INDIANA HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 411 



and Fastolff are finding their way into our gardens. The Antwerps we 

 have long had in abundance. If next spring I can produce rhubarb, 

 weighing two pounds to the stalk, shall I have surpassed you? I have 

 a seedling which, last yea:*, without good cultivation, produced petoils 

 weighing from eighteen to twenty ounces. My wrist is not very delicate, 

 and yet it is much smaller in girth than they were. 



Floriculture. 



In no department is there more advance among our citizens than in 

 floriculture. In all our rising towns, yards and gardens are to be found 

 choicely stocked. All hardy bulbs are now sought after. Ornamental 

 shrubs are taken from our forests, or imported from abroad in great 

 variety. Altheas, rose acasias, jasmine, calycanthus, snowberry, snow- 

 ball, sumach, syringas, spicewood, sheperdia, dogwood, redbud and other 

 hardy shrubs abound. The rose is an especial favorite. The Bengal, 

 Tea, and Noiset bear our winters in the open garden with but slight pro- 

 tection. The Bourbon and Remontantes will, however, drive out all old 

 and ordinary varieties. The gardens of this town would afford about 

 sixty varieties of roses, which would be reckoned first rate in Boston or 

 Philadelphia. 



The Seasons in Indiana. 



While New England suffered under a season of drought, on this side 

 of the mountains the season was uncommonly fine, scarcely a week 

 elapsed without copious showers, and gardens remained moist the whole 

 season. Fruits ripened from two to three weeks earlier than usual. In 

 consequence of this, winter fruits are rapidly decaying. Today is Christ- 

 mas, the weather is springlike, no snow, the thermometer this morning 

 forty degi-ees. My noisets retain their terminal leaves green, and in 

 the southward dells of the woods, grasses and herbs are yet of a vivid 

 gi-een. Birds are still here, three were singing this morning on the trees 

 in my yard. There are some curious facts in the early history of horti- 

 culture in this region, which I meant to have included in this communi- 

 cation, but insensibly, I have already prolonged it, I fear, beyond a con- 

 venient space for your magazine. I yield it to you for cutting, carving, 

 suppressing, or whatever other opei-ation will fit it for your purpose. 



HENRY WARD BEECHER. 



Indianapolis, December 25, 1844. 



The editor appends this note to the article: "We find no necessity 

 in making any alteration in the excellent communication of our corres- 

 pondent, which is full of interest. We trust we may receive the 'Curious 

 facts' connected with the early history of gardening in the West as soon 

 as (his) leisure will permit." 



