led on by the praiseworthy hope and ambition of taking a 

 prize for the finest vegetables or the best hunch of out flowers 

 at the Cottagers' Horticultural Show, held yearly in his imme- 

 diate neighbourhood. 



And so in town life, the home that can boast of a few pots of 

 scented mignonette and velvety auriculas, or a cage that en- 

 shrines some pretty song-bird within its wires, must be a happier 

 one than that which is entirely destitute of Nature's adornments, 

 while the inmates of the former must be better and more kindly 

 affectioned towards one another in their several social relations 

 than those that dweU in the latter. Depend upon it, that 

 those who love birds and flowers, and dumb animals, and those 

 whom dumb animals love, must be better, holier, and happier 

 than those who care nothing for Nature and the countless 

 lessons that Nature teaches. Those who begin by loving 

 Nature and inquiring into the structure, organization, and 

 habits of plants and animals, and the wonders of the inorganio 

 kingdom, will soon be animated by kindlier feelings towards all 

 around them, and end by loving "Nature's God," and doing 

 His win in aU things. Let parents try to inspire their children 

 — the best of all " Hoie Pets" — with a fondness for natural 

 science ; whether it be encouraged by keeping and caring for a 

 dog, a cat, a rabbit, a pigeon, or a song-bird ; by rearing 

 flowers; by forming an herbarium, or a collection of moths 

 and butterflies, or by other kindred means, and they will surely 

 be better boys and girls, and make better men and women, 

 better members of society, and above aU better Christians, than 

 if they had been tacitly led in childhood by the example of 

 those around them, to care for none of these things, or, in other 

 words, encouraged to regard them with cold indifference. 



But of aU things whereby this practical teaching can be 

 effected, commend me to leaves and flowers, the gems of earth 

 and their emerald settings, or, as they are happily styled by 

 Longfellow : 



"Stars that in earth's firmament do shine." 



A few square feet of soil will furnish us with where to grow 

 them, and a few pence will provide us with what to grow ; but 

 how many are there that dwell in " crowded cities," and " the 

 busy haunts of men," some of whom will say, "How is it 

 possible for us to raise and rear plants and flowers, in the 

 damp, dingy, dreary paved courts at the back of our houses, 

 which are seldom if ever visited by a single ray of goldep sun- 



802 



