HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 51 
beauties, to receive the enjoyment of lier wonderful organism, as exhibited 
in the delicately colored petal, the graceful form of the bending branch, or 
the neutral tint of the emerald leaf, and it must be evident, that without a 
due observance of this important fact, we only grope in the dark, and 
cannot produce that finish, or realize the pleasure that a well directed idea 
can accomplish. To come to a more practical exposition, we do not wish 
to advocate any established rule ; we have seen, during a long progress in 
this line, tables made out for the arrangement of colors in flower gardens, 
that looked very well so long as they were marked on a surface like a chess- 
board ; such may do in theory, and lead the mind on to appreciate the right 
direction, but practically, they can only be carried out to a certain extent ; 
however " the eye" may be " kept on the corporal," and if we do not obtain 
the sum total of such examples, a great deal may be done towards it ; and 
how to do so, is the next consideration. A pleasing effect may be gained in 
one or both of two ways, either by contrast or a complementary blending of 
shade ; for instance, a white in juxtaposition with a scarlet or crimson, is so 
by contrast ; while the former, in conjunction with a light pink or lavender, 
harmonizes by the near approach, as it were, of co-relative blending ; fix a 
bright yellow alongside a cobalt blue, and the brilliancy of both are neutral- 
ized, from the simple fact that, if really combined, a green would be the 
result ; but place the latter near a clear pink, and both are more intense ; 
and in this way we might go on enumerating examples almost without 
limit. 
Now Mr. Editor, this brings me to the point of thinking that such delicate 
and finely drawn definitions, could be much better handled by the ladies.. 
Certainly amongst your numerous readers, there is a number of the fair sex^ 
who I am certain, could give us plodding practical bunglers a few lessons 
upon these subjects. Their quicker reflective powers, and more perceptive- 
comparisons, are much better qualified to describe such nice discriminations : 
such portraitures of their own organism. Why do we not have more of 
their assistance ? If they were confined to the Turkish Harem, there might 
be an excuse for passing life away on the downy sofa, reading exciting and 
voluptuous novels, but in a free country like ours, neither beau, husband, 
father, or the public, would think the worse of them, for helping along such 
desirable movements. They can describe most accurately the various tints 
of silks and muslin, and criticise to a nicety, forms of dress, and why not 
bestow a portion of the same ingenuity upon their own natural emblems — 
the flowers ? 
No garden is perfect without a due proportioii of shrubbery, and it is 
