HINDRANCES AND HELPS 



of fiery crimson berries. Skirting these, and 

 shining under the dip of a Willow, are the 

 glossy Kalmias which, at mid-summer, were a 

 sheet of blossoms; and the hem of the group 

 is stitched in at last with purple Phloxes and 

 gorgeous Golden-rod. 



I know no limit indeed to the combinations 

 which a man may not effect who has an eye for 

 color, and a heart for the light labor of the 

 culture. There is, unfortunately, a certain 

 stereotyped way of limiting these shrubberies 

 to a few graceful exotics, — which, of course, 

 the gardeners commend, — and of rating the 

 value of foliage by its cost in the nursery. 

 It is but a narrow and ungrateful way of deal- 

 ing with the bounties of Providence. It may 

 accomplish, under great care, very effective re- 

 sults; but they will not open the eyes of men 

 of humble estates to the beauties that are 

 lurking in the forest all around them, and 

 which only need a little humanizing care to 

 rival the best products of the nurseries. Steer- 

 ing clear of this intolerance, I have domesti- 

 cated the White-birch, and its milky bole is 

 without a rival among all the exotics; the 

 Hardbeam (Carpinus), with its fine spray, and 

 the Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginica), with 

 its unique bloom upon the bare twigs of No- 



321 



