15 4 Retrospective Criticistn. 



society, instead of turning them out of their Society, as unworthy of notice. 

 A person who would wish to iiave a well-cultivated garden should endeavour 

 to have a cultivated gardener also. You will be surprised to hear of such 

 things in Belfast, where the people in general are well-informed and liberal. 

 Yes, and that these would-be gents, who voted for our exclusion, are all radical 

 reformers. So much for radical liberality ! Now I come to the most pleasant 

 part of my letter. I have seen Lord and Lady Donegall, Sir Robert and 

 Lady Bateson, Mr. and Mrs. Ball, and other persons of distinction, at our 

 shows, mingling freely with us, and, in the most polite and condescending 

 manner, conversing with the humblest gardener among us, on subjects relative 

 to our profession. — A Gardenei\ Belfast, Dec. 29. 1834. 



Art. III. Retrospective Criticism. 



HayWARD' S Inquiry, Sfc., reviewed, X. 500., is there wrongly stated to cost 

 only 2s. 6d., but on sending to purchase it, I found the price was 7*. 6d., 

 which I think much too dear. — A Journeyman Gardener. East Acton, 

 Jan. 19. 1835. 



On looking at our copy, we find no price marked on it; and we conclude 

 that we must have been informed, at the time we wrote, that the price was 

 2s. 6d. ; at all events, the paper and print is certainly not worth more. It does 

 not contain more than twice as much as this Magazine; and there are very 

 few cuts. — Co7id. 



What are the Heat and Moisture best adapted for the Pi'oduction of the 

 various Fruits ? — I beg to call the attention of your scientific readers to the 

 query on this subject in X. 80. It is one of great importance to the horticul- 

 turist, and one which, I hope, will meet with that serious consideration it so 

 justly merits. — W. P. A. East Acton, Jan. 19. 1835. 



JiJ7\ Rutger''s Desigtis for Kitchen and Flower Gardens are exceedingly 

 useful, and I should like to see a similar series of designs, founded on sci- 

 entific principles, of vineries, peach-houses, and other forcing structures, 

 either by Mr. Rutger, or some one equally conversant with the subject. 

 — /(/. 



Rustic-iuork for Garden Ornaments. (X. 485.) — I have lately been trying 

 several experiments with rustic-work ; and, on reading the above article, I 

 thought it might be interesting to your readers to be informed how I prepare 

 wood for forming rustic ornaments. The best wood for this purpose is alder, 

 which is remarkable for being curled and knotty ; and, as it is desirable to 

 make it appear as knotty as possible, I take the knots from one piece of wood, 

 and insert them in holes previously prepared in the plain parts of the wood I 

 intend to make use of. Care must be taken that the pieces let in fit the 

 holes exactly; and they may be fastened in with glue or small headless 

 nails. — M. Saul. Sulyard Street, Lancaster, Dec. 16. 1834. 



A specimen of this prepared wood has been sent us by Mr. Saul, and also 

 a design for an Elizabethan window, in which the mullions, transoms, and 

 labels are of rustic-work ; that is, with branches of alders knotted in the 

 manner above described. Chacim a son gout; for our part, we can by no 

 means approve of applying wooden rustic-work to permanent architectural 

 structures of brick or stone, such as human dwellings. There is too much 

 of fac-simile imitation in this rustic-work for the dignity of stone or brick 

 architecture ; and too little of the expression of cultivated design, for forming 

 the framework of any thing so avowedly artificial and refined as glazed sashes. 

 These are our reasons, but we are willing to hear those of Mr. Saul, or of any 

 other correspondent, in opposition to them. — Cond. 



The Wourali Poison, (p. 5.) — Mr. Colley, finding that the Catasetum con- 

 tained a viscid matter, concluded that the poison itself would be glutinous; 

 hence his remark that it renders the Wourali poison so glutinous as to 



