Taste in Horticulture and in Designs. 21 



make them tell, so to speak ; how to exhibit all their intrinsic 

 charms. The fruit-grower should grow his fruit in such a 

 manner as that he can realize all the healthful energies of 

 that variety of tree, shrub or vine, which comes under his 

 care. The saw and hammer belong only to him as accom- 

 paniments to the knife, to lay in wood, to prune out excres- 

 cent or useless branches. Both in their horticultural art fol- 

 low nature, though they deviate from her at the same time. 

 Nature is their mistress ; to her general laws they are obliged 

 to submit. The nearer they do this, — the happier they effect 

 the union of their art with her laws, the more perfect their 

 success. A finely cultivated plant displays more talent and 

 skill than any number of pagodas of dahlias, or temples of 

 hollyhocks. An elegantly grouped bunch of choice flowers, 

 pyramidal or cylindrical in its contour, is far more attractive 

 than hosts of moss-covered obelisks, decked ofl" with stars of 

 asters and wreaths of amaranths. For our own part, we 

 would give more and go farther to see a single weH grown 

 rhododendron, or a new azalea, than all such efforts at 

 effect, combined. Perhaps the trouble and expense of con- 

 veying choice and well cultivated pot specimens outweigh 

 the advantages proposed ; and that these more cumbrous de- 

 signs can be fabricated on the very spot, and serve to make 

 a show. This may be so ; and there may be some weight in 

 the observation : if so, we only regret the circumstance all the 

 more. But certainl}^ such is not the case with the others, 

 with inelegant designs and strange perversities of withering, 

 withered and long dead flowers. We do not presume that, if 

 we are correct, our single anonymous suggestion will be 

 adopted ; if we are wrong in our condemnation, we are quite 

 willing to remain in that predicament ; nay, we rather prefer 

 it to that of falling in with such notions, so contrary to our 

 ideas of what would promote and encourage a floricultural 

 taste in our community. 



•We have taken the liberty, Mr. Editor, to use your pages 

 on this subject-matter of our communication, (if you think it 

 worthy an insertion,) because, as we set out, so we repeat, 

 that it has given us pleasure oftentimes heretofore, to notice 

 your efibrts to promote that elegance and beauty of design in 

 floriculture, on which its success depends. We trust that 



