STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 113 



But as the adoption of a National Bouquet or Floral Emblem 

 has been advocated by some would-be-florists in this vicinity, let 

 us examine their suggestions carefully and without prejudice. 



They claim it will be much better for each State to choose its 

 favorite flower and to combine them in one National Bouquet, 

 or in some other form that may suit them better, the whole to 

 represent the National Floral Emblem of the United States. The 

 plea made by the advocates of this is that each State will be rep- 

 resented by a flower, in the same manner as she is by the stars 

 on our flag, and the Union of the stars and the combination of 

 flowers is symbolical of our Union of States; that there will be- 

 no cause for jealousy, etc. 



Now, kind friends, this looks very well on paper, and it sounds 

 very poetical from the lips of its advocates, but it is very im- 

 practicable, as I will endeavor to show you, for in that grand old 

 flag we all know that each star on its field of blue has an equal 

 position with the other, and the star that is placed there for 

 Rhode Island is as large as the one for Texas, and equal in every 

 particular, but it could not be so in combining forty-two flowers 

 in a "Floral Emblem . ' ' The forming or arranging of a bouquet of 

 flowers is artistic work of which only an artist in flowers is capable 

 of making a success, and while one person may pass through a 

 flower garden and gather a bunch of flowers which to the eye has 

 a ragged uncouth look, another gathering from the same garden 

 combines grasses, leaves and flowers in such a manner that the 

 bunch of flowers becomes a thing of beauty. 



In a National Bouquet, as each State is to choose its own 

 flower, suppose Illinois chooses the Rosin Weed flower, Kansas 

 the Sunflower, Maryland the Marigold, New Mexico the Yellow 

 Dahlia, California, Pyrethrum, and so on, each choosing some 

 gorgeous yellow flower; such an event may happen, and Oh!, 

 what a great yellow block the National Floral Emblem would be.. 



As every artist among flowers knows how difficult it is to 

 choose among many flowers, leaves and grasses a combination of 

 colors to make an artistic effect, they will at once see that it 

 would be almost impossible to take forty-two flowers selected by- 

 some one else and form a combination pleasing to the eye. 



It is to be supposed that no State will choose a leaf or grass- 

 for its flower, and without these grasses and leaves the National 

 Floral Emblem would be anything but pleasant to look upon. If 

 a committee could be appointed to choose each State's flower,, 

 these obstacles might, in a measure, be overcome ; but would 

 any citizen of any State be satisfied to have the flower of his 

 State chosen by a committee of citizens of other States. There 

 are several other reasons which we will not stop to enumerate 

 why a combination is impracticable. But, the question arises, 

 how shall we choose a flower which shall be satisfactory to the 

 greatest number of the people of the United States? 

 —9 



