrethrums, and here and there are clumps of dark red sweet william.  In the early morn, just after the “morning stars have sung together,” and the forces of day are slowly coming into action, this is a wonderous picture.

On the north side of the cottage is a screened-in porch.  Here cardinal climber gives its myriads of cheerful bloom, while blue lobelia and white anemones, with the porch boxes filled with vinca atmosphere of beauty and cheer to those who come and take the social cup that truly cheers.  The broad lawn slopes north to the driveway.  To the east, separating the lawn from the walk, which is west of the canna beds, is a border of dusty miller next the grass and one row each of blue anchusa and red snapdragon.  The silver leaved poplars in the distance give a soft sheen to the whole picture.

Away to the west is a spruce hedge and inside the hedge red hollyhocks and phlox with a great row of crimson poppies.  A simple garden made of simple things, and yet as we go through it to our peony bed, that gorgeous flower, standing alone in its regal, queenly beauty, we do not wonder that when one of old walked with God it was in the cool of the evening and in a garden.

    “Where in all the dim resplendent spaces,
      The mazy stars drift through
    To my garden lying whitely in
      The moonlight and the dew.”

My Experience in Grape Culture.

JOSEPH TUCKER, AUSTIN.  SO.  MINN.  HORT.  SOCIETY

During fifteen years I have had in my garden several varieties of grapes, namely, the Concord, Worden, Moore’s Early and a green grape (not certain of its name).  All have done remarkably well whenever the season was reasonably favorable.  I mean by that the absence of the late spring and the early fall frosts, which are the greatest drawbacks to grape culture.  For that reason I would not advise anyone to undertake it as a business venture on a large scale.  On the other hand, where it is desired to supply the family table with fresh fruit as long as it will keep, also to add a variety of jellies and preserves for the winter, a dozen of vines will supply an ordinary family with grapes whose flavor I have never seen surpassed.

You who do not always expect money to grow on everything you touch, you who admire and love a plant or vine and feel well repaid for your labor to see it grow and bear fruit, you who have a vacant corner in your garden well adapted to that purpose, I urge you most earnestly to plant some grape vines, and I assure you that with some knowledge of their care and a determination not to fail you will succeed, and you will eventually be able to see a pretty sight—­for, to my mind, nothing is handsomer than a well trimmed grape row with the ripening fruit.  The soil that will grow corn will produce good grapes.  My advice is to select early ripening varieties, for then you will only have the possible spring frost to contend with, and that is easy to guard against.