•] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



383 



the commencement of the experiments, varied re- 

 markably at the end of the term, according to the 

 circumstances surrounding it. In damp soil, for 

 instance, one kind would have crowded out the 

 other at the end of the term ; in dry soil, the case 

 would be reversed; the damp-soil lover would be 

 crowded out, and the one which dryness suited 

 would prevail. 



As a work of scientific interest, which may be 

 made one of vast practical value by reference to 

 it from time to time, no more valuable paper to 

 the cultivators of the soil has perhaps appeared 

 within the century. 



The Goldfish and its Culture with a View 

 TO Profit. By Hugo Mulertt, Cincinnati. Pub- 

 lished by the author. 



Some years ago, when in connection with a daily 

 paper, the writer was called on by a gentleman 

 desiring employment, who gave as one of his 

 merits that he could write able articles on any 

 subject, and the less he knew about the subject the 

 better would be the articles that he could write. 

 This may be all right, but we prefer writings by 

 those who are familiar with their subjects ; and 

 therefore at the outset we are prepared to welcome 

 a book on this subject by Mr. Mulertt, because the 

 writer has pleasant recollections of a visit to Mr. 

 Mulertt's establishment some years ago, and how 

 well he succeeded in making everything do 

 well. 



There are few more interesting occupations than 

 the care of pets in the shape of living creatures 

 about the house, and of all these pets the goldfish 

 is one of the most interesting. But those who do 

 not know how to manage them soon find the fish 

 diseased, or in some other way fish-caring becomes 

 annoying. This work is intended to look into the 

 subject of "profit;" but it is just the little things 

 desirable for profit that make the successful ama- 

 teur, and we can cordially recommend this work 

 to all goldfish lovers. 



Nuts of Pinus edulis. — In Nevada these are 

 a very desirable article of Indian food. Once in 

 two years the nut crop is abundant, and in early 

 days was the main reliance of the Indians for 

 winter supplies. The work of gathering them is 

 quite tedious ; but the patient squaws put in full 

 time during the harvest, and accumulate many 

 sacks full. The cone or bur which contains the 

 nut is pulled trom the tree and roasted, the oil or 

 turpentine in the cone being sufficient to partially 

 burn them. This opens the layers underneath 

 which the nuts lie concealed, and from which they 



are shaken when the roasting process is com- 

 pleted. 



SCRAPS AND OUE-RIES. 



To Intelligent Correspondents. — All com- 

 munications relating to advertisements, subscrip- 

 tions, or other business, must be addressed to the 

 publisher, 814 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. 



All referring to the reading matter of the maga- 

 zine must be mailed to the editor, Germantown, Pa. 



No express packages for the editor received un- 

 less prepaid ; and marked " Paid through to Ger- 

 mantown, Pa." 



An Index versus a Table of Contents. — 

 Last year our publisher gave the Index free to the 

 subscriber, instead of infringing on the usual 

 thirty-two pages of reading matter. We have be- 

 fore us a letter from " An Old Compiler," in praise 

 of that Index, and showing the difference between 

 a mere "contents " and our very full index. We 

 should be glad to insert the whole compliment, if 

 we had room, but must be satisfied with the follow- 

 ing extract : 



"My purpose, partly, in this writing was to ac- 

 knowledge the service the Gardeners' Monthly 

 does its readers — and writers, too — by furnishing 

 an annual index that makes the work completely, 

 exhaustively, immediately accessible through its 

 whole series. I am afraid it does not get all the 

 credit it deserves from the majority of its readers 

 for this supplementary labor. I have all the vol- 

 umes from the first, and bound up to the twenty- 

 fourth, inclusive. I ask my fellow subscribers to 

 examine and test these indices, if they have here- 

 tofore accepted them indifferently, confident their 

 verdict will be that they vastly enhance the value 

 of the subscription. I do not find the Monthly 

 making any flourish of trumpets — blow — over this 

 accommodation. From its rarity it must be con- 

 sidered gratuitous, and I am therefore moved to 

 acknowledge my own indebtedness. From expe- 

 rience with the Monthly up to the last volume I 

 confidently look for another complete index in the 

 approaching December number, unless you have 

 gone and done the unlikely thing this year, of 

 hiring my special aversion, Mr. Contents, in a sud- 

 den access of economy." 



Addressed Envelopes We have two cards 



from correspondents, one of whom advocates ad- 

 dressed and stamped envelopes, on the ground 

 that if the party addressed deigns no reply, he 

 shall not at any rate use their stamp for any other 

 business. To our mind it is worth a three-cent 

 stamp to read some of their letters. There is no 

 accounting for tastes. Those who care for these 

 things can have them. 



