The American Garden 
fliouthly Journal of ^practical 
Dr. V. M. HEXAMliR, Editor. 
(gardening. 
Vol. V. 
NEW-Y,ORK, APRIL, 1884. 
CONTROVERSIES. 
An esteemed friend objects to a statement 
made by one o£ our eorrespondonts, and in 
defense of liis own position sends a vervlomr 
nvtiVio This we ^ 
article. rms we 
must respectfully 
decline to publish, 
not because we be¬ 
lieve his state¬ 
ments less trust¬ 
worthy and reliable 
than those of oui' 
correspondent, but 
because we con¬ 
sider the space of 
our pages too val¬ 
uable to fill it with 
discussions and dis¬ 
putes aboutmatters 
involving so great 
a diversity of opin¬ 
ion, that even those 
who have made a 
life-long study of 
the subjects cannot 
agi-ee. 
We hold that the 
chief object of a 
horticultural jour¬ 
nal is not so much 
the giving of minute 
prescriptions for 
the performance of 
the different gar¬ 
dening operations 
and for infallible 
remedies for all the 
ills vegetable life 
is heir to, as to in¬ 
duce observation 
and experiment¬ 
ing, to stimulate 
thought and study, 
and to develop 
soimd, clear judg¬ 
ment, capable to 
draw correct and 
logical conclusions. 
To the furtherance 
of this aim nothing 
is more detrimental 
than'petty disputes 
and quarrels about 
diverging opinions. 
The e.xtent of our 
country, its diver¬ 
sity of soil and cli¬ 
mate, in localities 
of apparent equal¬ 
ity, even, are so 
great that similar 
and methods, they may bo equally honest and 
earnest in their convictions. 
We do not have the least desire to force 
our individual opinions upon our readers, 
and say. 
IN SPRING. 
WniTTBX roll TIIU A.MEMCAN GAfiDEN. 
Come out Avitli me this April day 
And hear what spring will sing an 
On such a balmy day as this 
Imrget tvliat care and soitow isj 
Forget tlio winter and its snow, 
And tliink of fragrant llowcrs that blow 
Above dead leaves to typify 
Tile soul that lives and cannot die. 
See, hero’s a blossom at our feet, 
A little tliiug, but oh, liow sweet! 
Facli fragile petal holds a liiiit 
Of Heiivon in its dainty tint. 
With suushiiic at its heart. And see, 
It has a lover in the bee. 
Who comes witli polku-dusted thigh. 
To visit it as he goes by. 
n.arlc! hear the blnebirfl! See ids wings 
Feat out the measure, as ho sings, 
Of his sweet song, and somewhere near 
A robin’s cliecry ciiirp I hoar. 
The brook sings softly, as it flows 
Past banks whereon the Willow grows, 
And every branch .and twig to-d.ay 
Becomes a prophecy' of Maya 
How tcuderly the April sicy' 
Le.an8 down to earth. 'The winds go by 
With balm of healing on their vdiigs. 
Oh, heart, be glad, with all glad things. 
Forget the winter that is past,— 
kA I'*!® dreamed-of spring is here at last. 
Some spring, please God, in Heaven’s sweet 
weather, 
^ibhrts will all grow glad together. 
-srt Eben E. Kexford. 
B. K. BLISS & SONS, Publishers. 
No. 
agree witli liis opinions in every particular. 
It yvould bo a monotonous paper indeed 
that .should represent ono man’s views only. 
*So far as our own opinions and convdetions 
are concerned wo 
give them to our 
readers in our own 
way, for what they 
are worth, and if 
others do not agree 
with us we shall al¬ 
ways be glad to 
have them e.\press 
their reasons, if 
based upon tan¬ 
gible evidence; but 
tve have neither in¬ 
clination nor dispo¬ 
sition to devote our 
columns to the dis¬ 
cussion of theore¬ 
tical and disputed 
points which are of 
no interest to the 
general reader. 
OHEERING WORDS. 
“I .am delighted 
with The Ameki- 
CAN Gaeden in its 
new form and dress. 
With the enterprise 
of its publishers and 
the great ability of 
its editor, it is siu’e 
to become more and 
more popular. It 
stands in the front 
rank among the 
fli’st of similar pub¬ 
lications of our 
day. It merits suc¬ 
cess, and it cannot 
have more than I 
desire.” 
Marshall P.Wil- 
DER, Fres. Am. 
Pmnological Soe. 
Every one says 
The American Gar¬ 
den is a splendid 
paper, and I tbink it 
sboiUd find a place 
on the table of 
every one who has 
a farm or garden. It 
is worth many times 
its cost.—E. IT. S., 
Oarhon Go., Wyo. Ter. 
or like methods may produce widely different 
results, and consequently lead to dissimilar 
„ 1 . ..Hties and OUT own views, unless we know them to be 
eonelusions. -In gardening, as m politics and ^ a,, 
religion; there is an unlimited field for 
thought, and although persons may bold 
directly opposite opinions about doctrines 
much less to exclude or remodel statements 
of others because they come in conflict with 
article over the name of a eoiTespondenf 
' should not be taken as evidence that we - 
copyright. 1884. by B. K. Bliss & Sons. 
The American Garden is brighter than any 
horticultural or agricultural publication I know. 
Indeed, its pages are as clean, clear, and hand¬ 
some as first-class paper, types, iiress, and a first- 
class pressman can make them—a model in its 
way. All success to The American Garden !— 
i. S. A., Falls Church, Ya. 
