.". As a special m iuce?nenl to lead our rcadci s to contribute short 

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

 photographs 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 will 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 mutually between readers 

 by the telling of experience should be a sufficient inducement to 

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

 offer from our readers. 



I. LITTLE TWIGS. 



CoLEUs plants are easily raised from seed. 



Vick's Monthly, Rochester, N. Y.,with the November 

 issue was changed in style and reduced in price. 



The cinnamon of commerce is the inner bark of a 

 species of laurel, CinnatJiomttni veritiii. 



The winter supply of tomatoes for the London market 

 is largely provided by growers in the Canary Islands. 



The population of England is said to pay out 75 cents 

 per capita a year for fruit. 



The late Emperor Dom Pedro was much interested 

 in gardening and kindred pursuits. 



Something of pomological or floral interest can al- 

 ways be found upon our page of horticultural markets. 



The masses of evergreens on our grounds, comprising 

 many species, are a daily source of delight at this season. 

 We love them. 



Tuberous begonias with flowers so striped as to recall 

 the flake and bizarre carnation have recently been ob- 

 tained by Ernst Benary. 



The secret formula lawn-grass mixtures must go, or 

 at least be relegated to the rank of commission seeds. 

 See report on some tests in another department. 



An Asiatic Way. — The Chinese obtain tree-chrysan- 

 themums by grafting the improved varieties on the erect 

 stems of a species of artemisia. 



A sunset, a forest, a snow-storm, a certain river-view, 

 are more to me than many friends, and do ordinarily 

 divide my day with my books. — Emerson. 



Handfuls of tobacco stems, kept moistened and laid 

 among your plants, may almost wholly take the place of 



partments 



the inconvenient fumigation in riddi 

 of insects. 



Celery. — Kalamazoo no longer has a corner, or near 

 that, on celery-growing. Numerous other sections are 

 being discovered in widely separated states, equally 

 suited to growing this delicious succulent. 



Extensive Orchid-Growers. — The United States 

 Nurseries at Short Hills, N. J., is a comparatively young 

 establishment, yet it contains 21 greenhouses devoted 

 to orchids. 



Wintering Squashes. — A warm dry apartment is 

 essential. Cellars heated by furnace or boiler are first- 

 rate. In such a place we have preserved specimens 

 until late in spring. — M. S. Perkins, Mass. 



Health Among Flowers. — The Gartner's Zeitting 

 reports an authentic case of a German florist whose age 

 is now loi years. He was born in October, 1790, and 

 still enjoys fairly good health. 



The increased use of cauliflowers is a notable feature 

 in New York's green-truck trade. Growers should aim 

 to help further the demand by cultivating the best speci- 

 mens of this desirable and profitable garden product. 



Just think of it! California's venture in viticulture 

 is within little more than a quarter of a century, and a 

 crop of perfect commercial raisins was produced last 

 year which makes us almost independent of the vines of 

 Spain. 



Beauty everywere. — Before I read Ruskin, I won- 

 dered why God had not made the world more beautiful. 

 When I read Ruskin, I saw that the world was as beau- 

 tiful as it could be. I was taught to see that the com- 

 monest things were full of beauty. — Prof. Drummond. 



A remarkable case of natural grafting is reported 

 from Michigan. Two hemlock trees in Alpena county, 

 the trunks of which are 15 inches in diameter, stand 

 six feet apart at the base. Ten feet above the ground 

 the trunks unite, from which point a single stem some 

 70 feet high proceeds. 



Free mail-delivery. — The feeling in favor of the 

 free delivery of mails throughout the rural districts is 

 almost unanimous. It is bound to come. You may 

 hasten its day by writing to your congressmen and to 

 each of your state's senators, urging them to support 

 such a measure when it is brought before Congress. 



Dirt Weighs. — When our San Francisco exchanges 

 speak of a huge cocoanut tree, weighing six tons, that 



