ng all through the season. In summer it is a pleasing
green. In fall it turns to a brilliant red, hence its popular names, as
given above. Its habit is very compact, and one of great symmetry. If
the plants are set about a foot apart, and in two rows,--these rows a
foot apart,--you will have a low hedge that will be as smooth as one of
Arbor Vitae after the gardener has given it its annual shearing. When the
bush takes on its autumnal coloring it is as showy as a plant can well
be, and is always sure of attracting attention, and being greatly
admired.

Amaranthus is another very pleasing plant for hedge purposes. It grows
to a height of about four feet. Some varieties have a dark, bronze-green
foliage, others foliage of a dull, rich Indian-red, while some are
yellow-green--quite rare among plants of this class. The flowers, which
are small, individually, are thickly set along pendant stems, and give
the effect of ropes of chenille. In color they are a dull red, not at
all showy in the sense of brilliance, but really charming when seen
dropping in great profusion against the richly colored foliage. Our
grandmothers grew the original varieties of this plant under the name of
"Prince's Plume," "Prince's Feather," or "Love Lies Bleeding." But since
the florists have taken it in hand, and greatly improved it, it no
longer retains the good old names which always meant something. To
secure the best results with this plant, when grown as a hedge or
screen, set it in rows about a foot apart, each way, and use some of the
dwarf sorts for the front row. Or a flowering plant of contrasting
color--like the Nasturtium, or the double yellow Marigold, or the
velvety African variety, with flowers of a dark maroon shading to
blackish-brown--can be grown at its base, with fine effect.

[Illustration: THE ODDS AND ENDS CORNER]

Sweet Peas make a good screen if given proper support, and planted
thickly.

"I would like a large group or bed of ornamental foliaged plants on the
lawn, but have grown rather tired of Cannas and Caladiums. What would
you suggest? I don't want anything hard to grow."

If very large plants are wanted, I would advise, as best of all,
Ricinus, better known, perhaps, as Castor Bean, or Castor Plant. This is
an annual of wonderfully vigorous growth. It often reaches a height of
ten feet, in good soil, with a corresponding spread of branches. Its
leaves are often a yard across, of a dark coppery bronze, with a
purp