42 WESTKRN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



1st. We may say regarding- the beauty and value of our 

 prairie flowers, that much must depend upon the standard of 

 excellence, or what we think worthy a place in our gardens. 

 Herein there may be much difference of opinion, for tastes 

 differ. But the fair way seems to be, not to compare our wild 

 flowers with those which have for generations received 

 assiduous care, and show us now the effects of that "higher 

 culture," of which we hear so much in other directions. 



Many of our wild beauties would, even with them, be 

 able to hold their own but the test is scarcely a fair one. 

 We must look at the flowers or plants as we find them, and 

 then ask if, in their native beauty, either singly or in masses, 

 they are likely to prove worthy of places among what we may 

 call the more highly polished products of the horticulturist's 

 skill. 



Then of course we must bear in mind the probable effects 

 of cultivation, and especially of careful selection of hybridi- 

 zation upon the prairie flowers. While in some cases these 

 fail to "improve" the plants under experiment, very often 

 most valuable results are obtained. 



In the marvellously beautiful Calceolarias now in cultiva- 

 tion we have examples of what may be done by hybridzation, 

 for the originals were plants of different species with very 

 small red and yellow flowers, from South America. 



Similar results might be obtained here, and without 

 doubt there would be a vast improvement in many cases as to 

 size, colour and form, under careful selection of seedlings and 

 suitable cultivation. 



2nd. The conditions necessary to successful culture. 

 These must be considered, and it is obviously of little practi- 

 cal use to consider any plants that require conditions not 

 easily obtained. In the following list I have therefore left 

 out of consideration many plants which could not easily be 

 grown in an ordinary garden. We might mention among 

 others the beautiful Pyrola or Wintergreen, which thrives 

 only in damp woods, as also several orchids which require the 



