252 F 1,0 IU CULTURAL GLEANINGS. 



of Rothwell, near Leeds, on the 12th of January, 1119. Being 

 of humble parents, and the state of education in the country being 

 then very low, it is not to be wondered at that the education he 

 received was very limited. He was in early life bound apprentice 

 to a blacksmith ; — an occupation certainly not the most favourable 

 for the development of the human mind. From his childhood he 

 betrayed a fondness for the beauties of nature, and this naturally led 

 him to acquire a taste for the charms of gardening, which he con- 

 tinued to retain till the day of his death. The first commencement 

 of his growing Carnations was in the year 1803, and from this time 

 he continued to add to his stock such flowers as came under his 

 observation, and were the reigning favourites in these days ; till, in 

 1811, he succeeded in blooming a few seedlings, amongst which was 

 a scarlet flake, which he sold to Mr. Wood, of Bradford, for the sum 

 of 30s., and which was named by Mr. Wood the Blazing Comet. 

 This flower may be fairly denominated the alpha of Mr. Ely's suc- 

 cess, and was a successful flower in its day. In 1815 he succeeded 

 in raising a purple flake, which he also sold to Mr. Wood, and for 

 which he received the sum of 20/. This flower is grown to the 

 present day, under the name of Wood's Commander-in-Chief, and 

 although it is inferior to many now in existence, a good bloom of it 

 occasionally wins yet at an exhibition. In 1819 he raised a great 

 quantity, both of Carnations and Picotees, and sold the best of them 

 to Mr. Wood, for the sum of 50/. : this was the last wholesale pur- 

 chase Mr. Wood made from him, as he now resolved to send his new 

 flowers out himself. 



During this period Mr. Ely carried on the business of a master 

 blacksmith, at Carlton, where he resided for a period of twenty years, 

 greatly esteemed by his neighbours and acquaintances for the honesty 

 and integrity of his business transactions, and for the industry and 

 sobriety of his personal conduct. Here he became the father of a 

 numerous family, having no fewer than twelve children, nine sons 

 and three daughters, to the oldest of whom he gave a good plain edu- 

 cation. It does not appear, however, that the tastes and inclinations 

 of his older children had been similar to those of their parent, as it 

 was only from his seventh son, who was named after himself, that he 

 derived any assistance in his floricultural operations. This son was 

 bound apprentice to his father as a smith, in 1824, and was encou- 



