18 FAMILIAK GARDEN FIJJirEIiS. 



to indiils^e the tliouglit that tlie relation of man^s mind 

 to the outward forms of nature is a matter of more pro- 

 found importance than any merely sentimental view of 

 the subject would suggest. The grand old gardeners 

 valued the pfeony, and it is truthfully observed in the 

 Botanical Mafja.:iiie of IblO (t. 178J^j that "in Parkin- 

 son''s time it must have been more common than now, as 

 he observes that the double sort sometimes produces rijse 

 seeds, which, being sown, bring forth some single and 

 some double flowers." It is most unusual in the present day 

 for double pa30uies to produce seeds, and we may reasonably 

 believe that the plant has altered considerably in con- 

 stitution in the course of the past two hundred and fifty 

 years. A very large jjroportion of all our garden plants 

 have altered in like manner. Within the knowledge of 

 many of the jiresent generation the double pelargonium lias 

 been, as it were, created. Quite recently a double bou- 

 vardia has been secured. IMost of the cultivated flowers 

 change in some way or other, and the change is always 

 in the same direction, for it tends to throw upon man the 

 burden of maintaining the race. It may be supposed, 

 for the sake of illustrating the curious case that is thus 

 brought before us, that the plants reason in this way : 

 " When we were in the wilds unnoticed we had to take care 

 of ourselves, and we ripened, and scattered abundance of 

 seeds. But now we are too well cared for to be luider 

 the necessity of adopting measur-es for our perpetuation, 

 for this master of the world called man will look to it. 

 Let us flaunt more banners and lend a gay life, for the 

 sowing of seed is taken out of our hands." Such reasoning 

 represents the hypothetical case ; it is quite according to 

 Nature''s method. A man tinds a plant that pleases him. 



