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vision, not in pale, diluted colors, but glorious and warm as a 

 haymaker's sunshine. 



The flower beds ought to be as inseparable from the farm as 

 the barn or the muck-heap. The kinds we have named ought 

 always to be there, as well as many others. The greenhouse 

 may or may not be added ; but the flowers that do not need 

 its shelter should never be excluded from the farmer's home. 

 And a moment's thought will show us that this leaves a list by 

 no means poor ; the Crocus, Tulip, and all the Lilies nearly, 

 with the Crown Imperial and the Hyacinth, the Primrose and 

 Polyanthus, the Roses and Pinks of countless kinds, the 

 Dahlias and Asters and Chrysanthemums and Gladioluses, and 

 then Phloxes and Gilliflowers of all sorts, not to mention 

 many more. We only speak of such as need no care in win- 

 ter, beyond the saving of seed, or the storing of bulbs just out 

 of the way of frost. Likewise they are all, in some sense, 

 florists flowers, such as a wholesome pride and emulation may 

 be felt in raising for exhibition. 



NSr is the production of such beautiful blooms a process of 

 artificializing and monster-making, as some have labored to 

 believe. The more thoroughly single a Tulip is, and the more 

 perfectly every organ is formed, the better is the flower, by the 

 judgment of the best florists. The same is true of the Sweet 

 William and Pansy and Primrose. Phloxes, Gladioluses and 

 Lilies are never double ; Hyacinths are little better for being 

 so, while Asters produce nearly as good seed when they are 

 double, and cannot, therefore, be much worse. But there is 

 no need to argue this. Nobody can say much about artificial- 

 izing flowers who raises Giant Rhubarb, Mammoth Squashes, 

 or Pears on quince roots whose life no company would insure 

 at any premium. The growing of lovely and perfectly formed 

 flowers is as much in harmony with nature as any of the opera- 

 tions of culture. Man is a worker of changes in everything ; 

 he has, so to express it, made the Apple, Peach and Pear ; he 

 has 7nade the Potato and the dozen of roots that we think so 

 much of ; and shall we call him any more a fool because he 



