85 



Nor was this all. The entire work was not yet completed.— 

 The plastic hands of the servitors of Nature were yet to mould 

 the royal diadem and crown their lovely monarch. For now 

 the very interior of the flower appears like a large button carved 

 <)ut of delicate rose-colored carnelian, with its centre depressed. 

 But in a few minutes the eye could perceive a change. The 

 depression Avas rising visibly to the surface and presently it 

 becomes conical in form. These rosy narrow petals also, swel- 

 ling at their curved portions gradually become erect and the 

 points of each petal standing close side by side, make an 

 empalement of a circular outline. As this rapidly appeared 

 the interest of spectators was at its height. In a few minutes, 

 the entire spectacle was to be complete ! At last the golden 

 anthers were visible and the triple coronal circle of these narrow 

 laminge stood up around the precious disk of the flower, ready 

 to minister to its future destiny and to aid in completing the 

 end of its being. But the stateliness of such a sight can 

 scarcely be comprehended in a moment It fills my mind now, 

 and it appears to me more exceedingly strange and fearfully 

 pleasant. I mused on the ingenuity of man, who seizes the 

 laws of Nature and with a bold hand and by patience, overcomes 

 inequalities of climate and temperature, and by imitating her 

 own ways produces her ends and brings about her results ; — at 

 such a reward too of ingenious labor and at the satisfaction of 

 having accomplished such purposes. I recalled myself to the 

 flower before me. The evening had well advanced, and I found 

 it in perfect inflorescence. For thousands of years on the 

 marshy borders of the great rivers of South America, this 

 gigantic water lily had spread out its myriad blossoms year by 

 year and had awaited the time when it should elicit the sponta- 

 neous admiration of the first civilized man who beheld it, and 

 the reverent heed of multitudes who look upon it as one of the 

 wonders in floricultural art. 



It is due to Mr Allen to bear witness to the great liberality 

 he has shown in rendering public this rare and unique spectacle ; 

 and the fame he has acquired both from his success in blooming 



