THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 24. NOVEMBER, 1896. NO. 11. 



THE NEW HORTICULTURE." BY H. M. STRING- 

 FELLOW, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. 



'A revlewi. 

 l\ H. NUTTEK, MINNEAPOLIS. 



Thi8 is indeed a time of transition, and, whichever way we may 

 turn, we are confronted by the "new religion," the "new woman'' 

 and many other novelties well calculated to shock the conservative 

 mind, and it is not entirely unhttin<>f that the " new horticulture" 

 should also appear upon the stage, thoug^h our author strenuously 

 asserts that his theories are not really new but founded on the 

 methods by which nature has worked from the beg'inning^. 



The book named above has been read with g^reat interest, as it is 

 very attractively written and printed, and presents to our minds 

 the evolution of an enthusiastic horticulturist from a discouraged 

 and disappointed business man. 



Though written for a southern climate, the opening chapters on 

 gardening present many hints and expedients which maj" be worthy 

 of consideration in our latitude, but when the writer presents his 

 theories, and also his practice, in regard to methods of pruning and 

 transplanting trees and vines and as to their effects on the future 

 health and productiveness of the tree, doubtless the cry of " heresy ' 

 will begin to be heard; for to take a thrifty tree and trim off all the 

 top and cut away all the roots till it has been reduced to what a 

 small boy would consider an ideal "shinny club," insert the 

 lower end in a hole made with a crowbar, tamp it in like a post and 

 then to expect the results to more than rival those obtained by our 

 ordinarj' methods, is certainly a startling one, to say the least. 



Our author presents his theories with vigor and, unfortunately 

 for his opponent, backs them up with facts from extensive experi- 

 ments on his own part and that of others, which it would seem could 

 only be successfully met by a direct denial or else the claim that 

 his own particular locality is exempt from the usual laws of nature 



On those who read it, the book will have, probably, one of two 

 efifects: to many it will bring helpful suggestions and food for 

 thought and, doubtless, stimulate some to investigations, for as to 

 the theories advanced we can surely say with safety, as was often 

 done in war time in regard to rumors from the front, "important, 

 if true." With others, especially if they be among th«)se " scientists " 

 whom the writer, doubtless, erroneously believes to be seltishly and 

 wilfully opposed to him, it will be apt to provoke laughter and scorn, 

 perhaps profanity. Try it and see. 



