186 WltD FLOWERS. 



And why are they precious? 



"Less that they are so beautiful, 

 Than that they are so jtlentiful, 

 So free for every child to pull." 



MARY HOWITT. 



Herein the lady agrees with many others who 

 have written on this delightful subject ; as the 

 quotation at the head of our chapter well ex- 

 presses it, Wild Flowers are " the true Phi- 

 lanthropists of Nature ;" says another sweet 

 singer : 



"And then I love the Field Flowers, too, 



Because they are a blessing given 

 E'en to the poorest little one, 



Who wanders 'neath the vault of heaven ; 

 The garden flowers are reared by few, 



And to that few belong alone ; 

 But flowers that spring by vale or stream, 

 Each one may claim them for hid own." 



AXXE PRATT. 



Besides their superior fragrance, to which we 

 shall presently make allusion, there is also 

 another reason named by this author, for her 

 love of Wild Flowers ; we will give it, not in her 



