INFLUENCE OF FLOWERS UPON NATIONAL LIFE. 129 



the breath of the wild flower and the beauties of nature in general, 

 which the resident of the country possesses in the greatest abun- 

 dance. The rich can avail themselves of these privileges as they 

 may desire, but how compensate the laboring classes for these 

 deprivations so that they, as a part of our nation, shall feel this 

 same influence upon their lives ? It has been deemed a matter of 

 wise political economy in some countries to give each laborer his 

 plot of ground, so that he might raise his own vegetables and feel a 

 little independence. In the country this idea might be carried 

 still further, and each man be given land for flowers as well, but 

 land is too valuable in the city to be given away. Why not 

 furnish the laborer with window gardens, then? In some towns 

 in Germany, almost every home, whether belonging to the poor 

 or the rich, has its own window garden. We have not the hang- 

 ing gardens of ancient Babylon, nor the floating gardens of 

 Mexico, but today money is freely spent in providing public 

 parks and gardens that can be enjoyed by the poor. These parks 

 and gardens and the fine displays in the windows of flower stores 

 are only to be looked at, however. The poor man may know that 

 the flowers in public gardens belong to him as much as to the rich 

 man, but this does not satisfy him, and he has not the means, 

 perhaps, to pui'chase one flowering plant for himself. We have 

 regularly organized flower missions for distributing flowers among 

 the sick. Let us have missions for supplying these homes of the 

 working people with flowering plants, and thus bring a ray of 

 sunshine and a gleam of hope into these otherwise desolate inte- 

 riors. 



Another way of purifying and ennobling the national life is 

 through its political life. Flowers and politics, — what incongru- 

 ous elements ! How can the flowers be made to benefit politics ? 

 In the political strife of England known as the "War of the 

 Roses," we find the angry Duke of York wearing the white rose 

 as his emblem, while his opponent, the haughty Duke of Somer- 

 set plucked from the bush a red rose to be worn as his badge. 

 Later on, we read that the primrose has been favored by some of 

 England's lords ; and, from certain associations connected with it, 

 might almost be called a political flower. The Primrose League, 

 which numbers more than four hundred thousand members, is an 

 order of conservatives, founded in honor of the late Lord Beacons- 

 field and takes the primrose as its badge. So we see that flowers 

 9 



