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flowers, said to be very fine. Many of our native shrubs are worthy of a 

 place by the side of these much admired foreigners, such as the Palmias, 

 Rhododendrons, Clethra, Iteas, Stuartias, Azalias, and a host of others 

 that deserve a place in every garden where shrubs are cultivated. 



In roses we have a goodly number of new ones ; some improvements 

 have been made in the form of the flowers, but very little in color. Several 

 new American seedlings have been announced, but it is to be regretted 

 that most of the seedlings raised in this country have to go to Europe, and 

 be there offered for sale, before the people of this country will notice 

 them. 



ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



With ornamental trees we display the same weakness that we Co in many 

 other things, by importing too much. Living as we do in a country having 

 a greater and more beautiful variety of trees than any other country in the 

 temperate zone on the globe, yet we still cling to that foolish vanity of 

 preferring the trees of foreign lands to those of our own. With our forty 

 varieties of oak, a dozen or more of poplar, a half dozen of elm, as many 

 of maple, three or four of beech, ten to fifteen of birch, five or six of mag- 

 nolias, catalpa, tulip tree, Kentucky coffee, liquid amber, with over fifty 

 varieties of evergreen trees, it is very strange that we cannot be suited at 

 home, and give up planting such vile trash as the Ailanthus and silver 

 leaf Abele. 



We believe in ornamenting our homes with everything that is either 

 useful or beautiful, whether native or foreign; but this giving preference to 

 a thing that has no other recommendation but that of coming from a foreign 

 country, is simply ridiculous, and we believe there is no nation on earth 

 that displays so much zeal in admiring the products of other countrys as 

 we Americans do. Better close our seaports at once, and wrap ourselves 

 up in our dignity (if we have enough left), like the Japanese, than to be 

 forever spending our time and money in gathering the production of foreign 

 countries, and neglecting those of our own. 



GRAPES. 



The number of hardy native grapes that have been brought to notice in 

 the past four or five years, is a sure indication that our pomologists are 

 fully awakened to the importance of improving our native varieties? 



Over one hundred varieties are now claiming the attention of those who 

 desire to cultivate the grape. If their numbers increase with the same 

 rapidity for the next ten as they have for the past five years, Ave certainly 

 shall have no scarcity in number of varieties. 



Those who like a very sweet grape will find in the Delaware a perfection 

 of flavor. The Rebecca, Anna, and several other white varieties, are 

 worthy of special attention. 



There is one variety that has been neglected, which we think has some 

 very, good qualities — we refer to the Hartford Prolific. Although it has 

 been several years in cultivation, and the vine can be had very cheap, yet 



