A m E R{ II C A\ PI 



m^m 



VOL. 2. 



ST. LOUIS, MO., APRIL, 1870. 



NO. 6. 



(gnlomokgiral gcpiTrlmenl. 



. R L E .S V . R I L K Y 



2SI N. Main St., St. Louis, 



THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Our readers, no doubt, will be a liltle .sur- 

 prised, upon receiving this number, to notice 

 the change in our title, and in the appearance 

 of our cover. Well, we confess that we are 

 fond of giving these little surprises, for which 

 reason we have never even so much as hinted 

 at this change, which we have long since had 

 in view. Now, kind reader, how does the 

 change suit you? You may be sure that it 

 pleases us, or we should not have made it, and 

 we can imagine an almost unanimous expression 

 of pleasure from the fairer portion of our sub- 

 scribers, as well as from the great majority of 

 the sterner sex. 



The success of the Entomologist in directing 

 attention to the pleai5ure and importance of the 

 study of Insects, especially of those affecting 

 the interests of Agriculture and Horticulture, 

 has been highly gratifying; and though there is 

 often much truth in the trite French aphorism 

 "le mieux est I'ennemi du'bien," yet we should 

 make no true progress in this world, if we 

 adhered to it too strictly. 



The two sciences of Entomology and Botany 

 go haud-in-hand ; they are, indeed, twin-sisters, 

 and we have often thought, and the matter has 

 frequently been suggested by friends, that the 

 usefulness of our Magazine might be increased 

 by broadening and extending its sphere of ope- 

 ration so as to include a department of Botany. 

 To us there is no branch of Natural History so 

 captivating as Entomology, but lives there a 

 field-entomologist who has not, over and over 

 again, admired the varied and beauteous forms 

 of plant-life around him, or who has not been 

 impressed a thousand times with the absolute 

 necessity of some knowledge of Botany to enable 

 him to fully carry out his own studies? We 

 trow not! 



It would be difiicult to determine which of 

 these two branches of Natural History has tlie 

 greatest number of devotees amongst the priest- 

 hood of Science ; but it is very evident that 

 Botany has the greatest number amongst the 

 laity. For while the tender flower develops 

 the a'sthetic part of man's nature, and draws 

 out the sympathy of every child, the poor des- 

 pised bug creates an equal degree of repugnance 

 in the popular mind. Tliis popular state of 

 mind is owing principally to the fact that the 

 eyes of but few have yet been opened to the 

 hidden wonders and beauties of the Insect 

 World. We know that there are hundreds of 

 persons who will subscribe to a journal devoted 

 to Plants, but who would never think of taking 

 one devoted to Bugs, and if by the change we 

 have inaugurated, additional readers are brought 

 to our Journal, and a few only of them learn to 

 appreciate the more generally despised of God's 

 creatures, we shall have accomplL-^hed a double 

 purpose. 



The field of Nature may be likened to a vast 

 Museum, where one may enter and view the 

 most wonderful objects, and lind on emerging 

 that the great mass has left but an indistinct 

 and confused impression on the mind. But if 

 a guide go with us and direct our attention in 

 detail to the many curiosities, and point out 

 their peculiarities, we shall find those objects 

 indelibly stamped upon the memory. Now if, 

 while striving to enhance the prosperity of the 

 country, by describing, figuring, and suggesting 

 remedies for the difleient insects which often 

 blight the hopes of the producer, we can at the 

 same time engage attention and study to the 

 Vegetable Kingdom, which is so very intimately 

 connected with the existence and comfort of the 

 human family, we shall feel that we are efTecting 

 increased benefit. 



It is with great pleasure, therefore, that we 

 introduce to our readers Mr. Geo. Vasey, of 

 Richview, Ills., who will furnish from eight to 

 twelve pages of botanical matter each month. 

 Mr. Vasey has long been known in the West 

 as an eminent botanist, and his reputation is a 

 sullicient guarantee of the abilitv with which 



