Ornamentals. 



35 



cious kinds of shrubs and plants that were the people's favor- 

 ites — this always means those of extreme hardiness and vigor 

 as well as beauty — and planted them near their rude homes, 

 and to-day there is no more pathetic sight in New England 

 than to see on the long-forgotten site of some early settler's 

 cabin a great mass of the good old lilac or patch of the double 

 soapwort, two plants which deserve to be called the" rr cblo- 

 nists' comforts." ^ ^ " \ 



For many years all the garden plants that were planted fw 

 the people in our new country were the "slips" of such hardjy 

 kinds, given by one friend to another, and as I can myself 

 Vouch from early recollections in a country town, they were 

 treasured and watched with loving care till able to endure all 

 accidents. But when the great increase in means of trans- 

 portation, by express and by mail, of all sorts of articles came, 

 this love for beautiful growing things suddenly asserted itself 

 and sought full gratification after so long repression. Nur- 

 series and floral establishments sprung up as if by magic, and 

 found good support. These again stimulated the hunger for 

 plant beauty by seeking out new and showy plants from every 

 part of the earth. Hardy plants were at first almost the sole 

 kinds used, but gradually the more showy tropical sorts camel 

 to be thought more ornamental, and the now waning rage for 

 "bedding plants" had its day. After satisfying the natural 

 curiosity for seeing new forms and colors, we are now going 

 back to the larger use of the permanent hardy shrubs and 

 trees, and are using the tender plants in their proper sub- 

 ordinate relations, where they are of great value and will 

 always hold an honorable place. But the day when a bed of 

 scarlet geraniums was esteemed sufficient planting for a lawn 

 around a noble house is gone forever, and a truer taste has been 

 developed and acknowledged by trying and comparing both 

 these methods — that of a glare of tropic colors lasting two 

 months and then ten months of bare ground, and that of 

 generous and adequate massing of shrubs with rich foliage 

 and good flowers- and this refined taste has finally settled the 

 principles which shall regulate the treatment of our home 

 grounds. 



Besides the universal acknowledgment that now obtains 

 among all persons of any culture on this subject, that foliage 

 is the main thing needed to satisfy the eye and form the sub- 



