368 Retrospective Criticism. 



to the two petals terminating in a bag or pouch. It is by mistake often 

 spelled Diclytra." Your youthful correspondent. — C. T. W. Derby- 

 shire,. January 11. 1832. 



We have already alluded to this correction, Vol. VII. p. 60., at bottom ; 

 but admit C. T. W.'s with thanks, because it is more in detail, and to evince 

 our respect for our " youthful correspondent's " lucid correction. — J. I). 



Sweet's British Flower-Gar den. — Sir, In the reply of F. (p. 87.) to my 

 observations on Sweet's British Flower-Garden, inserted in Vol. VII. 

 p. 709., he appears to have wholly mistaken my object: it was certainly not 

 with a view of attacking the gentleman who conducts that work with so 

 much ability, that I animadverted upon it ; but merely with the intention of 

 recommending to your readers not to be too hasty in transferring to their 

 flower-borders new and scarce plants, until they had first obtained dupli- 

 cates. When the publication of the British Flower-Garden was first 

 announced, it was proposed to figure only hardy plants, or such as would 

 endure the winter in the open flower-borders : this was its professed 

 object. Now, I will only ask F. candidly to state, if all, or even many, of 

 the plants figured, are calculated for this purpose. That man}' of them are 

 very beautiful, I am ready to admit ; consequent^, a great proportion of the 

 readers of the work would probably be anxious to possess them ; but if 

 they were, on purchasing them, immediately to transfer them to their 

 flower-borders, would they not be doomed to disappointment and loss ? 

 They must effectually keep the frost from some ; others would perish, by 

 being exposed to too much wet ; and there are some that would never do 

 any good in open borders, under any circumstances. If, therefore, artificial 

 means are absolutely necessary to preserve them, is it not a misapplication 

 to call them hardy? Would it be desirable to have the flower-garden 

 (which you, Sir, very properly recommend to be, in every case, near the 

 rooms most immediately in use) studded with pots, mats, litter, &c, for 

 five or six months in the year ? I have no objection, individually, to the 

 plan of the work being changed ; but I do protest against tender plants 

 being figured in a work professing to give only hardy flowers and shrubs ; 

 and at the same time recommending them as calculated for open flower- 

 borders. It is certainly very proper to attempt to acclimatise as many 

 exotics as possible, and it is an object worthy the attention of every cul- 

 tivator ; because, in effecting it, you procure in many species far more beau- 

 tiful and splendid flowers than you can do by growing them in pots. It is, 

 therefore, not with any intention of deprecating these experiments that 

 I have mooted the question, but solely with a view of recommending caution 

 in the application. To the skilful and experienced, this advice is unneces- 

 sary ; but to those who, like myself, only cultivate plants for amusement, 

 it may be of some use. I need not take up your space in enumerating 

 such plants as I consider not calculated for the flower-garden, because it 

 must be obvious that my observations apply principally to the Cape bulbs, 

 &c, and to such herbaceous and alpine plants as are liable to be killed by 

 frost or wet ; also to some of those that are' so exceedingly diminutive, 

 that they are little calculated for the borders, although very necessary in a 

 collection as pot plants. Whether any of the above ought to have a 

 place in a work such as the publication in question professes to be, I have 

 great doubts ; but I have none as to their unfitness for the flower-garden. 

 E. London, February 18. 1832. 



The Agricultural and Horticidtural Exhibition held at Stirling (p. 114.), 

 and probable Origin of the Term a Whinstone ." — These exhibitions, 

 judging from first appearances, must, if persevered in, be attended 

 with the most beneficial results to that part of the country, and reflect 

 infinite credit on their promoters. You mention that the Irish whin 

 was exhibited as an article of green food for cattle, and properly re- 

 mark, that, owing to the difficulty of propagating it, it is not likely to 

 answer the end. The common variety of LTlex europse v a is that used for 



