Retrospective Criticism. 491 



method, unless seeds are produced. — Bomarea (^Mirbel) hirtella Penny, 

 Sweet Fl. Gard. sub. Alstrcemerio, A. ovata Hooli. B. M. and Lod. Cab. 

 — B. acutifolia Penny, Sw. Fl. Gard. t. 77. sub. Alst. — B. oculata Penny, 

 Lod. Cab. 1851. sub. Alst. We follow Dr. Lindley's suggestions, in Bot. 

 Reg. t. 1410., in restoring Mii'bel's name for this well-marked genus. It 

 is, indeed, surprising that the species composing it should ever have been 

 referred to Alstroemeria. Salisbury (^Hort. Tr., vol. i. p. 337.) gave the 

 name Vandesia to this genus, but subsequently to that of Mirbel. — 

 G. Penny, A.L.S. 



Art. V. Retrospective Criticism. 



Corrections. — In Vol. VII. p. 665. line 33., for "ten miles S.W. of 

 Philadelphia" read "three miles S.W. of Philadelphia." In Vol. VIII. 

 p. 152. line 7. from the bottom, for " Hertford " read " Hartford." In 

 Vol. VIII. p. 153. line 24., for "Marcetta" read " Marietta." — J. J/, 

 Pliiladetpliia, Airnl 19. 1833. 



In Vol. IX. p. 369. line 7., for " it " read " they j " and in line 8., for 

 " enumerates " read " enumerate." 



A Landsca})e-Gardening Impostor. — We have just been informed that 

 a person, desirous of employment, advertised in the Leedn Mercury, in 

 February, 1832, for business, stating that he was " a scientific landscape- 

 gardener, and had had the advantage of having been employed by Mr. 

 Loudon for five years, and by four other rural architects in the south." 

 We think it right to state that the person alluded to never was employed 

 by us in that capacitj'. We have also learned that some persons, both 

 tradesmen and amateurs, have made use of our name in various wa3's, to 

 forward their own purposes j and we now give notice that the next instance 

 of the kind we hear of, we will publish the names of the parties. — Cond. 



Anotlier Item on Gem, tlie Itinerant Vender of Florat Rarities, (p. 2.30.) — 

 Mr. Greene is a gardener living near Newnham, close by Cambridge, 

 and does a great deal of business in flower plants. In transacting some 

 business with him last Saturday, he asked me if I had been taken in by the 



person who sold Mr. and several others some plants which are 



expected to be worth nothing. Mr. Greene met him by appointment at 

 the Black Lion, in Silver Street, where and when, after endeavouring to 

 sell him some ranunculuses, &c., he told Mr. Greene that Mr. Loudon, two 

 years ago, valued his collection of tulips at 18,000/. ! ! He gave Mr. Greene 

 his address as follows : — "William Gern, Millbank Nursery, Aberdeen." 

 J. D. sen. Waterbeacli, near Cambridge, March 20. 1833. 



Acquiring tlie earliest Information of Imjnovements in Gardening. — I was 

 much pleased with an article in your last (Vol. VIII. p. 645.), on the 

 subject of gardeners visiting each other's gardens in order to improve 

 themselves, as well as to make them desirous to equal each other in the 

 various productions of the garden ; as it is impossible for any man to keep 

 pace with the improvements of the times, if he never stirs out of his own 

 premises. There is also another thing which your correspondent has 

 overlooked, or has himself been so fortunate as not to feel the dis- 

 advantage of, but which, nevertheless, is a disadvantage to which many a 

 gardener is subject j I mean, that of not receiving early information of 

 things important to be known to them. Many things appear in your 

 Magazine which require the gardener's immediate knowledge of, in order 

 to profit by them, without losing a season ; yet, so blind are many gentle- 

 men to their own interest, that, after its publication, they will keep it for a 

 month or two without showing it to their gardeners ; and if you meet with 

 some gardeners whose employers take it in, and ask them what they think 



