HOW may we cultivate a small flower garden, have it showy and attractive, and yet not have it interfere with our regular home and farm duties ? The barrenness of American farm-house yards is proverbial, and yet it is not through a lack of appreciation for beautiful things. There is always so much hurry with the farm work, and the household duties are generally so exacting, that if a small vegetable garden is cultivated, no time seems to be left for devotion to flowers. The simple beauty of a blossom may not feed your body, but the symmetry of its petals, and the fragrance of its breath, may revive memories long since forgotten, and bring you face to face with childhood days, and the sweetness of a mother's voice. Yes, flowers are always beautiful, always useful, and always profitable to our mental and moral growth ; let us labor to increase rather than to restrict their culture.

If the plan of culture is rightly laid out it will be a most pleasant recreation for resting moments. In the first place, do not try to do too much ; do not attempt to cultivate too large a space in flowers. If your yard has previously been overrun with grass, and is liable to be very weedy, do not isolate the beds one from another, but confine them within one common space. You will find this an indispensable precaution when it comes to keeping foul growth subdued.

The first essential is a rich friable seed-bed, without which we can expect but poor returns either in the vegetable or flower line. Spade up your designated plat, and fertilize it according to the natural richness of the soil, being sure that the mold is sufficiently enriched, as on this depends in a large measure the proficiency and beauty of the flowers. I have had no experience with chemical fertilizers for the flower garden, but do not see why their judicious use would not bring excellent results. Bear in mind that when you have prepared a rich mellow bed, free from grass and weed seeds, three-fourths of your labor on the flowers has been accomplished.

If your time is limited, and you are trying the culture of annuals as a mere experiment, it will be the part of wisdom to select for propagation only those varieties that are profuse bloomers, and of hardy constitution. Suppose that you have a plat sixteen feet square, with a southern or eastern exposure. Lay off a marginal walk completely around it, and allow space for two inside walks, to intercept each other at right angles in the center. The walks should not be over sixteen inches in width. This arrangement will leave you four beds, each some seven feet square, or less. Assign the two beds on either the north or west sides of the tract to flowers of the highest growth, and devote the remaining space in front to the smaller forms.

On the side of your little garden farthest from the sun a hedge of sweet peas would form a unique and beautiful border. Dispense with the brush in this case, and for a support for the vines use a row of stout stakes interlaced with cord or wire. The pea vine hedge, with its clusters of spicily perfumed bloom, will form a rich and striking back-ground for the garden. Directly in front of the peas, place on one side of the center path a zone of zinnias, and on the other a belt of mixed poppies. Divide the remaining space into zones at least two feet in width, which, being cut in twain by the center path, and planting different species on either side, would give room for at least ten more varieties. Next to the zinnias and poppies match asters with verbenas, then pair a zone of scabiosa (mourning bride), with a belt of mixed petunias. The next zone either plant to Phlox Drummondi entire, or divide the space with African marigolds. Next, place dianthus, or Chinese pinks opposite to antirrhinum, or snapdragons. This will leave one border zone, which can be made most attractive and lovely by being entirely devoted to a choice selection of pansies.

The marginal ends of the zones can be trimmed with a border of portulacas, which, when the flowers are in bloom, will form a brilliant side-setting for the liliputian garden.

In the selection of the varieties I have named I do not advise every one to observe the list to the strict letter ; vary that according to your choice, but be sure to arrange their location so that there will be a gradual descent from a high back-ground to a low margin. There are many more ways of arranging a flower plat in a neat and tasty style other than we have described, but we think that for the amateur florist who has but little time and space to devote to the art, our simple method will yield most satisfactory results.

For the northern states not all the varieties named should be sown in the open ground. The zinnias, verbenas, and pansies, especially, should be started under glass, and transplanted to the plat. One of the most gorgeous and queenly autumn flowers is the dahlia, and no country yard should be without a hedge of them. They can be grown very easily from the seed, and bloom profusely the first season. Raise the young plants under glass, and transplant them two or three feet apart. Put well-rotted manure to the roots, for the dahlia is a strong feeder. Hoe the plants at intervals as thoroughly as you would corn, and the autumn harvest of bloom will be your rich reward.

Farmers, and farmer's wives, encourage the growth of flowers on your premises, and their fragrance and beauty will make your tasks lighter, and your lives longer and happier: Geo. £. Newell.

Leonardsville, N, Y.