THE SIX OF SPADES. 175 



the Whitsun holiday week. It was enough to set this 

 council's teeth a-chattering; but Lancashire lads ta'es 

 a dealo' scaring, and they makes answer, "We'll find 

 the brass." Well, that show was a grand success, 

 and has been every year since ; the receipts last May, 

 if I am not mistaken, being over 1600. And most 

 of this in shillings, from hard-working men and 

 women ! How bright the flowers must seem to those 

 poor factory hands, who've been stooping over warp 

 and woof ! How sweet the roses must smell, after all 

 that oil and grease ! How merry must the music 

 sound, after all that clank and whir ! Brother 

 Spades, I can't think of 'em without thanking God 

 that He has sent me to work in the fresh pure air 

 among the flowers and fruits ; and may His blessing 

 be, as it surely will, on all those kindly men as 

 make parks, and playgrounds, and plan holiday trips, 

 for them as toils in the mill ! 



Now a few words about arranging plants and 

 flowers for a show. There should be, wherever there 

 can be, and there might be at most public gardens, a 

 place laid out for the purpose, with raised mounds and 

 sloping banks surrounding, and broad gravel walks 

 within, as at the Manchester shows, of which I have 

 been speaking, at the shows of the Royal Botanic 

 Society in the Regent's Park, and of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society in the provinces. This ground 

 may be made ornamental at all times, and is soon 

 covered with canvas when it is wanted for a show. 

 Where such advantages cannot be had, the most effec- 

 tive, quickest, and cheapest plan is to group the larger 

 plants on the ground, having a good supply of spare 



