28 Domestic Notices. 



Though my pen must now go witli me to its rest, its ink sliall one of tliese 

 days riow again, in a vindicatory comparison of the claims of our civil 

 corps, with tliosc of the favored corps militaire, who are 



1st, — secure in tlieir life-commissions ; 



2d, — paid tlie same whetlier working or playing ; and 



3d, — when they do fight, are pensioned if killed or wounded ! 



So that their merit lives after them, in sure support of their ftimiliea. 

 For the nonce, however, let me conclude this article about vines, for it 

 keeps growing under the hand as fast as Jonah's gourd ; which, by the 

 way, as we are upon horticulture, some say was no gourd at all, but 

 palraa christi. Be that as it may, proclamation is hereby made that cut- 

 tings of the Caden nectarine, and the Durham apple, shall be sent to the 

 President of your Society, or any member thereof; or to Doctor Spar- 

 hawk, if he acknowledges himself beaten in wliat he prized as the '■'■apple 

 of his eye" — provided, and with this express understanding, that they will 

 send me a icw plants of their boasted Hovey strawheiTy. This may be 

 done through my friend Mr. Gordon, P. M. of Boston, who can get some 

 lover of good fruit, coming south, to take charge of them. — Yours, J. S. 

 S., Washington, D. C, October, 1842. 



[With all due deference to the remarks of our respected correspondent, 

 who seems to have indited his communication when tlie |it of humor was 

 on him, and who probably was completely overpowered with pleasant feel- 

 ings while dilating upon the huge ^'■pippins''' before him — and whose gus- 

 tatory organs were intensely acute while the imagination revelled amid 

 apple dumplings, sugar and Alderney cream, — we must say that, although 

 the Durham apples of Mr. Durham were no simdl affair, yet Dr. Sparhawk 

 cannot acknowledge an unconditional beat ; or at least, if all the excel- 

 lencies of an apple are taken into consideration, we must not allow him 

 to give in to our Washington friends, without qualification. If the Dr. 

 sees the above, he Avill undoubtedly defend himself; but, in the mean time, 

 we must say something further in regard to his apples. 



What variety of apple Dr. Sparhawk's were, ice are unable to say ; we 

 do know, however, that tliey were not the inonstrous pippin. So far as 

 regards every thing but size, the latter is no more to be compared to the 

 Doctor's than a Roxbury russett to a Baldwin. When we say that tliey 

 •were the noblest apples we ever saw, among at least 150 kinds, including 

 monstrous pippins weighing 22 ounces, we only speak what we believe to 

 be the truth. No fruit on the Society's tables commanded more admira- 

 tion than the Doctor's apples. They were of perfect form, nearly round, 

 smooth, with a delicate yellowish-white skin, beautifully streaked and 

 clouded with red on the sunny side. 



We have not the pleasure of an acquaintance with Dr. Sparhawk, but 

 we shall send him this number of our Magazine, as an introduction, and 

 if he does not send us a dozen or two of the scions, we shall never under- 

 take to speak in his defence again. 



After saying thus much in behalf of the Doctor, we of course shall not 

 expect to receive any of the benefits of the " proclanraion" of our corres- 

 pondent. But notwithstanding this, we shall embrace the first opportu- 

 nity, as soon as spring opens, to send him a dozen of our seedling straw- 

 berries. And if he cultivates them Avell, he Avill find they are, in size, to 

 other strawberries, what the Durham apple is to otlier apples. And if 



