294 
THE FLORIST. 
afford time to be running about to other people’s houses; when we bear 
in mind how much harm is done by the habit of tattling and gossiping, 
and interference with the affairs of our neighbours, a pursuit which 
keeps a man from such unprofitable ways must be of service. It leaves 
him, too, but little time and opportunity for the public-house; if he 
enter into the real spirit of this employment, he will have found a more 
rational employment than sitting in a cloud of tobacco smoke, sipping 
beer—if he wants to smoke (and, though I think it a very nasty habit, 
yet I would use no harsher word in speaking of it), he can sit under one 
of his plants and give them the benefit of his pipe, for tobacco is about 
the only way we have of destroying the green aphis, which disfigures 
and destroys our plants. I have given the bright side of the picture, 
but I would leave this part of my subject with a word of caution. I 
do not for a moment pretend to say that gardening of itself will have 
these good effects, for I am bound to say that I have met with many 
who were apparently lovers of flowers, whose habits were as bad and 
conduct as unpleasing as well could be—regular sots, ill-tempered, and 
morose. I am not here to preach , but I cannot forget that I am a 
minister, and therefore would guard myself from the supposition of 
declaring anything to be really of permanent service in ameliorating the 
condition of man but the grace of God ; moreover, there is such a thing 
as ‘‘riding a hobby to death.” I remember once some persons having 
their dignity very much hurt, because after a concert I once adverted to 
the danger of a too great attention to music, or any other art, as drawing 
men away from better things. I hope that the promoters of the present 
show will not have theirs wounded, if, before it takes place, I say the 
same thing of gardening. I know it from personal experience. When 
I lived in Ireland the love of it grew on me so insensibly, that I found 
it absorbing far more of my time, thoughts, and I may add pocket, 
than it ought to have done, and one chief reason for my leaving Ireland 
was that I felt that the only way in which I could really get out from 
it was to give it up altogether; I sold off every one of my flowers, and 
with many a pang left my home. I mention not this as a matter of 
self-laudation, but simply to show how much we can make even a 
harmless recreation harmful by an over indulgence in it. 
Deal. D. 
(To be continued.) 
MR. FLEMING. 
The appointment of Mr. Fleming to the responsible situation of Agent 
over the Staffordshire estates of His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, is 
an event which we cannot allow ourselves to pass over without a word 
of comment, if it were only to direct the attention of young gardeners 
to the fact, as a stimulus to their own improvement and perseverance. 
Foi seveial yeais past Mr. b leming has been well known as occupying 
the very foremost rank amongst horticulturists, and both as a practical 
gardener and gaiden architect has done very much to improve the 
practice and science of a profession to which it is needless to say he was 
