PROGRESS IN HORTICULTURE. IS THERE ANY? 



and the luxuries of the garden, now confined to the industrious and discriminating 

 few, will penetrate to every community. Our sun is better adapted to the ripening 

 of fruit than that of any large portion of Europe; with the same skill in cultivation 

 we ought therefore to have better articles; we have them already, and the means 

 for their vast increase are now maturing. In many sections the advance is extreme- 

 ly rapid ; nothing can stop it. We are 



"A people marching with a giant's stride, 

 To giant empire — in a region, born 

 Of grandeur worthy of the free and brave, 

 Whose lowliest peasant holds in equal scorn. 

 The throned despot and his groveling slave." 



This journal, commenced so lately as July, 1846, has chronicled the formation, if 

 we mistake not, of all or nearly all the Horticultural Societies west of the mountains; 

 now they are very numerous, and each is exerting an influence which is incalculable. 

 In a philosophical point of view they serve to attach our restless population to home. 

 •'In horticulture lies the most ■powerful philtre that civilized man has yet found to 

 attach him to one spot of earth. It transforms what was only a tame meadow and a 

 bleak aspect into an Eden of interest and delights. It makes all the difference 

 between 'Araby the blest' and a pine-barren. It gives a bit of soil too insignificant 

 to find a place in the geography of the earth's surface, such an importance in the 

 eyes of its possessor, that he finds it more attractive than countless acres of unknown 

 and unexplored 'territory.' Whoever lives to see the next cycle of our race, will 

 see the great vallies of the west the gardens of the world, and we watch with inter- 

 est the first development, in the midst of the busy fermentation of its active masses, 

 of that beautiful and quiet spirit, of the joint culture of the earth and the heart 

 that is destined to give a tone to the future character of its untold millions." It is 

 not a little remarkable, that just in proportion to the intelligence and settled char- 

 acter of a population, is the amount of interest there manifested in horticultural 

 pursuits. 



There is one matter connected with this subject respecting which we desire to say 

 a few words. One reason why the varieties of the best and most tempting fruits 

 are not seen in the markets, may result from the circumstance that the more inde- 

 pendent and successful cultivators of them possess no suitable mode of making sales. 

 It would be easy to point out several private gardens where more of some kinds of 

 fruit are produced than the family consumes, or cares to give away. It may be 

 Grapes, or Cherries, or Pears, that are in superabundance, but these parties have 

 neither time nor inclination to seek a market, and their fniits are suffered to decay. 



In every large community there is a cry of want of occupation by numbers who 

 will not help themselves ; it would not be difficult to show that full remunerative 

 occupation could be found for many hands, if they would ascertain in the early part 

 of the season where a superfluity of fine fruits could be purchased in the walks of 

 private life, and at the proper time go and take them to houses, stoi'es, or stands, 

 where they could be seen and purchased. The wealthiest men in Europe regularly 

 dispose of their superfluities, whether Pine Apples, Grapes, or other desirable fruit 



