by private growers ; under this head we can but offer ex- 
pressions of gratitude to numerous friends, many of them 
unknown to us before the commencement of the Fruitist, 
for their ready, and in many eases unsolicited, information, 
regarding newly-raised varieties of fruit. Through their 
valuable aid, we have been, and shall still further be, en- 
abled to make generally known, many of superior merit, 
which hitherto have been cultivated only in small districts 
surrounding the places of their origin. This, we have 
much hope, will render an essential service to the fruit- 
growing public. 
Furthermore, to make the Fruitist additionally useful, 
we have availed ourselves of the assistance of some of the 
first cultivators in the kingdom. Thus hoping, that in 
addition to information regarding the best sorts, we may 
communicate information regarding the best cultivation. 
In the Floral department new beauties pour in upon us. 
Both the Eastern and Western portions of the globe, — the 
vast exjianse of America and China, under latitudes iden- 
tical with our own, possess tliousands of j)lants, to us un- 
known and unheard of. Additions from these are almost 
daily made to our gardens, and the means are fast increas- 
ing by which more rapid supplies of novelties will be 
obtained. It will still be to us, as it has hitherto been, 
both a duty and a pleasure to be their faitliful chronicler. 
It remains only that we ofl'er grateful thanks to our cor- 
respondents and friends, and to that Providence, under the 
blessings of which alone can any of our efl'orts be useful 
