The many "no fence" articles in The American Garden suggested to me to try the experiment of planting flower seeds and setting out plants in front of the house. We are near the outer edge of the city, cows feed in front of the house, and pass it every day, and plenty of rude boys and girls in the neighborhood would steal the apples off the trees before our very eyes. We made a narrow bed on three sides of the house, and planted zinnias, poppies and marigolds, and also set out some geraniums and other plants. To our surprise, very few were stolen. The boys tending the cows seemed to take especial pains to keep the cows off the grass plat, and even the smallest children did not touch them, the flowers appealing to their better nature. And in order to take care of itself and bloom right along, the verbena should have a large bed inside the grass plat. It would be a pleasant change from the inevitable scarlet geraniums. If the bed is slightly protected in the fall, the self-sown seeds come up the next season, and soon make blooming plants. - Sister Gracious.