Jull/.] THE FLOWER GARDEN, 913 



blooming hyacinthSi tulips, ranunculuses^ and anemonies; 

 and when those flowers are over, they come into use in the 

 protection of carnations and pinks. There are few cultivators 

 of this flower who do not prefer having their plants in pots, 

 as being more portable and less subject to accidents, arising 

 from various causes, of which the carnation is peculiarly im- 

 patient. 



Those who are high in the fancy, approve of stages about 

 fifteen or eighteen inches high, on which to stand the plants, 

 in order that they may be seen to greater advantage, as being 

 brought nearer to the eye. These stages should be made very 

 strong, as the weight of pots that they may have to sustain 

 will be great ; and in order to prevent the intrusion of ear- 

 wigs, which are very destructive to the flowers of carnations, 

 they place the posts or supporters of this stage into pans of 

 water. If the bottoms of the posts be painted over every four 

 or five days with oil of the coarsest quality, no insects will 

 ascend by them. Oil, in all shapes, is destructive to insects, 

 and the least drop of it applied to the backs of most of them, 

 proves instantly fatal. 



Florists attach great mystery to the cultivation of their fa- 

 vorite flowers, and it cannot be denied that they follow many very 

 absurd and ridiculous customs, such as the preparation of their 

 composts ; the numerous ingredients, of which many of them 

 are composed, are at decided variance with each other, and 

 with common sense. The perfection of a florist's flower is 

 one of his own making, as if Nature herself were deficient in 

 this important point, or that he himself were superior in judg- 

 ment to Nature herself Hence the variance which has always 

 subsisted between the florist and the botanist, who admires 

 Nature as she really is, and treats the pampered production oi 

 the other as a monstrosity. 



** Who can paint 



Like Nature ? Can imagination boast, 

 Amid its gay creation, hues like her's ? 

 Or, can it mix them with that matchless skill, 

 And lose them in each other, as appears 

 In every bud that blows ? " 



6 A 



