INTRODUCTION. 



not consider it advisable to imitate strictly tlie natural con- 

 ditions in which plants are sometimes found, because we have 

 seen so many proofs that, as individual specimens, the culti- 

 vated plants are frequently to be seen in greater perfection 

 than those grown in their native habitats. It is, indeed, only 

 reasonable to infer that such would be the case with the 

 majority of small-growing tropical plants, when we consider 

 the struggle for existence which is constantly going ou 

 throughout the vegetable kingdom, and remember that they 

 are subject to all the vicissitudes of the seasons ; whereas 

 under cultivation extreme care and attention are bestowed 

 upon each individual plant, and no pains are spared to develop 

 its beauties, and shield it from every harm. We admit that 

 we should by all means take nature as our guide for the pro- 

 duction of good plants, but it should be nature in her best 

 garb only ; and then, looking as we do upon cultivation as a 

 help to nature, the result can only be an improvement, if 

 success in the object aimed at has been attained. 



Let us endeavour to make our meaning clear by a familiar 

 example. We have frequently seen some of our indigenous 

 ferns, such as ScoloiJendriums, Lastreas, &c., growing upon 

 dry banks, stony grounds, and old ruins, where they have pre- 

 sented the appearance of short, stunted, ill-favoured plants, 

 but still they were in a state of nature. Now, no one would 

 recommend the cultivator to imitate that phase of nature. 

 No — rather would the counsellor say, "Go to that shady dell, 

 with the limpid stream flowing through it ; there you will see 

 the rich green, fully developed, and graceful fronds of these 

 gems in all their beauty." This, then, we say is the phase 

 of nature which cultivators should take as their guide, and 

 endeavour to improve upon. We submit that these con- 

 siderations are strictly applicable to the plants we have taken 

 under our special cognizance in this volume, and will exemplify 



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