.®^. 



editor's table. 



Patent Office Seeds. — We are indebted to Mr. Charles Mason for a package of seeds from 

 the Patent Office. 



Geo. C. TnoRunRN, of Newark, N. J., sends us his large catalogue of the best new Dahlias, 

 FuchsiaH,VerbenaR, Petunias, Antirrhinums, Scarlet Geraniums, Chrysanthcniums, &c. There 

 is a world of beauty concealed in those three enormous pages ; those who will read his 

 advertisement will not fail to be struck by his collection. An article on Fuchsias, in this 

 number, will make many desire to possess the new varieties. 



Thorburn's Descriptive Catalogues, for 1856, are comprehensive ; in flower-seeds it would 

 seem that every taste may be suited. 



NicnoLSON & Son, at East Rockport, Ohio, issue a good Catalogue from their Lake Erie 

 Nursery, princiimlly of dahlias, fuchsias, roses, and bedding-out i)lants. 



Ciioklton's Grape Grower's Guide. — Mr. Saxton, of New York, is enriching the literature 

 and practice of gardening and fruit growing, with a collection of hand-books, in many of 

 which he is very liappy in his authors. Among the best is " The American Grape Grower's 

 Guide, intended especially for the American Climate." The whole story is here told accu- 

 rately, no less than scientifically. There seems to be a great deal to learn, but when tlie 

 subject is once understood, grape growing is a more siraijle business than would at first ap- 

 pear, and in Mr. Chorlton's work the information may be obtained. It is most particularly 

 devoted to the grape-house, though the vineyard is also treated of. We wisli we had space 

 in this number for extracts. 



Pardee on the Strawberry. — From the same publishers we have "A Complete Manual of 

 the StraM'berry, by R. G. Pardee, the third revised edition," in which all that can be said 

 on the subject is embodied. The work embraces notices of the raspberry, blackberry, 

 currant, gooseberry, and grape. 



Australian Seeds. — Mr. Fowler, who was employed by the Australian and Van Dieman's 

 Land (Jovernment to collect seeds, is now in this country, and advertises, in our columns, 

 some rare seeds, sucli as Acacias, Kennedias, Pultaenias, ludigoferas, &c. &c., at a moderate 

 price, affording au opportunity which rarely occurs for amateurs and others to procure 

 rarities. 



Henry Little & Co., of Bangor Maine, continue to furnish seeding evergreens at very low 

 prices. — See Advertising Columns. 



Editor Horticulturist. — In " Jeffreys' " pleasant critique on the IJorticulturlst for Jan- 

 uary, there occurs the following remarks on the design forming its frontispiece ; " I don't 

 fancy the round window perked uj) into the eaves of the tower front," as " the room connect- 

 ing with it was not wanted." Agreeing with "Jeffreys," that the effect would be improved 

 by tlu! omission of this window, the fact however is, that the room connected with it was 

 wanted, and it was precisely with the object of enlarfjing this room, that beauty was here 

 madi; to bow to utility, in the use of a projcctlnr/ dormer, instead of the sunk ones employed 

 elsewhere in the building. I do not, still, think that the effect is, by this, materially in- 

 jured. R. Morris Smith. 



In a business letter from Massachusetts, an agent says that one of his subscribers has de- 

 clined, because the Horticulturist was removed so far south! If he liad been here in January, 

 when the thermometer was many degrees below zero, he would scarcely have tliought us 

 in a southern latitude. Other agents, there and elsewhere, have largely increased their 

 subsci'iptions. From Cincinnati we have the following: — 



" I am glad to learn that your ])rospects are very satisfactory, that your subscription list 

 is largely on the increase. I am sure it deserves to be so. Philadelphia is eminently suited 

 as the location of the leading horticultural journal of the land. The long and extensive 

 experience of a very large class of intelligent practical and amateur horticulturists, with 

 ample means at command for experimenting, and testing unsettled points, have given her 

 an advantage over any other city of the Union. Of course these elements are essential aids 

 to sustain and support the editor in his laborious task. With my best wishes fo 

 success, Very respectfully, A. H. Ern 



