The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-02-17
a arir It 1t WI.
[FRoN THE GARDENER s MoNrHLY.J
influence of Horticulture


A great writer says that there is not more
honorable station in society, than that of truly
yirtuous, wise, and able statesman The man
who can lead a nation to the highest pitch OF
commercial greatness,-wh can so frame laws
that shall prevent might from triumphing over
right, and reconcile and induce the most confic-
ting interests to work together in harmony to
produce the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber-who can lead his country with a strong
arm safely and firmly through any danger that
may threaten it from within or Without
indeed, one to be esteemed, and loved, and
yenerated But yet we envy not the glory OF
such position, in the face Of our opportunities
as Horticulturists. The greatest amount OF
wealth or freedom will not render nation hap
by. All that we possess can be only measured
by the capacity to enjoy; and the owner OF an
told thousands, confined to his counting-room,
in great measure, from birth to death, with
scarcely the knowledge Of the existence OF the
rose OF. geranium dies poorer than the tolllng
mechanic who daily spends an hour in his title
ward with his half-a-dozen fruits orfowers.
Envy the statesman No, indeed Let them
who in the innocence of their hearts believe
that to make men individually wealthy and free,
is 70 make their country glorious and great,
still pursue their useful and honorable career
Let it be ours to teach the masses how to enjoy
life-how to employ the wealth which wise
laxs and a. free constitution have enabled them
to. accumulate to turn to the greatest ad-
vantage the valued liberties which even the
humbest sons of toll possess.
In gardening alone we have source OF the
unrest enjoyment adapted to every capacity.
No man can be dull, melancholy or miserable,
who really and truly loves flowers and no man
who cuItivates garden for its own sake, will
he TO any great extent, vicious and immoral.
The humanizing influence of gardening is pro-
verbal. Not only to ourselves do we owe it
as duty to cultivate taste for Horticulture !;
we owe it, also to our fellows and to our coun-
trv.--to virtue, morality and hapiness,-to use
everv means in our power to deyelope and ex-
tend the taste to all around us. "The man"
saws orr valued friend, w. G. Strong, in pri-
vate letter now before us, "who can get hold of
the humber classes, and diffuse such a love of
gardening amongst them as distinguishes the
English cottager, such man will do work
that will entitle him to the everlasting gratitude
of the nation. The influence of a pretty home,
surrounded with plants and fruits and flowers,
why, if our people really can have the benefit
of this, we shall indeed become great nation,
in spite of selfish rulers and hungry politicians
But will it ever be % Indeed my friends, it
will. 1t rests with each one of us and all of US,
individually by our example, collectively in our
societies. and more than all, in our literature
We have but to go at it with will. The soil
is here, and of unexampled fertility /; let each
do but his own share of seed-sowing, and the
most abundant harvest will soon smile on our
efforts.
There are individuals, as there ever have and
always will be, to whom the love of gardening is
an unknown enjoyment: not only amongst the
humber classes, but also with the wealthiest and,
in many respects, refined 1t is quite possible
for one to be so welded to the pursuit of the
means ofhappiness, that is, wealth, AS to have
no desire for its enjoyment; indeed, to be SO
far in love with his privation, as to be like the
French prisoner ofthe Bastile, quite pleased with
his fate Horace, in one Of his odes, tells a
good story of one Aplhius, an old usurer, who,
getting Disguised with his calling, and suddenly
enamored with country life, starts into gar
dening and amuses himself by training and
pruning his vines, and gladly gathering the
grated pearsn
d" Ut gaudet insya decerpens pyra."
But finding, contrary to the opinion OF the late
Pomylogical Convention, that Pears will not
pay" he collects in all his money on the ides,
(middle of the month, and puts it out again on
the calends, (frst,)
heeglt ldibus pecunam
Quaerit Calendis ponere"
and thus he returns to his old habits again
The descendants Of Alphius will probably
never entirely cease to be; but we can do much
towards proving to many of them, that ignor
ance of such matters is any thing but the bliss
Z thev sunnose II is