EDITORIAL. 
Some days ago, the editor came across a most curious collec- 
tion consisting of nearly thirteen thousand buttons no two of 
which are alike. In getting this immense number of different 
foniis together, the owner has spared neither time nor money and 
the unique result is something with which the button strings of 
childhood days, are not to be compared. The very immensity of 
the task of sorting out and arranging all those buttons gives the 
collection a touch both of importance and value and the owner is 
justly proud of the fact. But as string followed string in seem- 
ingly endless procession, one could not help reflecting upon the 
vast amount of energy that had here gone to waste. Years of 
work and correspondence and the dollars that make these possible 
all summed up in a great pile of buttons ! A similar devotion to 
any branch of natural science would have made the student an au- 
thority; a like enthusiasm for scientific collecting would have 
formed a collection that even the authorities would have been glad 
to consult. But before we condemn the button-collector it would 
be well, perhaps, to see if we have not as useless a collection of 
our own. What of the plant lover who is constantly seeing new 
or interesting traits in his favorites, but neglects to make thei" 
known to others ? Is his knoAvledge anything more to the rest of 
us than a string of buttons ? And the man who is so eager to col- 
lect new material that he never has time to properly arrange what 
has already been collected— of what greater value to his generation 
is such material ? And the one who disputes over obscure points 
in nomenclature, and the mere gatherer of botanical facts—but 
why continue when the moral of the sermon is in full view? If 
we would turn our leisure to good account, we must not only take 
up something of permanent interest, but must make the results of 
our labors known to others. And in this direction there is no- 
thing at once so attractive and so full of promise as the study of 
botany. 
Now is the time to select your wild shrubs and trees for the 
lawn and garden. It is much better to transplant such things in 
autumn than at any other season. Growth has ceased and if they 
are moved now and properly planted, they will be ready in spring 
