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mates. The Botanist had done his part by determin- 

 ing that both the shrubs alluded to belonged to one 

 and the same class. The Horticulturist then began his 

 part, and by repeated hybridization and selection, 

 not only produced shrubs with the hardy character 

 and constitution of the North American species, 

 and the much desired crimson flowers ; but a host 

 of others, of various hues, from crimson to white, 

 and white to purple. 



Similar operations in respect of introducing, de- 

 termining, naturalizing, or obtaining by cultivation 

 and art, new varieties of fruits and other food pro- 

 ducts, illustrate the functions of the Botanist and 

 Horticulturist as ministeiing to the daily most or- 

 dinary needs of men, by promoting and economizing 

 the fertility of nature ; as in like manner they pro- 

 mote and extend the knowledge of beauty in its 

 most direct and pure examples. This then I main- 

 tain is the position occupied by the Botanist and the 

 Horticulturist. They are workers striving in a 

 glorious field, for results noble by their usefulness ; 

 for the Vegetable Kingdom is an essential condition 

 of our existence, with incomparable influence on 

 mankind ; by it we simply live ; for by its agency, 

 the air we breathe is purified from the vitiation of 

 the animal creation, and from it we draw in a vast 

 degree the impulse to refinement, and to the growth 

 of those qualities which are man's crown of distinc- 

 tion among the creatures of this world. 



The practice of Horticulture, and the love for 

 flowers, have been, and are, an evidence everywhere 

 of refinement, springing from civilization, of gentle 

 conditions, and of peace. Savages do not garden. 

 Among the ar.eient nations when we read of their 

 gardens, we find recorded their prosperity, and 

 some gentle qualities. In the disturbed middle 

 ages, when education, and many refinements of life, 

 were mainly confined to classes, when insecurity 

 existed ?ibroad, it was principally in the precincts 

 of peaceful religious houses, that gardening pros- 

 pered. Of whatever form of civilization Horticul- 

 ture has been, or is, concomitant, its influence and 

 efi'ects, are of gentleness and benefit. In civilized 

 countries, the practice of it as an art, has flourished 

 for centuries, and as wealth, peace, and the refine- 

 ments of civilization have increased, has prospered 

 more and more. 



The perfection to which it has been brought, can 

 be witnessed in all countries where Horticultural 

 Exhibitions are held. It frequently happens that 

 many of the specimens shown, are such perfect ex- 

 amples of the cultivator's skill, as to teach, that 

 Art can guide nature to surpass lier ordinary gifts, 

 and that flowers and fruits can be produced under 



favoring conditions, artificially created, with higher 

 development of beauty or value, than in their na- 

 tive habitat they have ever attained. 



By the enterprise of man, from every quarter of 

 the Globe, and every climate and country, we have 

 now within our reach, to study, improve, and ele- 

 vate our taste. The diversified, and beautiful natu- 

 ral features of the world's vegetation, from the jun- 

 gles, rivers, rocks, forests, pampas and prairies of 

 Eastern and Western Indies the valley of the Ama- 

 zon, and the heights of California, from Australasia, 

 the Cape ; from Africa, Asia and the fields of 

 Europe. All have yielded their tribute of floral 

 treasures to the spirit that advancement and refine- 

 ment has evoked. The taste grows by what it feeds 

 on ; first, nature provokes love for ber beauty, and 

 that love fosters the beauty, takes more knowledge 

 of it, and grows again. Thus the Vegetable King- 

 dom, and with it. Botany and Horticulture, creates 

 and feeds a gentle good taste ; the result itself in- 

 creasing and extending the feeling to which its 

 existence is due, so that Horticultural exhibitions 

 have great effect in raising the standard of charac- 

 ter and feeling, through a direct contemplation of 

 nature's principles and developments ; they extend 

 the range of vision and experience in these respects 

 to an exceptional degree. Men may not trouble to 

 define whence, or how they receive such influence, 

 but it is felt all the same. 



The planting of Parks, cultivation of Gardens and 

 Pleasure Grounds, grand displays of the most beau- 

 tiful objects in the Vegetable Kingdom, whether in 

 conservatories or Greenhouses or at Horticultural 

 Exhibitions, have I doubt not, a powerful tendency 

 in this direction. Is the noble aspect of Palms, 

 the richness of orchids, the massive gorgeousness of 

 Azaleas, and all the graceful forms, developed in 

 Nature's Vegetation, with their beauteous colors, 

 and the interchange of ideas provoked by these 

 things, lost? such certainly are not lost, but are gi- 

 ven for man's uses and guidance by a beneficial 

 Creator. 



Philanthropists have lately been turning some of 

 their efi"orts to fostering and promoting a love of 

 plant cultivation, among the poorer classes, impress- 

 ed that the cultivation of flowers, has a genializing 

 tendency, for plants invariably possess nature's 

 beauty, a beauty which always teaches the same 

 sweet lesson, influencing in varying degree, the 

 poorest up to the most wealthy, the simple and the 

 intelligent, in like manner, silently but certainly fer- 

 tilizing the public mind and heart with good. 



However imperfectly, I trust I have shown that 

 Botany and Horticulture are in close relationship to 



