190 



TEE GARDE NEB'S MONTHLY 



[JUNS, 



to articles on natural history, in a style the 

 youngest can understand. 



The Rural N«w Yorker.— Mr. Moore, so long 

 and so agreeably known in connection with the 

 Rural New Yorker, has had to retire by reason 

 of failing health. The paper comes into the 

 hands of many of the former associate editors 



who have formed the "Rural Publishing Co." 

 Mr. A. S. Fuller is chief editor. Mr. Fuller, to 

 excellent literary abilities, has the additional 

 advantage of a thorough practical education. 

 He knows what the American farmer wants, and 

 what they ought to have in order to progreaa ; 

 and with the ability to supply, the Rural must 

 continue in its own successful path. 



Horticultural fSociETiES. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Opening of the Centennial Exhibition. — 

 The Horticultural Department is hardly yet in a 

 condition to do justice to the exhibitors, and a 

 critical notice must be deferred till the future. 

 In the meantime the following sketch intended 

 for the mass of the people not well versed in 

 Horticultural matters, from Forney's Daily Press 

 of May 11th, giving an account of appearances 

 at the opening, may serve as an introduction 

 to more solid matter which will probably follow: 



HOW HORTICUTURAL HALL LOOKED. 



Thomas Meehan's Description — Fexitures of the Ex- 

 hibition already in Place. 



The rain, so dampening to the well-wishers of 

 the great opening, provoked so monotonous a 

 series of remarks all around that I was glad 

 to meet the cheery face of Mr. John Stevenson, 

 the landscape gardener of the Centennial 

 Grounds, for surely, thought I, here is one who 

 will like to be congratulated on the timely rain, 

 and so we ventured on that strain. But no! 

 It was all right, he thought, for bringing out the 

 bright green grass and the shiny foliage of the 

 deciduous trees, but of what use was that if the 

 people could not enjoy it? The trees and vege- 

 tation, both those natural to the beautiful 

 grounds as well as those furnished by the exhibi- 

 tors, seemed really to enjoy the timely gift from 



heaven, and I entered fully into their thankful 

 spirit. But there are few natural flowers as yet. 

 The dogwood, which the wits tell us is known 

 by its bark, as well as by its beautiful white flow- 

 ers, w'as ready for the occasion ; and the red bud, 

 which is the American representative of that 

 tree which, according to the Book of Gerard the 

 Herbalist, and which in the " ancient writings " 

 of the Horticulturist, is " ye tree whereon Judas 

 did verilye hang himself," was covered with its 

 rosy blossoms. The weather, after all came out 

 just right. English weather in the morning — 

 American in the afternoon, just fair and right 

 for an international exhibition. 



The Horticultural Grounds are not yet quite 

 completed by the exhibitors, but so far as the 

 work is done it is a marvellous success. In the 

 exhibitions of the Old World the plants were re- 

 moved just as ordinary nursery trees are — with 

 the usual result — a deplorable appearance the 

 whole summer after. But our American exhibi- 

 tors have improved on this. Many of them 

 have had their trees growing in tubs and pots for 

 a whole year ahead, and now that they are set 

 out, they are leafing out and blooming as if they 

 were "to the manor" as well as to the "man- 

 ner " bom. There is little doubt the outdoor 

 Horticultural Department of the Centennial Ex- 

 hibition will be the most successful of that class 

 ever held in the world. Most of the exhibitors 

 have their plants plainly and tastefully labelled, 

 thus making the collections to the highest degree 



