Retrospective Criticism. 617 



stoke-holes in the present tense, instead of the past. We are reminded by 

 Ml". Campbell, that " there was a good room for the young men even in 

 Mr. Mowbray's time, but it was without a fireplace, and consequently the 

 stoke-holes were resorted to in cold weather; and these were not so 

 wretched as stoke-holes generally are." He adds, that for this state of 

 things " no shadow of blame could attach to the owners, for as soon as 

 ever they were made acquainted with the existence of the want of comfort 

 (this was in 1822), they expressed the greatest sympathy, and ordered 

 instantly the introduction of a fireplace into the room;" and Mr. Campbell 

 considers that the men at Bayswater are now, " in point of accommo- 

 dation" at least, on a par with their neighbours. — Cond. 



Procuring Novelties and Varieties from Nurserymen and Seedsmen. -— 

 You recommend your readers (p. 366.) to apply to proper nurserymen 

 for what they want; and, as if possessed of Fortunatus's cap, their 

 desires shall be accomplished. Unfortunately for amateur gardeners, the 

 sellers of seeds and dealers in plants keep not equal pace with your 

 Utopian views. De Candolle, Willdenow, and Sweet are nothing to them. 

 Do you want a particular plant ? If they have it not, they do not neglect 

 the order given, for that would be to neglect business, but send one of the 

 same genus, or perhaps of the same natural order, according to their classi- 

 fication. Not long since I sent especially for four species of one genus : 

 my order was attended to; but lo ! I found but one species correct. What 

 could the poor man do ? He could not send what he had not, so he kept to 

 the genus : and I have to regret that this has frequently occurred to others 

 as well as myself. This last spring I sent to a seedsman whom you have 

 frequently recommended, and on that recommendation solely I sent for 

 certain seeds; out of a list of twenty-five sent for, eight were sent 

 named according to order, and ten which were not ordered. The ten 

 volunteers I might or might not have, it mattered not. Among the seeds 

 sent according to order was Zinum Aypericifdlium ; it has flowered with me 

 this summer, and I have the satisfaction of ascertaining, beyond a doubt, 

 that Z/inum /«ypericif61ium and lyinum usitatissimum are identical plants : 

 perhaps I shall discover other curious facts of the same kind when the 

 other plants flower. Can any one call this dealing in seeds ? I am sure 

 most of us would be angry, if we sent to a draper for flannel, and he should 

 send us cotton. However, we trust that these things will pass away with 

 the good old times. — K. July, 1831. 



Preservation of Fruits, (p. 368.) — There is much writing, and more mys- 

 tery, about the preservation of fruits, than, I think, the matter deserves. 

 If we look carefully at the natural process of the germination of seeds, 

 we shall understand the matter clearly. The natural covering of many 

 seeds, as the apple, is an article of food, and, consequently, its preservation 

 an object of solicitude. We frequently observe that if an apple, on 

 falling from the tree, be accidentally buried in the ground, when thrown 

 up on the following spring, it is to all appearance as fresh as when it fell 

 from the tree ; the kernels are plump, and ready to burst their coverings, 

 and indeed in a forward state of growth ; while the covering (the fruit) is as 

 unfit for food as those fabled apples of the Dead Sea. Whence is this ? 

 Tliu preservation of the seed, the first and last law of nature, is perfect ; 

 but, as it relates to us, the preservation of the food is imperfect. The absence 

 of air, and a due proportion of moisture, we find are the requisites ; but an 

 excess of the latter destroys all flavour in the fruit. How easy, then, to 

 supply the one and avoid the other ! In our moist climate, dry sand, or, 

 what is equal, a dry cellar, will afford all that is required. With the same 

 'regard to germination, the oily nuts, as walnuts, filberts, &c., may be pre- 

 served until germination commences. In these oily nuts the germen is sur- 

 rounded by a large quantity of an oily amylaceous matter, which readily 

 undergoes a change when exposed to the air : this change unfortunately 



