38 A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



and improve what our Maker has kindly bestowed upon us. 

 Reason and avarice no doubt hava some influence on this 

 principle in subverting those gifts. A question arises when 

 presumptive man, in taking on himself liberties of such a 

 nature, is he acting consistent with the attributes of his Ma- 

 ker or not. When we view the vast fields of flowers that 

 gild this world, and man is found diving into the researches 

 of nature, we feel a palliative excuse for him in assuming 

 liberties in endeavoring to improve those gems that embel- 

 lish the floral world. The Bees no doubt suggest to the flo- 

 rist the first idea of hybridizing, and as those insects can be 

 seen carrying the pollen on their soft down that covers them 

 from one flower to another, by this means changing the pu 

 rity of one with that of another, thus converting the order 

 of nature by hybridizing, and on a similar principle is the 

 Dollen removed from one plant to another with a camel's 

 hair pencil, thus showing what the insect effects by acci- 

 dent the florist effects on the same principle with the pencil 

 as a system. There are many plants on the Prairies and 

 other places that cross naturally without those agencies, but 

 crosses of that kind are confined more to plants of a like 

 nature, beyond this there is a barrier which cannot be over- 

 stepped. The China Pink planted by the side of the Sweet 

 William will cross without artificial fecundation. 



The florist in some measure is prescribed in his limits, 

 for he may cross the Peach and Plum, but he cannot con- 

 vey the pollen of either to the Apple with effect, the consti- 

 tution of the one will not admit anything of the kind on the 

 other. The greatest perfection of the florist's skill can be 

 exercised with the China Rose, the pollen of which will 

 fertilize with that of any other rose, hence we are indebted for 



