houses devoted to
Roses alone, such erections costing from $50,000 to $100,000 each,
according to the style in which they are built.

More cut flowers are used for decoration in the United States than in
any other country, and it is probable that there are more flowers sold
in New York than in London with a population four times as great. In
London and Paris, however, nearly every door-yard and window of city
and suburb show the householder's love for plants, while with us,
particularly in the vicinity of New York (Philadelphia and Boston
are better), the use of living plants for home decoration is far less
general.

There are fashions in flowers, and they continually change. Thirty
years ago thousands of Camellia flowers were retailed in the holiday
season for $1 each, while Rosebuds would not bring a dime. Now, many
of the fancy Roses sell at $1 each, while Camellia flowers go begging
at ten cents. The Chrysanthemum is now rivaling the Rose, as well
it may, and no doubt every decade will see the rise and fall of some
floral favorite. But beneath these flitting fancies is the substantial
and unchanging love of flowers that seems to be an original instinct
in man, and one that grows in strength with growing refinement.
Fashion may now and again condemn one flower or another, but the
fashion of neglecting flowers altogether will never prevail, and
we may safely look forward in the expectation of an ever increasing
interest and demand, steady improvement in methods of cultivation, and
to new and attractive developments in form, color and fragrance.

_Peter Henderson._

How to Make a Lawn.

"A smooth, closely shaven surface of grass is by far the most
essential element of beauty on the grounds of a suburban home." This
is the language of Mr. F. J. Scott, and it is equally true of other
than suburban grounds. A good lawn then is worth working for, and if
it have a substantial foundation, it will endure for generations, and
improve with age.

We take it for granted that the drainage is thorough, for no one would
build a dwelling on water soaked land. No labor should be spared in
making the soil deep, rich and fine in the full import of the
words, as this is the stock from which future dividends of joy and
satisfaction are to be drawn. Before grading, one should read that
chapter of Downing's on "The Beauty in Ground." This will warn against
terracing or leveling the whole surface, and insure a contour with