Page:Once a Week Jul - Dec 1859.pdf/530

17, 1859.] appropriated to  the  largest  amount  of  valuable specimens  of  original  work  exhibited  by  any  single contributor;  and  the  same  gradation  of  merit, only  in  a lower  degree,  attaching  to  the  class  of work  not  original. Towards such  an  exhibition ladies  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  might  be invited  to  contribute; and  it  is  surely  not  too much  to  anticipate,  that  such  a project  would  be the  means  of  bringing  together  a larger  number  of visitors  than  are  often  seen  within  the  walls  of the  Crystal  Palace. Amongst such  a selection  of work,  too,  surely  some  channels  of  a remunerative nature  would  be  opened,  so  as  to  afford  lasting occupation to  those  who  desire  to  employ  their time,  not  only  profitably,  but  agreeably  to  themselves. 2em



the exhalations  of  animals  be  the  food  of plants,  and  vice  versâ, it  is  quite  clear  that  plants should  be  well  off  in  cities  could  we  only  get rid of  unfavourable  circumstances. And, notwithstanding the  unfavourable  circumstances,  many trees  and  plants  do  get  acclimated  in  London. And exquisite  is  the  sensation  when,  from  the  hot glare  in  summer  time  we  unexpectedly  fall  in with  a green  tree  which  shades  us  from  the  sun’s rays  by  its  half  transparent  green  curtain. On the north  side  of  St.  Paul's  there  are  a few  trees, one  of  which  stretches  out  almost  lovingly  a long and  slender  branch,  gracefully  waving  up  and down over  the  footpath,  and  fascinating  the  eye more  than  all  the  architecture,  the  forms  of  which it  enhances  by  contrast. It is  said  that  scarcely a quarter  of  a mile  of  distance  exists  without  a tree  in  any  part  of  London; though  for  the  most  part they  are  shut  in  back-yards. But Lincoln’s  Inn, the  Drapers’  Gardens,  the Temple,  and,  above all, the small  Temple  Garden,  indicate  to  us  what  London might  be,  and  with  great  advantage  to  health.

Visible coal smoke, and coal gases  not  so  visible, are the  chief  impediments  to  plant  growth; and in spite of  this,  certain  trees  do  grow  tolerably healthy. The coal  nuisance  in  the  atmosphere prevents  the  other  nuisance  from  neutralising the growth  of  our  plants. Time was  when  we  resigned ourselves  to  a smoky  atmosphere  as  a necessary  evil; but  one  day  a Parliamentary  order,  or Order in Council,  was  issued,  that  steam-boats  and  steam-factories—all  but  the  Lambeth  potteries—must perforce  swallow  and  consume  their  own  smoke, the  fact  being  not  then  very  clearly  understood that  a mode  of  perfect combustion  to  prevent the generation  of  smoke  was  the  one  thing  needful. So boats  and  factories  had  to  submit  and  grope in the dark,  as  they  best  might,  after  a solution  of  the