Notes and Gleanings. 227 



The Story of Vineland. — Here, now, is a village " with all the modern improve- 

 ments." Our old country villages are among the most charming places in the 

 world ; but why should we not add to their charms all that an experience of two 

 centuries and a half has taught us ? " That is just what we are doing," you answer. 

 Yes ; but how much more encouraging to put new ideas in practice when we can 

 start de novo with all the laws and regulations in our favor, instead of conflicting 

 with our new notions ! How could we demonstrate the possibility of saving the 

 vast outlay for building and repairing fences in a place where cows and pigs 

 had run at large from time immemorial 1 



And we, too, ask, What of the future .'' Of course, there have not been want- 

 ing prophets of evil omen who informed us that the prosperity of Vineland 

 could not be of long continuance ; that the soil would not hold out long; and so 

 on. But, however that may be (though I think there are too many persevering 

 Yankees there to fail), there is no doubt that Vineland will do a good work by 

 showing what can be effected in a community engaging in the same pursuit, and 

 shaping all their institutions to accomplish it in the best manner. Such a place 

 as Vineland, where everybody grows fruit and nobody hcts fences, has a work 

 to do in correcting the loose notions which prevail everywhere else that I know 

 of in regard to property in fruit. 



I hope, Mr. Editor, all your readers will read and ponder the article on "Pure 

 Seeds." Here we have the facts about the quantity of weed-seed mixed with 

 grass and clover ; and truly they are startling. Fifty thousand weed-seeds in a 

 single pint of clover ! Think of sowing such stuff as that on your lawns ! I 

 am glad you have published the laws proposed in England ; for they may serve 

 as a hint to our law-makers here to give us some protection, of which there is 

 certainly need enough. But let us not rely too much on laws ; for we have the 

 power in our own hands if we choose to use it, though laws may be a useful as- 

 sistance. Let us all resolve from this day forward that we will never buy a sin- 

 gle ounce of seed that we suspect to be impure or spurious or that has lost its 

 vitality, and that we will never purchase but of a reputable dealer, and our seeds- 

 men will soon find their account in selling good seed, and learn the value of 

 a good name. Such ones there are now : find them out, and buy of them. 



The beautiful cut of the variegated Abutilon will be interesting to all who 

 saw Mr. Hunnewell's specimen-plant (which received a premium from the Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society), and, indeed, to those who did not. 



I like the article on " GardenThorns : " for I do not know of any more beau- 

 tiful shrubs than the double white hawthorn, with its little- rosettes of flowers, and 

 glossy, beautifully-cut leaves ; or the cockspur-thorn, with its still more glossy 

 foliage, changing to the richest colors in autumn. 



What shall I say of the Poire de 1' Assumption ? Is this the pear which we 

 have been looking for to extend the season oi large pears (already advanced one 

 step by the Clapp's Favorite) another step forward ? It looks to me like it ; and 

 I do not wonder that it has created so much excitement in Europe. 



Bismarck. 



