If, instead of saying "I should smile," I merely say I smiled when I read Rose Terry Cooke's article in February No. of Gardeners' Monthly. I trust I shall not be accused of using slang.

And if I should say as regards her experience with agents, that four-fifths of all the women and men too (corroborated by the Editor's statement) "had been there," it will only be set down against me as "a slip," and very expressive, though possibly heard sometimes, in not over-genteel society.

I think I can improve on one sentence of the Editor's, and yet I am astounded at my own assurance. Speaking of the ladies, he says: "We shall be glad to learn when her good nature yields to the blandishments of the mellifluous tongue of the tree agent." 1 would merely insert, "does not yield, " etc. It is time for us to begin to apply ourselves to the task of gaining sufficient inform-tion to place us above the possibility of being so easily duped.

There is now in circulation, enough literature to educate the masses, so that they shall know for themselves what is genuine, and not be persuaded into buying a plant whose only existence is in a beautiful colored plate. It may perhaps be said that there are very many who cannot afford to subscribe for magazines and papers, but all who can afford to buy flowers, can surely invest a dollar in the course of the year, and there are many instructive, chatty, little papers now published for even less than that.

Then I would like to refer to florists' catalogues, and the instruction they impart. They go their various ways "without money and without price," so far as the receiver is concerned, but how to deal with the subject as delicately as the case requires, makes me hesitate. Being interested, I cannot point out the many handsome things that. - like the colored plate of the tree agent, only have their existence in the fertile brain of the florist - so freely as I would otherwise do.

But in the main, they are doing a good work, which is apparent to any one who will take the trouble to observe; and the encouraging sign of the times is, that each year the deceptions and misrepresentations are giving place to true descriptions of plants and their mode of culture.

One agent who has for four years past, bought miscellaneously of nursery and greenhouse stock, reports this year, that so far as florists' goods were concerned, his sales were a failure. Too many catalogues had been distributed over the land for him to continue selling blue, yellow, red, and every other conceivable color of primrose from the same lot.

As a rule, florists alone, send out but few agents, and there will be still less of it in the future. They can reach their patrons more easily by catalogues, and know there will be no misrepresentations, except their own, consequently, there only remains the "Tree Agent" to combat.

This prolific subject will not be complete without a bit of personal experience.

It seems to be the custom for nurserymen when in convention (I want to tread lightly here too) to adopt a form of catalogue which they all use. They do so here, at least.

In the list of Jasmines in this catalogue, one was described as having "golden variegated foliage, retaining its variegation under the hottest sun, without scorching, a strong grower," etc., with many other good points, too numerous to mention.

As soon as the catalogue fell into my hands and I read this glowing description, 1 felt that "Life would not be worth the living" unless I could possess it. I wrote letters of inquiry to several nursery firms, but could not find it. Then the tree agent happily appeared on the scene. He seemed a little surprised that I had his catalogue, and knew what he thought was a profound secret that they all used the same, but the knowledge did not check his "melliflousness." He tried to palm off various things; used all his eloquence, which was not his strong hold so much as his persistence, but I was invulnerable until it came to this Jasmine.

It is said all men have their price, and if women have too that Jasmine was mine; at any rate I "sold out".

When I called his attention to it, and asked him if he had it, "Why, certainly he had." The mere insinuation that anything should be in the catalogue that he did not have seemed to wound his sensitive feelings.

I was happy to have the privilege of paying a dollar for one plant, and waited its coming with the pleasing anticipation that my search had been rewarded, and that I would possess a plant which had at least the merit of being rare.

In due time it came, and I was delighted. It must be a large plant too, I mused, from the way the stack of straw in which it was enveloped was built out into a long cone-shape. I began eagerly to unwind the cord and remove the straw. Finally away down in the heart of it, was a little pot with a little plant in it, the size to be in " harmony with its environment." The plant was Jasmine "Poe-tica" that we had grown for years, and had plenty to sell at twenty cents each.

Such an experience is not productive of high and holy thought, but I must do myself the justice to say that I wrote a very moderate letter to the firm the agent represented, explaining the mistake that had been made, and asking them to send the plant I had selected and paid for. An eloquent silence of some weeks followed; then another elaborately wrapped package came, even larger than the first. This was hopeful, and I began removing the straw with a will. A little crevice opened revealing a bit of variegated foliage which looked familiar, and this time I got a large pot with a small plant of Vinca Harrisonii in it.

I paid the expressage the second time, and wrote the firm if they needed any more Vincas we would be glad to furnish them at one dollar per dozen, and if they found ready sale at the rate I paid there was surely money in them. This happened within the last year. "Thou, therefore, which teachest another, teachest not thyself".

The vower is a woman this time. Please register it in the Editorial mind. Xenia, O.