FLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 75 



lities; and there is every prospect of the march of floral taste extend- 

 ing itself in a short time to every town and village of any importance 

 in the kingdom. 



That such a desirable state of things would be beneficial to society 

 at large there can be no reasonable doubt. For what can be so harm- 

 less an amusement in a neighbourhood as a competing florists' society? 

 What can be so delightful a recreation to a man as the pleasing occu- 

 pation of looking after a garden ? And how are the pleasures of a 

 garden enhanced a thousand fold after the proprietor becomes a florist, 

 and especially after he becomes a Tulip grower ! The rude sports of 

 our ancestors are neglected and almost forgotten, and the leisure 

 hours of the tradesman are spent in the more agreeable occupation ot 

 meditating on the magnificent productions of the Almighty hand, — in 

 no scene more lavishly displayed than in the gorgeous sight of a Tulip 

 bed in full bloom. What has become of the cock-fights and bull- 

 baitings of the last century ? Gone ! like the visions and supersti- 

 tions of our ancestors. Departed ! like the generations who enjoyed 

 them, and succeeded by enjoyments of a more rational and ennobling 

 kind. Let us then hope that this sign of improvement in society will 

 continue and keep progressing ; that happiness and comfort will soon 

 be more generally diffused throughout our population, and that edu- 

 cation and floriculture will shortly spread their precious boons more 

 widely over " our sea-girt isle." 



There is no flower more worthy of the attention of the modern florist 

 than the Tulip; certainly none more worthy of occupying the pages 

 of a floral publication. It is supposed by many to be the " lily of 

 the field," alluded to by our Saviour in his admirable sermon on the 

 mount; and this is probable, as it is a native of the Levant, and 

 common throughout all Syria. " Behold the lilies of the field," says 

 he; " they toil not, neither do they spin ; and yet I say unto you, that 

 even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." If, 

 therefore, this flower in its wild state drew down such marked admi- 

 ration from the Saviour himself, shall we cease to admire it now in 

 the almost perfect state to which it has been brought by modem 

 florists ? Impossible. 



Unfortunately for the " Southlandler," the space occupied by this 

 article will be thrown away. The fine sympathies that pervade the 

 bosom of the ardent Tulip grower seem never yet to have penetrated 



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