252 
FLORICULTURE. 
BY MBS. LAUKA A. SMITH, PLYMOUTH, WI3. 
In complying with your request, to prepare an article upon * Floricul¬ 
ture/ I shall trust that the desire for awakening a love for the culture of 
flowers, in the minds of my fair states-woman, will be a sufficient apology 
for undertaking a task to which I can bring neither the knowledge nor 
the experience requisite. 
An elaborate essay I cannot write, but if the results of my simple ex¬ 
perience, will have the effect to plant one solitary garden, “where garden 
there was none,” I shall be entirely satisfied. I trust also that the few 
directions I shall offer, may induce some who may have been discourag¬ 
ed by the elaborate rules of florists, to consider a fair and beautiful flower 
garden not incompatible with the means of the humblest rural hom© 
within our State. 
It is very pleasant to remark that, in this utilitarian and money-making 
age, there are those, even in our infant State, who can both appreciate 
and delight in the employments of rural taste. There are few, indeed, of 
so unrefined a nature, but will acknowledge the pleasant influences of a 
love for the culture of flowers, its power of increasing the pleasures of 
home, and the improvement of heart and taste, which an intimate asso¬ 
ciation with God’s beautiful creations in the floral world, must neces¬ 
sarily produce, 
“ Your voiceless lips, oh flowers ! are living preachers— 
Each cup a pulpit, and each leaf a book, 
Supplying to my fancy numerous teachers, 
From lowliest nook.” 
To those valuable improvements, in the science of agriculture, which 
more materially effect the wealth of our State, all praise is due; but as 
even these are but as aids to our comfort and happiness, we must not 
forget while ministering to our physical necessities, to provide those gra¬ 
tifications of a taste for the beautiful, which is inherent in us all. To 
do this we should combine the useful \yith the beautiful in our rural 
homes, remembering always that He who implanted in us a desire for 
