Restrospective Criticism. 35 



seedling- vines of that age generally are. But I understand, that the 

 present year it has assumed the appearance of an adult vine, and made a 

 strong and vigorous growth, even more so, as I am informed, than the 

 Isabella. 



My object in writing this is, firstly, to prevent the confusion respecting 

 the two varieties, which it was the tendency of the article, under notice, 

 to produce ; and, secondly, to clear myself from the imputation of recom- 

 mending an old, and perhaps discarded fruit as something new and valua- 

 ble. I should not have published what I did on "mere report," nor 

 without the evidence which I had, of the most satisfactory nature. Hav- 

 ing said this, I leave it to thee to do me justice, and to make the correc- 

 tion in such way as thou may choose. — Respectfully, thy friend, John 

 Miltnn Earle, Worcester, November, 1843. 



[We cheerfully give place to Mr. Earle's note, knowing, from our ac- 

 quaintance with him, that he would not intentionally make any statement 

 which he did not believe to be correct. We know nothing of the vine 

 othei-wise than what is stated in the address of Dr. Munson, referred to in 

 our notice of the grape. There are however, in connexion with the above 

 note of Mr. Earle, one or two questions which we would like to ask. 



Our correspondent states that the vine was raised from seed in 1838 and 

 bore fruit in 18-40. Can this be ? The period seems altogether too short 

 for a seedling vine to produce fruit, yet it may have been so ; but it cer- 

 tainly is an instance of great precocity. Again, if a grape so celebrated 

 was raised as long ago as 1840, how happens it that its merits were never 

 known to the cultivators around Boston, only through the medium of the 

 Worcester papers. It seems to us that a variety so far excelling all others, 

 would have been familiar to the amateur cultivators around Boston some 

 time ago. Our correspondent compares it with the Crehore, now called 

 by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society the i);ona grape, and remarks 

 that it does not deserve to be classed with the new seedling. This is cer- 

 tainly great praise. Yet so far as we have any knowledge, the Diana 

 grape was first brought to notice last year, and of course its qualities are 

 not sufficiently known to test its merits with any other kind. We think 

 this comparison is altogether hasty and gratuitous. We shall leave the sub- 

 ject here in the hands of our friend Dr. Munson and our correspondent, and 

 we shall be glad to learn that the Dr. was in error, and that we have in 

 reality, at last, secured tliat important acquisition, a native seedling grape, 

 equalling the foreign varieties. — Ed.] 



A full index to the Magazine. — I purchased of you in August, 1841, a 

 full set of your work, and I have derived much pleasure from it ; and I 

 have thumbed the volumes over more than once. While I clearly recol- 

 lect that certain things are contained in the volumes, I am often at a loss 

 where to find them, and I have felt the loss of a good index to the matters. 

 You give an elaborate index to the plants. If you could also give a good 

 index to the matters, it would, in my view, enhance the value of the 

 work. Index making is, I know, an irksome task, and it may not pay 

 you. For instance, I wished to find the article on the " Belgian modes 

 of grafting and budding," and under neither of these heads did I find it ; 

 but when I found the article by a different kind of search, I then found it 

 was indexed under the head of " t7-ees and shrubs.'' (Vol. 1.) This is 

 a difference of judgment as to the heads to be used. At another time I 

 wished to refer to the mode of raising celery detailed in vol. i. p. 236 ; but 



