WHAT OTHERS SAY. 447 



nation of seeds and sustaining^ plant life during all the stages of growth. 

 As a more thorough knowledge is gained of the elements employed and 

 the natural forces which universally operate in forest, field, and garden, 

 better understood will be the nature and needs of every plant cultivated, 

 and hence such food and care can be given as it naturally requires. — L. 

 A. Simvioiis. 



STUFF AND NONSENSE. 



THOMAS MEEHAN, GERMANTOWN, PA. 



Under and in the name of sanitary science, numerous crimes against 

 horticulture are often committed, that bring a blush to the cheek of com- 

 mon sense. We all know how it is in gardening, there are scores of j^re- 

 tenders to one of real intelligence, and "by the same token" as some of 

 the old countrymen would say, charlatans abound in the medical profes- 

 sion as well as elsewhere. 



We laugh at the ignorance that prevailed in the olden times. Many 

 ■old people among us are still young enough to remember, when the whole 

 medical profession joined in forbidding a drop of cold water to a fever 

 parched lip, and blood-letting was the sovereign remedy for every trouble. 

 One or two men who prepared text books so taught, and few had indus- 

 try to think for themselves. Is it any better to-day.' We laugh at the 

 inability of those of the past, to seethe relation between cause and effect; 

 arc we any wiser to day.' 



In the time of Queen Elizabeth, there was a bishop in England very 

 fond of horticulture. His name was Grindall. Bishop Grindall was one of 

 the first to raise fine grapes under glass. Proud of his grand success he 

 sent some to the virgin Queen. Bess very much enjoyed the grapes; 

 whether she made a little pig of herself is not told; but a day or two after- 



