27th February, A. D. 1896. 



ESSAY 



BY 



EDWARD O. ORPET, South Lancaster, Mass. 



Theme : — The Chr>/s((.nthemKtn. 



With the march of a higher civilization there follows immediately iu 

 its train an irresistible love for the beautiful, a thirst after things 

 that humanize human nature, and, whether it be sought iu Music, 

 Pictures, or Flowers, the desire is always the same for a something 

 that will lift one up out of the every-day grind of business cares and 

 give them something, it may be more or less intangible, but there is a 

 satisfying reaction about pure enjoyment of this nature that adds 

 years to men's lives, brings them into closer intimacy with nature and 

 her wondrous plan, and never fails to make better citizens of the great 

 Commonwealth. 



As Horticulturists, we are told at times, as m the reconstruction of 

 a tariff bill, that our products are to be classed under the head of lux- 

 uries, and as such should be taxed. I tell you that the sooner this 

 idea is exploded that flowers are only for the few, and to be made 

 hard to obtaiu, just so soon will one of the most potent factors of civ- 

 ilization be set free, and we shall not hear it said when a prominent 

 man dies who has gotten together a fine collection of rare plants from 

 all parts of the world that he lived a generation ahead of his time. 



I travelled last summer through the most civilized part of the most 

 civilized nation to-day, and what do you suppose struck me above all 

 others at first sight? It was the cottage gardens of the masses all a 

 blaze of color with the wealth of flowers, and nearly every tiny garden 

 had its tinier greenhouse in one corner, where the good man who had 

 returned from his daily toil could go and smoke his pipe, tend his 

 potted plants, sow seeds, and study and enjoy nature in its highest 

 development every day in the year. There is no hobby that one can 



