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THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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fern, and briars, and broken banks—all these natural 
careless effects are so agreeable both to eye and mind, 
that nothing of the same kind that is arranged and 
invented can give us half the pleasure ; and those per¬ 
sons who do not enjoy a country life, and country walks, 
and country beauties, lose an immeasurable amount of 
real enjoyment, both of body and mind. 
This, too, is the period of the year when woodland 
scenery conveys a special lesson to our hearts. How 
often have we, in our beautiful rambles, really seen 
“ the axe laid to the root of the tree,” while the hand 
has paused, and the eye has once more narrowly scanned 
the unconscious monarch of the forest, and marked the 
best and most fitting place for it to fall. Ah, what an 
awful picture of our own position, as we stand in health 
and strength among our fellow men! I never see or 
hear the crash of a falling tree without an involuntary 
trembling: it is so striking, so affecting, so tremendously 
impressive; and does so loudly cry to our deaf and doting 
hearts as we walk “ among the tombs” of this world in 
our ignorance and sin. 
I particularly remember last year watching the fall of 
some fine spruce-firs that stood in my garden. They 
shaded my borders so completely from the sun, that I 
was reluctantly obliged to submit to their removal; and 
I stood by to see them felled. It spoke volumes to the 
heart. Bough after bough, that had so long and so 
gracefully bent beneath the breeze, fell to the ground, 
until the tall powerful stems stood stripped of their glory, 
bare and desolate, like the souls of men when their “ vain 
pleas” are rejected, and they stand naked and helpless 
before the judgment seat of Christ! Then came the 
crash and the downfall; the saw at the root and the 
rope at the head did their work well. The once beau¬ 
tiful tree cracked, trembled, reeled, and fell! 
Can any description more clearly and terribly pour- 
tray the life aud death of man—especially of him who 
“ flourisheth like a green bay-tree”—than the sudden 
destruction which comes upon a noble tree, in all its 
healthful beauty, and lays it low? And yet how heed¬ 
lessly wo view these solemn and awakening sights! The 
passer-by who lingers to gaze, the woodman as he bends 
and labours at his work, little reck of the stroke which 
is, perhaps, at that very moment hovering over them to 
bring their powerful frames down to the gates of death ; 
above all, they may little reck of the souls that animate 
those frames, perishing, in mauy cases, for lack of know- 
lcdge; and they may close their ears to the cry of the 
Baptist in the wilderness, and refuse “ to hear the voice 
of the charmer, charm he never so wisely.” 
Let us, in our interesting walks at this lovely season, 
observe all that passes before our eyes, and lay it to our 
hearts. As we watch the mighty tree tottering to its 
fall, or see the young vigorous larch cut down in its 
early prime, let us remember that we “ shall all likewise 
perish and let us strive to “ bring forth fruits meet for 
repentance,” lest we “ be hewn down and cast into the 
fire.” 
We cannot, in fact, snap oft' a twig, as wc pass along, 
with its bursting buds so fresh, and green, and sweet, 
without mar-king the impress of the Hand Divine, and 
learning an instructive lesson. We trace the footsteps 
of the Lord on every side: upon the rising grass, the 
teeming fallows, the cottage borders; among the deep 
shades of the spicy woods, so full of fragrance in their 
early beauty; among the swelling blossoms of fruits and 
flowers; upon the wild open uplands, where the wind 
blows so briskly, and in the deep warm valley, with its 
nestling village, where the cool quiet stream enriches 
and beautifies the scene. 
Let me urge such of my readers as may inhabit towns, 
or their suburbs, to take their evening walks, and spend 
as much of their leisure time as possible quite in the 
couutry. If they do but sit for an hour beneath a tree 
by a river side, aud watch the sparkling ripple of “ the 
cold flowing waters,” the gay flies that dart across its 
surface, the sudden splash of the fish as it snatches its 
gaudy prey, and the rapid motions of the birds that fre¬ 
quent its banks, there will be ample food for deep and 
sweet meditation, and a broad well-filled page from 
which to gather evidence and tokens of God’s love to 
his rebellious people. Tbe language nature speaks, 
although uttered in whispers, is loudly heard by every 
listening heart; aud there is so much companionship in 
her society, that sometimes the presence of our dearest 
friend would lessen our enjoyment. There is “ a time” 
for all things, and certainly there is a time to he alone. 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION AT 
THE REGENT'S PARK.— May 8. 
That there is no certainty in the affairs of this world is 
in nothing more frequently exemplified than in the weather 
for horticultural exhibitions. The cultivators devote their 
skill and care for months, nay for years, to exhibit then- 
petted ones in perfection; and then, when the day arrives, 
the weather is unpropitious, and the lovers of flowers are 
prevented enjoying the sight of such pattern specimens of 
the blossoms of the world, grown to the highest pitch of ex¬ 
cellence. Such was the case at the Regent’s Park, on the 
8tli of May just passed. With but little intermission it 
rained all the day, and, consequently, the company, unlike 
last year, -was exceedingly thin. Not more, we should think, 
than four or five hundred were present at any one time. 
Prince Albert, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Norfolk, 
and other illustrious characters honoured the exhibition by a 
visit, and expressed themselves highly gratified. 
The arrangement of the tents at these gardens is very ad¬ 
vantageous to the visitors ; for they are set down close to the 
entrance of one of them ; aud again, the large conservatory, 
with the spacious walks amongst and under the plants, is, 
even in the heaviest rain, a pleasant dry promenade. This 
“winter garden," as it is very happily named, is so large that 
it is capable of containing two or three thousand persons 
very comfortably. Hence the Regent’s Park Garden both 
for the above reasons and being so near to the metropolis, 
renders it a convenient place for such exhibitions, let the 
weather be what it may. 
There was a novel way of arranging the large collections of 
plants that had a very good effect. The tent devoted to 
them, instead of platforms of boards, as formerly, had terraces 
formed with green turf sides, and sand within to place the 
plants upon. The terraces were thrown up in circular forms 
of different sizes, each terrace holding a row of plants, the 
largest plants being placed at the highest points. By this 
arrangement each formed a splendid pyramid of floral beauty. 
Tliis tent being on sloping ground had a very pleasing ap¬ 
pearance, especially from the lowest point. 
COLLECTION OF THIRTY STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
Mr. May, gardener to Mr. Lawrence of Ealing-park, brought 
his collection out in grand style, every plant being well 
flowered, and a perfect specimen of horticultural skill. This 
collection deservedly obtained the highest prize. Where all 
were so fine, it is almost invidious to select any for description, 
but our space will not allow us to describe ever}- plant, there¬ 
fore we must be content with the following:— 
Pimellea spectabilis. This plant was 0 feet through, and 5 
feet high, covered with its snowy blossoms in great perfection. 
Polygala acumina, well bloomed, the same size. C'horozema 
Lninrnciana , very full of flowers down to the edge of the pot; 
4 feet by 4 feet. Epacris grandiflora, an immense well 
bloomed'plant; 8 feet in height, (( feet through. Erwstcmon 
biixifolium ; 0 fleet by (J feet. Hovea Cehii. This is a difficult 
plant to bring into a pleasing shape, but in this instance it 
was a handsome specimen, covered with its beautiful blue 
blossoms. Polygala Dahnaisiana, a handsome specimen, full 
of bloom ; 3 feet by 3 feet. Podolobhtm staurophylhim, very 
well bloomed; 4 feet by 3 feet. Gompholobiumpolymorphum. 
■ Trained to a round balloon-like trellis, and full of flower ; 
j feet by 2 feet. Ixora cocciuca. This favourite plant had 
! upwards of twenty heads of its rich scarlet flowers. Erica 
| vestita rosea; 3 feet by 2 feet; in fine order. Gompholobium 
I barbigentm. This is a fine exhibition plant, with large pale 
I yellow flowers; 4 feet by 3 feet. 
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