THE  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDFNER,  July  1,  1897.] 
TO'  OUR  READERS. 
- ■■■O  -  ■  ■  ■  ■  ■■■ 
“  Change  yet  no  change,”  however  seemingly  paradoxical,  would  scarcely  be  an  inappropriate  motto 
expressive  of  the  actualities  of  the  past  and  present  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture . 
Full  of  years  and  honours,  its  venerable  and  venerated  proprietor,  the  late  Dr.  Hogg,  was  called  to 
his  rest  nearly  midway  (March  18th)  of  the  term  covered  by  the  ninety-eighth  half-yearly  volume  just 
completed. 
On  the  occurrence  of  that  melancholy  and  memorable  event  great  was  the  responsibility  which  fell 
on  his  successor — involving  as  it  did  the  maintenance  of  a  periodical  which  has  long  proved  a  “  welcome 
guest  ”  in  the  homes  of  amateurs  and  gardeners  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  old  home-land  and 
other  parts  of  the  empire  beyond  the  sea — a  responsibility  shared  in  degree  by  the  writer  of  the  last 
forty-three  prefaces  associated  with  the  indexes  to  the  volumes,  and  of  the  present  lines. 
The  old  chieftain — always  thoughtful  and  looking  to  the  future — left  to  others  during  his  later  years 
the  production  of  the  weekly  issues  of  the  organ  that  he  did  so  much  to  establish;  and  it  is  now  gratifying 
to  be  able  to  state  that  under  his  genial  inspiration  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  became  so  deeply  rooted — 
like  a  healthy  tree — as  to  pass  unscathed  through  a  time  of  trial  incidental  to  the  change-— the  termination 
of  a  life — that  was  felt  to  be  approaching. 
Thanks  to  the  love  and  loyalty  of  its  readers,  and  to  the  ability  and  zeal  of  its  contributors,  the 
favourite  gardening  weekly  of  so  many  has  attained  to  the  full  all  that  the  great  lost  leader  could  have 
anticipated ;  even  more  than  this  could  in  truth  be  said,  but  the  fact  recorded  is  enough. 
There  has  been  no  change,  at  least  prejudicial  to  the  acceptability  of  “Our  Journal.”  Its  character 
and  tone  have  remained  the  same.  The  spirit  of  the  past  has  pervaded  its  pages,  and  the  same  spirit  will 
continue — a  spirit  of  endeavour  to  make  the  pages  of  the  future  interesting  and  instructive —refreshing  after 
the  toil  of  the  day,  helpful  in  the  work  of  the  morrow :  a  spirit  of  kindly  feeling  towards  all  who  love 
gardens  and  who  are  striving  to  make  them  more  lovable  still;  and,  not  least,  a  spirit  of  warm  appreciation 
of  the  co-operative  effort  and  valued  help  so  freely  rendered  by  a  host  of  friends. 
For  what  those  who  are  responsible  for  the  production  of  the  Journal  of  Horticnttnre  have  been  so  far 
able  to  accomplish  they  are  deeply  grateful.  Supported  by  the  constancy  of  old  readers  and  writers,  and 
encouraged  by  new  recruits  in  both  sections,  the  hope  is,  as  time  goes  on,  to  do  still  more  on  well- 
considered  lines  and  in  accordance  with  the  sound  principles  of  steady,  progressive  growth. 
The  desire  is  to  afford  such  aid  as  may  be  needed  by  the  inexperienced,  and  in  cases  of  difficulty 
generally;  and  those  readers  who  do  not  find  in  the  weekly  issues  the  precise  information  they  require  are 
cordially  invited  to  promptly  make  known  their  wants  (with  conveniences  for  meeting  them),  and  such  advice 
as  long  experience  can  impart  will  be  tendered  freely — not  as  an  irksome  task,  but  an  agreeable  duty. 
The  wish  is  to  fully  reciprocate  the  favours  of  clients  and  supporters,  and  to  do  what  is  strictly 
just  and  right  to  all  who  are  animated  by  the  same  spirit  towards  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  By  acting 
in  accordance  with  that  principle,  the  justice  of  which  cannot  be  impugned,  results  may  safely  be  left  to 
the  future. 
