JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Janaary 6, 18^ 
brighter auspices than hare been recognised for a considerable time. 
There is reason to believe we have reached the bottom of the valley 
of depression and gathered strength for a movement that must be 
upwards, if we move at all, and, as observed at the outset, there is 
no standing still in the affairs of life. 
But the upward path is all the same a rugged one. Obstacles 
will present themselves of a nature not easy to foresee, and those 
travellers who are the most prescient, and make the fewest false 
steps, will reach the goal of their desire the soonest. It is not 
necessary to dwell on what is an admitted fact, that integrity in 
trade is the only safe foundation on which to build successfully, 
and given a safe base of action the enterprise born of competition 
and experience will have the same results in the future as have 
accrued in the past in the establishment of famous centres 
of business and world-wide reputations. And it is the same 
in respect to those who serve. To serve faithfully, loyally, and 
perseveringly is to occupy a position as honourable as is to be found 
on earth. Some there may be, and are, who feel their services ill 
requited ; yet nevertheless to relax in effort in the path of duty is 
a step backwards—a false step, that cannot possibly advance those 
who take it. On the young especially, or those of them who are 
apt to judge hastily, we would impress that truth, and if they act in 
accordance with it they will be better men at the end of the year 
than they were at the beginning. The greater the obstacles they 
encounter the greater will be the reward in surmounting them, 
and the day will come when they will dwell with pride on their 
perseverance and endurance while others fell by the way. 
For ourselves we think we know our mission and shall endeavour 
to fulfil it. It is to advance the work in which thousands are 
engaged, because we believe it to be good and fraught with benefit 
to those who participate in it, while exerting a wholesome influence 
beyond its borders. We shall give aid where aid is sought, so far 
as it is in our power to do so ; and as our resources have been 
tested in the past we do not think they will fail in the future ; and 
our desire, as heretofore, in dealing with current matters is to be 
just and fair to all. That our work and labour is not in vain and 
unappreciated we have had much testimony, this being fairly 
embodied in the admirable communication of “ A Yorkshire 
Amateur," which will be as welcome to our readers as to ourselves. 
To our patrons and helpers we tender our cordial greetings on the 
opening year, and trust it may be prosperous to all. 
GREETINGS AND REFLECTIONS. 
Once more the time has come when we make it a custom to 
convey to all our friends our good wishes—to press their hands a 
little more firmly, and to shake them a little more heartily than we 
do at other times. Once more, therefore, I emerge from my 
obscurity for the purpose of again offering the right hand of 
fellowship to all connected with ila.Q Journal of Ho. ticuUure, readers, 
writers, editors, and proprietor. 
Another year—it seems only like a few months—has passed 
away since I addressed you ; and now we again stand, like a 
number of athletes, all ready toeing the line that marks the 
beginning of another race—another year. We are here at the 
beginning of it; who can tell where we shall be at its end ? 
How many of us shall finish the full course ? how many fall by 
the way ? how many go down into silence and the valley of 
shadows ? 
It is the Methodists, I think, who open the proceedings at their 
annual conference by singing the hymn beginning, 
“ And are we still alive, 
And see each other’s iace ? ’’ 
Our first thoughts on finding ourselves still in the land of the 
living at the beginning of a new year should be a feeling of 
thankfulness that we are still spared by that Providence “ that 
shapes our ends, rough-hew them as we may.” Death has, as usual, 
been busy during the last year. 
“ Leaves have their time to fall. 
And flowers to wither at the north wind’s breath, 
And stars to set; but all— 
Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death! ” 
[ Death has gathered his crop ; some ripe and full of years, 
falling calmly to sleep after a life of usefulness ; others snatched 
away full of strength and youth in the midst of busy life and toil. 
Well, in my opinion, the best preparation for the time and the life 
to come is to “ work while it is day.” So ye dreamers, you who 
are always going to begin next year, or some day, seize the present 
hour ; lose no time, for “ there is no time like the present,” and 
“ time and tide wait for no man.” 
But stay ! I fear my remarks have rather a melancholy tinge- 
This should not be so at the beginning of a new year. Perhaps, 
the weather, when I sat down to write these stray thoughts, had 
something to do with it. Then the sky was dark and cloudy, but, 
as I pause here, a sunray rests upon the page. I look away to the 
hills, and there I see the whole landscape, a moment ago all dim, 
and dark, now bathed in the rich warm g'ow of the setting sun. 
New and more cheerful thoughts arise—of the awakening of spring, 
of more light—the shortest day has passed now—of a renewal of 
energy, of new effort, new life, new hope. Just as this burst of 
sunshine has chased aw'ay the shadows, so we hope shall the warnx 
spring days and the glorious sun drive aw'ay the dark winter weather, 
together wuth all gloomy thoughts from our minds, leaving in their 
place nothing but joyful and glad anticipations of the delights 
which spring and summer shall bring to us. 
A special word to the proprietor and editors. The continued 
success of “our Journal” must be a source of gratification to you. 
That this success is well earned no reader of the paper can deny. 
As much depends on the selection of the material as depends upon 
the writing of that material itself, and it must be evident to all 
that this task of selection is performed wuth great care and attention. 
The plant you cultivate with so much pains and trouble is no 
barren one ; it carries always a noble and heavy crop, and while ever 
it is conducted on the present intelligent lines, there is little fear of 
canker or decay in its circulation, or in any of its parts. Long: 
may it flourish ! 
A word to the writers. Gentlemen,—Your communications are 
as valuable as ever. During the last twelve months much excellent 
matter, much interesting information, many useful hints have been 
published in the pages of “our Journal.” It were invidious to 
pick out anywhere all have done so well, but just one word in your 
ear. Cannot you prevent your feelings from getting the better < f 
you ? C annot you avoid the use of verbal brickbats and other 
similar missiles ? Remember that “ a soft answer turneth away 
wrath,” and that we readers of the Journal want information on 
floral and horticultural matters. We want your experience on thes'', 
and we do not care to have to search for it among the personal 
bickerings of the combatants. 
And now a word to my fellow readers. During the last year I 
have made the acquaintance of several of you. I have been where 
the Grapes grow (was that Gros Colman berry 2 or 3 inches in 
diameter, friend Taylor ?), I have cemented the friendship of 
others far north and far'south, east and west, through ihe post —by 
letter only, in fact. I have learned, too, that if one only does one’s 
best and is content to write down his experience fairly and honestly, 
that the readers of this paper are ever ready to acknowledge his 
efforts. Here, then, to all friendly letter writers I gratefully ex¬ 
press my thanks. Gardening still remains to me, as it ever will, 
the best, the most health-giving, the most satisfactory, and the 
most innocent of all my hobbies. 
“Nature never did deaeive the heart that loved her” 
—and she never will. To many. Nature in all her aspects is lov'ely. 
In the budding and opening leaves of spring, in the flowers of 
summer, in the fruits and tinted foliage of autumn, and even in 
the bare branches, and the snows and frosts of winter, she is always 
beautiful. To me she reveals herself mostly in the Rose—“ the 
Rose of brilliant hue and perfumed breath,” which “ buds, blossoms, 
dies, and still is sweet in death.” To others she may do so in the 
favourite flower of each individual among us. 
In conclusion, here’s success to the Journal ; here’s success to 
ourselves ; and here, offering a hand to everybody, is 
A Happy New Year to all. 
—Yorkship.e Amateur. 
HORTICULTURAL PROGRESS. 
There is no doubt, Mr. Editor, good ground for the congratu 
lations of the concluding paragraphs of your retrospect of the 
closing year. While the good old ship of Horticulture has, more 
or less, in the course of the past year, experienced stormy winds 
and heavy breakers, she has kept her head to the wind, and the 
records of her log book are not unsatisfactory. Let us hope that 
the year on which we have entered may leave you cause for still 
warmer congratulations, and justify you in eliminating from your 
