The American Garden 
Dr. F. M. HEXAMI: 
^ Q^onthly Journal of J3ractical gardening. 
KR, Editor. ^ ° 
B. K. BLISS & SONS, Publishers. 
Vol. V. 
NEW-YORK, JUNE, 1884. 
No. 6. 
m 
jS/t, 
i 
THE MONTH OF KOSES. 
Eose and Strawberry exhibitions are the 
order of the month in many of our largo 
cities, and groat are the expectations of en¬ 
thusiastic competitors who, for a year or 
more, have made preparations for the occa¬ 
sion and assiduously nursed and petted their 
fondlings which shall bring them honor and 
prizes. The bonefleial 
influences of these 
flower-shows in edu¬ 
cating and refining 
taste are readily per¬ 
ceived, but it is a 
mistake to confine 
them to our cities, for 
nowhere ard they 
more needed and will 
they be productive of 
.more salutary results 
than in the country. 
The isolation and 
seclusion of American 
country life are to _ 
many a serious coun- ^ 
terbalance of its enjoy- 
ments and pleasures, 5 '"' 
and not unfrequently.. ""/j 
are they the cause for 
exchanging a beauti¬ 
ful rural home, sur¬ 
rounded with ennob- ' 
ling and healthgiving 
influences, for the 
social advantages of a 
confining city resi¬ 
dence. And there is 
nothing very surpris¬ 
ing in this, for how¬ 
ever city-weary one WMM 
may be, and how 
much one may be able 
to enjoy <ihe charms 
of solitude and the 
companionship with 
Nature, man is, never¬ 
theless, a social being, 
and, even among the 
most charming na¬ 
tural surroundings, 
needs, for the com¬ 
pleteness of his happi¬ 
ness,. contact with his 
fellow-beings, 
change of thoughts 
and opinions with 
persons of similar 
tastes and inclina¬ 
tions, and the sym¬ 
pathy of congenial 
friends and neighbors. 
Monotony and loneli¬ 
ness, however, are 
not necessary adjuncts 
to country life, and, 
with a little effort, 
pleasant and agree¬ 
able social relations 
almost any not too 
borhood. 
may be formed in 
sparsely settled neigh- 
We do not know of anything more produc¬ 
tive of good feeling and pleasant .social 
pastime among persons not intimately ac¬ 
quainted with each other, than amateur 
flower and fruit exhibitions 
I 
fi 
mi 
good reason why every town, or county at 
least, should not have one or more every 
year. It is not necessary, in fact, not desir¬ 
able, to try to imitate large city exhibitions. 
The aim should be to bring together as many 
of the floral and pomological products of the 
neighborhood as possible, for comparison, 
, and there is no i instruction, and friendly rivalry. However 
small the beginning 
may be, if those who 
undertake it are in 
earnest, it will soon 
increase in interest 
and importance, and 
become the nucleus 
and the means for 
mental benefit, socia¬ 
bility, and the im¬ 
provement and em¬ 
bellishment of the 
vicinity. Influential 
horticultui'al societies, 
“ ' ' farmers’ clubs, and 
village improvement 
associations have 
gi’own up from such 
small beginnings ; and 
now is the time to 
organize and arrange 
*^ for a neighborhood 
Eose and Strawberry 
Show. 
Sis 
OBKHN OF THE MOSS EOSE. 
(From Ihe German of Thrummacher.) 
The angel of the flowers, one day, 
Beneath a Hose-tree sleeping lay,-- 
Ttiat sDirit to whose charge ’tis given 
To bathe young buds in dews from heaven, 
Awaking from his light repMe. 
The angel whispered to the Rose, 
“ For the sweet shade thou’st given to me. 
what thou wilt, ’tis granted thee.” 
Ask wna ^ ^ 
The Rose repUed with heightening glow. 
On me another grace bestow." 
The angel paused in silent thought, 
What grace was there that flower had not ?' 
’Twas but a moment, o'er the Rose 
A veU of Mess he lightly throws: 
And. robed in Nature’s simplest weed. 
What other flower can this exceed? 
FEIENDLT WOEDS. 
Tue Americax Gak- 
DEN improves with every 
niunher.—JO'S. L. S., Fair 
Maven, 0. 
Allow mo to congratu¬ 
late the editor and puh- 
Ushers on the excellence 
and beauty of The Ambr- 
ICAX Gardex.—J o/i 7 l E. 
Bussell, Scey. Mass. State 
Board of Agrieulture. 
I take more interest in 
reading The Americax 
Gardex than in any of 
the many similar papers 
I receive. It Is the horti¬ 
cultural monthly of 
America.—W. G., Sigh- 
land Park, Ills, 
The Americax Gar¬ 
dex is a superior pub¬ 
lication, ns might be 
expected under the ed¬ 
itorship of so common- 
sense and experienced a 
hortlculturalist as Dr. 
Hexamer.— J". JIf., Bed¬ 
ford, if. r. 
Your paper is as excel¬ 
lent as it is beautiful.' I 
have taken lor years sev¬ 
eral horticultural papers, 
but lor luaotlcal every¬ 
day work in the gar¬ 
den and greenhouse, 
The AsiBRiCAX Garden 
stands at the head of all. 
Longmay it stand.— Mrs. 
M. P., Lynn, Mass. 
