CRITIQUE ON THE JULY HORTICULTURIST. 



that is hanly in the open air at Boston, Albany, Buffalo, Milwaukie and Prairie du Chien; 

 and if at Montreal, so much the better. At neither of these places can the Isabella or Ca- 

 tawba be depended on, and neither are fit for house culture, not producing their fruit in 

 such high perfection as Avhen suitably located in the open air. Dr. Valk is <ntirely 

 right in resisting all applications for slips and buds of his vine, until he has thoroughly 

 tested it under his own eye, and for a term of time in which he shall become per- 

 fectly satisfied of its productiveness, high flavor, and hardiness — wonderfully different 

 in this from the empirics who flood and cheat the country with their new nostrums, before 

 knowino- whether they are worth the moss they are packed in, or not. If Dr. Valk suc- 

 ceeds in the anticipated qualities of his grape, his honesty of purpose will be amply re- 

 Avarded in his success, even if he fail to produce his " ten, twenty, or a hundred thou- 

 sand plants" for sale. But this he can do likewise. The latest discovery which I have 

 noticed in the " native grape" invention, is from a Yankee manufactory, at Stafford, Con- 

 necticut, which I have seen figured, and published in sundry papers, and advertised ex- 

 tensively, with testimonials to match, from the neighborhood of the " Stafford Iron 

 Works," all up to the mark in describing its " great size," "soft pulp," "thin skin," 

 and " delicious flavor." Wonder if the "soft" pulp is soluble \n aqaafortis ! I was 

 once at Stafford "Springs," and if that salubrious region of huckleberries, sweet fern, 

 and iron ore, spontaneously produces such grapes as are thus described, it must be a rare 

 spot of earth, indeed. Connecticut— all New-England as well— is full of small rapid 

 streams, on the narrow^ bottoms or intervales of which, grow thousands of wild grapes 

 of many varieties, both in size and color, but with pulp as hard and indigestible as bullets; 

 and this new " Chartur Oak" grape, as it is so pretentiously called, toall appearance, is 

 one of the same unadulterated type, which I have often plucked in my younger days, of 

 equal size, and no doubt corresponding flavor. Of course, boys love grapes, and I often 

 felt, when gasping to get their coarse, hard pulps down my throat, much as a young turkey 

 looks when trying to swallow an acorn larger than its own head! But the " invention" 

 has gone forth, and no doubt long before this, the peddlers of the grape are abroad, with 

 vines duly labelled, and certificates amply verified, to edify the good country people with 

 this " unrivalled discovery." A safe deliverance to the poor mortals who have to eat 

 them! The only marvel in the whole affair is, that this wondrous fruit has never found 

 its way " to the Editor of the Horticulturist." 



To THE Publisher. — Since writing the foregoing, the sad intelligence of the untimely 

 death of Mr. Downing, has reached us. To that portion of the public with whom he 

 communed with his pen, or who enjoyed his personal intercourse, his loss is irreparable. 

 Polished in his manners; highly cultivated in his profession ; gentle in his disposition; 

 kind in his intercourse; of exceeding ability and great resource as an editor and an au- 

 thor, his death has left a void not easily nor readily supplied. 



For many years ^Ir. Downing has exerted a leading and commanding influence in f;ish- 

 ionino- the public taste to the rural embellishment of our country, in the construction of 

 buildin"-s, gardens, lawns, and pleasure grounds. Wilh many he was a standard autho- 

 rity, and it is certain that to his fine taste and discrimination we are greatly indebted for 

 much of the improvement which has been so extensively and rapidly made in our country 

 residences and grounds. As a Pomologist he was sound and practical, and a leading spi- 

 the progress we have accomplished in that interesting department of cultivation. In 

 ry outset of his career — a young man — with so wide a harvest of reputation, use- 



