869 



ripening of crops of which we have now no thought. 

 In preparing a paper for the Agricultural depart- 

 ment of Forney's Weekly Press a few weeks ago, 

 before we had seen this article in the Gardener s 

 Ckrom'cle, the writer of this referred to the fact that 

 where a manure heap had been in a wheat field, the 

 wheat on that rich soil, did not mature for some 

 days after the rest of the field was quite ripe. 



The only purpose in that paper, was to show that 

 where there is danger of disease attacking the 

 wheat crop at a late period of the season of ripen- 

 ing, it was wisdom to sow thick to hasten maturity ; 

 but the fact has a greater value in this place as il- 

 lustrating the importance of a great principle in its 

 general application — namely, the principle that 

 great vigor, which the extra manure gave the wheat, 

 causes a later ripening than the same wheat under 

 more impoverished circumstances. 



American gardeners — at least the readers of the 

 Gardener's Monthly — now receive amongst the re- 

 cognized laws of gardening, that Pruning is in all 

 cases at the expense of vigorous vitality : we think 

 they may now add to this, that one of the result of 

 weakened vitality is a tendency to early bearing. 



PORTRAIT or PROF. LINBLEY. 



{See Frontispiece,) 



Almost all our readers bind theirannualvolum.es. 

 As a reference, giving the history of Horticulture 

 in the United States and containing a rich mine of 

 valuable information, a set of the Gardener's 

 Monthly is indispensable to the progressive Horti- 

 culturist. To bind up with the volume, which this 

 number concludes, we present our subscribers a por- 

 trait of Prof Lindley. 



It is two years this past November since this 

 distinguished Horticulturist died, but the efi'ects of 

 his writings and labors in behalf of the art will long 

 exist, and for many years to come his portrait will 

 possess an interest to all engaged in gardening. 



We gave a full notice of him at the time of his 

 decease, but we may here repeat that he was born 

 near Norwich, England, in 1799, his father being a 

 nurseryman there. His first work in 1819 was a 

 translation of a French book on fruits. Loudon's 

 Encyclopedia of plants, published in 1829, was in 

 part the work of Lindley. In 1830 his natural 

 system of Botany helped much to replace the 

 Linnaean system by a better one; but his 

 great work, the "Vegetable Kingdom," was a 

 marvel of thoughtful labor. To the Gardener s 

 Chronicle, however, he is chiefly indebted for his 

 fame as a horticulturist. He was engaged as Edi- 



tor of this in 1841, and he conducted it with mark- 

 ed ability till his death. 



NOTES OP WESTERN TRAVEL. 



Our last chapter dropped us on the road to Han- 

 ford's Columbus Nursery. It is situated on a high 

 but level tract of land, about three quarter of a 

 mile out of town, and lets you know you are ap- 

 proaching it by a strong guard of Norway Spruce, 

 "presenting arms" in beautiful style, and chal- 

 lenging your admiration. These extend along the 

 northern boundary for about a quarter of a mile, 

 are about 25 feet high, and we suppose about 20 

 feet apart. They give much to the warmth and 

 shelter of the nursery, and thus add a money value 

 to the business, as well as a lasting improvement to 

 the real estate. Around the nursery is an Osage 

 Orange hedge, very well managed, forming a per- 

 fectly protective guard. The Norway Spruces are 

 planted about 15 feet from the hedge, and thus a 

 beautiful drive is formed all around the nursery, 

 with a hedge screen on one side and the beautiful 

 trees on the other. 



The nurseries occupy about 1 00 acres, and were 

 founded by Mr. Bateham some eighteen or twenty 

 year ago, subsequently Messrs. EUwanger & Barry 

 acquired an interest in the business, which was about 

 eight years ago purchased by Hanford Bros. Bate- 

 ham, Hanford & Co., was afterwards replaced by 

 the Hanfords alone, and one of them dying soon 

 afterwards, the present proprietor has the few past 

 years had to carry on the affairs alone. With so 

 many and so recent changes, we could scarcely ex- 

 pect to see the same heavy business and systematic 

 arrangements which should result from long expe- 

 rience, and sometimes do ; but we were much pleased 

 to find an establishment which would do no dis- 

 credit to prominent eastern localities, notwithstand- 

 ing the frequent apologies of the estimable proprie- 

 tor, that his place was not up to the style of "you 

 eastern men." 



The leading stock grown here, as in most western 

 nurseries, is the apple, of these there were several 

 acres of two year olds in prime condition, and as 

 many more of one year olds coming on. Next in 

 importance seemed to be the peach and cherry— all 

 seeming to pay as nursery crops in this latitude. 



Ornamental trees of any size did not appear to be 

 in much demand ; but by the large stock of young 

 ones set out, we judged Mr. Hanford foresaw the 

 coming necessity which farmers must soon feel for 

 them. The name "ornamental " has been an in- 

 jury to the nation. Farmers feel— in many cases 



