FLORICULTURE. 
BY MIGNONETTE. 
As we look at a display of flowers, we 
are not only attracted by the exquisite tints 
and shades of color and the delicate and 
different forms, but also we are led to ask 
of what use they are. 
The time of bloom is the great era in the 
life of a plant, toward which all its previ¬ 
ous growth is subservient, and from which 
all after life connected with it dates. Now 
this same plant is the indispensable link 
between inorganic substances and the an¬ 
imal kingdom; for it is the office of plants 
to convert portions of earth and air into 
something on which animals can subsist, 
namely, food. All food is produced by 
plants, and the glory of a plant is the flow¬ 
er. Are not flowers then to be ranked 
among the most important things? In the 
silent process of their life, plants, also puri¬ 
fy the air for us to breathe. So we see 
they are absolutely essential to us, and in 
plants a very important part is played by 
the flowers. 
Flowers are the mediums between the 
old plants and the new ones of the same 
kind, for they contain the seeds of the new 
plants, and therefore are the means of re¬ 
production and perpetuation. So flowers 
are valuable in the highest degree. 
According to the present economy of na¬ 
ture, there would be no fruits without flow¬ 
ers : therefore in respect to what they im¬ 
mediately promise in themselves alone, 
flowers are precious, and worthy of our 
grateful appreciation. 
Sometimes flowers are incomplete in 
themselves, but their complements may be 
found on other individuals of the species; 
the breezes come in for their share in the 
perfection of the seed; insects, too, attract¬ 
ed by the fragrance and brilliancy of the 
petals, and aided by the form of the flow¬ 
ers perform their part, and take away in¬ 
dustriously their sweet reward. All moves 
harmoniously in nature, because the whole 
universe is a thought of God. 
The study of flowers and plants is very 
interesting and profitable. The microscope 
reveals in them the most wondertul splen¬ 
dor and nicety of perfection, persuading 
us that these lovely objects retain their 
Eden purity unblemished by the taint of 
sin. One might well exclaim: 
“There is no great and small 
To Him who maketh all.” 
A knowledge of floriculture seems in¬ 
dispensably necessary to an agriculturist. 
By h study of botany he learns that many 
little blossoms, formerly regarded unworthy 
and inferior, were wayside flowers perhaps, 
are really marvels of loveliness and useful 
worth; and is impressed with the beauty 
of the flowers of the different June grasses, 
and learns their needs, and knows their 
value more intelligently. I wish that all 
might be stimulated to enlarge their useful¬ 
ness and accomplishments by making more 
thorough researches into the nature and 
requirements of plants and flowers, for the 
mere pleasure of it will pay, and knowl¬ 
edge is power. 
“Knowledge in the darkness shineth out a per¬ 
fect day, 
As the lily over the rubbish sheds its marvellous 
array.” 
Flowers come to gladden us from early 
spring through all summer long till the 
“melaucholy days have come,” and the 
mystery of the “burning bush is seen in 
every forest.” We will take our shoes off 
from our feet, and render homage to the 
all pervading presence of Him, who is the 
“Rose of Sharon and the “Lily of the Val¬ 
ley,” and who Himself has said that “even 
Soloman in all his glory was not arrayed 
like one of these” little flowers. 
May we, as Mrs. Browning has written, 
“awaken, open wide the windows of our 
souls, and let the airs and outdoor sights 
sweep gradual gospels in, regenerating us. 
For everywhere,” she says, “we’re too ma¬ 
terialistic, eating clay, instead of Adam’s 
corn and Noah’s wine. We hold the nat¬ 
ural world too insularly, as if no spiritual 
counterpart completed it, consummating 
its meaning, rounding all to justice and 
perfection, line by line, form by form, noth¬ 
ing single nor alone. Nothing comes to us 
a mere itself; no lily-muffled hum of a sum¬ 
mer bee, but finds some coupling with the 
spinning stars; no pebble at your foot but 
proves a sphere; cup, column, candlestick, all 
are patterns of what shall be in the Mount.” 
