The Editor's Outlook. 



THE SYMBOLISM fLOWERS are less valuable 

 OF FLOWERS. for their own sakes than for 



the emotions which they inspire. 

 Their highest sphere is that of symbolism. So long 

 and so intimately have we known this fact that we 

 have all but forgotten it, and we often fail to distin- 

 guish the flower from the sentiment which it repre- 

 sents to us. We always think of flowers — unless 

 we are analyzing them — as weak or bold, dull or 

 gay, familiar or retiring. The attributes which 

 appeal to us first are not the merely physical ones, 

 as of redness, roundness or size. But as flowers 

 cannot possess sentiments as a part of themselves, 

 it follows that'' the emotions which they arouse are 

 but a reflex of ourselves. One cannot see farther 

 than his vision reaches, nor can he feel more than 

 he has capacity for feeling. It is not strange, 

 therefore, that the sweetest and most sympathetic 

 minds find most to love in flowers. It must always 

 be so ; and yet, in some degree, flowers are sym- 

 bols to all of us. 



But can one learn to love flowers, then ? Yes ; 

 and in the same way that he learns to love anything 

 good and pure. If one could not outgrow himself 

 there could be no such things as education and cul- 

 ture. But first of all, one must put himself in a 

 sympathetic attitude with nature. Nature and man 

 are one, not twain. Storms and floods, frosts and 

 heat, shade and sun, are not man's enemies, but his 

 allies. Consider yourself a part of nature, of fields 

 and woods, and your ear at once becomes sympa- 

 thetic and your heart learns new lessons of love. 

 Then the little voices of nature speak to you, and 

 you feel that you are in communion with the uni- 

 verse. All this does not come suddenly. Soon 

 other men's thoughts add themselves to our own, 

 and we find ourselves in touch with men and na- 

 ture ; and every flower suggests some thought or 

 awakens hope. 



Yet these symbolisms are spontaneous. We can- 

 not construct them as we would carve a moulding 

 or design a monogram. All history shows that they 

 have arisen when least expected. The Scottish 

 chiefs had no thought of the thistle until the Dane 

 accidentally discovered it for them. So all our for- 

 mal attempts to choose a national flower must per- 

 force be failures. No one can conjure up a national 

 sentiment nor bring about an occasion for the choice 

 of a symbol. Ask an advocate of a national flower 



what the flower is to symbolize, and he will tell you 

 that it is to symbolize the nation ! But attributes, 

 not states or objects, admit of symbols. Symbolize 

 victory, charity, fortitude, but not the objects to 

 which they belong ; and it were a wretched symbol 

 which were devised a century too late ! No ! If we 

 choose a national flower, call it only a trade-mark 

 for our escutcheon, not a symbol ! 



REFORM IN 

 NOMENCLA TURE 



T' 



HE efforts of societies and 

 individuals to discard the 

 absurd and fulsome names of 

 fruits and vegetables are meeting with some suc- 

 cess. Several leading nurserymen have modified the 

 names of fruits in their catalogues to meet the rec- 

 ommendations of the American Pomological So- 

 ciety, and a few seedsmen are simplifying the names 

 of vegetables. And yet the very parties — the sta- 

 tion horticulturists — who should lead in this work 

 are among the worst transgressors. The experi- 

 ment stations are expected to lead in such reforms, 

 and they are under particular obligations with the 

 names of vegetables, since a committee from their 

 number has devised rules for the naming of varie- 

 ties, and has printed an extended list of corrections ; 

 and yet most of the bulletins contain the old names 

 as if no attempt had ever been made to inaugurate 

 better things ! It is time for the stations to do more 

 than a passive testing of novelties and giving of 

 opinions. They should stand for progress ; should 

 have opinions in advance of dealers and growers, 

 and their convictions should be boldly expressed. 

 In this reform of nomenclature the horticulturists 

 have an opportunity to impress themselves upon 

 the country. If they persistently refuse to publish 

 any objectionable name it is only a matter of time 

 until " brevity, accuracy, and good taste in the 

 naming of vegetables " will be insured. The 

 American Garden stands for this reform. Will 

 the stations aid ? 



PLAY GROUNDS 

 FOR CHILDREN. 



AMONG the philanthropic ef- 

 forts of the present time 

 there are none which appear to 

 be more disinterested or far-reaching than the en- 

 deavor of certain men to establish parks and play 

 grounds for children. The Brooklyn Society for 

 Parks and Play Grounds for Children, a corporate 

 organization, is awakening interest in this work. 



