mu 
vXu.S Dg;L 
7? 
' •' Ws 
mSM 
S*i^nwi'ifi« 
UriNp-'^f 
■, ,.-j»»»;".f. i«<h u_ 
4 .u* ■ 
p*» 
Meal 
,1' ffl,£: 
NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 21, 1877 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by the Rural Publishing Company, 
n^the oillco of the Librarian of Conjrrcss at, Washington.] 
i/ing to generations of unborn llorista either 
his own name or that of some friend or patron, 
by blazoning it abroad, eupbemizod in Latin, as 
the specific appellation of bis discovery. 
In England, art and science have combined to 
erect costly conservatories, not only for the pro¬ 
tection of tbc choicest lion ovb, cullod from every 
part of the globo, but also to create an artificial 
climate congouiai to beautiful Hhrubs and trees, 
imported at the cost of vast care and ontlav, 
from the tropical and somi-tropical regions of 
tlm world, Attached to ail the country resi¬ 
dences of the nobility and gentry are extensive 
buildings of this kind, in the erection of which 
fortunes have been lavished almost as freely ns 
in the collection of tho brigbt-huod, swcot-smoll- 
ing treasures they ate designed to protect and 
foster. The town houses, also, generally have 
smaller conservatories, to which are often trans¬ 
ferred, on the migration or tho family to the 
capital, many of tho choicest treasures from tiro 
country, in addition to the floral riches kept there 
ut till times. 
The example thus set by the higher orders is 
close!;, followed, so far as their 
Tn newly-settled countries, however, the atten¬ 
tion of the inhabitants is mainly engrossed in a 
struggle for subsistence, hence they are apt to 
neglect those pursuits which contribute chiefly 
to the attractions amt refinements of life. Over 
a largo extent, of this country, a struggle of this 
kind is still in progress, especially among our 
I ai mers, upon whom the labors and hardships 
of colonization press heaviest; while even in 
those parts which have long been settled, a groat 
deal of tho characteristics which tho surround¬ 
ings impressed on their pioneer forefathers still 
clings to tho present generation. On this ac¬ 
count floriculture and kindred occupations re¬ 
ceive far less attention horo than among Euro¬ 
pean nations. There, tho multiplication of vari¬ 
eties of flowers and ornamental plants, together 
with improvements in their habits, color aud 
l ragranee, has reached the dignity of a science, 
While so eager is tho dosiro for novoltios, that in 
search of them botanist* are constantly engaged 
in ransacking tho few corners of this earth of 
ours previously unexplored. 
Fortunate, indeed, is the adventurous searcher 
who lights upon a new genus or species, for to 
him belongs the proud privilege of familiar- 
so much from sycophantic imitation, as on ac- 
coiuit of a genuine love for tho beauty and fra¬ 
grance of those specimens of Nature’s sweet em¬ 
broidery. Even in the poorest quarters of En¬ 
glish cities there arc few houses whose window¬ 
sills are unadorned, in flue weather, with rows of 
flower-pots containing sickly plants that struggle, 
under severe dilhonltios, to reward tho care aud 
affection lavished upon them. 
To meet the popular demand for choice plants, 
the nursery business there lias acquired vast 
proportions, and some of these institutions can 
at once furnish from their ample stock, not only 
all valuable varieties of flowers, exotic as well as 
domestic, but also specimens, from nil parts of 
tho world, of tho trees auil shrubs whoso graceful 
forms or rich bloom render thorn objects of de¬ 
light to the multitude, and of prized acquisition 
to tho wealthy, who can afford to gratify an 
aristocratic taste by tho exceptional possession 
of all that is rare aud beautiful. 
Our present illustration represents The I'alni- 
houso, one of the many conservatories connected 
with tho nursery of Mr. TJ. S. Williams, the re¬ 
nowned florist of London. Of course, of the 
1,000 species of palms, classified by botanists 
ENGLISH CONSERVATORIES 
‘‘What’s the use of flower*?” inquired a 
fanatical utilitarian of the gruff old radical, 
William Cobbett. “What is the use of any¬ 
thing, sir?” was the suggestive rejoiudor. And, 
in truth, what oilier end has a sensible man ordi¬ 
narily in view in the labors and worry of life, or 
in accumulating possessions around him, except 
thereby to increase the sum of his happiness, 
either directly, by selfishly ministering to his per¬ 
sonal enjoyment, or indirectly, by generously 
promoting the comfort and pleasure of those 
dear to him. The necessaries of existence once 
secured, there is no means of refined gratifica¬ 
tion so cheap and universal as the cultivation of 
flowers and other beautiful plants. Those afford 
innocent delight not only to their owner and 
family, but to every eye that lights Upon them, 
for there is none either too polished or too rough 
to appreciate tho charms of form or color with 
which nature has beneficently adorned them. 
means and con¬ 
veniences will permit, by the lower ranks not 
