376 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY. 



[December, 



gave us ft world of trouble during the Rebellion, 

 for he knew every road and bridle path through 

 the State, and made maps of them for the Con- 

 federate army, there is no politics in " Tlie 

 Virginias.'' It is wholly a mining, industrial and 

 scientific journal, and devoted to the develop- 

 ment of Virginia and West Virginia, and nothing 

 else; and there is no one at all interested in the 

 pursuit of these objects but would be benefited 

 by reading it. 



Hk. Laxton's Paper on Roses. — In our last 

 appeared an excellent paper on Roses, by Mr. 

 Laxton, sent to us and revised especially 

 for our pages by the author. At the same 

 time he informed us that the bulk of the 

 article had already appeared in our excellent 

 contemporary the London Journal of Horticulture, 

 and we wrote a postscript to Mr. Laxton's pa 

 per, stating this fact. It mortified us exceed- 

 ingly to find our note not with the article on its 

 publication. Whether we neglected to send 

 what we wrote to the printer, or the note was 

 lost in the composing room, we cannot now say, 

 but we tender our apology to the Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture for the seeming neglect of its prior claim 

 substantially to the article. 



In our long editorial career, we have always 

 endeavored to do full justice to all our contem- 

 poraries in the matter of credits, and we do not 

 even now know that the Journal feels aggrieved 

 at this— our first slip. In our anxiety to do full 

 justice to all, we have often refused to publish 

 excellent articles sent to us, when we happened 

 to know that copies had been sent to other pa- 

 pers, and chiefly because, in case other papers 

 published I hem first, we might be suspected of 

 having " copied without credit." 



Newspaper Paragraphs.— It is becoming dan- 

 gerous to depend on newspaper paragraphs. 

 The last instance is Mr. Dana's mushroom cave, 

 which we find did not cost the third of $3,000. 

 It is fortunate, however, that the part which re- 

 lates to the mushroom is correct. There is a cave; 

 and there are mushrooms, and plenty of them. 

 It would be very pleasant to have authentic par- 

 ticulars, as there are few matters of more public 

 interest than successful mushroom culture. 



Prof. C. E. Bessey.— It has been announced 

 that this accomplished botanist has undertaken 

 the Botanical department of the American 

 Naturalisl, which is an excellent thing so far as 

 it goes. If farther he could influence the " edi- 

 torial" pen, it might aid the editorial influence. 



The reader of the editorial column will probably 

 begin to think that there is little else than the 

 " Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia" 

 in the whole United States to occupy scientific 

 attention. The last number has several illustra- 

 tions how little things are distorted in these " Edi- 

 torial" articles. For instance, the one under con- 

 sideration tells the reader that there is in the 

 Academy a "silly opposition to the scheme of Pro- 

 fessorships." Every one who chooses may know 

 that the "scheme" was adopted and is part of the 

 constitution and by-laws. It was Professor Cope's 

 scheme to hand over the whole management of 

 the Institution to a corps of Professors, that was 

 properly objected to, nothing else. Then there are 

 several pages devoted to the proper course of 

 study for two boys who get there about five dol- 

 lars per week ! 



It may, however, serve to explain to the read- 

 ers of the Naturalist outside of Philadelphia, why 

 so much space is given by the editor to this 

 purely local question, to say that these editorials 

 of Prof. Cope are usually reprinted from the 

 Naturalist, and circulated among the members 

 about election time as " campaign documents." 

 Here in Philadelphia it is well known, 



Kansas State Horticultural Society. — Re- 

 port for 1879, from Geo. C. Brackett, Secretary. 

 Among other interesting matter is a portrait and 

 sketch of the life of Dr. Howsley. It is an apt 

 illustration of the adage, that we do not know 

 our friends till we lose them. For near a quar- 

 ter of a century, the writer of this met the Doc- 

 tor '' oflFand on," and learned to have a high re- 

 gard for him, which this obituary notice tends 

 very much to increase, though he is beyond any 

 benefit save to his memory. It is a pity that testi- 

 monials to living men are so apt to run to mere 

 adulation, or it would be better for many while 

 living to receive some of the praise they get after 

 they die. 



First Annual Report of the Bureau or 

 Statistics and Geology of Indiana.— From 

 Prof. J. D. Collett, Chief of Bureau We have 

 looked through this work with much pleasure, 

 for much as we may admire the State from mere 

 newspaper report, this official document shows 

 more clearly what a great State it is. Every 

 Indianian must be proud of the showing made 

 here. Half the State appears to be yet in timber. 



Pennsylvania Fruit-Growers Society. — The 

 Annual Meeting of this very useful body will be 

 held at Gettysburg, on Wednesday, January 

 19th, 1881. 



