Beautifying The City

BEATUFYING THE CITY

The Ladies' Union Discusses Flowers and Vines

INTERESTING PAPERS

Describing Typical Garden in Various Parts of the Country--Others Gave Very Practical Suggestions

Wednesday was observed by the Ladies' Union as Civic Improvement day and as usual it was one of the most interesting programs of the year. As this is the time of year when the women of the city should be planning their flower beds and planting the hardier of the seeds, it was deemed advisable to have a program which should consist of various short talks on plants, vines, etc.

Mrs. Eli Moore, who has had such successful experiences in the growth of roses, wrote a most interesting paper which was read by Mrs. Grey. She told of one particular variety which had been given her years ago by Mrs. Gates and which she planted in her yard, and told how it had grown and shoots from this rose had been given to so many friends for lawns and cemetery lots. Its blossoms have been given to many young graduates on commencement day, to the sick and to the school children and have always proved a never-ending source of pleasure to her.

Miss Alice Hunt told in her ever pleasing manner of New England gardens and described beautifully her mother's garden in a Massachusetts village, where the flowers grew in profusion, not prim and precise after the fashion of the landscape gardeners, but like Topsy they just "growed." She also described an old garden which she saw in an old fashioned village last summer, where stately holly-hocks made a pleasing picture against the background of weather beaten shingles of the house, an old grapevine twined over the kitchen door and gleaming poppies and other flowers were everywhere and had wandered out into the orchard and down to the river.

Mrs. Owens, of Atlanta, Ga., told of a southern garden and gave a vivid word picture of the old garden on her grandfather's plantation in antebellum days, with its jasmine and roses and other flowers which blossomed in profusion in the south.

Mrs. Crooker read a most interesting paper on vines and made a most earnest plea for the planting of these graceful plants about the homes and public buildings of the city. She said many of the sins of the architect tan be covered by a profuse growth of vines which cling to ugly brick walls and wooden buildings, covering them gracefully with their tendrils of green. She told of twelve different vines which were appropriate for decoration of the houses and lawns.

Miss Ione Hunter read a most interesting and eminently practical paper on wayside gardening and spoke of various means of benefiting the town by the banding together of the women of each neighborhood to work tor the beautifying of their vicinity. The children can also do much toward keeping up the appearance of the neighborhood and are easily interested in the work. She told of planting vines at the foot of telephone poles and post boxes and these simple means when well employed will prove a delight to the passer by during the entire summer.

Miss Dicken told of the benefits of flowers in the school room, of their refining influence on the children and the rest they furnish for their tired eyes when they raise them from their books. She made an earnest plea to the parents for more interest on their part and for their assistance.