The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-09 00:00:00

FLOIV.ERS AND TEES.

BY ELIZA COOL
(Written expressly for the Odd Fellows' Magazine).
Who amongst us does not love flowers, trees, and
grass We have only to cast our eyes around on
the varied paths of life, and ample evidence will be
afforded that there is an immortal influence in
" The pomp of groves and garniture of fields."
Mankind has ever revelled in the scent of the
blossoms and shadow of the boughs, and ever will.
The tawny savage of the backwoods strides over
the wide prairie's purple bells, and gazes on the
pine giants of his native forests with an ex-
ulting, although an indefinite joy. The ducal
master of Chatsworth breathes among his choice
exotics, and treads daintily beneath the branches
of his ancestral oaks and beeches -with in-
finite pride and pleasure: The same instinct
dwells in each bosom—though one is girded
by the ribbon of the Bath, and graced with the star
of blazing gems; and the other is swathed in the
buffalo's skin and chequered with the red tatoo.
They both love flowers and trees. The infinite and
the beautiful erects its altar alike in the hearts of
the Indian Pawnee and the English peer.
Most of us have our earliest recollections asso-
ciated with " buttercups and daisies," cowslip bells,
and palm branches. The "Field of the Cloth of
Gold" that saw the meeting of Harry of England
and Francis of France, bore no such extatic hearts
and bounding 'limbs as Old Farley's meadow did
when he allowed some dozen town-born children

—myself included—the free range of it in full
buttercup season. What a memorable day it was !
The meridian sun was blazing away in cloudless
glory. The scarlet poppies along the hawthorn
hedge banks seemed to have breathed their opium
into the wings of young Zephyrus, and put a stop
to his gadding for the day. The bees had been so
thirsty that they had drank too much red clover wine,
for they blundered against each other, and staggered
and tumbled about with aimless indecision of place
and purpose, and evidently did not know a corn-
cockel from a dandelion. We heard a couple of
them attempting to hum some snatch of melody—
but the incoherent style of their performance left a
doubt as to whether they intended it for " Jolly
companions" or " We won't go home till morning."
The barn cat had found a shady spot in the ro-
mantic recess of a dilapidated pig-sty—so completely
overcome by the heat that two audacious kittens
were uninterruptedly playing at scratch-cradle with
her tail, passing it from one to the other in the
most intricate lines and angles imaginable.
The cows and ducks had been in the pond since
sunrise, and appeared thoroughly determined to
pursue the hydropathic system until sunset. Every-
thing was dry and dusty, or bright and burning.
Old Farley expressed an opinion at the meadow
gate that it would be "too hot" for us; but our
rush in a body—such as never tried a pit entrance
on Edmund Kean's benefit nights, soon rendered
that opinion null and void—away we wont, like the
starters for the Derby, and the gorgeous yellow
prairie was attacked with an onslaught that few
blossoms, save the immortal buttercup, could pro-
voke.
How we danced, and jumped, and leaped about
that beautiful field—now screaming with delight
over a lot of brazen ox-eyed daisies, and pulling up
handfulls of them at a clutch—roots and all ; then
shouting over a patch of sweet scented bind-weed,
and then flying off to seize the tall fox-gloves,
rather out of reach on the banks. Any rational
looker-on would have imagined us to bo com-
pounded of the greyhound and the grasshopper—
such lithe activity—such uncaleulating gymnastics
were displayed. What boughs we pulled of horn-
beam and dogrose—what bundles of ferns and
dodder-grass —what armfulls of sorrel, until, utterly
exhausted, we flung ourselves down under the lop-
elms, with countenances that amalgamated the de-
licate tints of a postman's coat and an over-ripe
pickling cabbage, and with elfin tresses and excited
skins that no Rowland's Macassar or Kalydor
could have made decently presentable. Well do
we remember the tea and fruit we had that day—
what delicious broad and butter, so moist and fresh
—what luxurious cream, so white and thick—
what heaps of strawberries, real Elton pines—
what baskets of cherries, true black hearts, which
added vastly to the complexional beauty of our
faces—what potties of raspberries, all pulp and
perfume—and 'hew we did eat—city aldermen
would have been ashamed of us ; and how well do
we remember that the tables and chairs in old
Farley's big parlour were covered with our gathered
spoils, for the revelling joy of a fruit feast could
not exclude our demonstrative admiration for the
lovely " nosegays" we had collected. This heap
of marsh-mallows was prominently held up to
notice, and that lot of feather-grass claimed distinct
praise. The bunches of buttercups and daisies
were gigantic and countless, and the branches of
nut-trees and silver-ash afforded no mean resem-
blance to the celebrated march of Birnam Wood.
How carefully we tied them up—how zealously we
guarded them on our way to town—how we loved
._those sweet, and simple things—and how innocent
and happy were those days, when green leaves and
' wild flowers formed a paradise for us, with no worse
serpent to ruin its character than a mother's gentle
reprimand for bringing home such a " lot of rub-
bish ;" and yet we have seen that mother quite as
great an idolater of them as we were, only in a
more subdued style of worship ; and many a time
have discovered her cherishing some of the lot of
rubbish with fresh water, and arranging them with
tasteful hands.
We meet on Sunday morning idlers by the dozens,
strolling through the streets of our great city. Let
us just glance at them. We see a brawny dray-
man who has evidently forgotten to shave himself,
and not been too particular as to the set of his
neck-tie. He hits on the same rough, tough, dirty,
thick, blanket-sort of jerkin in which he let down
innumberable butts of " Barclay's best" into dingy
cellars during the week; but in a button hole of
the said jerkin there is a splendid carnation. He
has consumed some seconds of time in placing it
safely and conspicuously, and walks slowly on,
eyeing it every now end then with great self-satis-
faction ; and his satisfaction is not unshared, for,
while observing his warm appreciation of the really
exquisite blossom, we feel a degree of pride also
that one of a class who had the courage to pelt
Haynau, the woman-whipper, should love flowers.
A little further, and we encounter a grimy son of
Vulcan, who is carrying off a large bunch of all
sorts, begiuning with old man and ending with
prince's feathers ; he says his "little Polly, who
ain't over well, likes the smell on 'em ;" whether
the smell may be very.beneficial to the young suf-
ferer we will not inquire, but the tendency to love
flowers claims our admiration under any circum-
stances. A lank pale woman has spent an extra-
vagant halfpenny on a dozen brilliant sweet-peas,
which she declares " will keep beautiful for a whole
week, with plenty of water., A charity boy has
picked up a bit of double-stock, and, with earnest
endeavour, fixes it above his badge of poverty—and
then as earnestly bends his head to I try and get a
whiff of its odorous breath. There, at that stall
yonder, are a decent man and tidy wife, who have
suddenly discovered that they have an " odd penny"
out of the shoulder of mutton which the man carries
in a flag basket, in immediate conjunction with a
monster cabbage—and it is as suddenly imagined
that the odd money cannot be better laid out than
in one of those tempting clusters of roses, as they
happen to be just "a penny a lot ;" and away the
couple go, to gladden the eyes of their young
Tommy and Nancy with the sight of real, smelling,
lovely roses. Aye:! ye children of toil ; ye " love
flowers."
We loiter on, and down a close iron-railed area
we see a goodly number of half-dead plants, with
their brown leaves supported by green sticks, in
' pots of extreme brunette complexion, some of which
plants are so totally devoid of " character" in their
foliage that their "order" is a mystery. These are
the especial and treasured property of the cook, who
is never known to abuse her favourite tabby, a match-
less mouser—save when he surreptitiously nibbles at
the white pinks; she has serious thoughts ofrubbing
them with mustard, to deter him from the indul-
gence, having tried pepper without any success. In
the balcony of the drawing room above we perceive
snow ctimelias and gorgeous cactuses and oleanders
standing up in their rich china vases, in attractive
splendid magnificence. They belong to the young
heiress, who tends them daily wig' her own deli-
cate and jewelled fingers, and who dispensed as
decided and vulgar a box on the ear of her juvenile
sister, for destroying the bud of a matchless arum,
as could have been bestowed by the most unrefined
of exasperated young ladies. It is plain that those
above and those below " love flowers."
The old red night-capped cobbler, who labours
continually in a cubbed-up shed at the corner of a
street in our neighbourhood, has a beloved idol by
his side in the shape of a pot of mignionette ; sown
by himself, watered by himself, put in the sun-
shine by himself, and carefully preserved from all
the incidental. damage likely to ensue in such
limited space. We suspect that the tubbed-up
shed, with its abominable effluvia of horse-hide and
stronger wax ends, is rendered a degree more
cheerful to the eyes and senses of the poor inhabi-
tant by the presence of that pot of mignionotte.
The old cobbler, though he is accused of making too
frequent "morning calls" at the adjacent " Cow
and Compasses," "loves flowers."
As for " gardens," they are as old as Paradise it-
self—and we see the original occupation of the
" old Adam" peeping out still when the over-fed,
gold-surfeited citizen betakes himself to a detached
villa, "within twenty miles of London, and two of
a railway station," where he puddles and pokes
with his spade and rake, in his loose jacket, and

finds more exciting interest in grubbing up a few
weeds, or planting a row of seedlings, than he ever
experiAced while cashing a heavy bill for Messrs.
Needham and Co.

We happen to know an elderly gentleman who
is a thorough representative of this numerous and
increasing race. He has given up his smoke-dried,
wall-surrounded house in Bedford-square, and en-
sconced himself in a rural villa, 12 miles from town,
with charmiF French windows opening to mossy
lawns, sparkling flower beds, mazy shrubberies, and
a kitchen plot in the distance, large enough to
supply the granivcrous demands of the Reform
Club. His wife has confidentially informed us
that his temper is not nearly so irritable since he
has taken to " doing a little gardening," and that
his attacks of gout and indigestion are much
lighter. Her confidence also enlightened us as to
the standard roses being extremely expensive—
that the "Duchess of Sutherland" (a fine imposing
blossom, certainly) and the Imperial Blush (very
scarce) cost as much as her last new dress ; and
that, at a random estimate, the cabbages averaged
sixpence per head, and the carrots threepence per
tail, to say nothing of the unknown quantity of
money sunk in a pet pinery and a choice vinery.
We were lingering about in his immediate vicinity
the other morning with a pet volume of Leigh Hunt
in our hand, when we heard the groom rapidly
advance on the old gentleman's " whereabouts."
"The phaeton is ready, sir," said John to his civic
master; but the master was hoeing away at an ob-
stinate dock-root, and perfectly oblivious of Thread-
needle-street and " Bradshaw." The old gentle-
man had managed to " mess" the bottom of his
trousers pretty considerably; his hands must be
washed—his boots must be changed—his face is
very moist and florid, owing to the inveterate ob-
stinacy of the dock-root ; and, after a rapid sum-
ming up of his condition, he arrives at the wise
conclusion that he cannot go by that train. " I
shall go by the half-past one, John," says the civic
master; and he again applied himself vigorously to
the dock-root, which he at length conquered.
Elated with the feat, he stood for a few moments
gazing on the annihilated weed with mingled triumph 1
and delight in his somewhat purple countenance,
and conceived a sudden fancy for clearing a conti-
guous herb-bed of "that nasty chickweed," setting
to at the work as though his reputation depended
on its performance. John came again, but the
elderly gentleman had found another most impera-
tive demand on his attention, and his opinion was
decidedly expressed that it was " too late to be of
any use in town," and he should not want the pine-
ton. He toiled on, in a state of intense heat and
activity, until he was compelled to obey tne dinner
bell, and sat down to his fish and chicken with a
full conviction that he had materially added to the
high state of cultivation so generally observed by
those who visited his adored " garden," while the
head gardener expressed a strong private opinion
that " master generally did more harm than good."
Happy delusion ! It is pleasant to see the primitive
digging and delving tendency of childhood return
in men, when all that Fortune can bestow and all
that Ambition can achieve has served but to teach
that it is possible to have " too much of a good
thing," and that a bit of grass plot and a rood or
two of earth may take us as nigh to heaven as a
banker's counter. Not far distant from our friend's
villa, is a low mud-walled cottage, with a tiny
patch of ground attached, probably about thirty feet
by fifty; but the tiny patch is crammed with nas-
turtiums, rockets, sweet-williams, larkspurs, hen-
and-chicken daisies, scarlet runners, honeysuckle,
apple- trees, currant bushes, and Flora and
Pomona know best what. It is a perfect floral
kaleidoscope; and it is suspected that the civic
gentleman covets a slip of that wonderful jasmine
which runs over the old wooden porch. The rich
merchant and the poor peasant both " love flowers."
Gardens are pleasant places. They were so when
under the classical patronage of Semiramis and
Alcinous, and they form charming, attractive
" green spots" in the world's arid choking waste in
these modern days, past and present, bearing the
patronymics of Ranclagh, Vauxhall, Versailles,
Tuileries, Kew, Rosherville, Kensington, or Cre-
morne. There is something, refreshing in the very
word " garden." Whether the style be Italian or
Dutch, it is of little consequence as far as the gene-
ral impulse of humanity is concerned. We admit
that we prefer to ramble where nature and art
keep up a becoming family feeling of union—yet,
when we find ourselves shut up with perfect
Encli an right lines and angles, and peacocks cut
li
out o the box trees, whose only merit is that they
do n t scream—yet, we say we cannot quarrel
with the place they disfigure. We feel that a
"garden" was intended, and that is enough to sanc-
tify the most atrocious bad taste. " Flowers and
sweet green leaves" are among the most prominent
of the " beautiful and undying," and we reverently
recognise them as the silent minister of God's un-
fathomable power, and the unceasing shrines of
man's instinctive homage.

S P ORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALLS'-YESTERDAY.

A very thin attendance. For the Derby, Umpire was
nominally at Bto 1. The subjoined scanty list of quota-
tions comprise all the business transacted :

THE DERBY.

Bto 1 art Umpire
12 to 1 agst Thormanby (taken)
12 to 1 agst Nutbourne (taken)
100 to 8 agst Buccaneer (offered)
13 to 1 agat The Wizard (take 14 to 1)
33 to 1 agat Upperhand (taken)
60 to 1 agst Restos (taken)
1000 to 12 agat Brassey (taken)

FOALS OF 1859.—0ne thousand threo hundred and fifty-
eight foals have been bred this season. Of these 681 are
colts, and 677 fillies.

MS DAYS MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

To-day's market was again very moderately supplied
with English wheat, coastwise and by land carriage, but
the general condition of the samples was tolerably good.
Fine qualities were held at full prices, but the demand far
them ruled inactive. Inferior parcels moved off heavily at
Monday's currency.
We were well supplied with most kinds of foreign
wheat. Buyers evinced no desire to operate, and the trade
was consequently heavy at late rates.
In floating cargoes from the westward very little was
passing.
There was a fair demand for malting barley at previous
currencies. Grinding and distilling sorts were heavy at
the lath decline.
We have to report a slow sale for malt at Monday's
prices.
Oats—tho supply of which was moderate—moved off
slowly, but we have no change to notice in their value.
Beans, peas, and flour were dull at late rates.
ARRIVALS TRIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English 1,320 / 3,140 2,790 0 / 1,110
Irish
Foreign 5,060 , 13,510 4,070 I f 40 ski
100 Yls.

NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.
Fair average supplies of meat are on offer to-day, and
the demand generally rules steady at our quotations.

Per Blbs. by the Carcass.
s. d. t. d. s. d. s. d.
Inferior Beef 2 Bto 2 10 Infr. Mutton. 3 2to 3 6
Mid. d 0..... 3 oto 3 4 Mid. do 3 Bto 4 0
Pm.largedo. 36t0 4 0 Prime do. 44t0 4 6
Do. small do. 4 2to 4 6 Veal 3 Bto 4 6
Large pork.. 3 6to 4 2 1 Small pork

BOROUGH HOP.
Nearly all kinds of new hops still continue in steady re-
quest, at very full prices. Fine yearlings are firm; but
other qualities are a slow inquiry.
New Mid and East Kent....B4s to 147 s per owt.
Weald of Kent 56s to 77s ~
Sussex...

COLONIAL.
TEA. The u
inquiry on the part of the trade has been
rather brisker, and prices have been tolerably well sup-
rather
SUGARS.—A moderate amounrof business has been trans-
acted, and previous rates have been well maintained, par-
ticularly for British West India. In the Refined Market
there is a steady seasonable demand, at fully late rates.
COFFEII.—For Plantation Ceylon there has been a fair
inquiry, and fine qualities have realised full values ; other
descriptions wore also in good demand, at former prices.
Ricx.—The market has been quiet, and prices have
shown no material variation.
FRUIT.—The demand for currants has not been quite so
active, but Valencia raisins have been dealt in to some ex-
tent, at steady prices.
SALTPETRE{—More activity has prevailed, and firmer
prices have been current for the finer qualities.
TALLow.—The dealings have been limited, and prices
have ruled in buyers' favour. P.Y.C. on the spot is quoted
55s to 65s 3d, and close of the year 54s 9d per cwt.
Fnurz.—Arrivals of all kinds are largo from St. Michael,
Lisbon, and Seville; some cargoes of the former, sold by
Keeling and Hunt, at public sale, went 2s per package
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are favourable as regards an abundant supply this season.

The St. Petersburg exchange has been gradually
improving, owing chiefly to Government support, and it
seems likely to go still higher. There are rumours of fresh
arrangements between the Russian Government and Messrs.
Rothschild, and it is presumed that if these are correct the
Government will have further facilities for drawing.
THE GREAT SHIP COMPANY.—Surprise and great
dissatisfaction are expressed by some of the shareholders of
this company at the alleged intention of the directors to
move an adjournment of the meeting fixed for next week,
so as to postpone all explanations for another month.
Looking at the statements in circulation regarding their
mutual dissensions and recriminations, and the financial
difficulties of the concern, it was to have been supposed
they would have insisted on an opportunity of meeting their
constituents without the needless delay pf a single day.
It is urged, consequently, by persons interested, that there
should be a full attendance on the 15th. If any motion,
however, is intended to be discussed, it will be neceesary,
that three days' clear notice should be given.