1904.] ESSAY. 65 



affords can be but i)arlly told, and the profit only in a measure 

 disclosed. ()n(>'s home may not be costly, and y(^t a small 

 conservatory will ti'ansform that liome into an ]*]den of flowers. 

 How dreary and cold a home nnist be without the })resence 

 of these ''Jewels of Nature." They give to all an air of peace 

 and love; while without the earth may wvar her mantle of 

 white and nature look sober and sad, we have only to turn 

 our gaze from tlie desolation spread over our mother earth 

 to the cozy blossoming bower within, noting the contrast 

 between cold, cheerless winter without, and bright, genial 

 sunnner within. HoW' they thrill our hearts witji love for the 

 beautiful! How we would like to pay our grateful thanks to 

 them for tlie many hours of happiness they have bestowed 

 upon us I In our conservatory we find many and great advan- 

 tages; we find there a field for study wdiich is of great interest 

 and pleasure; the w^aiting and watching day by day for the 

 leaves to unfold and the blossoms to send forth their exquisite 

 fragrance, causing us to indulge in exclamations of delight 

 and wonder, showing us they are associates in our bright and 

 cheerful household. Thus we are taught to think of them as 

 our companions, for they have the same w^onderful thing as 

 we, — called life. And so we learn to love them as w^e become 

 acquainted with their sweet modest plant life. Conservatories 

 of plants are educators of taste. How many window^s w'e have 

 seen that told us plainly of the fair hands that trained those 

 draperies of green, and twined the clinging tendrils so artistically, 

 till all was a labyrinth of symmetry and beauty, was one whose 

 heart was filled with love for the beautiful. Flowers and 

 plants, not only by their beauty and fragrance, teach us cheer- 

 fulness, purity and love, but they point us to the great designer 

 and painter of the universe; they tell us of his wisdom and 

 care, reaching to the smallest of his creatures. We can truly 

 say ''the hand that made them is divine." 



We learn to cherish these floral treasures as they remind us 

 of th(>ir companionship w^ith us in hours of joy and happiness — 

 in hours of sorrow and pain. They bloom upon the bridal 

 altar, decking the brow of the blushing bride, kissing her cheeks 



