BALSAMS. 



BALSAMS. 



155 



Like the Aster, the Balsam has been greatly improved. 

 It was formerly called Lady's Slipper, from the shape 

 of the flower; the plant was large and coarse, and had 

 little to recommend it, except the green, healthy appear- 

 ance of the foliage, and the vigor of its growth. When 



Fig. 37. BALSAMS PLANTS AND FLOWERS. 



you wish to improve a plant, or animal, native vigor, or 

 healthy growth, is one of the essential points to start 

 with. If you wished to whittle a doll out of a piece of 

 pine wood, the original stick ought to be a good deal 

 larger than the doll, so that there may be an opportunity 

 to make it into the desired form, by cutting away the 



