A few days since we were visiting a gentleman who has a fine green-house and conservatory, well stocked with plants in healthy condition, under the charge and owing to the skill of an intelligent gardener. Flowers were in profusion in the hall, drawing and dining room, and in discussing their beauties, and merits, histories, etc., an expression broke out from one of the ladies much after the following: " All these flowers are beautiful, but to me there is more in the pleasure of gathering myself; in being able to cut and pluck my own, when and where I will, than in all their beauty when gathered by the gardener. As it is, we might just as well buy them at a commercial shop as to have a green-house of our own, and yet be at the beck and direction of the gardener." Our reply was: "Madam, we acknowledge the principle of independence as a desirable one to be possessed, but in all relations of life it may be said that we show that principle as much by our regard for it in others as by an absolute demand for its respect in ourselves. In this matter of your gardener, who declines to permit you to cut when and where you please, in your own greenhouse, let us think one moment of the reasons that induce him to make the restriction of which you complain.

Let us remember that you employed this gardener because of his acknowledged skill and knowledge of plant culture; without such reputation you would not have taken him to your service. Now, let us remember that you have placed these plants, from which come the beautiful flowers before us, in his care; that, imbued not only with a knowledge of their habits and wants, but also with almost as much of natural love for each plant as you have for your children, because they owe their life and beauty to his daily care and watchfulness, he must naturally lose all heart, all interest in them, if they are mutilated at the fancy of another. Left to his own guidance and care, to his own pruning, etc., they are also dear to him, as a proof, to all who visit your house, of his skill and knowledge in culture, while at the same time they redound to your credit as their owner. The pruning away of one limb carelessly will sometimes destroy the beauty of a plant for years, while the destruction of numerous buds, in the gathering of one flower, by careless cutting, would soon reduce the abundance of flowers in your parlors and boudoirs.

We have never known a gardener unwilling to cut a flower to please the employer when such flower was pointed out; and we say to you, go, if you please, to your green-house, and point out to your gardener such flowers as you desire, and our word for it, he will cheerfully cut them, unless there is some very special reason, which he will give you, for declining. Arrange the flowers yourself; that part is much more your task than his; and we always give credit to the taste displayed in the arrangement of a bouquet - as much, perhaps, as to the beauty of the flower itself."