10 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL IMPROVEMENT. 



The taste for ornamental trees and shrubs is steadily increas- 

 ing throughout the country, adding to the beauty of our villages 

 and country towns, and creating a greater desire for rural im- 

 provement generally. There is room, however, for a more rapid 

 progress, and we have labored to show how important are trees, 

 not only as ornamental objects, but for the purposes of shelter, 

 and in the western portion of our country for fuel and timber. 

 To this end we have offered an article of our own, and an- 

 other by our correspondent, Mr. Flagg, who has shown in 

 how many ways plantations of trees contribute to our comfort. 

 In a climate as variable as ours no one can be insensible to 

 this fact, and it only surprises us that more has not been done 

 to shelter our dwellings from the chilling blasts of winter, as 

 well as protect our plantations from the unfavorable winds of 

 spring and autumn. There is no subject of more importance, 

 and we hope to awaken an interest in it which shall result in 

 accomplishing more speedily what, seems to have been so 

 long overlooked or forgotten. Mr. Flagg will commence 

 a series of papers in the present volume, on the character and 

 beauty of our forest trees, their adaptation to particular soils 

 and situationSj their fitness for shelter, shade, or ornament, 

 their growth and treatment, the pecuniary value which they 

 give to property, and their arrangement in plantations for pic- 

 turesque effect. We shall also endeavor to give a description 

 .of the rarer ornamental trees, which have been neglected, or 

 are too little known to be generally sought after by amateurs 

 and lovers of beautiful trees. 



We might enlarge upon this subject, but want of room 

 compels us to be brief. 



HORTICULTURAL LITERATURE. 



Since our last notice two years ago, there has been but 

 little added to our stock of Horticultural works. New edi- 

 tions of various books have appeared ; but the number of 

 new publications is small. The latter comprise Village and 

 Farm Cottages, by Messrs. Cleaveland, Backus Brothers, 

 I^ew York ; the Fruits of America, Yo\. II., nearly ready: 



