THE 



MAGAZINE OF HOETICULTURE. 



THE PROGRESS OF HORTICULTURE. 



In giving a brief summary of the progress of Horticulture' 

 in the United States, from year to year, we do not expect to 

 bring forward a great deal that is new. There is, indeed, very 

 little yearly added to our stock of knowledge which may be 

 considered new ; and if we confined ourselves to this, we 

 should not have much to say. Our object is rather to bring 

 together, in one view, the general progress of Horticultural 

 science and Rural art, during the year ; to show what have 

 been the subjects that have attracted the attention of the 

 horticultural world ; to recapitulate some of the more impor- 

 tant results which have been accomplished ; and to suggest 

 to cultivators such things as to us appear deserving of their 

 especial attention. Viewed in this light, we believe our an- 

 nual summaries will be found as interesting as anything we 

 could offer to our readers. 



The year 1854 will long be remembered for the severity 

 of the winter and the drought of the summer ; both unusual 

 even in our variable seasons, and only of rare occurrence to 

 an equal extent. The disastrous effects of the cold were not 

 perceived till late in the season, when in some parts of the 

 country, particularly in Western N. Y., pears on the quince 

 died in considerable numbers. In Massachusetts, however^ 

 we have not heard of any such ill effects from the cold ; but 

 in Maine much damage was experienced, which it will take 

 a long time to make good. The drought was so severe that 

 many trees were excessively injured, and some quite de- 

 stroyed ; even large pines, on some of our light, sandy soilsj 

 were literally dried up, root and branch. The average an- 



VOL. XXI. NO. I. JAN. 1 



