Thk  Journal  oi*  Houticultuke  and  Cottage  Gardener,  December  30,  1807.1 
# 
TO  OUi;  RF.AOEIW, 
O  ■ 
“  Time  travels  quickly  ”  was  the  motto  inscribed  by  a  celebrated  man  on  his  last  Christmas  card — 
the  late  and  widely-mourned  Sir  Frank  Lockwood.  Under  his  gay  wisdom  was  a  vein  of  seriousness,  and 
he  lived  long  enough  to  discover  the  great  truth  above  recorded. 
Quickly,  indeed,  do  the  days  and  months  pass ;  and  especially,  perhaps,  to  those  who  enjoy  them  the 
most,  and  who  are  also  advanced  on  their  life’s  journey ;  nor  does  time  hang  heavily  even  to  the  young  when 
it  is  occupied  pleasantly,  for  then  it  seems  to  glide  away  all  too  soon. 
In  what  pursuit  can  more  pleasure  be  found  of  the  most  wholesome  and  satisfying  nature  than  in  that 
of  gardening — satisfying,  yet  its  votaries  never  satisfied;  those  who  love  the  delightful  and  beneficent  art, 
and  pursue  it  successfully  in  some  of  its  aspects  and  according  to  their  means,  rejoice  in  what  they  are  able 
to  accomplish;  but  their  present  pleasure  is  scarcely  greater  than  that  which  they  have  in  prospect. 
The  results  of  many  efforts  are  seen  and  afford  satisfaction,  but  those  of  other  plans  and  methods  in 
procedure  are  not  yet  developed ;  the  future  then  is  full  of  interest  and  hope,  quickened  day  by  day  as  the 
period  of  re  ilisation  approaches.  Should  this  exceed  anticipations,  is  the  ardent  amateur  or  gardener 
satisfied?  No;  he  is  gratified,  and  resolves  to  strive  for  greater  achievements. 
When  the  hopes  are  not  fulfilled  in  the  first  endeavour,  the  intellect  is  stimulated  to  find  the  cause  of  a 
partial  failure,  and  also  to  seek  a  safer  course  to  follow  in  the  future.  The  student  and  worker  may  have 
made  a  mistake,  but  gathers  courage  and  perseveres,  as  he  well  may,  because,  has  it  not  been  said  that  “  a 
man  who  never  made  a  mistake  never  made  a  discovery  ?  ” 
Another  aspect  remains  to  be  noticed,  namely,  it  is  the  rule,  which  the  few  exceptions  only  make  the 
clearer,  that  those  who  derive  real  pleasure  in  gardening,  and  are  made  happier  by  indulgence  in  it, 
desire  that  others  should  be  made  as  happy  as  they;  and  thus  we  find  various  methods  resorted  to  for 
obtaining  new  recruits  to  strengthen  the  ranks,  and  endeavours  made  to  guide  them  along  safely  by  the 
light  of  experience. 
This  is  done  by  personal  intercourse,  by  mutual  associations,  by  exhibitions,  and  through  the  agency 
of  the  press  For  nearly  fifty  years  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  though  not  always  under  the  same  title, 
has  enjoyed  a  large  share  in  the  distribution  of  knowledge  and  information  of  interest,  and  also,  we  would 
fain  hope,  of  benefit  to  the  gardening  community. 
We  honour  the  veterans  who  happily  are  still  with  us;  we  recognise  with  admiration  the  ability  and 
zeal  of  earnest  workers  in  the  prime  of  manhood;  we  congratulate  the  probationers  on  their  commendable 
efforts;  and  we  thank  all  most  cordially,  amateurs  and  professionals,  regulars  and  volunteers,  of  whatever 
age  or  station,  at  home  or  abroad,  for  their  valued  co-operation  in  widening  the  interest  in,  and  sustaining 
the  usefulness  of,  the  medium  that  has  long  been,  and  still  remains,  a  welcome  guest  in  the  homes  of  the 
wealthy  and  the  workers  who  derive  pleasure  or  profit  from  the  grand  old  art  of  gardening. 
