-HW YOJ<€ 



THE ''''^* 



GARDENER. 



JANUARY 1869. 



TO OUR READERS. 



N making our appearance before you on this the first 

 day of a new year, we wish yon the usual compliments 

 of the season. At the same time, we feel that you 

 are entitled to more than this at our hands. Thanks for your 

 kind patronage in the past, and for the indulgence you have 

 extended to our many defects. We earnestly hope to retain the 

 former and to remedy the latter. With a view to this, we have 

 made such additions to our regular staff of writers, including 

 some of the most successful practical gardeners in Britain, as 

 will enable us to fill the pages of the ' Gardener' during the cur- 

 rent year with valuable information on nearly every topic that 

 can interest the horticulturist, to whatever class he may belong. 

 The important subject of the cultivation of vegetables and 

 proper management of the kitchen-garden has been intrusted 

 to Mr D. Thomson of Drumlanrig, author of 'The Handy Book 

 of the Flower-Garden,' &c. The Eev. S. Eeynolds Hole will 

 continue his delightful papers on the Eose. The subject of 

 ^j hardy fruit cultivation will be treated of in detail. We shall 

 5^' continue our papers on the culture of forced fruit. Having dis- 

 c^"? covered during the last year that many of our readers were 

 ^ dissatisfied because we omitted detailed reports of the great hor- 

 >3 ticultural exhibitions of the season, — with a view to meet their 



