purpose, no one of her sex wieldfed a trowel better. She did not make her garden for a mere 



promenade and a show ; she studied the bahits of her plants, and understood them, and, 

 of coui-se, they understood her. Who so well could prepare a luscious evouing feast from 

 her own vines and trees ? Who bad such delicious cream ? Wore not her conserves the 

 perfection of art ? her grapes the best ? And then, with what a relish they were eaten, fresh 

 from nature's bountiful cornucopia. Tliere was always enough, no matter how numerous 

 the accidental guests ; the resources of tliat bouse very few could understand. Wo passed 

 it but yesterday ; the windows were closed — the hedge has not been trinuned — the garden 

 is all but a wilderness. Servants pluck the degenerate fruits, and a cow has the pasturage 

 of that beautiful lawn ! Julia ! all this is true ; can you read of it without a sigh ? Can 

 you say, truly, you are any happier for the change ? I hope so — but I believe it tremblingly. 



Julia, we have said, was an example ; for how few American ladies there are who 

 thoroughly enjoy a garden — who, implement in hand, and knowledge to direct it, pursue 

 with enthusiasm the occupations which a true lover of floriculture enjoys ? 



Health, and, consequently, beauty, are best sought by a daily intercourse with nature. 

 When we see a faded form, it can be too often traced to the close, unventilated room, and 

 the absence of daily exercise. Depend upon it as a truth, the open air is the place to live 

 in, at least two or three hours of most American days, and the indolent young ladies who 

 will not practise either gardening, or walking, or riding (1 cheval, may expect, before they 

 are thirty, to lose that complexion which was the charm of their youth. Do you still re- 

 member, Julia, that in the country 



"There is a dance of leaves in that aspen bower, 

 There's a titter of winds in that heecheu tree, 

 There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flower, 

 And a laugh on the brook that runs to the sea ?" 



Julia, come hack ! 



