280 
KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF FLORICULTURE. 
BY J. MCDONALD. 
Sir, —Though fioricultural publications be numerous in Great 
Britain, and varied in appearance, in kind, in quantity of matter, 
and in price, yet .1 believe there is none of them destined to become 
so well known, or so long-lived, as the Florist’s Journal, a publi¬ 
cation within the reach of all, and calculated at once to please 
the intelligent and refined, and to instruct and improve the tyro. 
True, other publications contain abundance of instructions and 
directions for growing most kinds of plants to extraordinary 
perfection; but in general, it would, I believe, greatly puzzle the 
writers of these articles to put their own receipts in practice 
three successive times with good success, because their directions 
are founded, not on physiological or philosophical observations, 
but on arbitrary or hap-chance fortuitous circumstances; while 
the rules given in the Florist’s Journal are based on philosophical 
principles, that have been in force since plants have been in 
existence, and which will continue as long as flowers expand. 
Therefore, the wonder is, not that that publication is taken in by 
most lovers of flowers, but the wonder will soon be if any 
admirer of nature takes it not. As it is, I know it has a good 
circulation in this part of the country, and that many of the 
landed gentry take it in. Knowing this, has induced me to 
send these few lines for insertion—should you deem them worthy 
of the honour—in your excellent work ; not with the vanity, 
however, of believing that this article contains anything excellent 
in itself, but in the hope that it will attract the notice of some 
abler writer to the subject of the moral improvement of society, 
by the diffusion of a love for, and an understanding of the 
goodness and bounty of the Creator, as displayed in nature,' 
and more especially in flowering plants. Much has been said 
about, and many modes have been devised for, the moral im¬ 
provement of society. The anathemas of the bigot, the 
dogmas of the sectarian, and all kinds of pulpit thunder, have, for 
ages, been employed in the noble work. The philanthropic have 
devoted their lives, and the benevolent their means, for the same 
