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the earth beneath and a gorgeous sky over head. The germen, 

 stamens and pistils are the Avorld, all organized, all self-producing 

 and self-perpetuating, while the petals are the briUiant or the 

 sable clouds, or the gorgeous rainbow, or cerulean sky. Who 

 passes by a simple flower scornfully, despises a work of the 

 Creator, in which he has exercised his divine skill and executed 

 his fairest handiwork. Therewith hath He embroidered the earth 

 from pole to tropic, therein hath He hidden refining influences 

 to soften the nature of man ; and it is the great treasure- 

 house of those medicines that heal our diseases, the source of 

 much of our commercial wealth, besides all the gratification they 

 afford as the adornments of our gardens and parlors, besides the 

 use the maiden or matron makes to deck the radiant brow or bind 

 the golden tresses. Without their aid no bride is ever led to 

 the sacred altar, — without them no loved friend is ever borne to 

 burial. We require them at the feast. We make them messen- 

 gers of friendship, and when they die we catch their parting 

 spirit, and live upon their extracted fragrance in those beautiful 

 aromas that fill the air with sweetness. What should we do with- 

 out the flowers ? What a blank would be left in the circle of 

 human companionship ! We love flowers, at nearly all times 

 and nearly in all places. It is an universal love. Go to the 

 poorest cottage of the land, and if the sentiments of humanity be 

 not all blunted and lost, you will find there the flower vase, though 

 it contain only the daisy or the petted rose. And scarce a Httle 

 child passes through the highway that will not stoop to pluck the 

 violet and tend it till it fades, and bury it reverently in the leaves 

 of the book, to be looked upon as we look upon the portrait of a 

 friend. 



We love flowers. They require care and patience and trim- 

 ming, but so does a little child. Both repay when they are well 

 cared for, well watered and well trimmed. 



To no one department of culture, in these latter days, has the 

 amateur given more of his time and taste, and from none reaped 

 a richer reward. He is encouraged thereto by every garden in 

 suburban towns, and by every street corner and every brilliant 

 shop-window in the thronged city. The traffic in plants and 

 flower seeds is among the noticeable things of the age. Bouquets 

 are among the institutions of the land. 



And yet many flowers are cultivated worth neither the time 

 nor trouble they receive, and occupying room that could better be 

 devoted to those of greater excellence. 



Of course, we should have too much worldly cunning to specify 

 those our judgment decidedly condemns. We should raise up an 

 opy)Osition compared with which Mr. Panza's windmills Avould he 

 only as child's play. Every florist would assault us with a scourge 

 of nettles. But we may specify certain characteristics that be- 



