THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 123 



A few years ago, the Post Office Department ruled that 

 magazines pubHshed quarterly could send only one copy to 

 readers after their subscriptions expired. In consequence we 

 were obliged to cut off a large list of subscribers who were ac- 

 customed to receive the magazine and pay during the year 

 when most convenient. Many of these became highly indig- 

 nant at this action which appeared to carry the imputation 

 that we feared to trust them, and some have never gotten over 

 it. A subsequent ruling of the Department allows us to mail 

 the magazine one year before separating those in arrears from 

 the mailing list. There has consequently been built up in this 

 office, a list of supporters of the magazine, who might be 

 characterized as perennial subscribers. Their subscriptions 

 are not annual, but continue to run until ordered stopped, and 

 are paid for during each year when most convenient. Such 

 subscribers are never worried about the loss of one or more 

 numbers between the expiration and renewal of subscriptions 

 and do not have to renew immediately no matter how incon- 

 venient it may be, to avoid being removed from the mailing 

 list. We are desirous of increasing the number of such sub- 

 scribers and enclose a blank with this number for the conven- 

 ience of those who care to transfer to the permanent list. No 

 person will be transferred to this list unless zve have express 

 orders to this effect. All other subscriptions are discontinued 



as soon as they expire. 



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Referring to the recent demise of a magazine devoted to 

 flowers. Horticulture is of the opinion that the general public 

 has been having a surfeit of garden and country life litera- 

 ture and observes that "what is needed now, is not more jour- 

 nals but better ones and a public tuned up to appreciate them." 

 There is much sound sense in this conclusion. Most of the 

 periodicals devoted to gardening have got into such a rut that 

 one can safely say in advance what the next number will con- 

 tain. In September and October the contents will run largely 



