158 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



attempting the fine. I do not know your corres- 

 pondent, — he may be an honorable exception, — 

 but let him find out what many of us have to put 

 up with ere he judge our conduct. Neither should 

 he be controlled by the despotic opinionism of 

 men whose pride, humor, interest, or inclination 

 may lead into the indiscriminate criticism of 

 subjects and things beyond their capacity, and 

 not consistent with their belief. 



EDITORIAL XOTES. 



FAiR3iorNT Park Commission. — We have 

 letters occasionally condemning various matters 

 of detail done in Fairmount Park, and with 

 which correspondents we mostly sympathize. 

 But we always take comfort when we consider 

 how much worse things might be. Although 

 the management of the park is in the hands of 

 a commission, the members are naturally sub- 

 jected to an immense pressure on all sides, and 

 as long as a commissioner is but a human being, 

 it is only possible for him to do the best he can. 



We are very familiar with the difficulties 

 which surround a great public enterprize like 

 this, and in this light only wonder that the re- 

 sults are as generally creditable as they are, 

 and we Avould rather encourage the commis- 

 sioners in the good they are doing than harrass 

 them for their mistakes ; or perhaps more charit- 

 ably for what circumstances make it impossible 

 for them to do. And we are very glad to learn 

 that there are a few steps of progress to be made 

 in the park this spring, though the commenda- 

 ble economy of councils aflbrds the park commis- 

 sioners but limited appropriations. The super- 

 intendent, General Thayer, and Mr. Miller, 

 landscape gardener, are busy in planting out 

 trees in the park. Dr. Rothrock, professor of 

 botany, on Wood's foundation, is to make a 

 catalogue of the trees round Horticultural Hall 

 to the foot of George's Hill, that they may be 

 labeled and the catalogue may be printed. He 

 is also to arrange the dry specimens of wood in 

 the museum in Horticultural Hall. He is also 

 to lecture on botany in that Hall every Saturday 

 at 4 o'clock P. M., from April 20th to August 

 2d, at the cost of the Michaux legacy, by order 

 of the American Philosophical Society. 



Ex-Mayor Henry. — We learn that ex-Mayor 

 Henry's public life did not " terminate chiefly '" 

 with the term of his etibrts to stop the running of 

 street cars on Sunday. He was elected twice 



afterwards, and moreover that his opposition was 

 not personal but otficial. He still believes the 

 law is against the running of the cars, but he be- 

 lieves the law should be modified, as public 

 travel is among the public necessities. 



We had no intention of passing on the right 

 or wrong of the action. The Gardener's- 

 Monthly would not be the place for such a dis- 

 cussion. It was simply as illustrative of the 

 changes which some author calls "'the whirligig 

 of time " produces in public opinion. When^ 

 however, so estimable a gentleman as Mr. Alex- 

 ander Henry can be appointed to such a posi- 

 tion as Park Commissioner amidst the general 

 tendency to afflict all our leading offices with 

 mere politicians with few ideas of office beyond 

 the power it brings to control voters, the grate- 

 ful public can well afibrd to let the past go, even 

 were we not in some respects mistaken. 



Prof. C. Y. Riley. — Most of our readers 

 have learnt from the public prints, of the resig- 

 nation of Prof. Riley and the succession of Prof:. 

 Cyrus Thomas to the position of entomologist, 

 to the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 It having been stated that Prof. Riley abandoned 

 the position from ill health, he publishes a card 

 saying that he was never in better health, and 

 that he gave up the position for personal reasons. 



Mr. S. L. Boardman. — Mr. Boardman, one 

 of the most intelligent and courteous of editors., 

 gives up the position he has held for sixteen 

 years on the Maine Farmer. 



Fleur-de-lis. — According to Floicers and 

 Ferns of the United States the selection of the 

 fleur-de-lis as the national emblem of France,, 

 was thus brought about : It is asserted in the 

 old legend that it was sent to the French people 

 from heaven by an angel, whose commission 

 was addressed to Clovis. their first christian king. 

 Clovis, it is related, made a vow that if be 

 proved victorious in a pending battle with the 

 AUemans, he would embrace Christianity; and 

 his arms having been triumphant in this battle, 

 which was fought near Cologne, A. D. 490, he 

 adopted the lily, and it has been the national 

 emblem ever since. — Exchange. 



Ferns in Their Homes and Ours. — John 

 Robinson, Salem, Mass. New candidates for 

 public favor, in tlie shape of litei-ary products, 

 are often sent freely for editorial opinion; at 

 other times they come through the editorial ex- 

 chequer, and the notices appear as matter of 

 ■news, for a " live " paper must keep its readers. 



