466 MISSOURI STATE UORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As a nation rises in civilization, poetry and the love of flowers go 

 hand in hand. The Scotlander sings of the bonny brases of his native 

 hills. The Switzer gazes on his snow capped Alps and the beautiful 

 flowers blooming at the foot of the avalanche. They love the grand 

 and the beautiful of their native land. The grandeur without the 

 beauty would be deficient. 



The "Language of Flowers" is supposed to have been used by the 

 earliest natives, but the Greeks are the first of whom we have any trust- 

 worthy records. They carried it to a very high degree, using flowers 

 as types of everything interesting, i^ublic and private. 



The "Language of Flowers" was cultivated by the countries of con- 

 tinental Europe ; but after the decline of the power of Rome little at- 

 tention was given to it. But we see it revived in the Middle Ages^ 

 when it was greatly developed by the Roman Church. The variety of 

 flowers that adorned the altar enabled the worshiper to distinguish be- 

 tween feasting and fasting ceremonies. , 



Flowers have played an important part in all the mythologies. 

 Oak was the patriot's crown, bay the poet's, and myrtle the crown for 

 beauty. The olive was the the emblem of peace, and the ivy the 

 emblem of Bacchus. A poet thus characterizes the ivy: 



" The ivy, that staunchest and firmest friend, 



That hastens its succoring aim to lend 



To the ruined fane, where in youth it sprung, 



And its pliant tendrils in sport were flung. 



When the sinking buttress and mouldering tower 



Seem only the spectres of former power, 



When the ivy clusters around the wall, 



And for tapestry hangs on the moss-grown hall, 



Striving in beauty and youth to dress 



The desolate place of its loneliness." 



The significance of many flowers is derived from their properties^ 

 the amaranthus being called by the Greeks the "Never-fading" because 

 of its duration. 



The daisy has received much attention from the poets. Shakes- 

 peare says "its white investments figure innocence." 



While Montgomery thus apostrophises: 



This small flower to Nature dear. 



While moon and stars their courses run. 

 Wreathes the whole circle of the year, 



Companion of the sun. 



It smiles upon the lap of May, 



To sultry August spreads its charms, 

 Lights pale October on his way, 



And twines December's arms. 



