JAN 23 1895 
48459 
TO OUR READERS. 
We were quite aware that it savours of rashness to promise of great things yet to be achieved, when we 
said, in our last address, that we felt assured that at the conclusion of our next volume our readers would 
not withhold from us their approbation. But we had full confidence in our “ men at arms; ” and now that 
“ next volume ” is concluded, we fearlessly look our readers in the face, and ask for the approbation we 
anticipated. Not one of the able minds devoted to the enrichment of our pages but evinces that its strength 
is unexhausted; and not one but continues in some mode to repeat, “ My armour’s on,—I would that the 
lists were widerand this is shown by what they have done from week to week, and from month to month. 
Then upon the merit of that strength which they have put forth we also fearlessly ask for approbation; 
for in no periodical in all our horticultural literature can be found such a mass of sound useful gardening 
information as within our “ twopenny pages.” We speak firmly upon this, because we have those best of 
testimonies—old friends continue with us, and a host of new friends come around us. One of the latter 
writes to us thus : “I hear from every quarter unqualified praise of your truly admirable publication, as well 
from brother clergymen as from other parties. I assure you the taking it in has become quite a connecting 
link between many people who would otherwise have not, perhaps, naturally been drawn together. It 
is a regular masonic sign—unmistakeable and humanizing.” 
It is from such testimony as this that the weary brain and the weary hand gather encouragement and 
strength; and we can assure our readers that both these are strengthened, and that week by week they will 
find evidence in our pages that the “ masonic sign ” has not lost any of its freshness, nor any of its power. 
Old features, we are confident, will be found worthy of the welcome they will receive ; and there will 
be new features, we think, quite deserving of being admitted into fellowship with the old. 
