Retrospective Criticism. Ill 



probably have been of a less speculative character, had I been aware my 

 friend was " taking notes" I am, Sir, &c. — Andrew Begbie. Yatton Court, 

 Leominster, Dec. 18. 1822. 



Mr. Knights Pines — It would be satisfactory to some of your readers, 

 if Mr. Pearson (Vol. V. p. 717.) would state by what means he ascertained 

 the weight of Mr. Knight's Mountserrat pines. Was it by " rule of guess ? " 

 I ask the question, because nothing can be more fallacious than this way of 

 ascertaining the weight of pine-apples. Had Mr. Pearson seen some of the 

 " black kinds " which I saw the other day, not many miles from this, he 

 would not " think " that Mr. Knight might " challenge any pine-grower in 

 the kingdom," unless he can produce fruit of greater weight even than he 

 has stated. — E. N. of Stafford. Dec. 10. 1829. 



The Anson or Otaheite Pine. — Sir, A constant reader, who has the care 

 of a few sorts of pines, wishes to know what name Mr. M'Murtrie intends 

 giving a pine which is known by the name of Anson's, and by some Anson's 

 Queen. I see, in the last Number of the Gardener's Magazine (Vol. V. 

 p. 608.), that Mr. M'Murtrie means to call the Otaheite pine Anson's for 

 the future. Now, I think, before that Mr. M'Murtrie should have assumed 

 an authority to change any of the names of pines, he ought to have made 

 himself well acquainted with all the actual varieties now in cultivation in 

 England ; or, at least, he should have been certain that the name he has 

 now given the Otaheite pine had never been given to any other pine before. 

 Mi-. M'Murtrie, or any other person who knows more than twenty sorts of 

 pines, must acknowledge that the multiplication of the names of pines is 

 too great already : therefore, to prevent any more confusion, I think the 

 best way would be to let the Otaheite pine still go by its old and well 

 known name. I can give no information respecting the origin of the Ota- 

 heite pine, but I think it is as likely to have been imported from some of 

 the West Indian islands, as raised from seed at Shugboi-ough. What ever 

 could have induced them to call a pine, raised from seed in England, after 

 an island of the South Seas ? I shall be much obliged to Mr. M'Murtrie, 

 or to any other person who can inform me where the Anson's pine (which 

 I allude to) was first discovered. It is a very distinct variety, and differs 

 widely from the Otaheite, both in the fruit and general habit of the plant. 

 Was it not the pine which is known by the name of Allen's Seedling that 

 met the eye of Mr. Dermott '? It is a fine strong-growing sort, somewhat 

 resembling the Otaheite in colour and erect position of its leaves, but their 

 fruit is very different. — A Constant Reader. Nov. 7. 1829. 



The Anson or Otaheite Pine. — Sir, I beg leave to send you a few remarks 

 upon Mr. M'Murtrie's letter (Vol. V. p. 607.), which contains some re- 

 flections upon me and the statement I sent you of the introduction of the 

 Otaheite pine. In the first place, Mr. M'Murtrie calls my letter an inge- 

 nious one, calculated to mislead the public, &c, and insinuates something 

 about caprice and falsehood. Now, Sir, I affirm that what I wrote con- 

 cerning the Otaheite pine is substantially true ; and, if any one doubts it, let 

 him go or write to Mr. Hodson, and he will confirm it. Mr. M'Murtrje 

 then gives an account of the origin of the Anson pine, confirmed by 

 Mr. Dermott, which may be all very true for any thing I know ; but it does 

 not at all invalidate my account of the Otaheite pine ; and if I confounded 

 the names of the two pines, it appears, from Mr. M'Murtrie's own state- 

 ment, that the confusion first took place at Shugborough. 



He then goes on to say that Mr. Hodson expressed himself indignant, 

 &c. I believe Mr. Hodson was surprised ; but his indignation would not 

 have been so great, if Mr. M'Murtrie had shown him the whole of the cor- 

 respondence, instead of telling him that I had grossly insulted him (Mr. 

 M'Murtrie) in the Gardener's Magazine. With respect to Mr. Hodson's 

 saying that the Otaheite suckers did not fruit from 1797 to 1810, I beg 

 leave to inform Mr. M'Murtrie that his memory must have been treache- 



