6 Retrospective View of the 



'' Are they better 7" " Do they supply any deficiency in the 

 old sorts?" or " inwhat respect do they claim admission among 

 standard strawberries 7" These certainly are proper ques- 

 tions for the committee to answer. Seven 7iew seedlings are 

 named and described, and those who purchase ought to know 

 what different qualities they can possess that should entitle 

 them to a name. A strawberry may be remarkably early, 

 remarkably late, or remarkably large and high-flavored, but 

 beyond these three great characteristics, it will be difficult to 

 raise new kinds which will excel, or even equal, the old ones. 

 Among the new pears which have fruited this year for the 

 first time, the following have proved valuable : — St. Dorothee, 

 a November pear of good size ; Excellentissima, another of 

 the same season, large and fine ; Belle Apres Noel, a winter 

 fruit, handsome and excellent. Others which have proved 

 desirable are the Reid's Seedling, Swan's Orange, Kingsess- 

 ing, Captif St. Helene, Doyenne Santelete, Ferdinand de 

 Meester, Henrietta, Chapman, Figue, Colmar d'Aremberg. 

 The experience of another season has also confirmed the high 

 character of the Hull, Beurre d'Anjou, Doyenne Boussock, 

 Pratt, Doyenne d'Ete, Beurre Crapaud, Ananas, Las Can as, 

 &c. Many new apples have been noticed, and several de- 

 scribed and figured ; but we would refer to the articles them- 

 selves, as also to the articles which we have commenced, de- 

 scribing and figuring new plums and cherries. 



Floriculture. 



The increase of floral taste has not been so great as the 

 ardent amateur could wish. The interest of many cultivators 

 has been drawn away by the engrossing subject of fruit cul- 

 ture : not that we would be understood to say it has every- 

 where been so ; but, in the vicinity of Boston, we regret that 

 this has been the case ; for no one could have witnessed the 

 exhibitions of the last three years and not perceive this. Very 

 large premiums have been awarded to collections of fruit, 

 and, though those for flowers have been liberal, they have 

 been too small, in comparison with the former, to secure that 

 interest which is the sure indication of an increasing taste for 

 fine objects of culture. We hope, however, to report a bet- 



