62 HORTICULTURE. 



the history of any plant, shrub, or tree, from the time it was so 

 small as to be invisible to all but their eyes, to the time when every 

 passer-by stops to admire and enjoy it ; to live, in short, not only 

 the in-door but the out-of-dc-or life of a true woman in the country. 

 Every lady may not be " born to love pigs and chickens " (though 

 that is a good thing to be born to) ; but, depend upon it, she has 

 been cut off by her mother nature with less than a shilling's patri- 

 mony, if she does not love trees, flowers, gardens, and nature, as if 

 they were all part of herself. 



We half suspect, if the truth must be told, that there is a little 

 affectation or coquetry among some of our fair readers, in this want 

 of hearty interest in rural occupation. We have noticed that it is 

 precisely those who have the smallest gardens, and, therefore, who 

 ought most naturally to wish to take the greatest interest in their 

 culture themselves, it is precisely those who depend entirely upon 

 their gardener. They rest with such entire faith on the chivalry of 

 our sex, that they gladly permit every thing to be done for them, 

 and thus lose the greatest charm which their garden could give 

 that of a delightful personal intimacy. 



Almost all the really enthusiastic and energetic lady gardeners 

 that we have the pleasure of knowing, belong to the wealthiest class 

 in this country. We have a neighbor on the Hudson, for in- 

 stance, whose pleasure-grounds cover many acres, whose flower- 

 garden is a miracle of beauty, and who keeps six gardeners at work 

 all the season. But there is never a tree transplanted that she does 

 not see its roots carefully handled ; not a walk laid out that she does 

 not mark its curves ; not a parterre arranged that she does not direct 

 its colors and grouping, and even assist in planting it. No matter 

 what guests enjoy her hospitality, several hours every day are thus 

 spent in out-of-door employment ; and from the zeal and enthusiasm 

 with which she always talks of every thing relating to her country 

 life, we do not doubt that she is far more rationally happy now, 

 than when she received the homage of a circle of admirers at one 

 of the most brilliant of foreign courts. 



On the table before us, lies a letter from a lady of fortune in 

 Philadelphia, whose sincere and hearty enthusiasm in country life 

 always delights us. She is one of those beings who animate every 



