GARDENING OVER A WINTER FIRE. 245 



old friends at a glance, and the latter stand out 

 so clearly on the page, that it would seem that 

 we could gather them into a bouquet. In send- 

 ing out thousands of such catalogues, or rather 

 pretty little volumes of one hundred and thirty- 

 two pages, Mr. Vick may justly be regarded as 

 a public benefactor, for they cannot fail to 

 greatly increase the love for rural life ; and they 

 certainly impart much practical instruction in 

 regard to it, while at the same time offering for 

 sale the varied contents of the largest seed store 

 in the world. 



Looking as if it "meant business," R. H. 

 Allen & Co.'s Catalogue, with its sober, solid 

 appearance, catches my eye. It is an old friend, 

 ?nd has laid on my table every spring for ten 

 years or more. Direct, simple, plainly indicat- 

 ing the best varieties among the many candi- 

 dates for favor, it always inspires confidence. 

 How often in the wane of winter I have looked 



