156 



THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



those female artizans opprobriously known 

 as 'artificial flower-makers.' Now there 

 are thousands of women possessed of taste, 

 and skill, and knowledge, who know not 

 how to employ their talents — who are kept 

 from domestic service by family' traditions 

 of imaginary independence, and who can 

 only think of needlework and teaching as 

 means of obtaining honest bread. What a 

 field is there for such in this truly artistic 

 occupation, and what a chance for them to 

 attain not only competency but fame in 

 carrying the art into new channels, and 

 making the best of the old channels ? If 

 the French absorb thousands of pounds 

 from this country yearly in the supply of 

 artificial flowers, those thousands arc at the 

 service of native producers, on the condition 

 that the articles are as good. Then, if 

 carried out in the integrity of a refined re- 

 fining occupation, instead of, as it is, in the 

 style of an irksome manual labour, that 

 stamps all engaged in it with unhappy as- 

 sociations, what new fields are there wait- 

 ing for the introduction to them of this 

 peculiarly interesting branch of imitative 

 art. We will suppose a cheap method de- 



vised of modelling florists' flowers, that the 

 utmost truth is attained to, so that new 

 varieties could be represented in models as 

 they are now represented in flat pictures in 

 the horticultural magazines. Why, the 

 sale of such models would soon constitute a 

 gigantic trade, and the integrity of such a 

 trade could only be sustained by high in- 

 telh'gence, cultivated taste, and experienced 

 skill in manipulation, and the higher the 

 requirements of a calling, the safer and 

 more enduring are its interests. What 

 would Mr. Turner, of Slough, expend per 

 year in the purchase of faithful models of 

 single flowers of his new pelargoniums to 

 exhibit all the year round to visitors, and 

 send out as samples to his customers ? 

 What would Mr. Standish say if he could 

 issue imitations of his seedling gladioli in- 

 stead of iueff"ectual prints ? Would not 

 the Messrs. Henderson, Frazer, Paul, Tyso, 

 Baiter, Downie, and others engaged in the 

 distribution of novelties heartily encourage 

 such an industry as afi'ording them a new 

 power of vast commercial value ?" — From 

 an article o» Machinery and Women's 

 Work in Cdy Press of May 18, 1861. 



ABOUT CLIMBEES. 



Those who take interest In natural objects, 

 will find an abundance such as amply to 

 repay a little close attention, for the reason 

 that in them we perceive a wonderful 

 adaptation of means to ends. Among those 

 objects may be classed the means possessed 

 by various climbers for supporting them- 

 selves above the ground. The grape-vine 

 puts forth a forked tendril, with which it 

 catches hold of and binds tightly round the 

 first twig or wire that offers; and when 

 shoot and tendril are both ripened and ma- 

 tured, will almost defy the strength of a 

 man to break it. This quality is possessed 

 with slight variations by several other 

 climbers, as the passion-flower, the cucum- 

 ber, etc. In the p^a family the tendril 

 terminates the leaf; in the clematis leaf and 

 tendril are one and the same thing, while 

 the tropseolum coils the leaf-stalk itself 

 around the friendly twig. Others again 

 bind themselves bodily round their sup- 

 ports, as the hop, the running bean, Con- 

 volvulus major, etc. Again, the ivy actu- 

 ally roots itsulf inro its bearer, the fibres 

 acting the double purpose of maintaining a 

 firm hold and supplying nutriment to tlie 

 plant. The bignonia does the same thing 

 with this diff'creuce, that the bignonia 1 

 fibres only at intervals, while those of the 



Ivy start the whole length of the shoot like 

 the legs of the centipede. The bramble is 

 furnished with stout thorns, which curve 

 downwards, affording a safe and sure sup- 

 port among the forked branches of a tree; 

 but curious to behold is the mode adopted 

 by the Virginian creeper, of attaching itself 

 to a wall or the bark of a tree, a forked 

 tendril coiled spirally to render it elastic, 

 which reduces the chances of the plant 

 being broken, terminated by knobs, gene- 

 rally fine, which attach themselves as if by 

 suction. This list might be swelled, but the 

 object is to imply that this subject is not 

 one of mere curiosity. Amongst climbers 

 are comprised some of the most useful 

 and ornamental garden subjects in cultiva- 

 tion; and by their mode of attaching them- 

 selves, we may learn what is most suitable 

 to sustain them. Thus the hop climbs a 

 pole, and beautiful it is while in blossom 

 or seeding. The running bean climbs a 

 stake, and the bright scarlet bloom, re- 

 lieved by the dark green foliage, is highly 

 o namental, besides yielding a useful vege- 

 table; the same with Convolvulus major, 

 which looks well in clusters about a wide 

 border. Peas are best supported by branch- 

 ing sticks, or wire hurdles, with those who 

 are fortunate enough to possess them. The 



