80 
Wild. Flowers—Development of Character. 
The Dahlia, that brilliant and fashionable flower, 
so varied in its colors, so full and finished and elabo¬ 
rate in its arrangements, so just in its proportions, so 
gorgeous in its hues, partaking more of the Dove’s 
metallic lustre, than of the light, transparent pencil- 
lings of our ordinary flowers, is a native of Mexico, 
and there exists in a simple form. We have seen 
many flowers on the Western prairies, that bore a 
strong resemblance to the Dahlia, and have no doubt 
but that cultivation would so far improve these, as to 
render them at least, formidable rivals. There is 
generally a great development in the parts of the 
plants that are subject to. cultivation, greater luxuri¬ 
ance, variety of form, and increased brilliancy of 
color. A single example may suffice. A recent wri¬ 
ter in the Genessee Farmer, says, “ a little blue bell 
flower, about the size of an acorn, hanging on a stalk 
a few inches in length, but so slight as to be moved 
by every breeze, was transplanted to the garden. The 
second season, in place of a single flower, it produced 
a succession of them from June to October, on stalks 
3 feet high, often three bells on a stalk, and in one in¬ 
stance 50 were counted !” What -would not some of 
our lady admirers of these things give, for such an 
addition to their flower beds 'l Yet many may be ob¬ 
tained, perhaps equally brilliant, in their own neigh¬ 
borhood, could the timid little natives, that now ‘’waste 
their fragrance on the desert air,” be sought, and by 
kind entreaty and discreet care, be adopted among 
the cherished things of civilized culture. 
In transplanting, care should be particularly paid, 
to give the plant as nearly the same soil and circum¬ 
stances as those by which it was surrounded in its 
native bed; and if found in different circumstances, 
as they frequently are, choose from these, such as is 
most convenient for its new situation. It not unfre- 
quently happens that a considerable change may be 
made in the habits of the plant, without danger to its 
existence, but it is proper to avoid the risk of this, till 
partial cultivation has developed its character, and 
somewhat accustomed it to its new position. r. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Bevelopmeiat of Cliaracter, 
May, 1842. 
Gent. —Forty or fifty years ago, industry was con¬ 
sidered honorable, and those young men who were so 
fortunate as to have parents who could assist them 
in getting an education, when at home during their 
school or collegiate vacations, took pleasure and con¬ 
sidered it a credit, as well as a duty to assist their 
parents in doing whatever was going on at home, 
thereby enabling them to do something for their other 
children, as but few were able, nor did they wish to 
educate all their sons for a profession, but thought it 
all important (I am speaking of New-England) to 
give them all a good common school education, and 
bring them up in habits of industry , morality and re¬ 
ligion. 
There were those whose parents could not give 
them even a common school education without their 
own personal exertions, who, after doing all they 
could at home, would go out and do little jobs for 
their neighbors, by whieh they earned a little for 
themselves and were kept from the habits of idleness , 
which finally led them to acquire good education and 
become useful and respectable members of society. 
Many such cases I knew , but there was one of which 
I had a particular knowledge, which I will give you. 
A poor, but respectable and pious man, living in 
Connecticut, had several children, the eldest of whom 
was a son, who assisted him in tilling a few acres of 
ground, divided between corn and potatoes, beside a 
small garden for vegetables. This son would get 
permission of his father to go and ride horse for a 
neighbor, when he always took his book in his pocket, 
and when he got a few rows before-hand, would tie 
his horse and sit in the shade and study his book, so 
that while he was learning a little, he was laying up 
a little for future use. When about seventeen, the 
time I first knew him, he had obtained the employ¬ 
ment of distributing the Hartford and Litchfield news¬ 
papers. He came along once a week with the papers, 
which occupied one side of his saddle-bags, while 
the other was filled with oranges and lemons and 
other things, which he sold to the country people at a 
good profit. He continued this business about three 
years, when he went into a law office, became a dis¬ 
tinguished advocate at the bar, educated a younger 
brother, who was little less eminent than himself; be¬ 
came Judge of the Supreme Court, while his brother 
became a Senator in Congress. I have been more 
lengthy and particular to shew what good moral prin¬ 
cipals, industry and perseverance can effect. 
When our country was comparatively poor and the 
young men were brought up in habits of industry, 
how much more moral worth and weight of charac¬ 
ter was possessed and exhibited in our public men! 
This moral delinquency can be traced, I think, from 
the present superficial mode of educating young men 
without proper moral or religious culture. 
According to present custom, they grow up in com¬ 
parative idleness, with sufficient knowledge of writ¬ 
ing and arithmetic to officiate as a clerk in a Bank 
or counting house, and having friends of some influ¬ 
ence possessing too much pride to have a relative be¬ 
come a farmer or mechanic, who recommend him as 
a clerk where money, that root of all evil, is too pow¬ 
erful a temptation for an empty mind, wwimproved by 
good instruction and wwbraced by moral or religious 
principles, becomes too strong, and hence so many 
frauds and robberies, too great to have been imagined 
by one under the old regime. 
In short, gentlemen, we must go back to the cus¬ 
toms of former days. Until we do, we may look in 
vain for prosperity. The astonishing depravity which 
pervades our whole land calls aloud for reform—not 
in the males only, but the other sex have insensibly 
departed from the pure and useful habits of their 
grandmothers, which, however, has been more owing 
to the pride and indiscretion of their parents, than to 
any fault of their own. I may at some future tim<* ( 
give them some hints for reflection. 
Yours sincerely, 
OCTOGENARIA. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Our envied country dames are doubtless improving 
the delightful season of May and June, peculiarly 
our vernal months and Flora’s gala season, not only 
in renovating their bloom and beauty under its so ft 
skies and healthful breezes, but in the keenest enjoy¬ 
ments of those flowery treasures whose brief day will 
so soon be over. Our u meriy, merry month of May” 
opened under the most animating and delightful aus¬ 
pices. The air was redolent with a thousand sweets 
from the native wilds and the surrounding gardens, 
and while every breath is fragrance, the eye revels in 
a world of verdure and beauty, and the ear takes in 
the most soothing and enchanting melody; the sweet 
notes of various birds, the rustling foliage and the 
louder waterfall, or the little rivulet as it dances gaily 
over its mossy bed, all have their grateful tale to cheer 
the desponding mind, and to give a livelier glow to 
the more youthful and ardent, and insensibly proclaim 
His praise whose are “ the beauties of the wilderness’^ 
11 That makes so gay the solitary place 
Where no eye sees them, and the fairer forms 
That cultivation glories in.” 
