396 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



usually but little interest, and is of little practical utility. Within 

 my limited knowledge, the botanical work is yet to be written, 

 which shall present the subject in that natural, plain, instructive, 

 familiar, comprehensive, elevated, I hope I may add, without 

 offence to science, popular form, which would give to rural 

 pursuits and recreations, and to the culture of ornamental as well 

 as of useful plants, an interest, a utility, a delight, even to humble 

 minds imperfectly educated, infinitely beyond what they are now 

 found to have with many persons, in other respects of cultivated 

 taste and enlarged knowledge. 



But, putting aside this view of the subject, in which it cannot 

 be expected that the study of botany should become general or 

 even frequent, the simple cultivation of flowers, without any skill 

 or knowledge in technical botany, can scarcely be too strongly 

 enjoined upon the dwellers in the country. While I would urge 

 it upon the wealthy proprietor, if there were occasion for it, I 

 would with still more earnestness press it upon the small farmer, 

 and even upon the cottager and the laborer, who, in the United 

 States, if he will, may always have his house and his garden, 

 humble as they may be, and, I may add, his acres, to devote, as 

 he chooses, to purposes of utility and recreation. 



No farmer, in my opinion, should be without his fruit and 

 vegetable garden, to which he should be able to look for a large 

 portion of the daily supplies of his table ; for profit, as matter 

 of economy, for health, comfort, and luxury ; and a part of this, 

 or a portion additional, should be devoted to the cultivation of 

 flowers and plants for ornament. I do not mean that the great 

 labors of a farm should be intermitted for the care of the gar 

 den, as some persons profess to fear that in such case it would 

 be ; but they may ordinarily go hand in hand together, and the 

 one serve in truth to advance the other. France is not without 

 such beautiful examples. On every well-regulated farm there 

 should be hours of recreation, when at least the most severe and 

 harassing labors of the farm should be for a while relaxed. I 

 know that there are seasons of the year when such a remission 

 could hardly be expected. But there are seasons when there is 

 ample leisure ; and in almost every household, and on almost 

 every farm, there are what may be called supernumerary hands, 

 women and children, to whom such cares would always be a 

 welcome occupation and a healthful pastime. 



