Dr. George Thurber, the well known botanist, and for 22 years editor of, the American Agriculturist, died April 9, at his home near Passaic, N. J. Dr. Thurber was particularly distinguished among botanists for his knowledge of grasses. His name designates several species of plants from the west and southwest. Asa Gray long ago named a genus of the mallow family Thurberia, but this genus is now called Ingenhouzia. Dr. Thurber was a good writer upon many subjects.

Those of us who can do anything to perfection rarely suffer for want of work. Usually it is the inefficient who are unemployed, and this is especially true in the smaller trades and among handicraftsmen. Poor manufacturers, cooks, preachers or gardeners all have a hard time of it. Good ones do well where others find no employment. A good washerwoman is in demand wherever white clothing is worn, and can be the most independent of women. People will condone faults in her that would be endured in no other of the sex. There is always room at the top, but it is hard getting there. We are more likely to be wanted if we give time and attention to one thing until we have mastered it so that no one can do it better than ourselves. Gardeners who have thoroughly mastered the arts of vegetable raising are in demand, and so are those who can raise the best stove plants; but when a man applies for a situation, claiming to grow everything from horseradish to orchids, understands growing pineapples and cherries under glass, is the equal of Robinson as a landscape gardener, while incidentally he can keep the family and the market supplied with small fruits, we are inclined to be suspicious of him if we have had experience in hiring gardeners, or if we engage him we pay dearly for our experience.