Retrospective Criticism. 373 



quire why melons were not favoured with a prize : a most reasonable enquiry, 

 too, considering that this has been one of the worst seasons for growing them 

 that has occurred for many years. There was but one ripe melon at the 

 Society's show, and that one was cut upon the 10th of May, at Dyrham Park 

 gardens. It is true it was but small ; but, as it was the first melon ever pro- 

 duced at the first show of the London Horticultural Society, that circumstance 

 alone, I think, ought to have had some weight with the judges. I knov/well there 

 was not a single ripe melon round London at the time this one was exhibited, 

 as, if there had, it would certainly have been sent there. I enquired of one 

 of the judges if he had any. The answer was. No ! Did he know any per- 

 son who had ? No ! Nx)w, I cut eight melons in the month of May, and none 

 of them weighed less than a pound, I do not approve of growing only one 

 or two large turnip-flavoured melons. Let them be small Canteloup, or large 

 black rock. I grow equal numbers of each, that is eight, in a light. The 

 light in length is 7 ft. Last j^ear I cut 70 lbs. of melons out of three lights. 

 However, my complaint is only one amongst twenty that might be made with 

 regard to the Horticultural Society's show ; and, if the judges are not more 

 liberal, and more general in distributing their prizes, whether the gardeners' 

 masters be membei-s or not, gardeners will not take the trouble to bring their 

 things so far merely to go home disappointed, while they can be far better 

 rewarded by the provincial horticultural societies. — James Cuthill, gardener 

 to Captain Trotter, Dyrham Park, near Barnet. June 4?. 1836. 



Serpentine Walls causing Currents of Air. (p. 162.) — I, like your correspondent 

 Mr. Glendinning, feel much interested in the phenomenon of serpentine walls 

 causing currents of air ; and should feel much gratified should any of your readers 

 be able satisfactorily to account for it. I had always thought, that the con- 

 cavities of the wall formed so manj' sheltered bays ; and, on asking Mr. Bane if he 

 found the wavy wall of great utility, I was much surprised to hear that he did 

 not think it so good as a straight wall, because it caused currents of air ; and, 

 on stating to Mr. Bane my surprise, he told me that, although not able to ac- 

 count for it, yet, in practice, he had always found it so. I think, also, that Mr. 

 DuflTus^aid the gardener who preceded Mr. Bane had made a similar observation. 

 When I went home, I examined your Encyclopcedia of Gardening, in hopes of 

 getting the problem solved ; but found it merely stated that, having been fre- 

 quently tried, they had been generally disapproved of, as creating eddies 

 {^Encyc. ofGard., § 1567.) I have since then endeavoured, without effect, to rest 

 satisfied that, although not accounted for, yet it must be as stated. I have 

 thought, that the same laws that change the direction of regular currents 

 of air, on a large scale, might also be in force in regard to this ; but, as yet, I 

 have remained anxious to have information. — G. M. Elliot. Rijyley Castle, 

 March 19. 1836. 



Cidture of the Potato, (p. 132.) — In looking over the communication from 

 R. L. on the culture of the potato (p. 132.), I find he says, that I s{>eak " most 

 decidedly against planting whole potatoes ; " adding, that he has been a grower 

 for the last twenty years ; and that he is satisfied, by repeated experiments, the 

 planting whole potatoes is best, especially of the kidney kinds ; and that one 

 third more is to be obtained by that method, than by cuttings or sets. 



Now, R. L. has given us the results of only one solitary experiment to prove 

 his assertion ; and he has neither shown in what manner they were planted, save 

 only that they were in three rows of 8 plants each; nor has he said a word of the 

 distance the plants were from each other, nor of the manner in which the ground 

 was prepared ; both very essential points to be known, before we can justly de- 

 cide on the superiority of his system over that in general practice. The quantity 

 he obtained from the 8 whole plants is by no means extraordinary ; it being 

 frequently exceeded by potato-growers in the neighbourhood, who he thinks 

 have neither time nor inclination to make experiments, and note the results : 

 but in this he is much mistaken. For the last twenty years, the culture of the 

 potato has been very much studied in this neighbourhood, and improved ; 

 and that, too, by a class of men who, certainly, have not iruch leisure time. 



