The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 26, 1896, Page 25

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, JULY 26, 18986. : ] Window Gardens In San Franeisco| A Pleasant Domestic Occupation * That Beautifies the Street Whether it be that flowers are so abundant and so cheap at all times of the year in San Francisco, or whether people have come to imagine that flowers and decorative plants need a gardener to grow them, there can be no doubt that the };leasing art of window gardening is hadly neglected in this City. To be sure one sees in almost every housea few potted flowers, a few geraniums perhaps and one or two other plants, but too often these bits of natura’s own decoration are stunted and ‘wholly devoia of the loveliness of flowers. Here and there an unsighuly box from the grocery-store, beside empty to- mato cans, all in a row, and each with its poverty-stricken plant, stuck upon a shelf or a windowsill, form much of the bad at- tempts at window gardening. They are to be seen wherever one goes in San; Fran- ciseo, and it is a positive relief to come upon an occasional successful effort in beautifying the home with flowers. ;Noth- ing could be more lovely than these dis- plays of foliage and blossoms that tell their own story — always and ever the same, of 2 kinaly, intelligent nurse,and a story of good taste and refinement. In a city like San Francisco where the gardens bloom on all sides summer and winter alike and where the love of flowers is strongly impressed on those who give the subject any thought a reatly striking contrast is presented by the flower and window gardens. There is some kind of belief that boxes of flowers in windows in- jure wooden houses—that is, trailing plants destroy the paint, and water eseaping irom the boxes helps to decay the wood- work. And this same popular fallacy deters many a householder from setting out some floral gems in boxes or in pots either. As for climbing plants they are out of the question with such people. A little attention to the proper drainage of boxes will prevent any injury to the wood- work of the house. All that is needed is a drain bole or pipe near the outside of the box. Such a queer opinion nas had its effect undoubtedly upon thousands who sacrificed their little window gardens for fear of the paint. 'With this difficulty dis- posed of it is difficult” to understand wny San Francisco should not be noted far anq near for the beauly and splendor. of her window gardens. The conditions are peculiarly favorable to such displays in a very superior form. There is no frost to speak of, no ehanges of temperature sufficisnt to nip delicate flowers in their bloom, no intense sun to wither them 1n summertime. But, on the contrary, barring the strong winds, there is an evenness which tempts flowers to blossom all the year long. If you would ask for proof of this as- sertion in faver of San Franciseo look around at any time and see the brilliynt flashes of color from porch and window- sill, and the restful, delicate palms and luxurious exotics behind the ‘glast. Ana if these are too few and far between they only serve to strengthen the impression that San Francisco is the home of window flowers. In many instances lack of knowledge appears to have more bearing on the scarcity of window gardens than llack of interest. People will say, “What's the vse? Idon’t kuow how to grow flawers in pots, They all die on me.” One.or two failures give experience, and thén with care and common-sense and a word of ad- vice from some friend who understands floriculture it will be easy work to make your window the admiration of all who pass by. The gardener in charge of the Golden Gate Park conservatories illus- trated this very clearly when he said re- cently: . : #Ladies come out here all the time and ask-me for information. They say their palms and potted plants die, and they want to know what to do for them. They buy palms and decorative foliage plants and in a month or two the plants wither and die. “These ladies either drown the plants or let them wither for want of water, or throw them around like bits of furniture, in the shede now, in the sun next; then in a draught and again ‘in a room over- heatea by fire. Some of them have come back. They like to see the conservatory displays, and if they meet me they say their palms and other potted plants give no more trouble, and it was so simple it surprised them.” The cost of starting a bounteous win- dow garden should be no obstacle in the way of the novice, for it is practigally lat- tle or nothing and certainly the game is ‘worth the candle. The variety of boxes depends on the in- genuity and versatility of the designer. For instance, a common little box from the drugstore or grocery may be made at- teur than mesembryanthemum. You can grow it anywhere from little cuttings, and 1t requires no attention.’' Any soil will suit it, and in & short time its flowers form & great mass of bright pink hanging over the box, “Those who like climbers should have the Australian pea vine, the neatest grower of all. Itcan be grown from seed in early springtime in the box. Iis leaves are pretty as smilax and it has a neat pea- like flower. Morning glories he small nasturtinm do well with th& beginner, and in warm, sheltered spots smilax wil | grow nicely. “‘Lady Washingtons and all the geran- jum family luxuriate in window boxes, and with ivy geranium and mesembryan- themum as haagers you can get a show equal to the finest and best, These plants will grow for three years very well, but won’t have the same fresh look as when the soil is changed twice a vear. Lady Washingtons grow from slippings started in the fall, though they will strike root any time from March to October if put into sandy loam, half sand and half loam, or better still, leaf mold. After rooted, or when transplanting them in their per- manent quarters, enrich them with manure. “You don’t want things that grew too rampant or strong, but "only those neat in habit and bright in color. Every summer box sbouid have some mignonette, Sweet alyssum, the variegated form, planted alternately with blue lobelia, will make & pretty showing, or the yellow viola with the blue, or with lobelia. I wonder that the viola, or summer violet, is not grown more generally on the peninsula, It is best to treat the perennials as annuals. Hyacinths should be put down three inches in sand. People generally plant them too shallow, and the result isthe sun starts growth prematurely. By plant- ing deep there are no leaves, but a better flower. The box should be planted twice a year if you desire a succession of bioom, and the soil should be changed .at each planting. “Bulbs ought to be sowed early in De- cember or in November with a few pansies or Neapolitan violets among them. Then flowers. All boxes should be six to eight inches (preferably eight) deep and as wide green, as fancy colors detract from the flowers. Idon’tcare how fine the paint is, put flowers alongside and it looks shabby. “For pots I would recommend fuchsias, palms and hardy ferns. The Kentias ana Pheenix palms are the best, particularly the Kentia for amateurs. The Cycas cir- cinalis is 8-very graceful and hardy palm for windows and stands gas and artifical lights. Palms should be given a good soaking once a week. Put them in a tub tractive by covering its front and sides with bark or sticks Jaid side by side asa veneer; or again by building up about it « Tows of straight shoots of trees in the fashion of log-cabin architecture. Boards roughly sawed and nailed together make a good window box when covered on front &nd ends with linoleum. If a stylish box is desired one can buy thosé fancy tiles for a trifle and have them fastened on the front and ends by a small frame of molding. For a novelty an- imi- | tation fence, either rustic or rail, or picket, gives a pleasing effect and serves the double purpose of railing in pots or boxes and hiding whatever shoricomings they may have. iiowever, if the best ef- fect ‘with most satisfactory results 1s de- sired, a plain box painted green must be used. ‘ “‘Window-gardening should be encour- aged bere,” remarked Superintendent John McLaren of Golden Gate Park the other day when asked for his views on the subject. *We have found from experience bere in the park that almost all flowers will do well in the open air. As lor win- dow-gardening, I have not given it much thougnt, but then it is the same as flower- gardening. Itisa« simple thing to select your flowers for effects and contrasts, Window-zardens in this City shonid face the east to get the best results, as you can- not grow nice flowers in the wind. How- ever, some of the hardier geraniums grow well in partly exposed positions. 1 re- member having seen when traveling in Europe those little nasturtiums trained from boxes all around windows. They formed a complete frame of flowers and foliage, and the effect was wonderfully vretty. This is just one of the many ways of treating flowers in the window. But you want to know what’s best for San Francisco. 4 “There is nothing better for A 4 4 ‘the ama- # V. E. SCHEFFERSTEIN, Ex- Champion Sprinter. of water for five minutes and sponge their leaves, then give them a little water w}:en they show a dryness. At the same time look out that you-don’t ‘log’ them. & “Only a few peonle can grow maidenbair fern, I don’t know why. Either they malke the soil too wet or too dry or don’t give the fern 4 proper light. These ferns like plenty of light, no sun and lots of water, but must be well drained. Flower- ing plants, such as begonias and the others, must be close to the light, ferns in a corner. “Hanging-baskets should be treated the same as window-boxes." The great trouble with them is that they are not large enough, but too shaliow. Lobelia, or a Lady Washington, or any other neat flower for the center and either a little German ivy, smilax, ivy geranium or mesembryanthemum to hang around will give the most satisfactory results. It is best for the amateur not to attempt t0o great a variety. With these few I have named you can have floral decorations for the home that will well repay the trouble “For early spring flowers, the daffodil, | crocus, snowdrop and hyacinth are best, | Baird's To be successful in the various depart- ments of athletics requires that one be en- dowed by bature with many attributes. | For one-hundred-yard running one must have an excessive play of nerve { force, brute strength of mascle, & | gBood circulation of the blood and | rapidity of thought. The same rules | apply to 220-yard running, except that a | better circulation is required. When a man begins to feel tired in short-distance running it means that be is contracting his muscles so rapialy that the blood can- not pulsate freely through them; and | moreover, it nieans that the blood cannot suvply oxygen to the muscles in sufficient quantities, hence the heavy feeling in the legs. During violent exertion there is a great waste of oxygen in the muscles, and il thisis not quickly renewed a mi!d con- gestion and failure to respond is the re- sult. When a man is standing on his mark ready to start he is .something more than a physical being; the mental is stilla very large part of him. When the report of the pistol reaches his ears it must enter | the cavity of the ear and flash from the |drom to the brain. They the Reason tract. Thus, after this process has been | accomplished, the runner shoots off his mark; but is it not plain to be seen thata cliss sprinter every fifth of a second is worth two yards, and two yards is the dif- runner. Middle-distance running, or distances | from one-quarter of a mile to three-quar- } ters, requires a full play of, nerve force, | but not necessarily as much as in sprint running; a powerful circulation, a fair amount of muscular power and a fine di- gestive function. In the quarte? mile the most necessary quality is circulation. The etrain upon the heart in pumping and the demana upon the lungs in revitalizing the vitiated blood is tremendous, more o0 than in any other race. There must be a fair supply of musgular strength, as there isa con- siderable amount of driving to be done, but the digestive faculties are needed pre- viously to the race more than init. The characteristic of the mind most required is a fierce quality of will power. Ina hall or three-quarter mile racésthe development | must act, the Will must act, and the forces 1 when they go out plant with the summer | in the base of the brain must be released. | d ‘The energy flashes along the nerve chan- | never think of doing. nels and enters the muscles, expanding | as a window-sill. They should be painted | the cells; which causes the fibers to con- ; particularly the mile, and a strong flow of | fraction of a second can be lost by a slug- | perfect order. gish mind being slow to act? Toa first- | must be well trained that the greatest pos- | | ference between a first and a second class | over. hilosophy running. A man may have stamina—the qualities just referred to—and he may have the speed which.comes from nerve power, but if all these forces are not guided by judgment aud sustained by will they amount to very little. Moreover, a distance runner’s mind must be trained to a condition of calm.indifference in a race or he will lose heart and become if not ut- teriy discouraged at Jeast dispirited. Jumping requires but one special physi- cal attribute aside from perfect health and a drilled mind—nerye force. When the jumper strikes his foot on the ground and forces himself in the air the only quality required is force and elasticity gained from a little muscular strength and a great deal of nervous energy. Thereis no vital strength required and no stamina what- ever, are easily summed up. But the jumper must introduce into this event an amount of study and hard work that is required in only a few lines of physical activity. Hnurdling requires great muscular power, nerve force and a powerful circulation. These are the physical attributes. In addi- tion the hurdler must possess a cool head, a quick response to the pistol, and to be truly successful must reduce hurdling to a science, as 2 middle distance runner would ‘Walking requires great muscular power, nervous energy. For this distance the eircuiation. must be keyed up-to the high- est point and the digestive function in Moreover the judgment sible speed may be developed and ex- haustion not set in before the race is Beyona a mile the necessity of nerve force decreases, but the demand on the stomach aud bowels is greater. In a severe contest, and particularly on a warm day, the whole internal organism be- comes*heated, and if one is not in fine con- dition in this respect it makes no differ- ence how goed his “wind” or how much nerve power he may have, he must slow down or stop altogetber. Bicycling—Many of our readers will naturally inquire, What is required to be a gast bicycler? : Bicycling! I am free to admit that I approach this subject with hesitancy, not to say reluctance, though I have been an observer of bicycling ever since I saw Jobnson win the championship for two miles in 1880, and that was “the cham- pionship” then, the only contest of its kind held. Until 1886 I witnessed about all the great meets and circuit races at of the nerve force, the circulation and the digestive powers should be about even, as each and all are required in an eminent degree in a great runner. Running from one to three miles, or distance runniag, requires still another class of powers. Of these strength of the digestive system is the first requisite. True, the athlete must possess a certain amount of muscular strength, and he must have splendid *“wind,”’ or he will give out in the middle of the contest. He will not endure lang if this wind, or circu- Iation, is not in first-class condition; but [ know from personal experience that a die- tance race is one. long agony, with defeat staring one in the face to increase the tor- ture, if the stomach and intestines are not in perfect condition. . These facts will apply also to distances from five to ten miles. Muscular strength is reduced to a minimum, as the strain in this regard devolves uvon the amount of nerve force which the brain has at com- /mand end the sction of the.blood in re- vitalizing. But in these latter distances there are two qualities-of the mind which of cultivating them and please the most tastidious.” % | play a great part in guccessful distance E. 'B.. BLOSS IN THE CROUCH START Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, New Haven, Springfield, Buf- falo and Montreal. One o! my brothers .| has been a track and road rider for twelve years, and last,evenif least, I am a rider myself, zud believe it to be the beau ideal of exercise. L I mention these facts because 1 am go- ing to meake s statement that the first requisite to success in bicycling, and par- ticularly in the ghort distances, is to learn the “trick.’”” What that trick is I do not know, but I believe in its existence, Itis arare indeed almost unknown thing for a new man at running, walking, jumping or hurdling to be beaten by an unknown and green athlete on his first public ap- | pearance, yet [ have seen this occur in bicyeling more than once to my disgust. Whatever the trick is it must be ac- quired before the rider can hope to be suc~ cessful. The next requisite of importance is nerve force. The rider must have a great deal of this as well as a powerful circulation. = In longer distances there iy less nerve oree required, and"less' powerful circula- Thus the strong points of a runner | 25 of szed strength in; the stomach and ‘intestines, | and much more judgment, In short dis- | tances, such as a quartér and a balf mile, |the wneelman roquires considerable muscular power to drive the machine { ahead at high pressure. I speak of this |in distinction to nervous emergy, which | might exist and develop great speed, even though the rider might not be able to bear |a_great strain without danger of the muscle actually giving way—an accident tbat sometimes bappens to sprint runners. Let us consider some living illustrations of these theories that 1 have advanced. | T will mention one well known amoug athletes and their admirers six vears ago, V. E. Schefferstein. In the light of what has already been said, it is not difficult for one who knew this great athlete to com- prehend the source of his tiuly wonderful powers. Although the young man wore an expression of apparent caimness on his face, a close observer could easily detect evidences of extreme nervousness within. In fact, he was a mass of nerves; he was all nerves. His running was the effect of | an unlimited and ready supply of nervous | energy, which acted with such force and | elasticity upon the muscles as to make | them so much indiarubber for the time being. If this was so in sprint running | how much more was it in jumping, when | all that tremendous force was concen- trated i the leap from the scraten line. But Schefferstein was utterly lacking in the qualities that make an all-round athg lete; for, while I presume his lung-power was good, it was certain that his digestive function was in poor condition. He has told me many things concerning his vital organs that eau-ed me to wonder how on earth he counld ever run at all; which con- strong circulation. His .muscular pdwer is not. considerable and his digestive de- partment is not strong. In a punishing race his stomach and intestinies would not respond, Fred Koch is 2 different man, possessin a great deal of muscular power and a strong stomach., His circnlation is power- ful and the mental qualities required of a middle-distance runner are at his com- mand. Rovert MacArthur, the ex-champion mile runner on this coast, has little nerv-| ous energy, but .a strong set of vital or- gang, particularly the heart and stomach, His judgment also is excellent. W. H. Henry, the hurdle ricer, who at oue time held the record of the world for the 120-yard hurdle rave, combines the qualities of mind and body in work at his favorite distance. He reduced uis prac- tice toa science (see my letter on hurdling), is gifted with powerful Jimbs, gains much from the rapid play of nerve force, and from a strong circulation. David Brown, the mile runner, besides paving a cool head, gains his power largely from a lusty circulation and a fine diges- tive apparatus. As before remarked, these points constitute stamina. - Many men can run like deer, but cannot endure the strain of a long race, I have not had the pleasure of meeting Patterson. the high jumper, but presume that he achieves success by reason of his nerve power, and, what must not be for- gotten, by having acquired the “knack.” F, F. Foster, the broad jumper and burdler, gains bis prowess by reason of muscular power, nerve force and a power- tul circulation. Horace Coffin, the walker, rose to suc- cess by untiring perseverance and hard work. His muscular strength was prob. ably natural; but the nerve power, heart power and vital strength — ofherwise known as stamina—disolayed in the mile championship of 1891 were to a large de- gree acquired, and therefore-more to his credit. In conclusion allow me to say that I trust none of my resders will fail 1o read my letter in Jast Sunday’s issue, asit gives the key to many remarks in this article that would be otherwise difficult to under- stand. Groree D. Barrp. Among the Arecunas, another tribe, both men and women encourage . personal vanity to an extraordinary degree, and pass the greater part of the day decorating thieir naked boaies with all the colors they can obtain. These they prepare from different fruits, that of the cusarapeu producing a bright scariet, and the bark of the cuare a deep black. Around the wrists, forearms and ankles the women wear PETER D. SKILLMAN, O ne-Mile'Record,_}4 Minutes 30 Seconds vinced me still more that his running was from his wonderful nervous energy. P. E. Skillman was one of the best dis- tance runners on.the coast and at one time five-mile champion of America. He pos- sesses little nervous energy, attested by the fact that he has not been successiul at short distances, but is gifted with splen- did ciredlation and digestive powers. These two combined, together with judg- ment and perseverance—qualities of the mind—constitute what is generally called stamina. This quality he certainly pos- sessed and a large shareof the mental at- tributes just mentioned.. Moreover he ‘was what is called a ‘‘consistent” runner, that is, niore than most runners he could be depended upon. This latter quality generally comes from the athlcte studying himself thoroughly, becom- ing familiar with his physical pe- caliarities, watching the diet and refusing the cravings of the appetite for forbidden fruits, It was on these points that Skillman was strong and therefore “‘consistent.” t.’ ‘Howard' Coffin, the haif-mile runner, tion; but there must be corresponding |runs from his nervous energy and his \ bracelets made from the teeth of wily amimals, and they paint the legs, breasts, and, last, but not least, the faces. The designs are often artistic, and enable them to conceal their ages more successiully than all the modern iotions, powders and *‘blooms of youth.””—Century for July. ————— “I believe that No.13 brings me good luck,” said P. T. Thornton of Louisville at ‘the Metropolitan. “I don’t know whether or not it was because I was born on the 13th of the month, but I have watehed it for years, and whenever there isa combi- nation in which 13 appears it is o lucky’ one for me. Iam as much of acrankin favor of the number 13 as any one can pos- sibly be against it. If Iam havinga dull business on the road I ask the hotel clerks to give me room 13. It is remarkable how many hotels there are that have no room with that numoer, and I am told that { am the only man who ever asks for a room with that number. Most m o:‘ject to ‘ashington bei iven h & room.”—’ Evi::igl r«?’ : The Emprsss of Russia is nearly two inches taller than her husband. 5 / It Is Better -to Sleep on the Back Resting on tl\er Side Makes the Lung or the Heart Weak There is always a danger that the amae teur ‘athlete, of whichever sex, may come to regard exercise and the performance of difficult feats of strength and agility as in themselves desirable. Lo read what most writers have to say upon the subject, al+ most any one might be jusiified in coming to that conclusion, Nevertheless, it is a mistake ever to regard physical culture as anything else than one means to a distinct end, and that end the highest development of the human being, For this reason there is something rather deplorable in the tendency of the day toward specialization in athletic sports, The man or woman who follows one form of exercise is apt to do so to the exclusion of all others. Whoso rides a wheel scorns Indian clubs and horseback-riding. The owner of a good saddle-horse laughs at the idea that walking can put an addi- tional finish to his physical development. And the woman who puts in fhree or four hours a week at A gymnasizm is hard to convince that she is not doing all that is necessary for the symmetrical develop- ment cf a healthy body. As a general thing it may be laid down asarule that any form of exercise that can be taken without set apparatus is preferable to that which calls for such. There is apt to be more spontaneity about it, and the purposeful volition of the individual enters into the act as it cannot when the exercise depends upon mechanical contrivances. For this reason calisthenics is a beiter form of exercise than club-swinging; walking when one is in training is bet- ter' than riding, whether one mounts horse or wheel, and definite ex- peditions to attain some end are more wholesome than mere walking for exercise. We are too apt, in set ways with apparatus, to think of the work itself. We devote so many moments to clubs, so many to weights and pulleys. So many trips up and down the ladder conmstitute our daily “stint’’ and wecome to regard our exercise as a task instead of a pleasure. I have spoken several times of the urgent need for systematical development. Women perhaps even more than men are apt to develop the two sides of the body unequaily., They ususlly begin at an earlier age forming the habits that de- termine development. Itis not asg rule bampering skirts, improper clothing and tight shoes that make so many of our women ungracefal in carriage and unequal to greatexertion.. Itislack of uniformity in the two sides of the body. The school boys and girls of that much governed country, Russia, have recently been made the subject of some queer legislation. They are required by law to sleep upon their backs, and in the Balkan provinces an officer in every district bas it as his especial charge to see that they do it. In going to and from school they are also required to carry their books and other impediments upon their backs. At nrst glance it seems as though - this were carrying official interlerence to the furthest extreme, yet there is a good deal of wisdom in the requirement. The sleeping babits of a creature are of the greatest importance. You can almost always tell, by close ob- ‘servance of a human being, which side he sleeps on at night and the habit most of us have of ‘lying almost always upon the same side is productive of a good deal of mischief. The muscles of the lower side are subjected to undue pressure. The lung " of that side does no work and the various other organs come, in time, to adjust themselves to the habitual position in which we rest. When disease attacks us that side is the firat affected. Now, what rest does for the body, in a passive way, exercise does still more, and actively, Whatever are our daily habits, their tendency is to develop certain mus- cles to the exclusion of others, This sounds like a traism, and yet, tike many another truism, it seems necessary that it be often repeated. Almost every woman who takes up any form of exercise se- lects what she does best and with the greatest ease. As a matter of fact, thisis exactly what ought not to be done. If we perform any physical act with ease and dexterity, it is because the muscles brought into play by it are already in good training, and the thing to be done is to bring some other set into as useful trim. The woman who can walk miles with- out fatigue should walk, but she should also take sach exercise as tends to de- velop the muscles of the arms and chest. For sueh the clubs, femcing and the Swedish- movements are very .useful. Whatever is done care should be taken that both sides of the body are exercised. It may be necessary to devote special attention for a long time to one set of muscles, but the effort should Le persisted in until the left arm is as strong, the left hand as dextrous and the left log takes as long a stride as the right. This harmonious development is the end of all training, Prevalent opinion to the contrary, work is not exercise. The farm laborer is rarely an athlete. " His muscles are usually hard and un- manageable, save for the performance of a particular set of tasks. His gait is hard and inelastic and he is more than likely to be muscle-bound across the neck and shoulders. For such a man the military drill does wonders and it would be a good thing for future generations if -we could have something similar for women, in particular for women who work, which is equivalent to saying for nearly all women. About 79 per cent of the women of the United States do their own housework, and the majority-of them are apt to im- agine that thus they obtain all necessary exercise. No mistake could be greater. If the belief were founded upon fact we would have a race of athletic mothers which we are far from having. But here in California, where the con- ditions are g0 much more fuvorabie than almost anywhere else, we should have more perfect specimens of physical woman- hood than we see. With “all out of doors” so easily attainable; with a climate that renders exertion a pleasure, nearly every day in the year, and with a hundred things close at band to take us out of ourselves and into the wholesome common con- sciousness of things, we should not find ity difficult to attain a better all-round devel- opment than we have yet arrived at. oy Penerore PoweLsox. It is reported that the Prince of Wales altogether netted $250,000 by his Derby victory. 2 3 5 1