12 PLANNING AND PLANTING 



from the swamps of Darkest Africa. It is a 

 majestic flower indeed in its present day beauty 

 solely because Man 'has made the most of the 

 opportunity that came his way with the discovery 

 of the first wild plant. 



And again, the fame of the Rose has been sung 

 in all ages, and yet until Man began to labor for 

 the improvement of this flower, it was but a single 

 petalled bloom, lacking in fragrance and really 

 insignificant in size. Compare it with the Rose of 

 today. We find it now enormous in size and of 

 full petallage, delightfully fragrant ; a flower truly 

 of rare and gorgeous beauty. Is it any wonder 

 that the Rose is acclaimed "Queen of the Floral 

 Kingdom" ? 



Looking backward into the yesterday, compar- 

 ing the plants and flowers of the past with the 

 improved forms we now have ; wonderful and mar- 

 velous creations, the mind must stand both appre- 

 ciative and amazed. 



Through the years Man has been exercising 

 his God-given powers of intellect and vision; he 

 has been performing a labor of love. Taking the 

 material available for his work, as provided by the 

 Creator, he has found both pleasure and satisfac- 

 tion, as well as success in large measure, and at 

 the same time he has conferred inestimable benefits 

 upon the human race that will endure through all 

 the ages yet to come. 



