1896.] ESSAYS. 75 



garden in Tuscany, where, surrounded l)y box lied<>es, l)looined ini- 

 perislialtle blossoms made of — pe])l)les ;ind cludk ! 



It is eurious to recall descriptions of old En<ilish gardens, where 

 there were monsters, giants, animals, coats-of-ai'uis, mottoes, cut in 

 hoU}', yt^'w and box. This fashion went so far that a London gar- 

 dener offered to cut " the ettigy of any lady in myrtle." Even Adam 

 and Eve were offered cut in a yew tree ; Eve had the serpent with her. 



The {)ractical nature of my talk forbade any attempt to amuse. The 

 lesson to carry away is that no garden that is an elaborate work of art 

 or great in extent can awaken the delight and show the fondness for 

 flowers as does one tenderly cared for in a dooryard. Where the Gar- 

 den of Eden was is a disputed question, but he that loves flowers and 

 has a garden has his own Eden. 



"We may be thankful that while fashion may control the arrangement 

 of flowers, may even proclaim one to be more the style than another, 

 it can never spoil their beauty. 



To me there is greater satisfaction in dwelling upon the beauty of 

 plant life than upon that of any other manifestation of the beautiful, for 

 its enjoyments are not limited to any class. 



Rare jewels, fine pictures, are the possession of the few ; the lover of 

 flowers can have his own garden. It may be but a few plants, yet by 

 those his senses and soul are stimulated. It is Ijecause I believe the 

 truth of this principle, that I have ventured to present to you, mem- 

 bers of this Society, accomplished and skilled horticulturists as you 

 are, my plain, practical suggestions, trusting that you w^ill feel that 

 there are still opportunities for greater enlargement of your work. 



