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THE GENESEE FAEMEK, 8TT (f ^ 



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ISnrtirultural Seprtmetit. 



CONDUCTED BY P. BAEET. 



cU 



Years ago horticulture was made a special department of this journal, and placed 

 under my charge. From that time until the present my small monthly contributions 

 have been made with great pleasure, and, I believe, with some profit, both to myself 

 and others. I would gladly continue them, but other engagements compel me to sur- 

 render the charge to some one who may have sufficient time to do it justice. I feel 

 quite confident that my withdrawal will be no detriment to the journal, but rather an 

 advantage, as the publisher will be able to fill the pages I have occupied with more varied 

 and instructive matter. 



Within ten years horticulture in this country has made wonderful progress. At the 

 time I began tf> contribute to this journal, gardening occupied a very small share of 

 public attention ; now, there is scarcely an individual in town or country who does not 

 feel an interest in if. The planting of orchards, laying out gardens, and the embellish- 

 ment of grounds, are among the most popular topics of the day, not even excepting 

 politics. The commerce of horticulture has grown up from a petty, unnoticeable traffic, 

 to an important pursuit, actually surprising people by the rapidity of its growth and 

 the magnitude of its operation]?. Such a spectacle has never been witnessed in any 

 other country, and nothing connected with American progress affords a more striking 

 proof of the salutary influence of free institutions on industrial pursuits, or of the won- 

 derful activity and enterprise of the American people. 



What horticulture in this country will be twenty years hence, is an interesting inquiry. 

 Our career in this pursuit has just commenced. Heretofore we have been laboring under 

 serious disadvantages, the greatest of which has been inexperience. The history of 

 almost every man's gardening efforts has been, for^ a long time, a series of mishaps. 

 How to plant, what to plant, and when to plant, were all unsolved problems to the mul- 

 titude. We had no books worth naming, founded on actual American practice, to guide 

 us ; like travelers in a wild, unknown land, without a guide or compass, we had to guess 

 at the way — and after long and perplexing efforts, have frequently found ourselves, 

 wearied and discouraged, back at our starting point. We are in this position, however, 

 no longer. Those who now embark in gardening have the dearly bought and valuable 

 experience of others to guide them, and they may advance with confidence and rapidity. 



In parting with the readers of the Farmer, I may well congratulate them on such a 

 state of things ; ' and I cannot refrain from calling upon them to aid one another, by 

 communicating their experience, without hesitation or delicacy, through its pages. 

 This is the sure way to promote improvement. The results of actual practice, gathered 

 up from various localities, whether successful or unsuccessful, are more instructive than 

 the regular contributions of any individual, whatever his experience or capacity may be. 



I part with the gentlemen with^whom I have so long associated, on the most friendly 

 terms ; indeed, there has never been a single disagreeable word exchanged between either 

 proprietors or editors and myself, from the first day I became connected with them. 

 They personally, their journal, and its readers, have all my best wishes ; and as leisure 

 permits, I shall take occasion to communicate with them on some of the topics of the 

 times connected with horticulture. P- Barry. 



The reader will see by the above that our and their friend, who has so long and so 

 ably conducted the Horticultural Department of this journal, will no longer occupy the 

 responsible position of Editor ; while, as heretofore, he will " take occasion to commu- 



