422 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FLO^^ERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE. 



A neighbor came into my garden, and looking 

 upon a variety of flowers growing there, remarked 

 in a reproving manner, that he had rather see 

 that ground planted to potatoes, and it would be 

 more profit to me, than those foolish flowers. 



How common is this, or a similar remark, 

 among a certain class of men. And what are 

 their general characteristics ? So far as my ob- 

 servations extend, they are unrefined, coarse in 

 their deportment and in their intercourse with 

 their families, and those with whom they associ- 

 ate. There does not seem to be a verdant spot 

 in their hearts. They have a certain kind of af- 

 fection for their families, and are attached to 

 their associates, but it is not that high order of 

 friendship which flows from a refined mind that 

 has been educated to appreciate the beauties of 

 nature. This neighbor, and kindred spirits, look 

 upon the fields with interest, but it is in view of 

 the prospective harvest. They have a pleasure 

 in seeing the growth of the stalk, and the filling 

 of the ear, that gives them bread. Such men oft- 

 en love a horse, or an ox, and many times exhi- 

 bit great kindness, yet it is a sort of low, ani- 

 mal affection. It is true that men of great refine- 

 ment and good taste often passionately love the 

 noble horse, but such love for the animal is sub- 

 servient to the higher order of affection which 

 belongs to intelligent beings. This difference 

 may be attributed to their early associations. 

 This man did not look upon the flowers, seeing 

 any beauty in them, nor were his senses regaled 

 by the sweet incense that filled the air, and which 

 should have inspired his heart with gratitude to 

 Him, who makes the morning blush with these 

 bright gems, which we are permitted to cultivate 

 in our gardens and yards, and which grow wild 

 and spontaneously upon the lawns and the hill- 

 sides, and the forests are made glad with their 

 presence. 



How powerfully do early associations for good 

 or evil, influence our actions in future years ; by 

 them men become sordid, selfish and uncomfor- 

 table to themselves, unprofitable and disagreea- 

 ble to others ; or by them the better feelings of 

 the heart are nurtured, and man becomes gentle 

 mild and virtuous, distilling an influence about 

 them as the flower distils its sweet fragrance 

 upon the breeze of the morning. As it takes 

 mild and gentle influences to subdue the young 

 mind, there is nothing more appropriate than the 

 language of flowers, and the sweet melting tones 

 of music. Are the vase of flowers and a sweet 

 toned instrument a part of the furniture of the 

 sitting-room ? Is a large margin of the garden 

 set apart for flowers? Have you a fruit-yard, 

 bearing the precious fruit in its season, that your 

 own hands have helped to nurture, and which 

 brings luxury to all the inmates of the family, 

 making youth buoyant, and old age peaceful ! 

 Then, long after parents "are gathered to their 

 fathers," brothers and sisters will love to meet at 

 the old homestead, and tread the hallowed pla- 

 ces, where once were the paths of youthful days. 



The love of flowers, what will it not do ? It 

 elevates the man, draws out his affections, and 

 excites modesty und humility, and all kindred 

 virtues. It leads the mind to hold communion 



with Him who paints the lily's cup and gives the 

 varied hues to every flower that breathes forth 

 the fragrance that sweetens the air. Who does 

 not admire that humble cottage, in a lonely place, 

 even where poverty may at times intrude, and lay 

 his cold and icy hand upon its inmates ? yet there 

 is cheerfulness and happiness there. The bright- 

 est evidence of this is, the modest violet and the 

 creeping honeysuckle about the door and win- 

 dows, the blooming flowers in the little garden, 

 and the flower pot upon the window-sill. What 

 language comes to the passer by from these evi- 

 dences of refinement and taste. Our sympathies 

 go out, unbidden, our hearts are affected, and 

 our eyes love to linger upon such a place. 

 July 20, 1858. Berkshire. 



For the New England Farmer. 



LETTER FROM A TRAVELLER. 



Chester, N. H., July 28, 1858. 

 My Dear Brown : — Not being one of your 

 regulars, I write when the spirit moveth me, 

 which, fortunately for you, perhaps, is not often. 

 When at my home, in the Federal City, that 

 spirit has a hard time of it, I guess, whenever it 

 undertakes to move my mind in any one partic- 

 ular direction, for, like the compass on board an 

 iron ship, it is so distracted by surrounding attrac- 

 tions, as to forget its northern affinity and roam 

 off in all sorts of directions. But here, in this quiet 

 and unambitious old town, the spirit can woo me to 

 do just what it pleases, and just now it whispered, 

 "remember the N. E. Farmer." So here I am, 

 remembering it with all my might ! 



''Rob Roy is on his native hills again !" 



I don't know whether I ever quoted that to 

 you before — nor do I care. I never come here 

 without quoting it to myself, and what I say to 

 one sensible man (!) I'm not ashamed to say to 

 another ; and that, somehow, has a twang to it 

 that vibrates through my nerves, when lorn here, 

 just as "Auld Lang Syne" does, when I say to 

 you, and you say to me, as we clasp flippers — 



"And here's a hand my trusty frere, 



And pi'e us a hand o' thine, 

 And we'll take a cup of kindness yet 



For Auld Lang Syne." 



I came from Exeter, here, yesterday, in com- 

 pany with your co-laborer. Judge French, and a 

 pleasant ride we had, I assure you. Our talk was 

 of farming, considerably, for you know, in the 

 present state of the Judge's mind, he could not 

 look on a piece of wet, sterile land without re- 

 marking 'Hhat land wants draining," and when 

 that text was named a sermon was sure to follow ! 

 It is, however, a melancholy fact that the farms 

 between Exeter and Chester, with some M'orthy 

 exceptions, might be improved not only by drain- 

 ing, but in many other particulars. "Those oats," 

 said the Judge, as we passed a field that seemed 

 to be endeavoring to strangle a very slim crop of 

 that vegetable, "look exactly as I knew they 

 would when I saw the man harrowing them in, 

 up to his ankles in mud." We saw men mowing 

 with scythes, and raking with hand-rakes, and 

 concluded that the spirit of improvement had not 

 yet sounded its trumpet in their ears, and that 

 they did nof take the N'cw England Farmer! 

 On the other hand we saw mowers clipping it 



