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CHAPTER VIII. 



THE FLOWER-GARDEX, AND THE CULTURE OF 

 FLOWERS. 



Whatever doubts may be entertained as to 

 the practicability of a lady attending; to the 

 culture of culinary vegetables and fruit trees, 

 none can exist respecting - her management of 

 the flower-garden, as that is pre-eminently a 

 woman's department. The culture of flowers 

 implies the lio-htest possible kind of garden 

 labour ; only, indeed, enough to give an interest 

 in its effects. This light labour is, in fact, one 

 of the reasons that the culture of flowers is so 

 generallv a favourite occupation ; as, though it 

 is one of the conditions of our nature that we 

 shall never enjoy what is too easily obtained, 

 it is equally true that we cannot associate the 

 ideas of pleasure with anything that gives us 

 verv much trouble. The culture of flowers is 

 exactly in the happy medium between what is 

 too hard and what is too easy. There are dif- 

 ficulties in it, but they are such as may be 

 readily surmounted; and the result at once 

 gratifies our own sense of what is beautiful, and 

 our pride at being the means of presenting so 

 much that is worthy to be admired to others. 



