Secretary's Budget. 413 



GAEDEX BEAUTY. 



^ Rev. A. B. Muzzey tells the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society that in the practice of horticulture in its highest branches 

 three things are necessary — first, a practical knowledge ; and to 

 supply this want we have papers and discussions of a practical cast. 

 Second, money is wanted ; and, with a right spirit and culture, the 

 more the better. 



He was glad to see men grow rich honestly, and furnish the 

 means for refining and elevating pursuits. But something is want- 

 ed beyond producing marketable articles, however laudable that 

 may be. Man has an inherent love of beautiful tilings, and 

 through a taste for the beautiful products of horticulture, a deep 

 and glorious part of human nature is ultimately reached. Some 

 are content for a time with the practical view, but sooner or later 

 there comes a point where we must increase the taste for the beau- 

 tiful. There is among the American people a great lack of culture 

 and taste, but they are taking steps to supply it, and if this society 

 does not assist in educating the taste of the community, it will, in 

 part at least, have failed of its object. A man may be jDossessed of 

 wealth, but there is something wanting to him if he has not a sense 

 of the beautiful and does not know what a magnificent world we 

 live in. Why has the Great Artist so clothed the universe in 

 beauty, but that it may be appreciated and enjoyed by his children? 



THE INVENTOK OF SHAKING FOR CUECULIO. 



In a recent rssueit was remarked that the inventor of the certain 

 and very profitable method of destroying the plum curculio, 

 should be definitely fixed before it is too late. Horticulture should 

 establish to whom it is indebted for so valuable a practice. The 

 Country Gentlemaa is inclined to give the credit to David Thomas, 

 who practiced it successfully "about sixty years ago." Let us fix 

 the date at 1824. Is there anything that will place the successful 

 practice earlier? 



COLOR vs. FLAVOR IN FRUITS, ETC. 



Mr. E. S. Goff, of the New York experiment station, has an 

 interesting article in the last American Naturalist, on the relation 

 of color to flavor in fruits and vegetables. He collates some signifi- 

 cant facts pointing to the conclusion that the lighter the color of 

 the flesh, the milder the flavor, and the less firm the texture. Thus^ 

 blanched celery and asparagus are much more palatable than the 

 green, white cabbages are milder than the red variety^ and light 



