256 
ECONOMY IN FLORICULTURE. 
appearance; while each specimen that is not of a duly ornamental description may 
be looked upon as creating useless expenditure, and filling a space to a really bad 
purpose, which might be devoted to a really good one. 
From all we have said, then, it may be deduced that economy will be most 
truly studied, when the cultivator is particularly careful not to retain a specimen 
in his collection which does not possess a thoroughly ornamental character ; and, 
moreover, when each one of the specimens so kept is cultivated to the full extent 
of its capacity, and not merely preserved in a feeble or languishing condition. 
On the last-named point, it may be well to make some additional statement, 
The aim of the culturist, undoubtedly, is to produce as good and as attractive a 
display from his plants as their nature and his circumstances will permit. Whether, 
therefore, six first-rate specimens would not be, in all respects and at all seasons, 
more pleasing as well as showy than nine of a second or third-rate order, it is in 
the power of any one to determine ; and we believe that the reply of the better 
informed and tasteful would invariably be in the affirmative. There is, indeed, 
nearly as much to admire in a plant of the highest excellence, as in two that are 
cultivated but imperfectly ; and we now speak but generally. "When, again, 
individual features and peculiarities come to be examined, the comparison is yet 
more striking. And we are consequently justified in deducing that, as the system 
which accomplishes the object in view best, if it do it with the least expense 
of time and labour — as is clearly the fact in the case we are discussing — must 
demonstrably be far the most economical ; so, by diminishing the usual number of 
plants cultivated, and growing them remarkably well, the cultivator will be a 
considerable saver. 
We hardly know whether it is most necessary to urge this on the managers of 
large or of small collections. The first class are mostly inclined to err this way, in 
order to give additional amplitude to what is already so extensive. The other 
class are strongly tempted to the same course, by the wish to impart variety and 
apparent comprehensiveness to their collections. In both instances there is a 
practical forgetfulness of the truth, that only what is good and beautiful can confer 
stable pleasure. But as we refer chiefly to economical considerations, it is likely 
that the more limited cultivators will be affected most by our argument ; and to 
such we would repeat, that they will best promote a sound economy by thinning 
their houses of whatever plants are at all lacking in beauty, and making good the 
collection by a smaller quantity of notoriously handsome kinds. The great design 
of every floriculturist should be to get, first, pleasing individual specimens, which 
can excite admiration of themselves ; and then it will be a task altogether without 
difficulty to group these together, so as to compose an attractive whole. 
