DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



when the American flag is made of verbenas, 

 as we lately saw a most ingenious example at 

 a State fair. Temples and alcoves of flowers 

 are also objectionable for the same reason ; but 

 temples and alcoves decorated properly with 

 wreaths of flowers, not as a part of them,, but as 

 exterior ornament merely, may be in perfectly 

 good taste. We have seen some beautiful ob- 

 jects in the form of baskets of flowers j but 

 when the baskets themselves a])pear to be com- 

 l)osed entirely of flowers, instead of being mere- 

 ly filled with them, or wreathed by them, the 

 incongruity is at once apparent. At the late 

 State Fair at Utica, were some very ingeni- 

 ously constructed figures in human form, bui 

 in most singular bad taste, and which must 

 have cost the exhibitors whole days of labor — 

 while close beside them stood two handsome 

 empty vases, which might have been in a mo- 

 ment rendered infinitely more pleasing by 

 throwing promiscuously into each an armful of 

 flowers. At the late Philadelphia annual show, 

 there were some very richly wrought specimens 

 of flower temples; but we regarded with a 

 great deal more interest the simple structures 

 made of wire, and beautifully covered with 

 climbing plants, which had groH'n up and cov- 

 ered them, and were then in full bloom. 



Forest Trees of America. — Amongst our 

 native Forest Trees, the Elm stands pre-emi- 

 nent. Its beauty of form, and luxuriance of 

 foliage, with its long and graceful branches, 

 renders it peculiarly fitting for a shade tree. 

 Its long life makes it particularly valuable, as 

 more than one generation can enjoy its planting. 



I have ever regretted that so ruthless a dis- 

 position was made by the early settlers of Roch- 

 ester, of the beautiful forest trees which 

 abounded here. The Elm, Maple, Chestnut, 

 Oak, Walnut and Beeches, grew in abundance, 

 and were mostly cut down by those whose 

 province it was to clear away the forest. In 

 after planting on our streets for ornament, the 

 " Button Ball," or " Sycamore," was used, as 

 their growth was rapid. Recently the Elms, 

 Maples, and Horse Chestnuts, have been used, 

 so that in time we may enjoy the shade which 

 they furnish. One noble old Elm, is all that 

 I now remember, of much size, and that is on 

 South Clinton-street, a monument of past time, 



when the man of the forest held sway here. 

 It is held in high esteem. May time deal gently 

 with it, and may its age increase until centu- 

 ries can be allotted as the period of its exis- 

 tence. 



Rochester has been called the '■ City of Trees," 

 and looking down upon it from the cupola of 

 the court house, it has the appearance of a 

 large garden studded with trees. 



It is known that in Mr. Downing's life-timt3, 

 he gave a great preference to the native Elm 

 of our country, and in his work on " Land- 

 scape Gardening," he clas.ses it among those 

 objects in which all that is beautiful existed. 



He had been heard to say, that under its 

 branches would he prefer his "last of earth," 

 to be deposited — and when his numerous friends 

 shall perform what is the wish of many should 

 be done, may the chosen Elm make one of the 

 trees to be planted round his grave. Jas. H. 

 Watts. Rochester, October, 1852. 



Wine and Temperance. — Much has been 

 said on this subject, in most of the Horticultu- 

 ral Journals, and all, or nearly all, in favor of 

 the general use of wine, as a prevention of in- 

 temperance. I fear sufficient caution has not 

 been used in making this recommendation, and 

 perhaps too superficial an examination has been 

 made of the condition of those countries where 

 it is extensively adopted as a drink. How did 

 so many instances of intemperance occur among 

 the ancients — which induced king Solomon to 

 describe its effects as "woe, sorrow, contentions, 

 babbling, wounds, and redness of eyes;" and as 

 " biting like a serpent and stinging like an ad- 

 der?" These were rather strong terms to apply 

 to the remedy for intemperance. What was it 

 that caused king Alexander to murder hisguilt- 

 less friend — and what destroyed his own life? 

 This same remedy for intemperance. What led 

 to the destruction of a whole Scythian army by 

 the Medes? A free use of the same remedy. 

 Now permit me to ask with all respect, hoping 

 an answer with all candor, whether^ seeing that 

 distillation has since greatly concentrated the 

 peculiar power of wine, it will be any safer now 

 to acquire a taste for it, with this concentrated 

 liquor standing ready at all times to gratify the 

 increased appetite often produced by habit 

 the first man that history informs us of, 



