Man was placed, at his creation, in a garden. This garden - or "paradise," as in some parts of the Bible it is rendered, - was situated within another and larger domain called Eden. This whole region, as its name implies, was one of remarkable fertility and beauty. Its true site we are now unable to determine. The inhabitants of China, India, Ceylon, Persia, Syria, Ethiopia, and indeed of every quarter of the globe, have maintained, each for themselves, that the happy spot must have been within their respective countries. The Ceylonese, among others, point the traveler to Adam's peak, to the ruins of Adam's bridge and of Abel's tomb. Most learned critics, however, agree that it was situated in Armenia, between the sources of the four rivers, Tigris, Euphrates, Araxes, and Phasis.

But, whatever may have been its site, of this we are certain, that it was distinguished for the productiveness of its soil, and for the beauty of its climate and of its scenery. "Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. * * * And a river went out of Eden to water the garden." Here our imaginations may have full scope to picture a scene of unmingled comfort and of perfect enchantment The Creator planted this garden. What a paradise, then, it must have been! God laid himself out (be it reverently said) to store it with everything that could contribute to man's highest enjoyment What were the trees and plants of which the happy pair ate ' Perhaps the Fig, the Orange, the Pear, the Peach, and the Vine, were among the number. What were the trees upon whose majesty or grace they looked, and under whose shade they reclined? Perhaps the Palm, the Oak, the Magnolia, the Cypress, the Cedar, the Pine, and Fir. Every breeze bore to them the fragrance of flowers, the songs of birds, and the murmur of running streams.

" Out of the fertile ground [God] caused to grow:

All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste;

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* * * the crisped brooks,

Rolling an orient pearl and sands of gold,

Ponr'd forth profuse on hill and dale and plain.

* * * * * * *

Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm, Others whose fruit burnish'd with golden rind. Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true, If true, here only, and of delicious taste: Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks Grazing the tender herb, were intersper'd, Or palmy hillock; or the flowery lap Of some irriguous valley spgead her store, Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the Rose".

Among the trees of this garden was "the tree of life," and "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Of the first, in addition to its spiritual import, it is supposed that it was an evergreen tree, flourishing continually with leaves and fruit It grew nowhere except within the garden; for it is mentioned as a reason for man's expulsion therefrom, "lest he should put forth his hand and take of the tree of life." Of the second, we know only that it was appointed to serve as a test of man's obedience. In this garden man was placed, "to dress and to keep it" - that is, to cultivate and to beautify it still further. A high trust and privilege, surely, it was to have charge of such a paradise! How long Adam held possession of this happy abode, we do not know. How long the trees waved in their glory, and the flowers diffused their fragrance, and the soil yielded its return to man's easy labor; how long before the thorn and thistle were seen shooting up from the ground, and frost and blight and untimely storms and burning suns turned that garden into a desert, we are entirely ignorant: but that such a time came, and all too soon, we have abundant evidence.

The Bible contains but few special notices of the gardening of the Hebrews, or of other contemporaneous nations. In the early ages of the world, when men seem to have led a somewhat migratory life, little was done in the way of tilling the soil beyond what was necessary for the immediate wants of the inhabitants; and in the climate of Eastern Asia, abounding in so many spontaneous fruits, but little labor was required. When, however, men became established in permanent homes, - as, for example, the Jews in Canaan, - they at once began to cultivate their fields and to plant gardens with much care.

Jacob had a garden in Hebron, from which at one time his sons gathered "a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds," as a present for the Governor of Egypt Solomon had a garden in Jerusalem. It was situated on the eastern side of the city, just without the walls, between Mount Zion and the brook Cedron. Of its size we have no certain knowledge, though, if we may judge from the number of trees and plants grown within it, it must have been large. It was square, and surrounded by a high wall. Its proprietor was quite a botanist, for his time;

Lily of the Valley, the Calamus, Camphor, Spikenard, Saffron, and Cinnamon; timber-trees, as the Cedar, the Pine, and the Fir; and the richest fruits, as the Fig, Grape, Apple, Palm,* and Pomegranate." - Loudon. It was also watered by wells and running streams. Naboth had a vineyard in Samaria, adjoining the palace of Ahab. He must have been a very good gardener, or his king a very covetous man; for it appears that his purple clusters looked so tempting, from Ahab's windows, that the king could not restrain his desire to get possession of them. Ahasuerus had a garden near his palace at Jerusalem, whither he often went to refresh himself; but of its size or products we know nothing.

It is evident that the garden among the Hebrews, as throughout all the East, was a place of more frequent resort than it is with us. It was fitted up with arbors embowered in vines, and with aviaries and seraglios (or tasteful cottages); and streams of water were conducted through it, both for use and beauty. It was resorted to less for exercise than for rest and enjoyment; the climate of that country rendering desirable a place for repose, a quiet spot sheltered from the sun by broad-leaved trees and clustering branches, amid which to breathe the fresh air, to view the landscape, to hear the song of birds and the sound of running water. The Bible is the only book from which we can learn how the Hebrew managed his farm and garden; and the information from this source is somewhat scanty. This, however, we know, that in his fields he grew Wheat, Rye, Barley, Millet, Vetches, Lentils and Beans; and in his garden he raised Cucumbers, Melons, Almonds, Pomegranates, Olives, Figs, Grapes, Gourds, Onions, Garlic, Anise, Cummin, Coriander, Mustard, and various Spices; to which may be added many flowers, whose names the Bible does not record.

He raised in his garden what his climate especially required for his comfort and health - juicy, cooling fruits, to assuage his thirst; spices and fragrant herbs, to regale him with pleasant odors; and wine, to refresh his spirits.

Before leaving this part of the subject, it may be worthy of remark, as showing the horticultural knowledge of Moses, that he forbade the Hebrew to ripen any fruit on the Vine and Olive for the first three years after they were planted, so as to enable them to become mature and thrifty.

When the sacred writers would speak of a state or condition of the Jewish people much to be desired, they often represent it by such figures as, "Sitting every man under his own vine and fig-tree, with none to molest or make afraid," etc.; thus indi-cating, it would seem, that in the mind of a Hebrew the peaceful ownership of a garden was among the highest of earthly felicities. And in Abraham's purchase of "the field of Ephron, with the cave, and all the trees that were in the field," and in the frequent burials amid groves of Oak, mentioned in the Bible, may we not see how greatly the Hebrew delighted in trees as a protection and shade for his last resting-place?

• The more careful writers of the present day hold that the Rose of modern gardens is not once referred to in the Scriptures, though It is not doubted that it was well known in the earliest sges of the world, and had a place in every garden of the Bible. The Lily of the Valley was not the humble plant which appears in our borders, but a large flower growing wild in Palestine, especially in valleys. The "Lilies of the •eld," between which and Solomon's attire Christ drew a comarisen, was, it is supposed, a red Lily; and, as the royal robe was purple, such comparison was beautifully appropriate. The fruit referred to in the Bible under the name of the Apple, is now eommonly supposed to have been the Citron.

But, leaving the gardens of the Old Testament, let us pass to those of the New. The garden of Gethsemane was a grove in the outskirts of the village of Gethsemane, on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. It was a pleasant retreat from the noise and heat of the neighboring city, Jerusalem; and here our Savior frequently resorted with his disciples. Amid these shades he suffered great agony of mind, on the eve of his crucifixion; here an angel descended to comfort him; and here he was betrayed. History informs us that Titus cut down all the trees in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, including those in Gethsemane; but the Olive and some others sprang up again, and trees of this description have continued to thrive until the present day, in this their ancient locality.

Our Savior was buried in a garden, in the suburbs of Jerusalem. The city was surrounded with pleasure-grounds of various kinds; and as the soil was much broken with huge masses of projecting rock, the Jews often turned them to good account by cutting family vaults in them. It was in one of these tombs, which Joseph of Ari-mathea had prepared for himself in his own garden, that Christ was interred. The funeral took place just before sunset of Saturday, early in April, just as all nature was reviving after the sleep of winter.

The future state of the righteous is often spoken of in Scripture under the figure of a garden. It is three times called a "paradise." It is also represented as a place of rest, where the inhabitants shall be shielded from the oppressive light and heat of the sun, and be refreshed by living fountains of water. And as though Eden were again restored, we are shown "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb; and on either side of the river, is the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, and yielding her fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations".

Such are some of the gardens referred to in the Bible. In his primitive state, man's home was a garden. And in all his subsequent history, the peaceful culture of the soil has contributed largely to his happiness, being "the inclination of kings and the choice of philosophers," as well as of those in humbler walks of life. In a garden the Savior instructed his disciples, and there he was betrayed; in a garden he made his tomb; and in a garden fairer than that of Eden, whose fruits and flowers shall never fail, and whose leaves shall be always green, the good shall be gathered at last and remain forever more.