108 Retrospective Ci'iticism. 



much to the satisfaction of your correspondent, they had undergone a 

 flattering change as to location. The most amusing circumstance, how- 

 ever, is the attempt of the writer to comment on the extent of this nur- 

 sery establishment, when he merely glanced one wmtry day at the few 

 acres attached to our dwelling house, Avhich are cultivated mostly as 

 pleasure grounds, without even visiting our great nurseries, which are 

 located at the other extremity of the village, and without at all inspecting 

 our greenhouse collection. His neglect, however, was an advantage in 

 one respect, for it enabled him to state truly that the most extensive 

 nursery he saw here, was one that had recently made some purchases 

 from him, as that was the onlj'' one he visited during his flying visit here, 

 and which every one knows is infinitely inferior to the highly respectable 

 establishment of Messrs. Wilcomb & King, which he for some reason 

 does not deign to mention. A person may be excusable at a hurried mo- 

 ment for not spending over an hour or two in our village, but it may be a 

 question whether he becomes equally adequate to describe the extent of 

 establishments, which no man could properly overlook in a week. The 

 disappointment of the writer, however, seems to be greatest at the 

 "almost total absence of glass," and well forsooth, because " glass " 

 comprised his daily avocation, with its pecuniary results. This disap- 

 pointment however was, it seems, somewhat relieved by his visiting the 

 greenhouse at " Carolina Hall "' for there dwelt the gentleman who had 

 been a recent purchaser of Philadelphia plants, and who the writer inti- 

 mates with much apparent satisfaction, proposes greater extensions of 

 these interesting species, and to " introduce them in all their varieties.'^ 



In regard to the vinery so much extolled as surpassing all others in the 

 country (but which erroneous assertion you have corrected in a note 

 showing that the one erected by H. Gray, Esq. of Newton, is much more 

 extensive,) that has unfortunately for the laudatory visitor, met with an 

 untimely fate, for such was the feebleness of the structure, that the ink 

 of that communication was scarcely dry, when the wind of the 13th inst. 

 prostrated tlie building ; since which an architect has been dispatched to 

 Boston, to inspect the vineries in that vicinity, for future guidance, to 

 which you had most opportunely called attention. It is but justice how- 

 ever to J. R. A^alk, Esq. the proprietor of Carolina Hall, to state that he 

 has employed a diflferent architect, and that he is determined to complete 

 the building in the same splendid style in which it was originally pro- 

 jected, which his ample means fully enable him to do. 



In conclusion we will simply remark, (as you are well aware.) that 

 reasons sometimes exist for not exhibiting to every visitor all the novelties 

 that may be in a course of propagation, and not 3'et announced to the 

 public. But when you, Sir, shall favor us with a visit, we will take 

 great pleasure in showing you, (as one fully competent to judge,) that at 

 no period in the life time of our venerable parent, the late Wm. Prince, 

 was this establishment superior or equal to what it is at present, either in 

 the immense variety of its productions, or the extent of the grounds 

 occupied thereby, and every order from our correspondents is executed 

 under our personal supervision, in order to assure ample satisfaction. — 

 Wm. R. Prince cj- Co., Linnozan Botanic Garden and Nursei'i/, Flushing, 

 L. I., Jaji. 31, 1844. 



[We willingly give place to the remarks of Mr. Prince, in reply to 

 the article of " a subscriber " alluded to above. And we do this the more 



