248 Retrospective Criticism. 



lis is our S. latifolia. I am preparing also a work on this genus, by seeds 

 smooth or hairy, rays few or many, &c. 



42. Negundium americanum JDecandolle is my Negundium (1808)/raxi- 

 neum. We have a second species in the west. 



43. Nyss«. All called shrubs : they are all trees with us. 



44. Cucurbitaria, name too like Cucurbita. It is my Phialospora. _ 



45. My genus Phorima, 1814, for boletus, with irregular cells, omitted ; 

 and many other genera of my pamphlet, 1814. [Precis des Decouvertes 

 Somiologiques, &c] 



46. Piper. " None out of tropics." Wrong : a species, P. leptosta- 

 chyum, found in Florida, lat. 28°, by Mr. Ware; described by Nuttall. 



47. I have discovered and described thirty-four species of Trillium (see 

 my Medical Flora) ; also 



48. 30 species and 100 varieties of native North American grapes, in my 

 Medical Flora and my monograph of our American vines. 



49. Many of our American botanical authors appear unknown to you. 

 Elliott's Flora of Southern States, Torrey's Flora of Northern States, Bige- 

 low's Flora Bostoniensis, Eaton's Manual of American Botany, my Flora of 

 Louisiana, 1817; and many more. 



50. At the conclusion of the work, nine genera are stated as not re- 

 ducible to natural orders. I have long investigated this subject, being a 

 follower of natural orders, and never could find yet a genus that I could not 

 refer to them; because, whenever a genus cannot be united to others, it 

 must form the type of a family by itself. Thus, you have many orders in the 

 book with only one genus : these nine could have been used so just as well. 

 Indeed, Decandolle has made an order of Ceratophyllum. I could state 

 the affinities of all those mentioned, and the many errors in joining genera 

 to wrong orders, but this would lead too far. I merely invite your atten- 

 tion to my article Unisema in Medical Flora, whereby you will see that a 

 single species (Pontederia cordata of Linnaeus) may happen to be the type 

 of not only a new genus, but a new family and new order, when the seed 

 and fruit are totally different from the genus to which the plant is wrongly 

 referred by the copyists of errors. Botany will never be permanently fixed 

 until all errors are exploded and corrected. I am, Sir, yours, &c. — 

 C. S. Rafinesque, Professor of Botany and Natural History, 8? c. Philadelphia, 

 Jan., 1831. 



Our very best thanks are due to Professor Rafinesque for the above 

 most valuable corrections, additions, and suggestions. — Cond. 



Mr.Howden's Reply to Mr. Small (Vol. VIII. p. 85.) ; with Remarks on 

 the Method of training Vines at Doneraile. — Sir, I observe that a corre- 

 spondent, yclept Thomas Small, near the Church, Bexley, Kent (p. 85.), has 

 indulged his Irish wit, by giving me a rap with his shillela. He hints that 

 my services at Doneraile gave but indifferent satisfaction, and that " the 

 cottage allowed me was probably as good as I deserved." Very good 

 logic this, at least very good Irish logic ; observe its counterpart : when 

 Thomas Small worked journeyman gardener at Doneraile, in 1813, his 

 services gave but very indifferent satisfaction, and the tenth part of a two 

 pound note, per week, was probably as much as he deserved. Shame, 

 shame on such wages ! From the same logic it may be inferred that I 

 richly deserve the superb cottage which I now occupy, with all its internal 

 blessings ; but this, I think, would be the height of presumption, as I 

 should never have thought of building such a grand one for myself: but as 

 it is an appendage to a mansion residence, I feel highly honoured in the 

 occupation of it. I never meant to insult the Irish peasantry ; I should 

 be sorry to insult the Hottentot in his hut : but I shall always endeavour 

 to make the Irish aristocracy ashamed of themselves. I have nothing to 

 say disrespectful to the present Lord Doneraile : according to Mr. Hay- 

 croft's account he gives the average wages of Ireland or England ; viz. 5s. 



