REPORTS. 17 



humbles-t 6ottage, awakens emotions that the golden PaLice fails 

 to do. 



How many a poor soldier upon his narrow couch in the Hos- 

 ■pjital, or in the foul prisons of the South, who dreamed of soft 

 -summer days, vv'hen he was wont to sit upon the door-sill of his 

 Mother's cottage, among the hills, — while he looked lovingly up- 

 on the white roses, that nodded to him in the soft, zephyr, or of 

 the home spare bedroom, beneath the windows of which, were 

 .grouped the red and white roses that perfumed his room, while 

 his dear Mother nursed him when ill, he thought of a time, 

 when again he should beat that home among the roses ; — but, 

 alas ! they were transferred to a home in the celestial city, — rath- 

 er than to a Mother's care, and not even a rose was laid upon 

 their marble brows to speak of loving hands and hearts. 



It is estimated that more than 100,000 species of plants have. 

 become knov/n, and' since there is such a vast number, it affords 

 a wide field for abundant research for the Horticulturist. 



SECTION III. 



The UiiUiy of Flowers* 



Heretofore, we have: spoken of the Beauty of Flowers, and we 

 find them possessing Utility also, f^hey , possess great medic- 

 inal properties, either in their blossoms or roots.: The leav,es of 

 roses, are an astringent. The fresh plants of violets, form a use- 

 ful mucilaginous purgative. Poppies, afford an anodyne. It is 

 said that a syrup of the juice of the tiny flower, of the Forget-me- 

 not, is a remedy against consumptive coughs. 



The seed of the Sun-flower is used to fatten poultry. Bees, 

 and many kinds of insects feed UDon the nectar of flowers. . The 

 flowers of the Ai^nic^, Chamomile, and Lavender are used exten- 

 sively by Physicians. 



3 



