THE COTTAGE GARDENER: A PRACTICAL GUIDE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND RURAL AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY. CONDUCTED BY GEORGE W. JOHNSON, ESQ. EDITOR OF THE THE FRUIT AND FORCING-GARDEN, by Mr. R. Erring. THE KITCHEN-GARDEN, by Mr. J. Barnes, Gardener to THE FLOWER-GARDEN, by Mr. D. Beaton, Gardener to FLORISTS' FLOWERS, by Mr. T. Appleby, Floricultural THE GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW-GARDEN, by VOLUME V. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY WM. S. ORR AND CO., 2, AMEN CORNER. 1851. TO OUR READERS. ANOTHER volume is completed-another six months have passed-and the Spring leaves have come again. Upon that volume we look with entire satisfaction, for there is not a line we desire to blot from its pages; for those six months we have no cause but for gratitude; and with the Spring comes nothing but "smiles among its greenest leaves, and hopes among its flowers," for we are promised new sprays to weave among fresh shoots from our old standards, and we have such golden threads as the following to bind us all together: "All the land I possess stands in beau-pots at my window, yet I take in your Serial, and 'THE DICTIONARY'; have read every sentence, in both works, from the first to the last; have written marginal notes innumerable, and made extra indexes to each volume; and, I confess, that when I take up a new number of either work, after the fatigues of the day, I feel as if I were leaving the cares of the world behind me to take a pleasure excursion among fields and flowers." Now that correspondent resides in the Salisbury Square of London, yet THE COTTAGE GARDENER aids "the pure pleasures of floriculture" even in that locality so unsuited for gardencraft. Another letter of a different aspect comes next; it is from Mr. G. Baker, Florist, of Wells, in Somersetshire, and it bears this unasked-for testimony.-"I shall be most happy to answer the enquiry of any person who wishes for information as to the profit to be derived from advertising in THE COTTAGE GARDENER. I have invariably received more orders from an advertisement in this valuable work than any other, not excepting the more aristocratic publications." From fifteen other letters might we make quotations of similar encouragement, but we have extracted enough to show our readers somewhat of that which cheers us on to greater exertions, and sustains our confidence; yet we have greater praise-greater support-than those; for thus writes to us one, whom to know is to love :-" As a clergyman, and as, I humbly hope, a Christian, I beg to return, both to you and to the Authoress of My Flowers,' my sincere thanks for making your periodical subservient to the highest interests of man.” |