The close of a volume is always an event in the history of a periodical, especially in one that depends for its support on a single, and that not a very large, though most intelligent class. To the proprietor and publisher it is a period of great interest, as from his ensuing number will date most of the new subscriptions, and he soon feels the throbbing of the public pulse by its desire or otherwise to continue the work, and bring friends and neighbors to the same conclusion.

The error that has been committed by a former publisher was in reducing the annual price from three to two dollar*; this compels a strict economy, and there is not margin enough to admit the payment of collectors, who would be obliged to travel from Canada to California, picking up a few dollars at each town, sometimes finding the reader absent from home, and returning with a pocket emptied by expenses. Our readers understand this necessity of prepayment, and it is unnecessary to expend many words upon it, except to refer our friends to the terms as set forth in the advertisement, by which it will be seen that fifty cents will be hereafter invariably added to all subscriptions upon which payment is delayed over three months.

Whether the public will support a Journal on our topics, perfectly independent in its character, is the question they, and they only, can determine; divorced from all interests but those of truth and information, it proposes to be the medium of intercourse between the producer and the consumer, without favor, or influence. It advises no grower what he shall specially devote his industry to produce, but when a good fruit or desirable plant is brought forward, it makes it known at once to general favor; a bad one it does not hesitate to denounce. The conductor endeavors to place himself in the position of an interested looker-on, as he is; observing the worker, whether encountering mental or bodily fatigue; he is anxious and ready to embody in his Journal everything that will abridge labor, and by consulting the ablest minds in each department, to distribute the concentrated knowledge of the age we live in advantageously. He would bring the producer to the acquaintance of the consumer, dig out from every progressive nation their knowledge and acquired developments; without partiality or favor, he gives to every writer who displays a talent for imparting information, a fair hearing; he has no enmities, except against ignorance and false pretension; he wishes to do a benefit to his generation, and of course cannot sanction the mere quack; the toiling millions must not knowingly be misled, and if he can by constantly perusing the best works, and examining for himself the products of industry, drive jealous pretension into a corner, and liberate that knowledge which in every age is " slow to travel," he will be amply rewarded; he will gladly say to one, abridge this operation to save your time for something else; to another, yon may be doing very well, but would not some neglected material, within your reach, do better 7

There is a vast amount of intelligence now occupied in elevating labor to its true eminence, as well as in shortening the processes by which labor seeks its reward; to promulgate this is not within the scope of any single periodical. We take the garden, and the operations embraced by its surroundings, - the house no less than the grounds. The world works under disadvantages for a long period before it adopts the best modes. The steam engine lingered till genius seized its mighty powers; how long the interval, considering the intelligence abroad, between the silken string of the kite and the Atlantic Cable; we go on telling sometimes the same things that were told before, but in each department we arrive certainly, if slowly, at happy results. We are disappointed a thousand times by circumstances which were entirely unforeseen; the insect blights our hopes, and we must resort to other contrivances to attain the desired end. By cheap glass structures we can have an " orchard " under our control, leave the stinging pests outside, or smoke them away.

We are all students and observers, and presently will come some master mind, who, with the wand of enchantment, will conquer the present destroyers of our fruits ; but we must keep up an agitation - we must stimulate the growth of mind, awarding due praise to those who accomplish much, while we let down the unsuccessful with the relief that we believe they meant to do a service.

We desire to make the Horticulturist more and more national, and not sectional. We believe that the true lover of his art may derive advantage from the study of every climate and its results; the North may learn much from the South, and the Southern cultivator may impart much to the Northern. The fruits of each are to be tried in all, in doors or out, till we arrive at the truth. A local journal some may desire this to be, but it is no longer such, nor would the support accorded to it in any one region supply the means of merely printing it. The grandest results are produced from the information each one throws into the common stock. We fully appreciate the fact that our readers are not merely the beginners, but rather those who know much already, and are anxiously seeking to know more. By adapting the work in some measure to all the members of a family, the conductor is happy in knowing that a large addition of subscribers has been enlisted, and that a large increase of its readers has been secured.

Both he and the publisher will be cheered by every encouragement, and they hope their several exertions will not be without results.

Madison, Wisconsin, is by all accounts a gem of a city. A friend who attended the Fruit Growers' Convention there, writes:

"Madison is indeed a beautiful place spread around and among four lovely lakes, each of which would be a gem in a European scene. Possibly you hardly imagine how unusually favorable the elegance of some of the buildings, corresponds with the newness of the city.

The location of the Fair Grounds could hardly be surpassed. From an eminence in the rear part, the whole inclosed space was overlooked, and the pleasant country on either side. From this height many of the fine public and private buildings showed distinctly out from masses of autumn foliage. The natural growth of the forest has been left for parks, and shade trees, as far as possible. In all the hurry which there must have been to accomplish so much, in so short a time in the way of architectural and other improvements, the horticultural has not been forgotten. Much taste is displayed by many of the citizens, in their surroundings. It was supposed there were some 30,000 strangers in the city; you may wonder how so many could be comfortably entertained, when only eight yean ago, we thought it too new and uncivilized for our residence; too far out of the world for comfort, with not a railway, or a plankway, to get one to it with any sort of ease or speed.

We enjoyed the agreeable hospitalities of the secretary of the Society, and Editor of the Wisconsin Farmer. We many times wished the Editor of the Horticulturist would in his many journeys, visit this north-west corner of his parish. It would at least spare one of his lady correspondents the necessity of telling him so much about it".