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.•. As a special inducement to lead our t i-adrt s to contribute sliort 

 notes on cultural methods and devices, and to send in sketches and 

 photograr hs of choice plants, fruits, flowers, vegetables, garden 

 scenes, implements, etc., the publishers hereby make the following 

 offer for a limited time: For any good article that occupies a half- 

 column or so of space, or for any sketch or photograph from which 

 an acceptable picture can be made for these columns, a year's sub- 

 scription to this journal 7vill be given. The articles will not for a 

 moment be judged by the standard of fine writing or composition, 

 but by the practical and useful ideas or suggestions in them. But 

 besides this premium, the gain accruing mutxially between readers 

 by the telling of experience should be a sufficient inducement to 

 contribute such notes. We shall look for a hearty response to this 

 offer from our readers. 



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I. LITTLE TWIGS. 

 Welcome increased sunshine. 

 Trees are God's architecture. 

 Are you your own berry-grower? 

 American Gardening covers about all. 

 Are the bulbs and tubers in a dry place ? . 

 The Horse-chestnut is from the mountains of 

 Greece. 



Tell the family of your greatest success thus far in 

 gardening. 



Legible inscriptions two centuries old are found on 

 beech trees. 



We covered many things in the garden last month 

 with slabs of turf. 



Tuberous Begonias gave much satisfaction at'.'Wood- 

 banks" the last year. 



A horticultural text-book for public-school use 

 would be a good thing. 



What's in a Name ? — In this instance, American 

 Garden, Popular Gardening. 



The splitting of peachstones is attributed to excess 

 of moisture at the root at the ripening stage. 



Carefully picked apples keep remarkably well so 

 long as we give them a low, equable temperature. 



Why should not every public park have its chrysan- 

 themum-house to contribute November attractions ? 



Worth thinking of. — At a recent appraisement, 

 some shade-trees were estimated to be worth $750 each. 



If the winter coat over strawberries and garden 

 plants was neglected, it may yet be applied with good 

 results. 



A capital course for family study this month would 

 be the Elements of Botany. For this Gray's Lessons 

 are delightful. 



It is better to plant forty acres of one kind of fruit 

 than to plant ten acres each of four kinds, thinks the 

 California Fruits and Flo-wers. 



Sweden believes in horticulture. It is said that 

 more than 20,000 children are regularly instructed in 

 tree-planting and kindred subjects. 



To those who can only grow window-plants that 

 "will stand everything" we would name Aspidistra 

 larida, sometimes called Parlor Palm. 



Quick Work. — In the recent plant-potting contest at 

 Madison Square Garden, George Martin potted 1,277 

 cuttings in an hour, and won the first prize. 



The little Emerald Gem Melon has not yet deterio- 

 rated. Even in this rather cool season it was as sweet 

 and spicy as ever. None are better ; and there were 

 plenty of them. 



To Henderson No. 400 Tomato belongs the prize for 

 size and solidity. Two specimens on one cluster weigh- 

 ing three and one-quarter pounds are not often found on 

 our ordinary sorts. 



' A good plan — At a recent horticultural show in Chi- 

 cago, one interesting feature developed was to have every 

 visitor vote on the best exhibit in the whole show. — 

 C. C. Gay, Cook Co., III. 



Do Moles eat Peanuts ? — James Rose says he has got 

 rid of moles by boring small holes in peanut-kernels 

 with a small-bladed knife, filling them with strychnine, 

 and dropping them into the runs. 



Irrigation in growing onions on the new plan has 

 been practised the last summer by E. H. Cushman, of 

 Ohio, presumably with gopd results. Perhaps he will 

 tell our readers all about it soon. 



FiG-GROWiNG is possible in well-protected situations 

 and with good winter covering, as far north as Canada ; 

 but while interesting to .the amateur, should not be ex- 

 pected to be made a source of profit. 



Christmas-tide is past, with all its duties and delights. 

 Now we look toward Easter-day, the festival of resur- 

 rection, when nature, underneath the snow, bestirs her- 

 self, quickened with the new life of another year. 



