editor's table. 



various articles which minister to his mental and moral improvement. Kew is a vast 

 miiseum, where the collected plants furnish opportunities of minute inspection from which 

 no thoughtful individual can retire without having his mind enlarged and elevated ; he will 

 rejoice, too, that such an opportunity is offered him, by the patronage of a wise government 

 affording not only the facilities to collect these wonders of nature, but with discrimination 

 to appoint to their care the best men of the century for such a paternal object. 



Calendar foe February. 

 number. 



-We ask attention to the Calendar of Operations in the present 



The Season. — January with its severe weather, and thermometer so much below zero as 

 we observe has been the case in all directions, has doubtless made many horticulturists fear 

 for the future. Let us, however, hope. 



TnoRBURN's Catalogue of Kitchen Garden Seeds for 1856, 15 Jolm Street, New York, is a 

 valuable list of seeds and other matters relating to gardens, which may be had by inclosing 

 a stamp. 



Age op some Varieties op Fruits. — The pear Cuisse Madame is at least over three hundred 

 years old. The Bell pear of our orchards, and which is still a very popular variety, is a 

 seedling from this, or at least generally sui^posed to be ; and this is known to have been in 

 existence at least two hundred and fifty years ago. P. 



Apples, Oranges, and Pears. — It is a fact, that should be known to fruit growers, that in the 

 fall of 1854, Havana oranges and good apples brought the same price in our market, by 

 the barrel. In 1855 oranges were half the price. We dare say many a farmer would go into 

 the business and try to learn how to succeed in it, if he were told he could grow fruit of the 

 value of the best oranges. Pears, though it was a good year for them the past season, were 

 worth much more, wholesale, than Havana oranges, and the market almost unsupplied. This 

 may astonish many, but it is nevertheless true, and we hope will encourage those who have 

 embarked in the business. 



The American Agriculturist, published at New York, by Mr. Judd, for January, is an able 

 number. We think we recognize in the trip to Illinois, one of oui' fellow-travellers. The 

 Valley Farmer, of Louisville and Illinois, we read with pleasure. 



The Illinois State Agricultural Report, a goodly and most valuable work, shall receive 

 attention in our next. 



Mortality among Chestnut-Trees. — All the chestnut-trees throughout Rockingham County, 

 N. C, and the surrounding counties, have died this season. 



Monstrous Yield. — David Smith, of Monroe County, Ga., says that he picked from a single 

 vine on his farm, the past season, one hundred and seventy-six ripe water-melons ! 



A Fruity Joke. — An amateur of music (who is also a wag) remarked, the other day, with 

 reference to some strawberries on the table, "that he (the wag) would enjoy a pottle of 

 strawberries all to himself, inasmuch as it would be a musical as well as a festive treat 

 it would in fact be a solo on the Hautboy." — Punch, 



