314 



CRITIQUE ON NOVEMBER HORTICULTURIST. 



Ra?idom Notes, by Sylranus. — Valuable 

 thoughts, and most timely in appearance. 

 There can be no doubt of the benefit of 

 mulching young trees in particular, and old 

 ones it certainly cannot hurt. The propo- 

 sitions on the pear blight, the bursting of 

 cherry tree bark, and grape mildew, are 

 worthy of consideration. I should like to 

 see the subjects thoroughly discussed in 

 your paper. 



The Diana Grape. — An invaluable acqui- 

 sition to our northern fruits ; more especial- 

 ly north of the Highlands. The Catawba, 

 hitherto our highest flavoured American 

 grape, rarely ripens above that latitude, and 

 the Isabella is uncertain. A grape, there- 

 fore, that is sure for such localities, is a 

 disideratum in our pomology. Let this 

 fruit be disseminated by all possible means. 

 It will be a positive benefaction to the coun- 

 try. 



The Congress of Fruit Growers.- — Well, 

 gentlemen, you have got together at last ; 

 and on very agreeable and satisfactory 

 terms, as I see by the account of your pro- 

 ceedings. Now, you have strength — une- 

 quivocal and positive — and your name, too, 

 is a good one. Yours is a great subject — 

 one in which there is a de;J to be done, and 

 an annual volume, like that of the N. Y. 

 State Agricultural Society, should be the 

 literary fruit of its proceedings. You have 

 the broadest and the finest field in the world 

 for operation ; and if, with all the intelli- 

 gence and research now brought to bear on 

 the subject, you do not expect something 

 which the whole world has not effected be- 

 fore — I mean in diffusing intelligence in 

 fruit excellence, and in fruit culture — I 

 shall think you wanting in both tact and 

 perseverance. 



Your lisit of fruits recommended for gen- 

 eral cultivation is both large and good. 

 The only fear is that it will increase too 



rapidly through the partiality of those who- 

 have their especial favorites, and the knife 

 will have to be unsparingly applied to pre- 

 vent them running too rnmpant. Right 

 glad am I to see so numerous a list of re- 

 jected varieties. But its not half enough 

 yet. It may be doubled, and trebled,, 

 and still the work is not perfect. But you 

 have time enough for action, and no doubt 

 you will improve it. 



The move to Cincinnati for next year is 

 a good one. Nothing can more naturalize 

 you than thus holding your sittings in dif- 

 ferent and widely distant states. But I 

 must pospone further remark till I see the 

 official account of your proceedings, which I 

 observe is soon to be published, and which 

 I hope your efficient secretaries will be kind 

 enough to send me. 



Remarks on Diseases. <f*c, of Fruit Trees. 

 — A very philosophical paper, and worthy 

 the attention of every pomologist. Will 

 not Mr. Ehlers continue the subject ? He 

 can do the public no better service in that 

 line than to extend his " remarks." 



New Seedling Fruits. — I am happy to» 

 see that both Dr. Wendell and yourself so 

 well agree on this subject. It will require 

 some moral courage to keep this thing 

 straight, and I wish that the Pomologicai 

 Congress had appointed some standing 

 committee to whom, in their several sea- 

 sons, these new seedlings, as they are 

 brought out, could be sent for examination, 

 so that a fair report could be made concern- 

 ing them. Some such plan must be adopt- 

 ed, or we shall soon have confusion more 

 confounded, as before. 



Destruction of the Cureulio. — Three pa- 

 pers, and part of another, among your 

 " Domestic Notices" on this subject, the 

 first by Mr. Saunders, full of doubts and 

 suggestions ; the next by our Syracuse 

 friend, J. C. H., being positive, but not so 



