1885.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



163 



the delightful remembrance of their very agreeable, 

 and truly companionable presence is not forgotten, 

 when dreary winter returns, and, after tarrying 

 awhile, retires to his boreal home, there to bide his 

 time. And no sooner has the shivering "blustering 

 railer," left us than we begin to look with joyous 

 expectation for the coming time, when, at the 

 bidding of gentle Flora, the portals of genial 

 spring are thrown open, for the cheerful sunbeams 

 to welcome and warm the sweet face of the first 

 fair flower that comes out to greet us. With in- 

 tense pleasure do we gaze upon the gorgeous floral 

 cortege in its continuously changing phases, while 

 passing by ! Till we perceive it begins to lose its 

 brilliant coloring, and becomes more attenuated, 

 and less conspicuously attractive, than when first 

 seen in its pristine beauty. One by one, the fra- 

 grant procession succumbs to the destructive touch 

 of withering Time, and we are reminded in the 

 poetical language of Holy Writ, of our fleeting 

 existence — " He cometh up, and is cut down, like 

 a flower," and thus, like them we pass away. 



Contented mortals, who enjoy nature's favors, 

 and there are many such — indeed their name is le- 

 gion — who sedulously search for flowers in sunny 

 spots and pleasant places, "where summer first un- 

 folds her robes," and modestly displays her winsome 

 features to every admirer in whose bosom beats a 

 heart for love and friendship framed. And as the 

 season advances, when the drooping petals begin 

 to fade and fall around, and the dry leaves rustle 

 in the tops and beneath the trees and are scattered 

 to and fro with every changing wind, one of the 

 apparently last efforts of Nature to avert for a 

 while the temporary destruction of her cherished 

 progeny, in fatal October and November, is to 

 garnish the gardens again with gay Chrysanthe- 

 mums. And when we see the vigorous heralds 

 of old Frigidus, becomingly clad in seasonable 

 attire, spread their brilliant pennons and beautiful 

 banners to the autumnal breeze, we naturally feel 

 proud of the last survivors, whose severely tested 

 powers of endurance hold out as long as pos- 

 sible. Though compelled at last through sheer 

 stress of weather, to lower their colors and 

 surrender ; yet, like lonely pickets, or silent senti- 

 nels, we sometimes see striking instances of how 

 some of the hardiest of them will for a length of 

 time continue to bid defiance to the freezing at- 

 tacks of their unrelenting enemy. Jack Frost, in 

 some snug or sheltered nook, where he has not 

 found them out. And from these facts, we may 

 infer that all, or most of them, would unflinchingly 

 face the cold foe, for a longer time with but little 



discomfort, under similar conditions ; while those 

 that are more fully exposed can not withstand his 

 frosty charges. 



For open air, or out in the garden cultivation, 

 close hedges, or wind breaks of evergreens, or the 

 temporary shelter of a portable tent, are suggestive 

 modes ol protecting them, and thereby prolonging 

 the season of these interesting and popular flowers. 

 For those grown in pots, a cool greenhouse — pits 

 or frames — will afford better protection, when very 

 severe weather sets in. And thus, from a good 

 stock, properly housed, a sufficiency of plants may 

 be drawn at intervals, to give variety to other 

 plants in warmer houses, when drifting snows en- 

 shroud the world outside. And for occasionally 

 decorating the rooms, halls, or corridors in our 

 dwellings, their superiors among herbaceous 

 plants are few indeed. In fact, it would be 

 difficult to mention anything less liable to suffer 

 than they. Even should a few of them spoil 

 while remaining in such close quarters, the loss 

 will not be felt ; as from a very small stock, 

 specially saved, great numbers may be easily 

 propagated for the same service another year. 



Of all plants under cultivation none are more 

 simple to manage or more suitable for decoration, 

 indoors or outside, than a good collection of these 

 much esteemed and showy flowers. And no better 

 test of the great popularity of these dazzling 

 beauties could be cited, than the interested throng 

 of appreciative observers who visited the spacious 

 Broad Street Horticultural Hall, in Philadelphia, 

 from the fifth to the eighth of last November ; to 

 inspect and admire the many splendid varieties 

 on exhibition there. 



These old and familiar favorites came to us as 

 strangers from the " Flowery Kingdom ;" and were 

 kindly taken in and adopted by our forefathers, 

 more than one hundred years ago. And ever 

 since then they have continued to increase in 

 number, and multiply into many colored kinds 

 and novel forms to the great surprise and delight 

 of those who foster them. Until the brief in- 

 terregnum which occurred when the majestic 

 Dahlia rose up in all its regal splendor as another 

 claimant for our recognition, and partially 

 eclipsed the brilliancy of its smaller and less 

 ostentatious companion, they maintained the dis- 

 tinguished position justly conceded them. Since 

 then they have wonderfully developed from their 

 former comeliness into absolute objects of striking 

 beauty. 



Had it been the privilege of all the many readers 

 of this magazine to have shared with the favored 



