172 FLOWEBS. 



FLOWERS. We have no reason to believe that either 

 Greeks or Romans cultivated flowers so far as to set apart 

 ground for their cultivation. Modern Europe was first in- 

 cited by the example of the East to this charming occupa- 

 tion. Turkey, Persia, and China had long cherished flowers 

 before the same taste had passed through Constantinople, 

 Italy, Germany, and Holland, and from this last into Eng- 

 land. Flora, as if in revenge at this tardy homage from the 

 best part of the world, yielded to the humor of Puck, and 

 from 1 634 to 1 637 set Commerce off in a mad frolic, and 

 made the Dutchman pay for the music. During the space 

 alluded to, a single root of a fashionable species of tulip 

 would have bought a handsome farm, and have stocked it 

 with cattle, grain, furniture, and provisions. 



Flowers are cultivated with an eye to effect, or to botani- 

 cal arrangement ; where the last is sought, all the species 

 of a genus are kept together, though colors must be con- 

 fused ; where effect merely is looked for, plants whose season 

 for flowering is the same, and whose colors contrast, such as 

 blue and yellow, red and green, orange and purple, are se- 

 lected. Where, however, colors do not form agreeable con- 

 trasts, they may be softened by the interposition of white 

 flowers, or dark-colored ones that approach black. So also 

 where flowers are intended for vases or pots, and whose back- 

 ground is to be the blue sky, purple and blue flowers should 

 be avoided, and orange and red flowers chosen. 



It is much to be wished that jardinieres (though the au- 

 thor has found these in the parlors of Bangor, Me., filled 

 with choicest camellias), and baskets of flowers suspended 

 from ceilings and windows, would take the place of expensive 

 upholstery ; even the first violets of spring, and the autumn 

 leaves and the blue fringed gentian of .autumn, the trophies 

 of pleasant walks, placed about a room, give it a freshness 

 and cheerfulness that is always felt, if not acknowledged. 



