30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND 



lines. Then horticulture was progressing forward 

 not backward as I have seen in many instances on the 

 fallacious pretext that it " did not pay." Then you 

 could sell "New Holland and Cape of Good Hope plants, 

 etc., that nobody wants to-day. I think I shall do well 

 not to follow the thread of my digressions on that sub- 

 ject when the " Chrysanthomania " is at the apogee of 

 its paroxysm. Fifty years ago the camellia swayed ! 

 the horticultural world as the chrysanthemum does to- 

 day. Everything has' to undergo the vicissitudes of 

 life, " Hodie mihi, eras tibi," to-day to me to-morrow 

 to you. Among the various epidemics on plants we 

 have had in succession are the " Morus multicaulis," 

 " Chinese Yam " (Dioscorea), Fuchsia, Coleus, Pelar- 

 gonium zonale and P. inguinans, vulgo geranium 

 (horse shoe geraniums), which by the way are not 

 geraniums, notwithstanding the popularity of the 

 name adapted by the whole community. We must 

 confess that nothing has equalled the rose ! which has 

 survived and thrown into oblivion all her contempora- 

 ries. Hoses were in demand 50, 60, 100 years ago. 

 Not so much as to-day, however. Now they seem to 

 be as necessary as bread itself ! I wonder if they shall 

 ever have their decadence ? Do not be afraid. I only 

 ask the question. It is not probable that the rose will 



ever be supplanted by any other flower unless 



God knows! we don't! One thing I know just this 



