256 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



quests. Those who really cannot afford these things 

 are rarely guilty of the petty meanness of the pro- 

 fessional plant-beggars. It is a good plan to jot 

 down, from time to time as they occur, the names of 

 those you would like to benefit in this way, and then, 

 when you have surplus plants, send word of that 

 fact, and of the time when it will be convenient to 

 take them up. This will be better than sending the 

 plants, which might arrive when it would be incon- 

 venient or impossible to attend to them. 



There are so many ways of giving pleasure with 

 flowers that one need never be embarrassed with a 

 surplus: the sick; the young girl who will enjoy 

 them for her party ; the young matron, for her prettty 

 luncheon; the church service, the humble funeral, 

 where the choicest and best should go. A beautiful 

 tact may be shown by a choice in harmony with the 

 taste of the recipient and the occasion for which they 

 are intended. Do not send all white flowers, or 

 flowers with a heavy perfume, to the sick-room. 

 Bright flowers are better. Notice the cheer in a pot 

 of golden Daffodils or a bunch of Hepaticas. A 

 charming thing is a handful of Japanese Morning- 

 glory buds picked and sent the night before, that the 

 invalid may watch their unfolding in the morning. 

 I have known these to give the greatest pleasure. 



Don't be too greatly cast down by failures; they 

 have their uses. One failure, if it sets you to study- 

 ing out the cause and remedy, is worth a dozen hap- 



