10 A Retrospective View of the Progress of 



neglected the culture of the simplest flower. We know that 

 our Flushing neighbors talk of " laying out anchoi-s to the 

 windward," and plant orchards to fall back upon, as they 

 say, when the nursery business will not pay, — aye, pay, — ^for 

 it is not to be supposed a nurseryman grows a plant because 

 he loves it, — but we indulge in no such fancies. It is an in- 

 born necessity which compels us to rear and train up a beau- 

 tiful plant, or labor to produce something from the raw ma- 

 terial nature has given us, which will be worthy of cultiva- 

 tion by all true admirers of flowers, whether it does, or does 

 not, pay ; and when we have cultivators who are imbued 

 with similar feelings, as we have some now, — ^and hope to 

 have many more, — the progress of ornamental gardening will 

 advance with a rapidity which we have not yet experienced. 



The cultivation of specimen plants, as they are termed in 

 England, where their growth has been carried to the highest 

 perfection, has as yet attracted but little attention among our 

 amateur or professional cultivators. If a plant is kept in 

 health, no matter how long, lean, and lanky it may be, that is 

 considered ample, if it will only bloom. The form, sym- 

 metry, beauty, or, as we might say, the tout ensemble of the 

 plant is scarcely thought of. It is no wonder that gentlemen 

 loften become careless of the condition of their greenhouse 

 and regardless of its attractions, when it is filled up, as is too 

 often the case, with such meagre and ill-shaped specimens. 

 We hope for more improvement in the growth of greenhouse 

 plants. Gentlemen who know in what a fine specimen con- 

 sists should demand that their gardeners should produce them, 

 provided they are willing they should bestow a little more 

 than the ordinary care upon them. We are glad to have been 

 ■able to offer such good advice upon this subject as that con- 

 tained in the series of articles by our correspondent "Hortus." 

 If his directions are followed they will lead to a far higher 

 cultivation than we now can claim, and will speedily bring 

 .■about a better appreciation of beautifully grown plants. 



We cannot omit to call again the attention of admirers of 

 liardy plants to our neglected native species, the Rhododen- 

 idrons, the Kalmias, Azaleas, Andromedas, &c., or their vari- 



