186 AN ESSAY. 



cised cactece, or other succulents, more, or equally in- 

 sipid things to the aesthetic palates of your epicure 

 philophytes ! ! lovers of plants and flowers, with 

 wooden legs (stems) and other ornamental ligaments. 



And these last are specialties, if any, especially the 

 cacti. Yet, their protective spines would give us flor- 

 ists a good supply of vegetable pins to prop our floral 

 productions. An essay on our Horticultural Society, 

 that has been done. All I might do, and that which 

 is more congenial to my feelings and turn of mind, 

 would be to try a few digressions on what I think the 

 best ways and means to promote the success of the 

 society. But to elucidate one's ideas on such a delicate 

 theme, and as I understand it here, means : improv- 

 ing the MORAL of the society and at the same time to 

 teach how to grow the " root of all evil " and good, too 

 (that PLANT EOOT belongs to my school, eclecticism^ on 

 a large scale. For, without that sine qua non, that 

 nervus belli, that universal panacea ! no success to be 

 expected, and even with that somewhat doubtful to 

 realize. For, before cultivating that universally ap- 

 preciated vegetable, we must prepare the compost in 

 which it will have the chance of thriving, without 

 bruising the feelings of sensitive people. There is the 

 stumbling-block to avoid. .But, it strikes me that my 

 preliminaries are getting lengthy enough. Shall I con- 



