January 10, 1884. ] 
TO OUR READERS. 
Again it is our pleasure to convey our thanks—not merely as a stereotyped form of politeness to all who 
have aided us in the completion of our last volume, but in a very warm and earnest manner for the valuable 
communications that have enriched its pages. 
Also we take this opportunity of acknowledging the many pleasant greetings of which we have been the 
recipients during the past fortnight, and to assure all our correspondents that their good wishes are appreciated 
and reciprocated. 
A pleasant feature of the volume to which the accompanying Index refers is the active interest that is 
manifested in the future of horticulture by young men who are preparing themselves to become worthy representatives 
of the craft in which they are engaged. 
Never during any similar period of time have we received so many letters from under gardeners—some 
conveying and others seeking information. We rejoice that such is the case, and we are still more glad to record that 
not a few of them indicate that there is good promise for the future of gardening and garden literature. 
Our advice to all young men is, Strive to excel the skilful teachers of the present and the past; and our hope 
is that the old and experienced will cheerfully assist the young and deserving. 
Amateurs continue working as busily and writing as instructively as ever. One of them sends us Apples far 
excelling any that were sent from the same county to the Apple Congress, and observes: “ Entirely on information 
derived from the Journal have they been grown, and I take this opportunity of again expressing my obligations to it 
as an impartial encourager of honest effort, and as a scientific exponent of horticulture of the highest class. This is 
not for publication, except it can be of service as showing what can be done in small space with feeble health and no 
resident gardener.” 
To aid such shall be our steady endeavour, and such results and letters as this from a country vicarage 
enable us to look into the past thankfully and to the future hopefully, cheerfully, confidently. May it be 
prosperous to all. 
