801 



I have had considerable experience with this class 

 of philanthropists, some of it rather amusing than 

 otherwise. Not many months since a gentleman 

 called on me, and submitted several letters of in- 

 troduction, endorsing his knowledge in chemistry 

 and vegetable physiology. After some preliminary 

 introductory remarks, intended to impre;ss me with 

 the great importance of his mission, he commenced 

 to read from manuscript an essay on plant propaga- 

 tion. I was struck with the familiarity of the ex- 

 pressions, and soon discovered that I was listening 

 to an article that I had prepared, and which was 

 published in one of our Magazines about fifteen 

 years ago. Luckily I could produce the printed 

 copy which ended the reading. This is an illustra- 

 tion of the class I allude to, and they are very 

 troublesome in some neighborhoods, causing great 

 annoyance to those who have not the persistent 

 loquaciousness necessary to fairly meet such self- 

 confident novices. 



It is the subject of remark that during the past 

 few years, there has been announced several inven- 

 tions in horticulture mainly connected with plant 

 propagation. We are not perhaps warranted to say 

 that any great advance has been made by these 

 discoveries, either in explanation of the principles, 

 or their practical application to plant propagation. 

 I allude to it in connection with our subject, because 

 I know of more than one instance where these in- 

 ventors, in their excess of zeal, have attempted to 

 throw odium on gardeners who would not regard 

 their frivolities with favor, and sanction their pre- 

 tended claims. 



It is very far from my purpose to even hint at 

 anything that would for a moment lead to the sup- 

 position that I consider further improvement im- 

 possible in these matters, but improvements can 

 only result from a thorough knowledge of the sub- 

 ject, and even a slight acquaintance with vegetable 

 physiology would tend to prevent the promulgation 

 of such puerile conceits, but we fear that it will yet 

 be some time before even that slight knowledge will 

 be a general acquirement. 



It is not uncommon for employers to remark that 

 they do not wish afanci/ gardener, meaning thereby 

 that they desire mainly the substantialities of a 

 garden, as distinguished from the merely orna- 

 mental. It is a lact that some gardeners consider 

 vegetable and fruit culture as subjects beneath their 

 capacities. These men delight to cultivate flowers 

 and ornamental plants, and may exhibit great skill 

 in their management, but profess that their acquire- 

 ments are too valuable, and their time of more im- 

 portance than to be consumed either in the vegetable 



or fruit garden. This is undoubtedly a great mis- 

 take, and in no sense greater than when acted upon 

 under the supposition that superior skill is required 

 in the greenhouse to that called for in these other 

 departments of a gardeners care. While I profess 

 to a de:^ree of admiration and appreciation second 

 to none in beholding a well managed greenhouse 

 and specimens of superior plant culture, yet I ven- 

 ture to assert that a greater amount of skill, fore- 

 sight and discrimination is required, in order to 

 attain the highest perfection in the products of the 

 fruit and vegetable gardens, than is required in the 

 greenhouse ; at the same time I think there are but 

 few who excel in the one case, that may not equally 

 excel in the other, certain I am that the best plant 

 growers that I have known, were also eminent for 

 their fruit and vegetable productions. There is no 

 reason why it should be otherwise, since the princi- 

 ples involved are equally applicable to all, and the 

 experience necessary for their application is not of 

 difficult attainment. 



Before closing this very irperfect treatment of 

 the subject. I will merely mention that it is well 

 understood among gardeners of experience that a 

 new place is especially precarious. By new place I 

 mean that where a gentleman for the first time em- 

 ploys a gardener, who has but a faint idea of what 

 to expect, and whose exactions are of the most won- 

 derful character. Of course all are not alike, but 

 the rule has become somewhat fixed that they are 

 very uncertain. 



KEEPING QUINCE CUTTINGS THROUGH 

 WINTER. 



BY T. T. SOUTHWICK, DANVILLE, N. Y. 



I never had cuttings come out so finely as when 

 kept this way: — Place a layer of swamp moss (the 

 kind mostly used lor packing trees) in a box, then a 

 layer of cuttings, and so on. 



The moss should be nicely damp^ not wet. It is 

 better than sand, as being less apt to rot the buds 

 during winter. Place the boxes in a cool cellar. 



I also use Pine saw- dust for packing away Apple 

 Grafts in winter. They keep much better than 

 in sand, — coming out, in spring, brighter and 

 fresher. 



