Winter Meeting. 223 



Tn all ages, among all civilized people, in all nations, flowers have 

 been loved and cultivated by many. They should be loved and culti- 

 vated by all. They have always been the chief inspiration of the 

 poet, and the joy of every normal child. Visitors to the Louisiana 

 Purchase Exposition must have learned much concerning the true 

 value of flowers, besides having gained a great deal of practical knowl- 

 edge concerning them. He must have observed the democratic idea 

 prevailing in all the planting, how few solitary plants there were, 

 and what acres of gorgeousness in the massing of them. He must 

 have seen that wherever possible straight lines were avoided, and the 

 open spaces always left, which served two purposes, one of which was 

 to have the soft rich green of the luxuriant grass as a foil to intensify 

 the beauty of the blossoms, the other — and more important — to allow 

 the sun's rays to have unobstructed access to the plants. Those 

 miniature gardens of Japan must have had his attention, and he 

 must have noticed the landscape pictures in their construction. It is 

 said that many gardens in Japan are a combination of pictures and 

 poems, with the poetic idea predominating; this will illustrate what 

 I mean when I say we must love flowers for what they express, and 

 what they teach. We must love them not for their financial worth, 

 but for their spiritual beauty. 



Again I quote from Longfellow: 



"In all places, then, and in all seasons 

 Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings, 



Teaching us, by most persuasive reasons. 

 How akin they are to human things. 



And with child-like credulous affection 



We behold their tender buds expand, 

 Emblems of our own great resurrection, 



Emblems of the bright and better land." 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING AT THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE 



EXPOSITION. 



(C. A. Chandler, Kansas City, Mo.) 



The work of building the Fair was divided into its respective de- 

 partments with chiefs at their heads. Mr. Geo. E. Kessler of Kan- 

 sas City was chosen chief of the Landscape Department and the work 

 done is proof of his ability. 



The large amount of territory covered by the Exposition and the 

 short space of time in which the work must be completed made the 



