4 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
has done the utmost that it can do, the erewhile flowery field is a 
parched and barren desert, upon which the stranger could hardly 
suppose that vegetation durst ever venture to appear. But, 
according to that beautiful law of nature whereby all the parts 
are exquisitely adapted to each other, both in place and in season, 
the vegetation of such places of the world suits their physical 
character; and when they are artificially raised in any different 
climate, the temperature of their native climate, and the succession 
of those seasons for which they are naturally adapted, must be 
imitated as nearly as possible. This can be done only by the 
artificial heat of the stove, and by watering copiously, or abstaining 
from water altogether, according as the state of the plant, found 
by experience, or judged of from its habits in its native country, 
may appear to require. 
This is one portion of the extreme cases of the cultivation of 
plants for the sake of their flowers ; but it is one which can be 
practised only by the opulent, or by the profession who cultivate 
such plants for their supply. It is necessary, however, that every 
one who cultivates plants should know something of the general 
principle according to which the plants of one climate may be 
most successfully grown, and especially made to bloom in peifec- 
tion, in another and a different one. The pleasure of this is oi a 
higher order than that derived from the mere possession of any 
flowering-plants, how beautiful or how rare soever the blooms of 
those plants may be. The profit ! derived from it is also corre¬ 
spondingly great; for, when a man cultivates and attends to a 
flowering-plant which is a native of any country, the love of the 
plant will very naturally lead him to the desire of knowing some¬ 
thing about the country which produces so fine a flower; and 
there is so much general knowledge abroad upon such subjects, 
and it is now so readily and so cheaply to be obtained, that the 
flower becomes a silent but delightful teacher to the florist, to a 
far greater extent than those who have not attended to such sub¬ 
jects would be apt to suppose. Indeed, whatever may be the 
species or the original native locality of the flower which is loved 
and cultivated, it will invariably be found that, whether learned or 
unlearned in the scholastic sense of the word, the cultivator oi 
flowers is & more intelligent as well as a more amiable character 
than he who looks upon those gems and essences of the material 
creation with an eye of perfect indifference. In attending to 
