Retrospective Criticism, 153 



Art. II. Retrospective Crilicism. 



The Linnccan Botanic Garden and Nurseries, (p. 109. J — I notice, 

 in the last number of the Magazine of Horticulture, a comniiiuica- 

 tion from the Messrs. Prince, in relation to the Linnctan Botanic 

 Garden and Nursery, Flushing, to which is subjoined an editorial 

 note, from which latter it would ap|)ear that such communication 

 was inserted under the impression that it was in justice due to Messrs. 

 Prince to correct a sujtposed error you had fallen into. I presume 

 that when you are apprised of the true state of facts, the like sense 

 of justice to the present jiroprietors of that establishment will induce 

 you to make a further correction. It has hardly been deem d ex- 

 pedient to notice at all, either in Flushin^jf or New York, the misrep- 

 resentations of William R. Prince, the inditer of that communica- 

 tion, the facts and himself being too well known in this vicinity, to 

 render it necessary: but abroad, it may be otlrerwise. I beg leave, 

 therefore, through your columns, to correct the most material mis- 

 representations in that coirimunication; and would also, in the first 

 place, advert to a trifling error which you yourself have inadver- 

 tently fallen into, to wit, that you supposed, from Mr. Garretson's 

 circular, that he had become the proprietor of the premises, where- 

 as he merely announces himself as the conductor of the establish- 

 ment for the new proprietors. With regard to the communication, 

 the facts are these: — The premises designated in Mr. Garretson's. 

 circular as the "Linnsean Botanic Garden and Nursery," are the 

 identical extensive premises whereon William Prince, Sen. resided 

 for forty-five years; which, during that period, were cultivated by 

 himself, or by himself and sons, as a nursery, and to which, exclu- 

 sively, some forty years since, he gave the name by which it has 

 ever since been designated; he at that time, and for thirty years 

 afterwards, neither owning nor cultivating any other land in Flush- 

 ing. Some years since, he purchased about seven acres, upon which 

 his father had established a small nursery before the Revolution, but 

 which has not been used for that purpose for several years past, (a 

 considerable portion having been sold for building lots,) except to 

 propagate Morus multicaulis, and to which Mr. Prince, Sen. lately 

 removed. About twelve years since, William R. Prince purchased 

 for his residence a house and about fit^y acres of ground, adjoim'ng, 

 in the rear of the Linntean Garden, about half of which was used 

 for Nursery [jurposes; and four years since, Mr. Prince, Sen. pur- 

 chased a tract some distance from the Linn^an Garden, as an a))- 

 pendage thereto. Now I would ask, whether the deception, fraud, 

 and imposition consist in retaining the name by which this ancient 

 nursery has been distinguished for forty years, which nursery con- 

 tains within itself the variety of trees, &,c. specified in the catalogues, 

 and exclusively so all that are rare, and all the green-houses and 

 conservatories — or, in the attempt to transfer such name to three 

 detached pieces of ground, containing, altogether, not one tenth part 

 of the variety embraced in the catalogue issued in imitation of that 

 of the present proprietors of the tract so long designated as the Lin- 



voL. vni. — NO. IV. 20 



