FLOWERS AND PLANTS. 331 



higL An azalea like Lane's grown as a standard, well 

 bloomed and of graceful form, Avitliout any sticks and ties 

 to hold the branches in their places, is a beautiful object, 

 while the monster beehive-looking plants, whose branches 

 are curled and twisted down and up again, to bring its flowers 

 to the surface of a cage, is comparatively ugly with all its 

 flowers, because it is unnatural. The plants usually exhibited 

 at shows would, if grown of their natural form, be very beau- 

 tiful, because the distinct habit of every plant would be seen, 

 and the many varieties of fohage appreciated ; but shown as 

 they are, merely monstrous cones of flower, not a branch nor 

 a twig left at liberty ; broad and narrow foliage, tall pyramidal 

 species and trailers, all tortured into one shape, are very dis- 

 gusting. The only chance we have now of seeing stove and 

 greenhouse plants in their natural form is at those private 

 collections which are not intended for public shows, and are 

 therefore growing undisturbed, developing their natural habits, 

 exhibiting their diflerent foliages, and opening their varied 

 flowers unconstraiued, and this is a beautiful sight. In a 

 general way a plant is not considered beautiful unless it shows 

 an abundance of flowers evenly disposed over the surface of 

 green; graceful compact habit, whether bushy, pyramidal, or 

 standard ; colours of flowers not necessarily brilliant, but 

 dense; blooms large in proportion to the plant, or in racemes, 

 trusses, umbels, or bunches, to form a sufficiently large fea- 

 ture; foliage shining like a camellia, dense like a rose, or 

 velvety like a gesnera. These are qualities indispensable to 

 make a plant beautiful. Kevertheless, there are plants with 

 ugly foliage and beautiful flowers, like the cactus ; and there 

 are others the reverse, like the endless variegated species 

 which fashion tolerates, and horticultural societies have 

 rendered popular by giving prizes. The very best of these 

 can only be called interesting. As to florists^ flowers we can 

 have no difiiculty in pronouncing on their beauty. But many 

 of these have insignificant plants ; witness the carnation and 

 picotee, some of whose flowers are beautiful beyond all 

 praise, while the plant is a mere tuft of grass, and a long 

 gawky stem unable to support itself. But many of the 

 florists'' plants, such as the fuchsia, cineraria, calceolaria, and 

 geranium, are beautiful objects when properly and naturally 

 grown. In our time there have been some thousands of new 

 plants introduced described as beautiful. The strongest 



