The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, January 01, 1894, Image 9

The Battalion., January 01, 1894, Image 9

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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1894)

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Newspaper Page TextTHE BATTALION. 7 away from the noise of humanity and the turmoil of life. It is here he chooses to spend the evening-of his life. The culture of flowers is very ancient. Indeed we are told that the first man was placed in a garden. We imagine this garden to be full of the most beautiful flowers, giving off their rare and delicate odors—the hum of the industrious bee, as it came to sip the nectar, broke the stillness of the day. We read that the ancient Greeks and Romans reveled in roses and that they used them lavishly at their feasts. That Nero at his banqueting “showered rose water upon his guests,” and when Cleo patra sought to make an impression upon Anthony “she had roses spread over the floor.” In modern times we have had the “war of roses.” While the culture of flowers is very ancient, yet it has not been carried on to any great extent where a nation was not civilized. Theiefore their culture is somewhat an index to the degree of civ ilization of a nation. Their culture is among the fine arts and it is only after a nation has developed somewhat of an aesthetic taste that they are most highly appreciated. Our nation has made most rapid strides in landscape gardening, such as making boulevards, embellishing cemeteries and laying out National parks. A landscape gardener is now often consulted as well as the architect, in the planning and building of American homes. Landscape gardening and floriculture are a part of horticulture, all of which may be called agriculture specialized. It is only after a soil is brought to a high state of cultivation and people become somewhat thickly settled that theSe special branches of Agriculture arq properly appreciated. The last census showed that over fifty- two milion dollars were invested in nur series, green houses, etc., but as a more striking proof of how much flowers are appreciated, I might state that in New York City during the winter of ’92 rose buds of the American Beauty, Paul Neron and Magna Charles variety often sold from 75cts. to $1. a piece, and as much as $25 was spent for a single hand bouquet. Here, if flowers were so valuable in dollars and cents, some young men would be greatly indebted to the campus de partment for the number of rose buds which disappeared during last Christmas. But the true value of flowers here is not expressed in dollars and cents, their in fluence is flelt in the home of the human family. Experienced travelers when going through a sparsely settled country are said to always select a home for their stopping place which grows flowers in the yard or garden, and that they seldom fail to have a, hospitable reception. Houses in a city having trees and flowers surrounding them are said to rent for much more than those having none, other things being equal. Since flowers are borne on trees and shrubs, as well as plants, their bloom in the spring and early summer, together with their varigated autumnal foliage helps in no small way to beautify the landscape and increase human happiness. Says one : “No other method can be devised for rendering farming a pleasant occupation to the young, than the judi cious use of trees and garden beauty about the grounds.” Our attachments for trees and flowers become almost as strong as to persons, and if there be fine ones growing about the home they will add new strength to the chain which binds the heart of youth to the hearth-