To the plant lover from the bleak Eastern and Middle states of this country, the first visit to California isn great revelation, for he leaves behind him a bleak, bald landscape with it Hourishing in a wealth of evergreen foliage and a riot of colour and oom. The very commonest and in many cates the most ordinary foliage which Californians use in such profusion will not grow in the Middle West and the such, for example, as the graceful Monterey pine, the Monterey express, the acacia in many forms, the Veronicas, the heathers and a Kast of others. Mr. Donald Me-Loren, who is well-known in San catch the fancy of tourists predicted ig future, One of the outstand-merchants drew a. pessimi picture, saying that there chance of increase as long as Chin: internal life is so upset—and_he saw no chance for any change for the better along that Wang! Taimi brought the accusation Jagainst the buying public that, "they do not want fine goods. They would rather buy something that Tooks good, even the its base is pig'sblood lacquer, if they can get it for cheap price. What inducement]
there for making th finest ware?"
But whether there is or not, it is to be hoped that the real craftsmen ji is industry will not die out and that the tinue to make the gleam cent bits of beauty which for 20 Jong. have contributed to the fame of Foochow.
The world would be Poorer without these jewels of wood and silk and varnish.
The elements are prosaic, but when they are mingled with human brains and skill and artistry they give joy to the eye and to the seeing heart.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.