212 Our Fniit-Critics. 



sure to be counted ; and, when the offending baluster is once discovered, 



it becomes an eye-sore ever afterwards. 



It may seem superfluous to allude to the importance of using half piers 



and half-balusters. It is sometimes very convenient to dispense with the 

 half or quarter piers ; but it is a complete sacrifice of architectural pro- 

 priety, and, when detected, is as offensive as the central baluster. 



Fig. 13. 



Fig. 13 shows the application of a cylindrical or octagonal pier to por- 

 tions of a balustrade. The square form of the pier. A, would give much 

 confusion in lines, none of which are either parallel to or at right angles 

 with the building. Either B or C would be satisfactory. 



Variety and contrast need no special illustrations, inasmuch as every 

 one knows what is meant by those terms. Variety scarcely admits of ex- 

 planation by means of diagrams : contrast is too simple to require them. — 

 Adapted from '■'•Garden Architecture and Landscape Gardening^'' by 'John 

 Arthur Hughes. 



ON FRUIT-CRITICS. 



There is a distinction between professional and popular judgment in 

 regard to fruits, which is a great puzzle to some people. Thus the Bartlett, 

 in popular estimation, is at the head of all the early autumn pears. In the 

 great markets, where you find one bushel of another sort, you will very 

 likely find ten bushels of Bartletts ; where you find one customer familiar 

 with other varieties, whether Tyson or Sheldon or Ilosteizer, you will find 

 ten who are familiar with the Bartlett. Yet I think the pomologists proper 

 are always disposed to speak rather apologetically of it : " A fair pear, to 



