26S 



CRITIQUE ON THE OCTOBER HORTICULTURIST. 



Course would prove a sufficient check upon 

 the evil of over-luxuriance in growth. If 

 the tree affected be feeble in habit, nothing 

 would be more likely to renew its vigor 

 than good treatment, aided by Mr. Down- 



ing's method of heading-back or shortening- 

 in. In such a case, slitting the bark or re- 

 moving the epidermis might be tolerated. 

 Very respectfully yours, 



L„ Young. 



CRITIQUE ON THE OCTOBER HORTICULTURIST. 

 BY JEFFREYS, NEW-YORK. 



The Leader. — Many thanks to you, Mr. 

 Editor, for teaching us, in these instruc- 

 tive conversations, how to enjoy many ex- 

 cellent edibles out of their proper season, 

 of which we otherwise might not know the 

 benefit ; and most particularly the unripened 

 muskmelons, which is altogether new, I dare 

 say, to nine-tenths of us. I, for one, shall 

 try them this very week, and tell you next 

 time "how they go." 



But those " Walcheren cauliflowers." 

 How are they different from the fine cream 

 coloured English plant of that name, which 

 we grow so luxuriantly in cool, moist sea- 

 sons, and which fail almost altogether in 

 dry ones, like the one now passing ? Do 

 tell us a little more about them in your 

 next number. 



Notes on Foreign Grapes, and Osage 

 Orange Hedges. — Mr. Colt deserves the 

 thanks of every pomologist for telling the 

 exact truth about " foreign grapes" out of 

 doors. I know scores of pains-taking men, 

 who have tried them as faithfully as he 

 has, and with no better success, — among 

 others, foreigners themselves, who imported 

 great quantities of them in wide variety, 

 and went enthusiastically into their cultiva- 

 tion, but were forced at last to give them 

 up in despair. The glass vinery is the 

 only thing where they will succeed in 

 America. To be sure, I have known, now 

 and then, a Black Hamburgh or a Sweet 



Water, or, few and far between, a GoIdc n 

 Chasselas, that flourished for a few years 

 against a city house wall, and bore good 

 fruit ; but, as a general rule, they are a 

 failure. None but native grapes can be 

 depended on for American culture in open 

 air. 



The Osage Orange is not reliable for 

 hardiness north of latitude 41°. It is a 

 beautiful shrub, ornamental in the lawn, 

 and, when in a very favorable situation, 

 will make a compact and beautiful hedge 

 in a show ground. But the Buckthorn is 

 better. Still, best of all, as we shall finally 

 prove, will be the wire fences. I am sur- 

 prised that none of your correspondents 

 talk upon this subject. Pray let us hear 

 from some of them. 



The agricultural papers are getting up 

 quite a discussion about wire fences. We 

 have much to learn in this country on fen- 

 cing. Economy is an important element in 

 all matters of this sort ; and when orna- 

 mental, as well as cheap, which I believe 

 they can be, they cannot fail to be widely 

 introduced. 



Remarks on Bark-bound Cherry Trees. 

 — Mr. Elliott, as usual, is full of sound 

 sense on this subject. Located, as he is, 

 in one of the most favored fruit soils and 

 climates of North America, he has every 

 opportunity of testing the proper cultivation 

 ! of fruits. I hope to see this subject pursued 



