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CRITIQUE ON THE OCTOBER HORTICULTURIST. 



genuine country life so well appreciated and 

 understood as there, barring even the abu- 

 ses of their systems, both social and political, 

 which carry with them, after all, much that 

 is very good, and for the English themselves, 

 a great deal that is indispensible. Country 

 life can never be properly appreciated unless 

 one has a deep, constitutional, natural love 

 for it. Many affect it, on whom it sits most 

 awkwardly, yet none but those " who are 

 natives there, and to the manner born" can 

 enjoy it in all its beauty, its purity, and de- 

 votion. 



Nor am I at all sure that if England en- 

 joyed the brighter skies of America, would 

 her people be so deeply imbued with the love 

 of home — none but the good old Saxon word 

 gives the idea — as now amid their fogs and 

 damps. A better climate, unquestionably, 

 we have for the development of our fruits 

 and vegetables ; but we lack that intuitive 

 love for country life which they possess ; 

 and though we can enjoy with less labor, a 

 greater variety of earth's choice productions 

 than they, we are less careful to cultivate 

 them highly. And never, until we study the 

 philosophy of English rural life thoroughly, 

 can we possess that high satisfaction which 

 they enjoy in its indulgence. How beauti- 

 ful the picture which Addison has drawn of 

 Sir Roger De Coverly, amid his ancient 

 trees, his rippling brooks, and his quiet old 

 Hall, seated in the midst of his ancestral 

 acres. And who that has read the delight- 

 ful sketches of our own Irving on country 

 life in England, but rose from their perusal 

 with an admiration, if he could not fully 

 appreciate it, of the spirit of a people who 

 could give such charms to an austere cli- 

 mate, a dripping sky, and a dim atmosphere ? 

 We must yet come to a better understand- 

 ing of these things in America, before we 

 get all things right. 



Vinery at Clinton Point. — A downright 



sensible structure. Mr. Van Rensselaek 

 has gone into this matter most understand* 

 ingly. A man of wealth and leisure can 

 have no more elegant indigencies than 

 are here delineated. The plan seems per' 

 feet. Sun, air, protection- — all the requi' 

 sites for the production of perfect fruits are 

 comprised in the mode here described, and 

 as cheap withal, to appearance, as the sub- 

 ject will admit. Can you not, Mr. Editor, 

 ascertain the cost of this structure in its dif- 

 ferent parts, and give it to us ? Such items 

 are a great help to those, yet novices in 

 these affairs, to guide them in their erec* 

 tions. — What kinds of glass are used ? — 

 what sizes are the posts 1 A few hints of 

 expense, &c, are always valuable to us. 

 What is the capacity of production in this 

 vinery, when filled with well matured vines ? 

 And cannot grapes thus grown be profitably 

 cultivated for market near our large and 

 wealthy cities ? Tons upon tons of the un- 

 ripened Malaga white grapes are- annually 

 imported into our large cities, and sold at 

 30 to 50 cents the pouund, not to be compa- 

 red in flavor and appearance to those produ- 

 ced in our cold vineries, where I have often 

 seen them weighing four or five pounds to 

 the bunch. Mr. Allen, of Salem, has 

 treated largely of this subject, but his book 

 is rare, or not at all to be found in many of 

 our towns and villages ; and a few practical 

 directions with items of cost would be ac- 

 ceptable to many of your readers, [Per- 

 haps Mr. Van Rensselaer will oblige us 

 with some details. Ed.] 



The Mountain Ash as a stock for Pears. — 

 Novel, but not altogether original. This is 

 one of the " Experiences" that I like. Here 

 are results curious in themselves, and in- 

 structive, but not quite satisfactory ; nor can 

 I believe that the ash is the proper stock for 

 growing reliable pears. It is exceedingly 

 annoyed at times by the borer, and in a 



