254 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



DOWNING S FRUIT AND FRUIT-TREES OF AMERICA. 



WHEN a book is hopelessly weak or incorrect, it should 

 be the object of criticism to exterminate it. But when a 

 work is admitted to be, upon the whole, well done, criti 

 cism ought to be an assistance to it, and not a hindrance. 

 Praise by the wholesale is better for the publisher than for 

 the reputation of the author ; since, in a work like Down- 

 ing s, every pomologist knows that perfection is not attain 

 able, and indiscriminate eulogy inclines the better-read 

 critic to rebut the praise by a full development of the faults. 

 Thus on one side there is general praise and faint blame ; 

 and on the other, faint praise and general blame. 



We shall, at present, confine our attention to the cata 

 logue of apples and pears, for all other fruits of our zone 

 together are not of importance equal to these ; and if an 

 author excels in respect to these, his success will cover a 

 multitude of sins in the treatment of small fruits, and fruits 

 of short duration. Mr. Downing has shown good judg 

 ment in making out his list of varieties ; his descriptions, 

 for the most part, seem to be from his own senses ; he has 

 added many interesting particulars in respect to fruits not 

 recorded before, or else scattered in isolated sentences in 

 magazines and journals. 



But are his descriptions thorough and uniform ? While 

 he has added materials to pomology, has he advanced the 

 science by reducing such materials to a consistent form ? If 

 we compare Mr. Downing s descriptions with those of Ken- 

 rick, or even of Manning, he excels them in fullness. If he 

 be compared with classic European pomologists, he is de 

 cidedly inferior, both in the conception of what was to be 

 done, and in a neat, systematic method of execution. In 

 deed, Mr. Downing does not seem to have settled, before 

 hand, in his mind, & formula of a description; sometimes 

 only three or four characteristics are given. Downing sins 

 in excellent company. There is not an American porno- 



