Editorial Notes. 



HorticnUiirc-. M'liiit's in <i iitiine? 



We have often met persons so foolish as to think that a horticultural journal was 

 not as good as an agricultural one, and somehow have gained the idea that horticulture 

 (because so hard a word) was of no practical interest to any but few of scientific 

 tastes. Speak to them of gardening. Ah, now they understand us — yes, they appre- 

 ciate that, as it is the best and most tasteful part of a country gentleman's life ; but 

 mention to them horticulture, and they do not quite understand. It is too hard a 

 word ; they do not know what it means ; something not very pleasant or popular, 

 " dry, ancient, antiquated, fit for fussy old men — musty reading." Such are the 

 impressions the popular mind has of all things named horticultural — such unfavor- 

 able ideas created by the use of one hard word. We suppose we could have doubled 

 our circulation three or four times if our journal had been plainly named — some such 

 title as " The Cottage Gardener and Flower LoDir\s Covipauion,^^ instead of plain 

 "■ Horticidticrist,'^ wliich, though indefinite, expresses it all. The people seem to 

 demand pluin titles which express the character of a journal, without giving them the 

 necessity of studying it out. Hundreds take an agricultural journal, and rather like 

 the horticultural part of it; but a journal strictly devoted to horticulture is not 

 encouraged — and some even think it is quite a different thing, not connected with 

 agriculture. 



A Neiv Strmi'herrtf. 



Dr. F. M. Hexamer, of New Castle, N. Y., lately exhibited in our office, a new 

 seedling strawberry, named the Early Dutchess. It originated with Mr. Barnes, of 

 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., the same who introduced the Barnes Mammoth. 



The Early Dutchess is three days earlier than the Burrs New Pine or Downer, 

 and six days ahead of the Wilson. The berry is large, irregular surface, has bright 

 color, and quality is sweet, good, juicy, of large size and unusually uniform. It 

 seems to be an excellent family fruit, and though not of high quality, yet has that 

 pleasant taste which will lead many to appreciate it who dislike the acidity of the 

 Wilson. 



Peat A.shes as a t'tn-tilizer. 



M. Leboeuf, a large cultivator of asparagus and strawberries of Argenteuil, France, 

 has recently obtained some advantageous results from peat ashes used as a fertilizer. 

 He filled three pots with the substance, without any other admixture, and planted in 

 one oats, in another wheat, and in the third strawberry plants. Leaving them 

 through the winter without attention, germination took place. The wheat and oats 

 sprouted and bore large and heavy grains — the stalks attaining for the wheat at a 

 height of f(Hir feet five inches, and for the oats three feet six inches. The straw- 

 berries were unusually vigorous. M. Lebceuf has repeated the experiments several 

 times, with uniform success. 



