284 



THE GARVEMER'S MONTHLY 



[September, 



Book" is just fresh from the press ; while his 

 regular systematical works are still going on. 

 Mr. Sereuo Watson his able assistant I found 

 also at work on "bibliographies" and "re- 

 visions," labors that bring him innumerable 

 thanks from fellow-botanists, though with little 

 chance for the fame which more original inves- 

 tigations earn. 



Professor Farlow it was also my good fortune 

 to meet on this occasion. His time is wholly 

 occupied as professor of Cryptogamic Botany, 

 a, department of science that has become of 

 great practical importance of late, since the 

 great influence for good or evil which fungi exer_ 

 cise on all organic things has become better un- 

 derstood. Altogether the excellent garden, full 

 of rare and valuable plants ; and the admirable 

 staff of instructors with, we presume, plenty of 

 money to pay them with, give a chance for use- 

 ful botanical work seldom met with elsewhere. 



A hasty visit to the Horticultural Society 

 rooms brought to my view one of the best hor- 

 ticultural libraries I ever beheld. What a 

 splendid chance for the intelligent horticulturist- 

 The society has been very fortunate in its in- 

 vestments, and should it ever reach old age, is 

 out of the reach of want. By its liberal premiums 

 and other good deeds it is still doing good work 

 which may some day perhaps be extended. 

 But I find I must still give my few hours in 

 Boston another letter. 



The Post Office Laws.— Recently a kind 

 correspondent, anxious to serve the GTarden. 

 ER's Monthly, sent a package basted at the 

 ends with sewing cotton, instead of merely 

 turned down or tied with string. For this indis- 

 cretion the editor was fined by the post office 

 authorities of Philadelphia one dollar and ninety 

 cents ! Now the most a person can do in a closed 

 parcel is to write a little, which at best would 

 not damage the United States mails to the ex- 

 tent of over three or six cents,— and if one were 

 to be fined to this extent for another's fault, 

 there would be no serious cause of complaint. 

 But why the United States should get S1.90 be- 

 cause of a bare chance it was damaged three 

 cents, passes our comprehension. We have sug- 

 gested before, that on all closed packages the 

 sender should be compelled to put on three 

 cents more than the " third class rate," or that 

 double or treble this amount, for the additional 

 trouble, should be added to the collection if 

 omitted ; and it is a matter of surprise to us that 

 there is no one in the National Congress with 



sense enough and sufficient influence to get the 

 Post Office Committee to see a point like this. 



Agricultural Editor of Philadelphia 

 Press. — The Germantown Telegraph says : 



"Thomas Meehan, Esq., the distinguished 

 scientist of Germantown, who had been con- 

 nected with the Press of this city for fifteen 

 years as editor of the agricultural and horticul- 

 tural department, retired from the position some 

 three or four months ago, and hence is not re- 

 sponsible for statements and opinions therein 

 since that date." 



It may be added that while the former agri- 

 cultural editor of the Press has the best 

 wishes for a newspaper with which he was for 

 so many years connected, and even refrained 

 from an}' public notice of the disconnection in 

 order that his old friend might have the benefit 

 of the silence, if benefit it be, he cannot regard 

 the statement above made as more than just, 

 when he was supposed in some quarters to be 

 responsible for such statements as that the cof- 

 fee tree is now under successful farm culture in 

 Connecticut, and the^editorial assertion that our 

 native grape vines all came originally from 

 France, have become acclimated, and are now 

 being returned to the French because the accli- 

 matization has rendered them proof against the 

 Phylloxera ! 



The Plant Patent.— Mr. D. B. Wier has 

 hit on the sensible plan of trying what can be 

 done practically in this way, instead of writing 

 long chapters on what might be done. While 

 our views must be candidly expressed — that we 

 do not think anything of value will come from 

 the plan — we may be wrong, and shall be glad 

 if we are, for as things are at present the raiser 

 of a new and good addition to our collections 

 seldom gets a fair reward. An experiment in 

 the pi'oposed protective measures must give us 

 valuable experience. Mr. Wier has raised a 

 number of new cherries, and has entered the 

 names as trade marks, which no one can make 

 merchandise of without his authority. As al- 

 ready said, we hope the experiment will be suc- 

 cessful, and that Mr. Wier will reap a rich re- 

 ward. 



.Sedum acre.— C. E. S. is correct about this 

 plant. Man}' thanks for the suggestion. There 

 is, of course, no such plant as Sedum " acer." 



Scrubs and Spires.— It is worth the while 

 of the next author on the " evolution " of lan- 

 guage to inquire what influence the typographi- 



