Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-05-30
From Ohio F1rmar.

From Ohio Farmer.
ON THE CULTIVATION OF FLOWERS.
Mr.. Editor:-I think that a few leisure hours
may be spent very agreeably, and very health.
fully, in the cultivation of fowers-that we may
combine the beautiful and the ornamental with
the useful
''FlOwers, of al created things, are the most
innocently simple, and most superbly complex
playthings for childhood-ornaments of the
grave, and companions of the cold corpse!-
Flowers are studied by the deep-tbinking man
Of science! Flowers, that increasingly expand
to heaven their greatful, and TO man their
cheerful looks-patrOns of human JOY; sootherS
Of human sorrow; fit emblems of the victor's
triumphs-of the young brides bushes; vel
come to crowded halls, and graceful upon soli
tary graves! Flowers are in the volume of Ma
ture, what the expression God is love- is in
Revelation. What desOlate place would be a
world without flower! 1t would be q face
without q smile-a feast without a welcomed
The utility of flowers, is their excellence and
great keauty-tbey are good lessons in Natures
Book of Instruction, teaching man that he liv.
eth not by bread alone, but that he hath another
than animal lfe.n
"How muck flowers resemble the young
heart in its bright morning, ere it has stained
the plumage of its sinless years. Tradition of
them tells US they were once like youth even in
tbis-that they loved, aud talked and had pas
siOns like ours. How often, and how fondly the
poet revels in the field of flowers. Do they not
talk to him? WIfo has ever heard the soft, low
whispers of the green leaves apd bright aQx; Q9sxg;
heart? Like beauty in the human form, flowers
hint and foreshow relations of transcendant
delicacy and sweetness, and point to the beauti-
full and unattainable. From the garden favor
ite to the dainty wild flower Of the mountain,
all have charm inexpressible, beauty unap-
proachable, leading the way onward and up
ward How sweetly and instructively the flow
er bows its head to the breath of night, or the
rude storm. At morning it yields its fragrant
orison, borne to Heaven on the soft wings ofthe
dew drop. Thus the heart learns to bring ho-
lier offering to the shrine of all good"
awe hope our fair friends will not at this sea-
son, overlook the delightful employment of cul-
tivatng flowers. Every one may have few;
and when the taste is once acquired, it will not
readily be relinquished. A woman destitute of
the love of flowers, seems to us mistake Of ma
ture that possesses the same qualities. The
time spent in their cultivation is in no sense of
the word wasted. They contribute to our pleas
ure; they add to our knowledge of nature; they
unfold TO US the mysteries of the beautiful, and
tend to humanize and elevate the mind.
n If our fair friends wish to have the
flush Of health on their cheeks, and the rich rose
tints on their lips, let them spend an hour or
two each day in the open air, inhaling the fra
GRANGE, while employed in training and cultiva-
ting their flowers"
"There are men among US, who look upon
the cultivation of flowers with perfect contempt.
They can see no utility in this occupation, and
look upon the amatcua florist as lack-a-daisl-
cal. sentimental character. To such the frag-
rance of the rose, the tints of the lily, and the
delicate formation of the violet are forever lost;
an avenue to pleasure open to others, IS to
them completely closed; the light of beauty
radiating from each bud and blossom, is shut
out from their minds. Such
claim to be ou matter Of fact men-utilitarians
the most useful members Of society: they
believe they have great duties to discharge
and have no time to spare to examine other
matters of so small moment. Flowers, they
admit, are pretty things fitted to please the idle
pretty things, indeed, but mere toys for the
Young and romantic; and they look down with
contempt upon the ground-up man who wastes
his valuable time in the cultivation of these
insignificant objects. They forget that thi;
world is not mere matter of fact world; they
overlook the truth that the Deity, in providing
the fruit, has not been unmindful Of the bios
som. He clad the fields in verdant green
tinced the fruit with its golden hue, and added
a surprising beauty to foliage and flower"
Why is it that the lore Of fo,cers take, such {
deep hold of the heart? Why! Why it is be
cause they are the emblems of love. Show M
one who does not feel his own heart expand a
he watches the expanding beauties of some del
icate Aower,and you will show me one who know
nothing of that pure and perfect affection ofth'
heart which binds the human family together
Teach your children to love and cultivate hoW-
ers.
"Flowers are delightful to every lover OF ma