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state to flower and bear seeds. During the time it is feeding in its strange home no birds 

 seem to attack it, but probably in its perfect state it is often destroyed by them. 



I can fancy some amateur rose-grower reading this and observing to himself, "The little 

 rascal, I know it well; but I only wish it would not interfere with my operations but would 

 allow me to prune my roses as I like ; I fancy I know much better than it does how to do it." 

 No doubt he is quite right as far as this, that he knows the shape of bush he wishes to have ; 

 and he also knows by observation and using his intellect how to obtain what he expressly 

 desires to be at. Nature's method being a general one only and often what we consider the 

 rough and ready one but notwithstanding this, it effects her purpose. 



VEGETATION GENERALLY. 



Now a few words on trees, plants, flowers, and fruits. Can anything exceed the variety 

 we find here in form and colour? Some of the flowers being of the most extreme beauty and 

 grandeur in both these respects. 



Vegetation may be separated into two divisions each Nature's own ; the first, comprising 

 those kinds which probably remain as created, and which have not and cannot be changed 

 by cultivation and man's attention ; the second, comprising all those which have been 

 altered by man in various degrees, so far as the several kinds are capable of being inter- 

 fered with; but why one of such kinds can be altered in shape and colour by horticulture in a 

 greater degree than another, is a mystery. Many of our most gorgeous flowers and plants are 

 very unlike the original state in which man found them ; so much so that in some plants 



