THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



HORTICULTUR 



MARCH, 1847. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. A Leaf from the History of Pomology in the Past. 

 By T. S. HuMRicKHousE, Coshocton, Ohio. 



There has always been a proneness, in existing genera- 

 tions of mankind, to attribute all knowledge and all science 

 to themselves ; and to regard preceding ages as involved in ig- 

 norance and darkness, if not barbarism. The truth of this 

 remark applies to no age more than to the present, to no 

 country more than to our own, and to no subject more than 

 to Pomology. Brother Jonathan must amend,' — he must re- 

 form, — or he will, if indeed he has not already, become a prov- 

 erb. 



Why should we arrogate so much to ourselves, when a lit- 

 tle research would be sure to lead us to the opposite conclusion ? 



In the history of Pomology from the earliest to the pres- 

 ent times, the curious antiquary may find a vast field for his 

 researches ; and, in the attempt to explore it, will employ him- 

 .self fully as usefully as in many of his present undertakings. 



Without further preface, I take the liberty of transcribing 

 what follows from the ^^ Memoirs and Correspondence of John 

 Evelyn, edited by William Bray, Esq., London, 1827," 

 pages 435 to 437 inclusive, in the hope that, by publishing it, 

 you will confer a favor upon those of your readers who may 

 not have access to the work : — 



" In a letter to Mr. Boyle, 23d November, 1664, he," (Eve- 

 lyn) " says, one Rhea (qu. Ray 7) has published a very use- 

 ful book concerning the Culture of Flowers, but it does no- 

 thing reach my long-since attempted design on that intire 



VOL. XIII. — NO. m. 11 



