ABOUT FRUITS, FLOWERS AND FARMING. 261 



LETTER FROM A. J. DOWNING. 



WE give below a letter from Mr. Downing, long known 

 as an eminent pomologist and more recently yet more 

 distinguished for his writings upon Horticultural matters. 

 Although a private letter, it is of general interest, and he 

 will, we hope, indulge the liberty taken.* 



" HIGHLAND GARDENS, NEWBURGH, NEW YORK, 

 Feb. 29*A, 1846. 



" MY DEAR SIR : I thank you for the interesting article 

 on horticulture in the West, which appears in the last No. 

 of Hovey's Magazine. 



" My particular objectnn writing you at this moment is 

 to call your attention to the remarks you make on the 

 'Golden Russet,' which you call 'the prince of small 

 apples.' From your description of this fruit it is the 

 ' Sheep-nose,' or ' Bullock'3 Pippin ' of Coxe, well known 

 here, and one of the most melting and delicious of apples. 

 I understand from Professor Kirtland of Cleveland, that 

 this is the apple known by the name of Golden Russet in 

 his region. 



" Will you do me the favor, for the sake of settling the 

 synonyms, to send me two or three cuttings of the young 

 wood, by mail ? I can then determine in a moment. The 

 Sheep-nose has long shoots of a peculiar drab color. If 

 your apple proves the same, I think I shall cancel the title 

 'Sheep-nose' (a vile name), known only in New Jersey, 

 and substitute 'American Golden Russet 'f this being its 

 common title in New England and the West. I speak now 

 in relation to my work on fruits, now in press. 



" What do you mean by the ' White Bell-flower of Coxe ?' 

 The Detroit I have carefully examined, and it is quite 



* Mr. Downing's untimely end by drowning, is well known, 

 f There is an English Golden Rus.spt, distinct and quite acid. 



