EDITOH'S TABLE. 



In the same house, ■witli the same grounds, the same servants and tenants; for the farms 

 for many miles belong to the estate, and are leased to the farmers who oceupy them, and 

 •whose sons may coutiuuo to live on them, as their fathers did bel'ure tliem. 



"With us things are entirely ditferent. Joiix Smith, Jr., cannot connncnco life as Jonx 

 Smith, Senior, ended it. The i)roj)erty accumulated by the elder Smith is divided between 

 the younger Smiths. If the father has a fine house and grounds, in ■which to enjoy 

 in old age the fruits of early industry, these must be sold, as neither son can aflbrd to 

 invest his portion in unproductive property, or to live a life of ease and luxury. Each 

 one must commence where his father commenced, and work out for himself a fortune and 

 a name. One engages in mercantile pursuit, another seeks his fortune in the AVest, and 

 soon becomes known as a member of Congress from some western district, or is "on the 

 stump" to secure himself a seat in his own State Legislature. Another })urchases a farm 

 in his native State, and in a few years is the " highly esteemed correspondent" of some popular 

 agricultural journal, and President of the County Agricultural Society ; or, if he happens 

 to be a man of fine taste, soon makes hunself known to the horticultural world as the 

 skillful cultivator of choice fruit. 



It may be asked, "Of Avhat advantage then is the study of Landscape Gardening to us?" 

 We answer, " Much, everj' way." Although we have but few very rich, and few extremely 

 poor, yet we have men of wealth, (and the number is increasing as the country becomes 

 older,) who, becoming tired of the pursuit of Mammon, are seeking pleasant homes in the 

 country. These wish to surround themselves Avith all the beauties and luxuries of country 

 life. Another class, still doing business in our cities and villages, are securing themselves 

 suburban homes, where they can enjoy to a great extent the pleasures of both city and 

 country. Both of these classes should understand the principles of landscape gardening. 

 There is another, and a still more numerous class to whom we would recommend the study 

 of landscape gardening. Every farmer who owns a hundred acres of land can afford to 

 have a pretty park or lawn. The farmer who places his house Avithin a few feet of a dusty 

 road, as if building on a small city lot, shows neither economy nor good sense. With a 

 little study and labor he may make a lawn that will add much to the beauty and comfort 

 of home. Select and fence in a few acres around the house ; plow deep ; if not sufficiently 

 shaded, plant shade trees ; make the surface as smooth as possible, and sow to red top and 

 white clover ; keep this grazed short, and you will have a lawn that wUl cost you little or 

 nothing. 



The American editor, Mr. Allen, is a gentleman of good taste and large experience on 

 all matters connected with country life in America — well known as one of the ablest and 

 most indefatigable friend of agricultural and horticultural improvement in our State. We 

 are glad to see his pen and his inlluence brought into activity Avhere they are so much 

 Avanted. The notes, Avith Avhich he has interspersed this volume, are Avritten in his usual 

 easy, dashing style ; but we must confess they add very little to the value of the book : a 

 A'ery large number of them are absolutely superfluous, being intended merely to bestow 

 upon the author's teaching his " unqualified assent" or " emphatic concurrence." The main 

 points Avhich strilce us as demanding explanation and suggestion, to show wherein the 

 English practice should be modified to adapt it to this country, are, in a majority of cases, 

 passed over. In one place, for instance, the author in treating of the decoration of the 

 "pleasure ground villa," recommends planting the Magnolia grandiJJora, Sweet Bay, 

 Arbutus, and Common Laurel. Now, a note from the editor stating that in our Northern 

 and Middle States not one of these trees will bear the climate in the open air, Avould be 



