Foreign Notices. — North America* 211 



for stocks on which to graft those more diminutive kinds, instead of the 

 practice generally pursued in Europe, of putting them on one of their 

 own dwarf class, the Magnolia purpurea. I have pursued the course I 

 mention, and have found the growth comparatively as three to one, with 

 the ultimate advantage of the one forming a splendid tree, while the other 

 would only be a diminutive shrub. I shall now proceed to comment on 

 various articles published in your Magazine. 



Mr. Drummond, the botanist, states (Vol. II. p. 228.) that the " barrens 

 around New York are covered with Pinus resinosa." It is the Pinus rigida 

 which covers the barrens in the vicinity of New York; not a single tree of 

 Pinus resinosa is to be found here, except in botanic collections, that tree 

 being peculiar to a much more northern climate, and found in plenty in the 

 states of Maine. The vulgar name here for Pinus rigida is Pitch Pine, 

 which must have misled Mr. Drummond ; but, as this is three-leaved and 

 the Pinus resinosa but two-leaved, a little examination would have solved 

 all doubt. 



The American Scarlet Strawberry, you say (Vol. II. p. 252.), is the latest 

 of those deserving cultivation, with the exception of Alpines. This remark 

 appears singular to me, for here the native Fragaria virginica is the earliest 

 strawberry we have. How is this to be reconciled, except by the circum- 

 stance that these titles do not refer to the same plant ? I notice also 

 (Vol. II. p. 245.) that you call the celebrated Newtown Pippin "Newton 

 Pippin," the former name only being correct, as it originated in the village 

 of Newtown, distant but three miles from my residence. I will, in a future 

 letter, give you a complete history of this most estimable fruit, from its 

 origin to the present time. 



In speaking of American grap>es, {Catalogue of Horticultural Society, 

 p. 215.) it is observed that " the reports which have been received of them 

 are far from being favourable to their merits, either for the purposes of the 

 table or of the press ;" and as this assertion is very inaccurate, 1 cannot 

 avoid replying to it. In this country we have scarcely a native grape that 

 will not yield a pleasant palatable wine, and at least six varieties are found 

 which afford excellent wine, and these varieties are now getting into exten- 

 sive cultivation for that purpose. The Scuppernon is cultivated, in the state 

 of North Carolina alone, to such an extent, that it is computed that a hun- 

 dred hogsheads of wine are made from it annually. The Isabella yields a most 

 excellent wine, of which you may rely on receiving a convincing specimen 

 the ensuing autumn. The Catawba, Bland's, Alexander's, Orwigsburg, and 

 Elsinburg are considered fine wine grapes ; and vineyards, many acres in 

 extent, are planted, and planting, with several of these kinds, in various sec- 

 tions of the country. A number of other varieties are also cultivated for 

 vineyards, but those I have stated are the most noted. It is a fact well 

 known to connoisseurs, that many of the celebrated wines which are most 

 consumed are the produce of grapes which have no claims to superiority 

 over the native grapes of this country ; and although we, who have scarcely 

 doubled in the number of varieties that of original species, cannot yet com- 

 pete with that nation which boasts of possessing 1500 varieties of a single 

 species, in fruit calculated for the table, still we have several varieties which 

 are much esteemed, even for that purpose. Upon this subject I should not 

 have made any remarks, except to the Secretary himself, were it not that I 

 felt unwilling that it should remain unexplained for a long period. 



What is the " American Blight" which infests apple trees so much in Eng- 

 land ? We have no disease here of that name, nor, in fact, have our apples 

 any prevalent disease whatever. (See Gard. Mag., vol.i. p. 588., and ii. 

 p. 49.) 



, Does your fruit pound contain twelve or sixteen ounces? [Ansivcr, Sixteen 

 ounces.] 



P 2 



