(XVIII) 
other plants, to commemorate the peculiarities or historic incidents noted in the 
lives of various peoples. The Lillies of France, the Roses of England, the Maple 
Leaf of Canada, the Thistle of Scotland, the Shamrock of Ireland, will here at 
once present themselves in proof. 
Another use of flowers to be mentioned, is laying them with touching affec¬ 
tion upon tiny funeral-casket of infants and young children that, like imperilled 
scions, have been early plucked from the garden of earthly homes, to be trans¬ 
planted in the ever-blooming garden of God—to be at Home with Him! Yet, 
floral tributes are out of place, when deposited on the coffins of deceased adults, 
and a little reflection will convince all that such a custom is “more honored in the 
breach than the observance;” but above and around the graves of both old and 
young, let evergreen, and rose-bush, and flower-stalk, be planted and tended, as 
symbolizing hope of the Resurrection unto Eternal Life. 
Y. 
Hie we now thankfully and hopefully, as bees to blossom and rosary, that 
we may con the instructive and salutary Lessons taught us by plant and flower, 
by blade and bough; for surely it can not be said of us— 
“We smile at florists, and despise their joy, 
And think their hearts enamored of a toy!” 
No; but, sensible of the vast sum of practical teaching, latent or manifest, in all 
that pertains to this extensive department of attractive Nature, we would thence 
fain grow wiser and better, and 
“With a child’s undoubting wisdom, look 
On all those living pages of God’s book”— 
aware that 
“Flowers preach to us, if we will hear.” 
The general reader must know of more than one effort already made to 
express the language and the sentiment of Flowers and cognate plants; to divine 
and read, in their frank ingenuous countenances, their longing, secret wishes; to 
hear their covert, yet animated pleadings—audible in the ear attuned to Nature’s 
two-fold chromatic score, with double scale of undertones—in short, to interpret 
their deep ethical import. 
Still, in those evidently well-meant essays, with many things good and true 
and ingenious, with many critically acute and recondite observations, there will 
