FOREIGN AND AHSCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



number with plates, showing thh specimens of fruit with their wood and foliage attached, 

 lithographed and colored by Mr. Hofft, in very good style. 



The new features which entitle it to favorable consideration, are two. The first, that it 

 is devoted wholly to Fruits of American origin, which will commend it to all those who, 

 like ourselves, have/aiYA in the products of our own soil as best adapted to this climate; 

 and second, that it is edited by Dr. Bkinckle, one of the most zealous and accomplished 

 of tlie amateur pomologists of the country.* 



The first number contains the Brandywine, the Moyamensing, the Petre and the Penn- 

 sylvania Pears : the Ptcpublican Pippin, the Eliza Peach, the Burlington Apricot, Wen- 

 dell's mottled Bigarreau Cherry, and the Wilder and Gushing Raspberries. A plate is 

 given of each variety, and the letter press, though very brief, is perhaps sufficient for a 

 work which presents a full portrait to the eye of the reader. 



We beg Dr. Bkinckle in this work, which promises to become one of value, to adopt 

 the classification of fruits, as respects quality, which has been established by the Pomo- 

 logical Congress, viz; good, very good, best. It is impossible for the general reader, from 

 his description of the varieties figured, (and the fault is common to most books or prints) 

 to tell what is the real rank of the variety. The Pennsylvania pear for instance — a sort 

 which we (and most other northern pomologists) have fruited and rejected, is set down 

 with the single remark as to its flavor, that it is " highly perfumed." This is quite 

 true — and yet it is no less true that, compared with the standard, it will not rank as a 

 " good" pear. 



The work is one which will commend itself to pomologists and fruit growers, and its 

 appearance is the best proof of the steady progress of fruit culture in the United States. 



* We are only sorry to observe that the Doctor says, in his preface, he is in no way connected with the profits of the 

 undertaking — it is wholly a labor of love with him. We only regret this because we have generally found that what is 

 not worth paying well for, is not worth doing so well — especially if it has to be done month after month, and year after 

 year. We trust our friend will prove the rule has exceptions. 



/nrrigii m^i MmlkmmB JMm, 



PiiiLOSOPnT OF Manures. — It is an ex- 

 cellent custom in certain foreign countries, 

 and one wiiich leads to very valuable results, 

 to send from time to time scientific men to 

 travel in the various neighboring ki-igdoms; 

 they are sent with a spc^cific object, they 

 carefully investigate the matter to which 

 their attention is directed, and on their re- 

 turn, they make a report to the government 

 who sent them, embodying the facts which 

 they have collected in their travels, and the 

 conclusions at which they have arrived; 

 these reports, which are generally drawn up 

 by men eminently well qualified for the task, 

 often present better and more impartial 

 views of the particular manufactures of the 

 kingdoms so visited, than could possibly be 

 prepared by any one residing in them . There 

 od illustration of the truth of this, in 

 ilful reports lately drawn up by M. 

 r, by desire of the Minister of Agri- 



culture and Commerce of France, on drain- 

 age, the use of peat, and the employment of 

 artificial manures in England. These re- 

 ports, written by an excellent observer, one 

 who is intimately acquainted with all the 

 various departments of scientific agriculture, 

 and the econom)" of vegetation in general, 

 are of the highest interest and importance. 



If, however, a stranger visiting England 

 for such a specific purpose, comes with the 

 advantage of an unprejudiced and unbiased 

 judgment, he has at the same time, the dis- 

 advantage that he does not always know in 

 how far he may safely rely on the statements 

 which are made to him, and he therefore 

 runs considerable risk of being misled by 

 false or erroneous information. The con- 

 clusion which M. Paten appears to have 

 arrived at, from a very careful study of the 

 present state of the manufacture of artificial 

 manure in England, and of the results of 



