One of the most interesting evidences of the advancement of rural taste is furnished in the attention given to this subject by the literary men of the day. We have now before us nearly a dozen works, all recently published, in which rural life and rural scenes form an important part. We shall notice such books as they appear, and give such extracts as we may find room for in our pages. G. P. Putnam, of New York has just published uHomes of American Authors," a, beautiful volume of 366 pages, and containing nineteen fine steel engravings, and fifteen on wood, views of the "homes" of American authors. A glance at this work will show that men of genius love not the crowded city, but seek repose in shady groves, and inspiration in the music of feathered minstrels and bubbling brooks. We shall speak more at length of this volume in our next.

Literary Notices #1

The Flower Garden, or Breck's Book of Flowers; in which are described all the various hardy Herbaceous Perennials, Annuals, Shrubby Plants, Evergreens, etc, with Directions for their Cultivation. By Joseph Breck. Boston: published by Jewett & Co. - (1 vol. 336 p. 12 mo.)

[The following notice of Mr. Breck's yolume on Flower Gardening, lately published, was received too late for our last number. The volume itself, which we have just seen, and have not yet fully examined, appears to be a very useful and practical hand-book for the amateur in ornamental gardening. Ed.]