GARDEN CRAFT. 



07 



What can be more delectable than the silvery and roseate 

 Phloxes, the Semper vivum with the spider's web, the glowing 

 Gentian, and a hundred more ? The smallest garden may have its 

 little Alp, and the largest can have nothing more beautiful than 

 the rock-garden at Kew, or that triumphant combination of 

 Nature and Art, the most perfect form of an Alpine garden 

 which I have ever seen, in the nurseries of Messrs. Backhouse at 

 York. 



And I would note here, referring to collections large and 

 small, that, whenever the gardener really loves his garden and 

 his craft, he has the same amount of enjoyment. I venture to 

 assert that a window plant may give as much satisfaction as 

 the most costly Orchid to its owner. I know that there are no 

 more earnest or successful gardeners in England than the 

 artisans of Nottingham in their little plots outside the town. 

 Yes, He who has given to all alike the admiration of the 

 beautiful has given us this beauty to admire. The Giver of all 

 good gifts is no respecter of persons, but He designed the pure 

 light, and the pure air, and the pure water, and all things 

 pleasant to the eye, and good for food, for all. He maketh His 

 sun shine on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain upon the 

 just and on the unjust, whether they will use or abuse His 

 gifts. Happiest of men are they who act as God's almoners 

 in the distribution of these gifts. Most miserable of men are 

 they who would withhold or pollute. When I was in Baltimore 

 an incident was related to me which occurred at a dinner party 

 in that city. George Peabody was present, and was asked by 

 one of the guests whether he derived gratification from his 

 donations in proportion to their munificence. He replied that 

 for a time he had a disinclination to give away money, but that 

 as he grew richer he felt more and more the duty of helping- 

 others. " Finally," he said, " I determined to make an experiment 

 on a small scale, and so I built the first of the model tenement 

 houses in London. It cost me a great effort, but when I went 

 some time afterwards, and saw the improvement in comfort and 

 cleanliness and health, I was delighted and encouraged to do 

 more, and now I do not hesitate to say that, much as I enjoyed 

 making money, I have far more enjoyment in giving it away." 

 He found the true happiness of making others happy. 



And part of that happiness was in their window-plants, for 



