SOCIETY OF CENTBAL ILLINOIS. 151 



horticulturist if he would reach the highest plane in the profession; 

 and to reach the highest plane, from a practical standpoint, is to 

 reap the the most money. 



SCHOOL- YARD DECORATION. 



BY MISS MAEY VAKNET, CHAMPAIGN. 



Passing our public school edifice a few weeks since, I noticed 

 what a marked contrast its bare surroundings presented in compa- 

 rison with the adjoining premises. How dreary it looked, towering 

 above an expanse of cinders, straggling evergreens and maples, grass 

 sparsely growing, but the soil very prolific of weeds and plantain. 

 While on either side, in the space enclosed by the walk (on account 

 of their nearness to the door), grew with a sort of sickly life 

 shrubs and bushes, raised chiefly for their branches with which to 

 chastise the unwary urchin who dares disobedience. Though we be- 

 lieve in the sparing-the-rod-spoiling-the-child discipline, we should 

 rather the instruments of torment should be gathered from a differ- 

 ent source. 



We are not unmindful of the labor and expense devoted to our 

 welfare, yet we should prefer some adornment of the grounds which 

 would add infinitely more to our enjoyment than money expended to 

 to improve our intellects, and we would, perhaps, derive as much 

 benefit from it in the end. 



God meant we should enjoy his handiwork, else why was Eden, 

 that beautiful garden where grew and throve every tree good and 

 pleasant to the sight and good for food, " given into man's posses- 

 sion to dress and to keep it? " 



From that time till now horticulture has been observed to a 

 considerable extent in every civilized country of the world, and it 

 will always be one of the great factors of our existence, for without 

 it there could scarcely be life. 



When Nebuchadnezzar built the hanging gardens of Babylon — 

 one of the wonders of the world — to please his bride, Amytis, who 

 longed for the hills and dales of her native land, little did he think 

 how his name should be sounded down the ages ; for plainly he 

 thought while the beautiful is cultivated the lovely ought not to be 

 done away. Even the carving on the golden vessels of the taber- 

 nacle was after the pattern of flowers, and the fancy work of the 

 ancient Oriental buiklings was in their image. 



And He who is called the " Lily of the Valley " and the " Rose 

 of Sharon, fair," admired flowers and often spoke of them in His 

 teachings, and He it was who said : '' Consider the lilies how they 

 grow, they toil not, neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory 

 was not arrayed like one of these." 



