Retrospective Criticism. 457 



duced from two thousand to two thousand five hundred, without any extra 

 culture m(Jre than is necessary for ordinary sorts. But their success has 

 been so great from the intermediate planting of fertilizing varieties. Our 

 views are unchanged. Such instances as Mr. Allen's may be attributed to 

 many unknown and unseen causes, such as a few perfect flowering kinds 

 intermixed, accidental seedlings, oic. Hovey's seedling was an imperfect 

 flowering variety, is so, and ever will remain so. — Ed. 



The New York Virgalieu Pear. — Mr. Downing, in the first number of the 

 Horticulturist, has kindly noticed my second edition of the Guide to the Or- 

 chard. With some exceptions, his principal objection to the work appears to be 

 that we have not made out more new sorts, and followed modern improve- 

 ments by multiplying names and synonyms, already too numerous ; by the 

 by, we felt more inclined to take the pruning knife and cut away, leaving 

 only superior fine sorts. The principal improvement in the London Horti- 

 cultural Society's new catalogues, as far as we can understand, has been to 

 prune away pretty largely, and they have yet much more to do in that way ; 

 some new and good sorts have been added, but we are not prepared to stand 

 sponsor for all their new names, without further investigation. We have 

 received all the acknowledged and proved sorts, and have them under culti- 

 vation. Our principal design, in this communication at present, is to notice 

 what Mr. D. calls the '' droll part of the aflair." Mr. F. quotes, as syno- 

 nyms to this sort, (New York Virgalieu Pear) the following names, viz., 

 (page 45) :— 



Virgalieu, Nursery Cat. 1807. 



Surpasse Virgoulouse, Parmcntier. 



Columbian Virgoulouse, Bloodgood. 



Columbia, Doivnmg. 



St. Michael, of Boston Cultivators. 

 For several years, we had supposed that the original tree of the Virga- 

 lieu Pear grew on the farm of Mr. Andrew Cursor, Fordham, West Ches- 

 ter. In order to ascertain if this was the fact, I visited Mr. Cursor's Farm, 

 and inquired for the old Virgalieu Pear Tree. He shewed me two sorts 

 said to be originals, and had sprung up accidentally, and, indeed, as far as 

 I could perceive, they were seedlings; one of these he called Columbian Vir- 

 galieu. There was fruit on the tree about half grown when I saw it. On ex- 

 amining the fruit, habit, and appearance of the tree, I could not discover 

 any difference between this and the New Vork Virgalieu ; however, as it 

 seems to be an original seedling tree, and as I expect to examine the fruit 

 more attentively this fall, it may turn out to be a diflferent variety. Mr. 

 Cursor informed me that he got a great price for the fruit, which were very 

 uelicious and of superior quality : now if this is the Columbian Virgoulouse 

 of Bloodgood, as a matter of course, it would be the Columbia of Downing, 

 else his synonyms would be incorrect. The other original Pear of Mr. Cur- 

 sor he called Columbus, in honor of Christopher Columbus, the first discov- 

 erer of this country, as he informed me. This is a very diiFerent Pear, and 

 not a Virgalieu ; it appears to be a very handsome pear, and he speaks high- 

 ly of it. I have had no opportunity to test its qualities fully, but hope to 

 VOT-. XIT. NO. XI. .58 



