4 Progress of Horticulture 



this time the conflicting opinions of cultivators, in all parts of" 

 the country, have been recorded in our volumes. But until 

 the experiments of the last year we have not been able to 

 arrive at certain results. It was therefore with much pleasure 

 that in our review of Mr. Longworth's pamphlet, in the last 

 volume, (p. 358,) we had the opportunity to give our views 

 at length, and views, we are happy to say, which coincide 

 with the opinions of all intelligent cultivators. 



So satisfactory has been the result, that we should not again 

 occupy the attention of our readers with the subject, but for the 

 purpose of noticing some strictures upon the opinions which we 

 have from time to time advanced, while the question has been 

 under the process of investigation, by our old correspondent, 

 the Rev. Mr. Beecher, in the Westei'n Farwer and Gardener. 

 We have always had a high respect for Mr. Beecher's opinion, 

 but, in the present instance, for some motive which does not 

 appear, he has, by quotations here and there from our re- 

 marks, having reference to the opinions of our correspondents, 

 falsified our views and endeavored to make it appear that we 

 have advanced positive conclusions upon the question, with- 

 out due investigation. This we deny; we have never had 

 but one opinion upon the abstract question of fertile and 

 sterile strawberries ; but during the season of 1843, from facts 

 which were contributed by several of the most observing and 

 careful cultivators, we did doubt the necessity of staminate 

 flowers to impregnate the pistillate ones, believing that ste- 

 rility or fertility was greatly owing to the method of culti- 

 vation ; and we then observed that as soon as convinced to 

 the contrary^ we shoidd lose no time in informing our readers 

 of the fact; we then immediately set about instituting a series 

 of experiments to test this under our own eye; and when 

 they were brought to a close the last season, we gave, as we 

 promised, the results of our investigations, — satisfactory as 

 they have been to all. 



Some excellent Pomological articles have been contributed 

 by our correspondent, Mr. Humrickhouse, one of the most 

 important of which is that upon a uniform nomenclature of 

 fruits ; the principles which he advocates as necessary to 

 carry out this, he has laid down in a plain and concise man- 

 ner ; and we trust they have been carefully read and consid- 



