12 KEPORTS. 



which are ever emblematical to me of domestic contentment, and 

 perchance, the culture of flowers may so influence their cliarac- 

 ters, that they may hand down to future generations, powers of 

 mind which shall make a name known throughout the whole 

 ■World. 



Though we might speak of the gay gardens of Babylon, and of 

 those miniature Edens, as it were, of the Eastern nations, we must 

 hasten to refer to the practical part of a Flower-garden. 



"When we have chosen our ground for flowers, we should first 

 lay it out in tasteful beds of various forms and sizes. The earth 

 should be finely pulverized, and richly manured. In the choice 

 of our plants, we should ever take into consideration the extent 

 of our grounds ; for large plants in small gardens are inappro- 

 priate. Elegance should ever be associated with neatness. It 

 should be a rule with a Florist not to imitate the style of larger 

 gardens, on limited ground, by introducing the serpentine wind- 

 inf^s of larger plantations ; while large grounds should not be cut 

 up with diamond-shaped beds ; but rather imitate nature more. 

 The bolder flowers should be half obscured by shrubs. The 

 smaller flowers should occupy the sloj^ing sides of banks, because 

 they are brought nearer the eye, and they will generally be 

 found growing naturally in such situations. 



Attention should be shown to the succession of the flowering 

 of plants. Those plants that flower in the spring; such as the 

 early and hardy kinds of narcissus, anemones, snow-drops, cro- 

 cuses, double daisies, &c., should be planted in considerable 

 quantities in one spot, so as to make a striking appearance. Care 

 should be taken to contrast the colors as much as possible in a 

 flower bed. 



The China-Aster is an exquisite flower and deserves an exten- 

 sive cultivation. According to "Nutall" upwards of sixty spe- 

 <;ies belong to this genus. This flower blossoms so late in the 

 fall that we should scatter them profusely among other flowers. 



