188 Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



twelve month?, penniless. His successor left- after five or six months; 

 another remained eleven months ; another after nine ; and the fifth holds 

 on during four months. I could mention their names ; and I know some 

 of them, in fact all of them, were clever men, and had a right to be better 

 treated. There is no such thing as gardening needed here; gardening 

 here, must come in other times, and from other inhabitants. Nothing but 

 cotton — that is the moving principle to this part of the world ; if a news- 

 paper is got, the price of cotton is first. I write ipso facto truths, but 

 generally the rule is immutably as I have stated. Do not come out here, 

 then, to earn a living as gardeners or farmers ; if you do, you will regret it, 

 unless you will tear through thick and thin. I am an old campaigner ; I 

 have been in many an engagement ; if you know more of gardening than 

 I do, you must know it, indeed, as well as any man can know it. This is 

 strong ! Yes, but is true ! And if my real name was seen by many who 

 may read these lines, they would say he is right. It is the love I bear my 

 profession and fellow gardeners that prompts me to this ; and as " wit 

 bought is better than wit taught " to some, let those who doubt, come and 

 judge for themselves. But I have not done yet ; and if room is found for 

 me, I will give a true description of gardening in its past and present, and 

 likely to be, future state here, — of men and manners, systems and things, 

 agriculture, horticulture and floriculture ; guided by Shakespeare's motto, to 

 " Nothing extenuate, nor set clown auglit in malice." 



I will fearlessly write truth, not leaning to the dark or light side of the 

 subjects. Meantime, gentlemen, I am yours, tfec, " A Light in a Dark 

 Place." 



Horticultural Society in New York. — We learn from the Ameri- 

 can Gardeners' Chronicle, a new gardening journal in New York, that another 

 attempt is to be made to establish a horticultural society. Three prelimina- 

 ry meetings have been held for the object; and there appears a disposition, 

 at least among the gardeners and professional men, to cooperate and make 

 at least one more attempt. We trust they will succeed. It is certainly 

 surprising that New York and its neighborhood, numbering half a million 

 of inhabitants, should not have a well established and flourishing associa- 

 tion. Ed. 



Art. III. Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



February 28. — Exhibited. Fruit : From W. C. Strong, Early Virginia 

 strawberry. From H. Vandine, Beurre d'Aremberg and new Long Rose- 

 water pears. From J. H. Watts, New York, Northern Spy apples. 



March 6. — An adjourned meeting of the Society was held to-day, — the 

 President in the chair. 



Mr. C. M. Hovey, chairman of the Library Committee, made the annual 

 report, which was read and accepted. The report recommended the appro- 

 priation of $150 for the purchase of books for the year. 



