40 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



INFLUENCE OF FLOWERS ON THE HOME. 



BY MISS BESSIE M. NASH, WAESAW. 



Whatever fixes the attention or engages the affections of people 

 either tends to elevate or debase them, and as it is impossible that 

 the beautiful flowers, with which our Heavenly Father has strewn 

 his footstool, should lead downward, it must be that their influence 

 is for good. 



That the rural homes of America are vastly superior to those 

 of any other country will not for a moment be questioned. The 

 principal reason is that women who, in some other countries, are not 

 coQsidered the equal of man, and do not receive the respect and 

 attention they deserve, in this intelligent land occupy the same .posi- 

 tion and are one of the principal factors in the home-making. 

 Women intuitively love the beautiful, whether it be beautiful ap- 

 parel, or works of art, or beautiful homes, and it is generally her in- 

 spiration that brings into being the stately trees, the handsome lawn 

 and beautiful flower garden, and it is her taste and skill that fill so 

 many homes with floral beauty. 



" Oh! the flowers, the beautiful flowers! " 



With them we decorate the house of God as well as our own 

 homes; with them we adorn the bride and comfort the mourner, and 

 when our loved ones have been laid away to await the resurrection 

 morn, how lovingly we strew flowers upon their graves. 



A. well-kept flower-bed affords its owner many a pleasure in her 

 own home, and then one can enjoy the luxury of giving. All are 

 not able to make costly presents, but the flowers are something which 

 any one can freely give or accept. 



As our people cultivate a taste for beautiful surroundings, hand- 

 some lawns ornamented with trees, shrubs and flowers, the spirit of 

 improvement permeates the whole home system; the house is re- 

 painted, the fences are kept in better repair and the farm machinery 

 put away in its proper place, and things in general are more tidy. 

 This in turn affects the whole community, and if one family in a 

 town or neighborhood surround themselves with a neat lawn, pretty 

 flowers, shrubs and trees, other will follow their example and you will 

 soon find that the whole town, village or country, has wonderfully 

 improved until there is not just one fine place, but a whole street 

 or a whole neighl)orhood of neat and beautiful homes. The wealthy 

 and refined will be attracted thither, and thus by their means and 

 society promote the business and welfare of the community. 



If all our country homes were kept as they should, and as they 

 might be, there would be less complaint heard of the young men and 

 young ladies leaving the farm and going to the city to be cooped up 

 there from morning till night in dark stores, shops or offices, where 



