EDITOR'S TABLE.. 



Too Contented at Home ! — Can you understand and pity the state of a man too contented with 

 his own home ? I am that unhappy creature. I was so unfortunate as to be loug in a very con- 

 fining employment, but with plenty of time to read. Chance threw in my way Loudon s Garden- 

 ers' Magazine; the whole series I devoured, with all his other books — EncycJopadia of Gardening, 

 of Plajits, (fee, (fee. I got to work in a little garden, and soon filled it with walks, and plants, 

 and fountains — birds, fishes, and a miniature plant case — and a plant cabinet. I ousted my wife 

 from her dressing room, and filled it with bi!es — made more honey than all the family and its 

 relatives could consume, and got tired of the subject. I conceived incredible expectations of a 

 country garden — where I should have space for trees, a conservatory, and a green-house. My 

 imagination ran riot in prospects of constant delights, in perpetually observing the expansion of 

 flowers; never-failing occupation in planting and potting; vegetables and fruits tiie year round, 

 of my own rearing ; and so happy as not to require any other excitement. 



I have realized my dream — I am too happy and contented at home! I never have the least 

 inclination to go any where else ! imless it be to see some new plant, or an improved mode of cuHi- 

 vating fruit. Society, in its old sense, has lojt its charm ; parties are a dreadful bore. From 

 morning to night I find new and delightful occupation on my own premises, and dread the sight 

 of a lady or gentleman wending their way throiigh my gate, because of the danger of their occu- 

 pying my precious time devoted to Ihe companionsliip of my plants and trees. 



Is not this the greatest unhappiness ? My friends believe me to be melancholy, unsocial, even 

 demented. Can you, in your " Answers to Correspondents," give me a remedy to cure this new 

 and unheard-of distemper ? Before I a^k this, I should detail some of the symptoms : 



Loudon laid the foundation of my complaint ; a visit to the best rural residences in America 

 and Europe increased it; Downing and the Horticidturist confirmed it. "Embellish your home" 

 seemed a command that I must obey. I have, they say, succeeded; but my distress continues. 

 I am perpetually striving after new effects ; constantly planting out new borders, multiplying 

 new shrubs, or planting new fruits. I have every new Pear set down by the learned pomologists 

 as even " promising well ;" have all vegetables, in and out of season. But I have heard of a 

 gentleman in England who " could cut a Pine everj- day in the year :" must I aim at this too, or 

 must my ambition be confined to the ability of only a daily boquet. Camellias grown in the 

 earth, and attaining the size of Peach trees, are possible things : must my ever-pushing and har- 

 rassing hobby drive me to this too? I rise in the morning, full of the work to be done for the 

 dav: the day is too short to accomplish my plans. In short, I am completely happy, except when 

 the borers take possession of my fruit trees, or the curculio of the fruit,* or I have so much that 

 is excellent as to be compelled to oblige my friends and neighbors with a part. 



Pray, Mr. Editor, do give your advice, and a remedy to the very first person that has com- 

 plained to you that he is " too contented at home." Atticus. 



Atticits has presented somewhat of a novel case. A man too happy is a rara avis 



indeed. The only remedy we can suggest is, that he immediately agree with himself to 



think he has attained the summum lonum this earth can give ; and if he still determines to 



hug his idea that he is too happy, let him enlarge his grounds by fifty more acres, build ten 



more green-houses and conservatories, and be entirely happy. After he has done this we 



will advise further. 



-♦ 



In some parts of Illinois, Iowa, and "Wisconsin there have been fi-osts of unusual 

 severity — destroying whole orchards of fruit that had not been gathered. Previous to 

 this occurrence the fruit crop was unusually fine, and had given great encouragement to the 

 extension of orchards. 



* If the borers should write a book on " Insects Injurious to Emit," thoj- would assuredly class man as the 

 destructive, 



