VICK’S FLORAL PREMIUMS. 
For the purpose of encouraging the culture and love of flowers, I authorize the officers of 
every State and Territorial Agricultural Society in the United States (and where there are two 
prominent Societies in one State, both), and the Province of Canada, to offer, in my behalf, the 
following premiums: 
For the Best Collection of Cut Flowers, . . $20.co I Third Best Collection of Cut Flowers, . . . 5.00 
Second Best, “ “ 10.00 | Fourth Best, “ “ Floral Chromo. 
The offer is made to amateurs only, and the flowers to be exhibited at their regular Annual 
Fairs. The awards to be made by the regular Judges, or by any Committee appointed for the 
purpose. When only one collection is exhibited, the Judges may award the first, or any other 
premium, according to merit, but the exhibition must be a creditable one, and if not so, in the 
opinion of the Judges, no premium to be awarded. The flowers not to be made up in bouquets, 
but exhibited separate and named. The object being to award the premiums to the flowers, and 
not for tasteful arrangement. Also, 
For the Best Ornamental Floral Work (either Bouquet or Floral Ornament), . $5.00 
I shall not consider the offer accepted by any Society, unless published in the regular Pre¬ 
mium List, so that all may have an opportunity to compete. The officers of Societies will please 
see that DISINTERESTED and COMPETENT Judges are appointed. 
I also authorize the officers of every County Society in America to offer one of my Floral 
Cmromos for best exhibition of Cut Flowers. Now let us have some grand exhibitions of flowers. 
STRANGE POSTAL FINANCIERING. 
Mr. Bangs, Superintendent of Railway Mail Service, in his Report, says that while the 
merchandise does not burden or delay the mails, still, he thinks Government cannot afford to 
carry it at eight cents a pound. That idea will appear very strange to all business men. The 
mails, according to the report, were carrying three hundred thousand pounds of third-class 
matter in a given time, and of this only twenty-five thousandpounds were merchandise. Two 
hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds consisted of periodicals, which were mainly carried for 
two cents a pound , yielding the Government five thousand five hundred dollars. Twenty-five 
thousand pounds , or one-twelfth of the whole amount, consisted of seeds, cuttings, plants, books. 
See., and this brought the Government eight cents a pound, four times the price charged for papers, 
and yielding the Government two thousand dollars, nearly half as much as the two hundred and 
seventy thousand pounds of periodicals. And yet, according to Mr. Bangs, the Postal Depart¬ 
ment cannot afford to carry the goods which gives it the greatest amount of money for the 
least work, and that without any special burden or inconvenience. It can cariy some things 
for two cents a pound, but cannot others for eight. There may be wisdom in this, but ordinary 
people will not be able to see it. The secret is, we suppose, that Express companies do not 
carry periodicals to subscribers, but would like to carry books and seeds to those who buy them, 
and charge about as much as the books and seeds are worth. Whether the people will allow the 
Postal Department of our Government to be run in the interests of the Express companies 
remains to be seen. 
- m 0 ^ - 
An Apology. — We have to apologise to about half a bushel — we mean to a great num¬ 
ber—of our friends, for having neglected to respond to their inquiries in this number. We 
have now a half bushel basket entirely full of letters asking for information, and our pages are 
full. If Congressmen would only behave themselves, we could devote a good many more pages 
to answering questions; but of course we cannot let the nation go to ruin. We shall, however, 
go right along with another number, and answer, as best we can, every letter of inquiry now in 
our basket. Having done our duty to our countiy, we shall have no more to say, unless some¬ 
thing is done meaner, and more senseless than usual ; and this seems hardly possible. 
Cauliflower. — Richard Sherman, of Glendall, Wisconsin, last spring made his first 
attempt to grow Cauliflower, and had great success. The Erfurt Early Dwarf was the variety 
chosen. “One head weighed fourteen and a half pounds, and as white as snow.” 
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