41 



FLOWERS. ^ x 



England," says that "many cottagers are most zealous 

 and successful florists." She speaks, too, of the " many 

 picturesque rustic huts, built with great taste and hid- 

 den by tall hedges in a pe rfect little paradise of lawn 

 and shrubbery, — delightful spots to go and read in of 

 a summer day, or to take a dinner or tea in with a 

 pleasant party of friends." 



Now every man who occupies a little cottage, or 

 cabin even, that he has made his home and the home 

 of his family, can and should do something to beautify 

 it and make it attractive. We say every man should 

 do it, for this labor should not be performed solely by 

 the wife and daughter. Men are not yet rid of the 

 idea that raising flowers is exclusively " women's work." 



Now it is not weak or womanish for a man to admire 

 and cultivate flowers. God meant the beautiful in 

 Nature not for woman alone. And if to love and cul- 

 tivate the beautiful flower is promotive not only of 

 exquisite delight, but of purity and refinement, then 

 certainly men should perform their share of this 

 delightful work. 



Let not the farmer, therefore, nor the strong man of 

 any employment, excuse himself from this work on the 

 ground that it is not within his province of labor, or 

 that he is above the admiration of flowers, or that 

 " they look well enough but do no good." Suppose 

 they have no usefulness — though we do not admit it — 

 but suppose they do no good ; how much good do the 

 splendid colors of fruit and vegetables do ? Yet the 

 plainest farmer enjoys all these better for their beau- 

 tiful hues, and he knows it, and cannot help it, and 

 still those hues have no more of utility about them 

 than the tint of the Gladiolus. The fact is there is just 



