332 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [No. 11 



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f^Jor wind flower; the charming Houstonia or Bluets, better known in 

 ^ this neighbourhood by the name of "Quaker lady;" the Ranunculus ' 

 whose yellow cups dot the meadows with gold ; Epigma repens, or 

 Trailing Arbutus, with its fragrant rosy flowers. We have a continued 

 succession during April and May of tiny beauties, which precede and 

 accompany the blossoming of the fruit and forest trees. A collection 

 of these early blooming plants may easily be made in your native bed, 

 or even in a out-of-the-way corner of a grass plot. The violet among 

 grass is very pretty, and has lately been introduced into Washington 

 Square — in spring the blue flowers are the admiration of the promen- 

 aders in Walnut street. 



It is to be regretted, that with all the beautiful tastes for music, for 

 painting, and other refined and graceful arts which are so assidously 

 instilled into the minds of our young ladies, their confinement to the 

 city does not permit them to become familiar with the beauty of the 

 fields ; that regard for the requirements of fashion, and the hothouse 

 education of this country, forbids the blooming cheek and luxuriant 

 figure of the farmer's daughter to the city belle; as a distinguished 

 German professor remarked to a gentleman of this city, "1 do not 

 understand your American woman, they are so scrawny." This was 

 not intended for their ears, but they certainly do not compare in luxu- 

 riant health to the light haired u frauen " of Germany, nor with the 

 more robust beauties of England. That this is owing to the want of 

 country life and out of door exercise, is not to be doubted ; that " God 

 made the country, and man made the town" is evinced by the difference 

 in the sturdiness of the farmer and of the mechanic, as well as in the 

 paler faces and more slender figures of our city ladies. Many of these 

 latter would be shocked at having the redundancy of waist of the milk' 

 maid, but the increased enjoyment of health would compensate for pos* 

 sessing a figure more nearly resembling that of the Penelope in the 

 Academy, than of the model of the Parisian dressmaker ; besides this, 

 as, to a sensible man, a stout sandal, or an india rubber shoe, is more 

 beautiful on a lady's foot than the tiniest gaiter; so the bloom of 

 health would be more appreciated than the utmost waxen delicacy of 

 complexion, which the exclusion of sun light and fresh air could give. 

 I am gratified to receive the approbation of one, whom 1 know as 

 one of the best horticulturists, as well as an enthusiastic admirer of 

 native plants— I refer to your correspondent, " Anthophilus," *who I 



wish would assume my place in advocating their culture. 



Philarvensis. 

 # A un bon chat un bon rat. Diav. 



All roots should be excluded from the light during the winter, and 



kept in as low a temperature as can be made convenient without dan- cP 



*^ ger of freezing, )&) 



$29*> ^Q^m 



