XVI INTRODUCTION. 



its title and the names that vouch for its contents, 

 scarce needs an introduction from me ; and so my 

 words may seem to them but a mere, though I 

 hope not a cold, formality. 



For the manner of florists is to read eagerly 

 anything that concerns a favourite flower. The 

 matter may not always be new, but novelty is 

 not essential to truth. To some it may come as a 

 very " old, old story," yet loving interest in the 

 plant gives touch and bloom of freshness to all that 

 can be said about it. I dare say that, in other lines 

 and walks of love, it is given to but few " lovers " to 

 rise much, if ever, above the stereotyped and 

 commonplace, except in each other's estimation. 

 Many a love tale transparently fails to do so, and 

 yet we have read such tales with an interest which 

 they never exhaust, though we "knew what the 

 end would be." Perchance we have told one such 

 tale ourselves, evolved out of our own inner con- 

 sciousness, as if the subject were fresh as the day's 

 rosebud, and no expert but ourselves had ever 

 demonstrated it before ! 



If I know a florist's love for his flowers — and I 

 think I do, passionately — I feel sure that this little 

 work will be read with interest by "old hands"; 

 and I trust many a beginner will be successfully 

 guided and encouraged by it. 



It is, alas ! too much to expect that every novice 

 will make an expert, or even " go on." Some will 



