Retrospective Criticism. 117 



has created more taste and zeal. You seem to imagine, because we 

 do not make a great noise about every thing that we cultivate, that 

 we are doing nothing in horticulture. No sir: I must candidly in- 

 form you, if you can do us no good, let us alone, or we will t^how 

 you some of the best seedling camellias ever raised in this country. — 

 Yotirs, J. Feast, Baltimore, Jan., 1841. 



[This is the first intimation we have had, from any of our nume- 

 rous friends iu Baltimore, that we have not done justice to the horti- 

 culturists of that city; and we gladly insert the above, in order to 

 show that we are gratified in being able to make amends, by correct- 

 ing any errors we may have inadvertently committed. VVc do not, 

 however, as we have stated at other times, where we have spoken 

 in the same manner of the state of horticulture in other places, take 

 the fault to ourselves. We always invite our correspondents, by 

 timely notice, to send us an account of the progress of horticulture, 

 in order that we may give a correct account of what has been ac- 

 com{)lished every year: and when they fail to comply with our re- 

 quests, we procure our information from the best sources, generally 

 the local journals devoted to agriculture and gardening. We are 

 pleased to learn that our Baltimore friends are going ahead, and we 

 trust that when we shall make our next retrospective view of horti- 

 culture, they will send us an account of what has been done in season, 

 and save us from committing errors, and themselves the trouble of 

 correcting them after they have been made. — Ed.l^ 



Planting detached beds of fertile aiid sterile strawberry plants. 

 (Vol. VI., p. 229.) — I noticed, in your last July number, a new 

 method to make strawberry beds, by planting so many males to one 

 female, which indeed is a new way of amalgamation. Never mind 

 your correspondent: he can throw all his away if he likes, for 1 am 

 convinced that no num would be so foolish as to purchase so many 

 of one and the other to plant. I wish you would correct this error, 

 for I am sure you are able: advise cultivators to throw away all the 

 males, and then they will have a much better crop, as experience has 

 taught all those who have raised this delicious fruit. Such an ope- 

 ration })Uts individuals, to great trouble. For instance, what would 

 you think of me, if I were to send to Messrs. Hovey & Co., and 

 procure a hundred plants of their seedling, and twenty of them 

 males? [If our correspondent had read our description of this fine 

 variety, he would have seen that the plants are all fertile. — Ed.] I 

 can answer for you. Perhaps this is too many, and the bed will run 

 out in a year or two, and be tVuiiless. Now, if 1 want a good straw- 

 berry bed, in fine bearing condition, I would examine all the plants 

 when in flower, and eradicate all those sterile plants, that are so 

 choice and kept separate, and destroy them as weeds, wishing them 

 no longer to encundier the ground. So fur as my experience goes, 1 

 do not see how any person can keep their beds in proper condition, 

 than in the way 1 have described. — Yours truly, J. Feast, Baltimore, 

 Jan., 1841. 



[We are inclined to the opinion that there are no male strawberry 

 plants. There are some which are sterile, but their sterility arises 

 from some imperfection in the character of the variety; if such is the 

 case, as we believe it to be, it is better to discard all but the fertile 

 plants, as our correspondent remarks. — Ed.] 



