OFFICE AND REMUNERATION OF GARDENERS. 
5 
a great length of time ; and thus the principle of vegetable life in 
it was reduced to the most feeble state imaginable. He therefore 
commenced giving it a plentiful supply of water, and a strong 
heat at the same time. The result was, that it soon began to 
show signs of flowering; and produced two most splendid 
flowers—so splendid indeed, and so different from anything which 
even the men of most pretence had before known as produced in 
this country—or any where else, that it completely outwitted 
the Professor of Botany in the London University, so far, that'he 
• assured Mr. Christy that the plant was a new species. 
This is a new discovery in the case of an old plant, certainly ; 
but it is one of much interest and usefulness ; and it ought to 
teach professional botanists, as well professors as others, the 
urgent necessity of making themselves well acquainted with the 
principles of the philosophy of floriculture. 
OFFICE AND REMUNERATION OF GARDENERS. 
In our first volume we said, or afforded an arena to those more 
competent to say, a good deal about flowers ; and we hope that, in 
the present and succeeding ones, we shall be enabled to say more, 
and procure more to be said, and as much better said as possible. 
We trust, however, that we have already advanced enough, and 
advanced it on grounds too firmly established for being shaken, 
to show to every one, who has ears to hear and understanding 
to comprehend, that the successful culture of flowers is a pursuit 
that requires talents, acquirements, zeal, and perseverance, of no 
ordinary character, and far higher than those necessary for per¬ 
sons in the menial and mechanical departments of society, how 
highly soever these may be esteemed, and how largely soever 
they may be rewarded. 
Having said thus much respecting flowers, and having esta¬ 
blished the justice of that admiration of them,—which is already 
pretty general, but which we would wish to see increased and 
warmed, by making a selection of some of the choicest beauties, 
and presenting them to our readers delineated in their natural 
forms, limned as nearly as possible in their natural colours, and 
accompanied by descriptions expressed in all the simplicity of 
