366 Retrospective Criticism. 



any loose branches in spring, and in autumn to gather the crop ; yet he 

 invariably enjoyed success. 



It would, as Mr. Saunders observes, be very desirable to have this fruit 

 more extensively cultivated. There ought to be in every orchard an equal 

 number of pears and apples ; and every cottager might plant on the walls of 

 his house the best varieties now in cultivation. Mr. Saunders, or any other 

 correspondent who could furnish lists of such kinds as are most suitable 

 would, I am sure, confer an obligation on your readers. There are many 

 of the new sorts of particular excellence ; but there are also several others 

 that have been cried up to fame, that are very unworthy of the praises that 

 have been bestowed upon them. I shall not notice any future comments that 

 may be made on my papers, but leave them wholly to the praise or contempt 

 of posterity; and I hope your friends will confine their publications to useful 

 truths, and not indulge in futile controversy. I am sorry to find you jarring 

 with Mr. Knight about potatoes and pine-apples. Surely his papers possess 

 great merit. Every gardener, in whatever way he may be cultivating the pine, 

 must have derived instruction from Mr. Knight's observations ; and I per- 

 fectly coincide with him in thinking that his paper on the potato is the most 

 valuable the Society has hitherto published. What is alleged in favour of 

 these criticisms is, that they elicit truth : but it cannot be denied that they 

 also obstruct improvement ; they prevent others from adopting new forms 

 of management, and I hope all your correspondents will bear in mind, that 

 no man has a right to condemn that mode of culture which he has not 

 repeatedly put to the test of experiment. I shall conclude my letter by 

 reminding Mr. Saunders that the first object gardeners ought to have in 

 view is plenty of large and well flavoured fruit, and the next, handsome and 

 well trained trees. lam, &c. — Robert Hiver. February, 1830, 



Erratum. — In my paper on the natural succession of forest trees (Vol. V. 

 p. 421.), for " General Wayre," read " General Wayne." — J. M. Phila- 

 delphia, Jan. 13. 1830. 



Erratum, (p. 231.) — For " Bell Poole or Powe," read " Bell Poole, or 

 Pome." — T. B. April, 1830. 



Names and the Introduction of several Sorts of Field Cabbages. — Sir, I 

 wish that your correspondents would be a little more particular in the 

 names of the articles they recommend for culture. I allude at present to 

 the cow cabbage, or Cesarean kale, as mentioned in your last Number, p. 104. 

 Whence came these names? About 1770, there was a variety of cabbage 

 in cultivation here, called the Anjou Cabbage, which I take to be the same 

 as that which is now called the Cow Cabbage. It was introduced from 

 France, where it was cultivated by the Marquis of Turbilly, who gave 

 instructions thereon. " It is a tall upright plant, from 6 to 8 ft. high, 

 furnished with loose open leaves all the way up the stem. This plant may 

 be raised from seed in August, and transplanted in March, on five-feet ridges, 

 in single rows, 2 ft. apart in the rows, and these head as the Scotch Cab- 

 bages. This cabbage or colewort casts its summer leaves in November 

 and December, and puts out new leaves afterwards. The best way of 

 using the plant is to feed off the leaves with sheep before they decay, 

 and they will eat off all the leaves clean to the height of above 4 ft. These 

 tall plants are excellent shelter for sheep and lambs, which are very fond of 

 the leaves, and they fatten well on them. The leaves that grow above the 

 reach of the sheep are eaten greedily by horses, which eat all the upper 

 leaves without damaging the stem ; and when the first or summer leaves are 

 all eaten off by the sheep and horses, then all cattle are shut out till new 

 leaves are produced, and are fed as before. They continue to produce leaves 

 all winter till May; they produce above 178 upon each plant, and near 20 

 tons per acre." A Cesarean kale was raised by the Rev. Bartholomew 

 Dacre, at Knowsley, near Manchester, about 1819, and was much recom- 

 mended in the Farmer's Journal at that time. 



