150 THE ASSOCIATIONS OF FLOWERS 
decking the hedge-banks there as richly as the primroses 
of our meadow-borders deck those of our colder climate. 
It is chiefly from the Isle of Candia that florists have 
procured the beautiful species of ranunculus and anemone 
which constitute the ornament of our parterre. A French 
traveller mentions that in the lovely islands of the Medi- 
terranean whole plains are enamelled with narcissuses^ 
while lilies, tuberoses, hyacinths, roses, saffron and or- 
chises, of uncommon beauty, present themselves at every 
step.” 
More than twenty species of anemone have been culti- 
vated in this country, and have been brought from various 
parts of Europe, as well as from North America and 
Siberia. This is what is termed a florist’s flower; and 
having received so much attention, it has been greatly 
improved. Like other flowers which florists have taken 
under their especial care, its criterion of beauty is rather 
arbitrary. It is quite necessary, with this plant, as with 
the tulip and auricula, that its admirer should be a florist, 
or he may perhaps praise the common anemones instead 
of the more choice specimens, and, like the gentleman 
among the tulips, mentioned in the “ Tatler, ” be laughed 
at for bis ignorance. Many a visitor to the anemones has 
felt like this gentleman by the tulip-bed, who at length 
desired the owner of the garden to “ let him know which 
were the finest of the flowers; for that he was so unskilful 
in the art, that he thought the most beautiful were the 
most valuable, and that those which had the gayest colours 
were the most beautiful.” But while we are indebted to' 
the florists for their great improvement of so many valu- 
able flowers, and while we rejoice in seeing them making 
their culture a means of recreation, we can easily pass 
by a few harmless whims, and wish them abundant and 
increased success, and hope that many more may imitate 
them. The anemone belongs to the same order as the 
ranunculus, of which some account was given in a pre- 
ceding chapter. 
Wood Anemones. 
Flowers of the wild wood ! your home is there, 
’Mid all that is fragrant, all that is fair, 
