"no good," but I kept it watered and in a few weeks it began to
show signs of life and had several little fronds on it in April when we
decided to move, and the Fern Ball was left with my other plants for a
friend to care for. She kept them all well watered except that, and when
I next saw it in May it looked a few degrees deader than it did in the
first place (if possible), but it came to life again and then it got
chilled in the fall so it died again apparently; but now it is starting
to grow all over and if nothing new happens to it it will soon be very
pretty. I think it has more lives than a cat.--_Mrs. F. M. Young._

MONTANA

_Editor Mayflower:_

While visiting the florist's near home this spring I watched him at his
work repotting Boston Ferns and learned something new. They say there's
a trick for every trade and I now believe it, for I found him putting
three and four Ferns of the same variety into the same pot, making them
all appear as one plant. If professional florists can do so why isn't it
good enough to pass along to ambitious amateurs? I have always wanted
some Ferns, but as we can't always regulate the heat at night and I find
it necessary to be away from home sometimes in winter, I have decided to
wait until I have a home in a more congenial clime than this,--not that
Montana is not all right, but our home, at present, is high up in the
mountains and winter is both long and severe. However, when I do buy
Ferns I shall try and purchase at least three of every kind I decide on
and pot them together, and then if in after years they are too crowded I
can easily repot and divide them at the same time.--_Laurel._

MARYLAND

_Editor Mayflower:_

Outside all is snow and ice, the wind howls and rattles at doors and
windows and I feel very sure Jack Frost is trying to get in to nip my
few pretty, thrifty window plants, but I do not think he will succeed,
for when I shut them up at night in tight boxes, and cover the tops, I
do not believe he could reach them though a blizzard raged. I have been
looking out at a bed where there are two dozen glass jars showing, or
rather their tops are just sticking out, for they are well banked with
old well rotted cowpen manure and coarse litter thrown over that--and
all now covered over with snow, making little white mounds all over the
bed. But I know that underneath these mounds are two dozen little Rose
slips--some very choice varieties--and every chance I ge