THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 173 



Recent subscribers wbo liiul bills in this issue, iiia\' be 

 j)u/,zle<.l to observe that we have two chfTereiit rates of sub- 

 scription. In explanation it mav be said that annual sub- 

 scribers pay a higher rate because the expense of attracting 

 them to the magazine and taking care of them afterwards 

 it greater. Many annual subscribers arc strictlv transient, 

 changing from one publication to another each year, but liie 

 majority, finchng our magazine to their liking, remain and 

 ultimateh' join the permanent list. By pa\ing f<ir two 

 years in advance at the reduced rate, thev secure this rate 

 annurdly as long as they remain subscribers. We are al- 

 ways glad to get more annual subscribers — they are the ones 

 who later swell our permanent list — but we always hope 

 that they will become permanently interested in the magazine 

 and join us in advancing a knowledge of botany. 



BOOKS AND WRITERS 



Although it may be unethical, we purpose saying a few 

 words in favor of our contemporaries! * * * llorti- 

 culture of Boston, formerly published as a trade journal but 

 now the official organ of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society, is steadily growing in usefulness. * * * u^^. 

 like the other gardening magazines, it does not devote most 

 of its space to directions for growing common garden-crops. 

 * * * Kach issue is likely to tell you something you 

 didn't know before! * * * \\'e incline to think thai all 

 who like the American Botanist would like this also. * * * 

 Fruit, harden and Home has changed its name to Better 

 Homes and d'ardcns. * * * Although onlv two years 

 old it claims nearly 500,000 sub.scribers. * * * Matter 

 to interest so large a circle must of course I)e more general 

 in nature than that of the strictly botanical [)ublications. 



