We may take the keenest razor that can be obtained, place it under a microscope, and the edge will appear jagged, coarse and rough, and full of imperfections. Not so with Nature's handiwork, for the more critically it is examined, the more its hidden perfections surprise us, and we are forced to exclaim: "O Lord I how manifold are thy works ; in wisdom hast thou made them all. The culture of flowers teaches industry, patience and hope. No one ex« pects flowers to grow on hard, uncultivated ground ; hence we must spade it or plow it, then industriously weed it, or else our plants would soon b6 choked up. We sow the seeds in hope that they will spring and reward our care by producing beautiful flowers, and we must cultivate the virtue of patience be- cause some plants are great sluggards, while the tendency of men and things in this age is to be in a huiry. The industry with which this recreation ha* been pursued, shows itself plainly in the great number of the highly im« proved plants which adorn the gardens of the present day in contrast to those THS FLOWER OABDBN. 663 which were cultivated some fifty years ago. Take, for instance, the Pansy, a flower that is nniversally known and loved the world over. It is only a little more than half a century ago that the improvements began in this little flower. A few years ago there were but few books or magazines published devoted to flowers ; now there is hardly a periodical but that has at least one or more columns relating to the subject, while floricultural books, magazines and catalogues are scattered broadcast all over the land. Many of these are highly embellished with beautiful engravings and colored plates which <create a desire for possession of plants thus pictured. In this way the florist's business has assumed enormous proportions so that it is quite common to meet with a greenhouse in a town of very few hundred inhabitants. It is a wholesome occupation. Ladies who fancied themselves so completely broken down in health that they have wished for death, in several instances which have come under my observation have been induced to take a little exercise daily among the flowers. The desire to do something took posses- sion of the patient, the effort of setting out a plant here, pulling a weed there, ficratching the surface of the soil with a light rake became a pleasure, and while they were doing this they were slowly and surely returning to health. 7he slight action necessary to labor with the few tools needed for ladies' gardening operation is just sufficient to set the blood into proper activity, and in every instance that I recommended it, I have been told that it worked wonders. A few years ago it was considered unwholesome to have plants in the house, but it has been proved by the most i>ositive demonstration that «uch is not the case. And here let me introduce a few lines from a correspon- dent. ^'Flowers form one of the most important factors in civilization. It Beems to have pleased the all- wise maker of the universe to beautify the hill- sides, the valley, the forest, and even the low ground that is nearly or quite covered with water with lovely and beautiful flowers.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

We may take the keenest razor that can be obtained, place it under a microscope, and the edge will appear jagged, coarse and rough, and full of imperfections. Not so with Nature's handiwork, for the more critically it is examined, the more its hidden perfections surprise us, and we are forced to exclaim: "O Lord I how manifold are thy works ; in wisdom hast thou made them all. The culture of flowers teaches industry, patience and hope. No one ex« pects flowers to grow on hard, uncultivated ground ; hence we must spade it or plow it, then industriously weed it, or else our plants would soon be choked up. We sow the seeds in hope that they will spring and reward our care by producing beautiful flowers, and we must cultivate the virtue of patience because some plants are great sluggards, while the tendency of men and things in this age is to be in a huiry. The industry with which this recreation ha* been pursued, shows itself plainly in the great number of the highly im« proved plants which adorn the gardens of the present day in contrast to those THS FLOWER OABDBN. 663 which were cultivated some fifty years ago. Take, for instance, the Pansy, a flower that is nniversally known and loved the world over. It is only a little more than half a century ago that the improvements began in this little flower. A few years ago there were but few books or magazines published devoted to flowers ; now there is hardly a periodical but that has at least one or more columns relating to the subject, while floricultural books, magazines and catalogues are scattered broadcast all over the land. Many of these are highly embellished with beautiful engravings and colored plates which <create a desire for possession of plants thus pictured. In this way the florist's business has assumed enormous proportions so that it is quite common to meet with a greenhouse in a town of very few hundred inhabitants. It is a wholesome occupation. Ladies who fancied themselves so completely broken down in health that they have wished for death, in several instances which have come under my observation have been induced to take a little exercise daily among the flowers. The desire to do something took possession of the patient, the effort of setting out a plant here, pulling a weed there, scratching the surface of the soil with a light rake became a pleasure, and while they were doing this they were slowly and surely returning to health. 7he slight action necessary to labor with the few tools needed for ladies' gardening operation is just sufficient to set the blood into proper activity, and in every instance that I recommended it, I have been told that it worked wonders. A few years ago it was considered unwholesome to have plants in the house, but it has been proved by the most positive demonstration that «uch is not the case. And here let me introduce a few lines from a correspondent. ^'Flowers form one of the most important factors in civilization. It Seems to have pleased the all- wise maker of the universe to beautify the hillsides, the valley, the forest, and even the low ground that is nearly or quite covered with water with lovely and beautiful flowers.

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