254 WOOD AND GAKDEN 



of the immense size tliat provokes astonisbment, and 

 the misapphed ingenuity that produces unusual dwarf- 

 ing, are neither of them very high aims. 



And much as I feel grateful to those who improve 

 garden flowers, I venture to repeat my strong convic- 

 tion that their efforts in selection and other methods 

 should be so directed as to keep in view the attainment 

 of beauty in the first place, and as a point of honour ; 

 not to mere iuerease of size of bloom or compactness 

 of habit — many plants have been spoilt by excess of 

 both ; not for variety or novelty as ends in themselves, 

 but only to welcome them, and offer them, if they are 

 distinctly of garden value in the best sense. For if 

 plants are grown or advertised or otherwise pushed on 

 any other account than that of their possessing some 

 worthy form of beauty, they become of the same nature 

 as any other article in trade that is got up for sale 

 for the sole benefit of the seller, that is unduly lauded 

 by advertisement, and that makes its first appeal to 

 the vulgar eye by an exaggerated and showy pictorial 

 representation ; that will serve no useful purpose, and 

 for which there is no true or healthy demand. 



No doubt much of it comes about from the un- 

 wholesome pressure of trade competition, which in a 

 way obliges all to follow where some lead. I trust 

 that my many good friends in the trade wiU under- 

 stand that my remarks are not made in any personal 

 sense whatever. I know that some of them feel much 

 as I do on some of these points, but that in many 



