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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 
OF AMERICA 
Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 
1 Vol. xx. 
DECEMBER, 1916. 
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No. 12. 
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May we have in this coming year a new sense of what we are worth to each other 
because of our common humanity. 
May we cherish and be stimulated by every achievement of character in others. 
May we value manhood, regarding with reverent sympathy its hopes, its aspirations, 
its noble purposes. 
May we find in these things that which draws out our hearts and binds us as man 
to man with strong cords. Knowing our own hearts, may the compassion of Christ 
never fail us; yet constrained by the beauty of righteousness may we constantly 
demand of ourselves and others the full measure of justice and honor. 
LUCIUS H. THAYER. 
Things and Thoughts of the Garden 
By The Onlooker 
WE are now in the early winter period 
of the year. How quickly, how very 
quickly, do the seasons roll by ! There 
is a story told of an aged gentleman whose duties 
kept him busy, who is said to have remarked: "When I 
was a boy the days seemed to drag along. When I 
became a man at 21 they began to walk. In middle life 
they seemed to run. Now they fairly gallop." Well, 
really, the days and weeks seem to gallop, right enough, 
and "The Onlooker" isn't yet "an aged gentleman." 
How many of my friends had I intended to write to 
this Christmas and send them a message who will cer- 
tainly go short because I haven't had the time. You're 
in the same boat, are you not? 
* * # 
About New Year's the advance guard of the seed cata- 
logs come in. All through November and December the 
compilers have been busy, and after them the printers. 
Have you ever thought how much careful study and 
labor goes into the making of a big seed catalog? Listen. 
After the seed harvest has been canvassed and closely 
estimated the responsible partners or principals go over 
the list of subjects in their previous catalog. They know 
what stock of seeds they have on hand, what stocks of 
new -seeds they are sure of, what they can reasonably 
expect to come in, and others that are short or very 
doubtful. Beans, onions, peas may be a short crop ; short 
all over the country. Last year, if I remember right, 
beet was very tight. Spinach, too. The European war 
has unset calculations and is continuing to, but at any 
rate, the figuring out has to be done and the pricing is in 
accordance. The list of newer varieties or of recent 
novelties calls for special attention. Progressive firms 
like to maintain and feature a list of meritorious novel- 
ties. If one or more of these falls short, necessarily they 
have to "plav up" its neighbor. So far, so good. What 
of the illustrations? These must be prepared when the 
plants and crops are growing. Several firms have pho- 
tographers and artists attached to their staff. Some 
employ full-time photographers. Said photographers 
are the "Johnny on the spot," ready to go out at the 
psychological moment and get their subject looking its 
very best. Flower and vegetable photography is a 
specialty anyway, and a crack portrait photographer, or 
a photographer of interior decorations might fall far 
short of the best excellence if he tried to take flower 
pictures. Then comes the descriptive writer. 
The man who writes descriptions should know his 
business. He must have several points of view regis- 
tered in his mind. Nowadays the hifalutin is being exor- 
cised rather than exercised. Glowing descriptions are 
not wanting ; neither are overdrawn pictures, but the 
best houses strive always to furnish a true account of 
their varieties and only that. Mind you, a writer has 
to keep in mind that what he is describing is something 
new and good. As there are other good things also 
before the purchaser, it seems called for on his part to 
go somewhat into niceties and to emphasize them. Com- 
parisons, too, although said to be odious, are advisable 
in order to bring out the points of development in the 
novelty. In the realm of flowers the breeders and 
selectors have made giant strides. Each year sees im- 
provement. Nothing is truer. It happens, therefore, that 
the newcomer may lay claim to or deserve everything 
that is said in its favor, although something similar may 
appear to have been said of other varieties in times 
past. Our part, as purchasers, is to speculate and test 
the newcomer. After all, even if we draw a blank or get 
disappointed, what lots of fun we've had in the expectant 
watching. Even the seedmen, the most experienced of 
them, get disappointed over their own pets. Seasons, 
localities, soils, the aspect of the garden in which the 
plant is grown, also the cultural treatment that is given, 
each and all play a part. Too many people sow, plant, 
or "garden" carelessly or wrongly, and then lay the blame 
501 
