February 2, 1871. ] 



journaij of horticultuee and cottage gardener. 



85 



Apples: Lord Saffield, Cos's Pomona, Damelow'B Saedling, 

 Gooseberry Apple. Dessert Apples : Early Harvest (a few), 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, and Pitmaston Nonpareil. Plums .- 

 Oallins Golden, Early Rivers, Orleans, Prince Englebert, July 

 Green Gage, Belgian Parple, and Victoria. Fears ■ Bon 

 Chretien, Benrrfi Bachelier, Beurrfi Die], Benrre Hardy, Ber- 

 gamotte Esperen, Beurre d'Amanlis, Comte de Lamy, Alex- 

 andre Limbre, and Marie Louise. Will " C. G. E.," or any 

 one, state vfhat results they have found from the above sorts, 

 by actual experiment by the acre ? 



Again, " C. C. E." says I have a large margin in the esti- 

 mated cost of trees — Apples at Is. 6d. each. He quotes prices 

 which were I to buy trees at, I should not plant them at 6 feet 

 apart, but in lines 3 feet from each other, with a distance of 

 18 inches in the row, and I would beep the trees there until 

 they were fully 4 feet high, well furnished, and fit for planting at 

 6 feet apart, which I do not consider they are until they have had 

 three years' growth and training beyond the maiden growth. 

 The trees would cost, if they were selected at any nursery, what 

 I have named, for I would, of course, take only the best, such as 

 I should not have to keep unprofitably, but that would go to 

 work at once. I am no believer in cheap first costs, and should 

 go in for trees for an acre as for a select border — varieties 

 excepted. Thus " C. C. E.'s " trees at seven years would only 

 be doing what mine would at four. — G. Aeeey. 



ANONYMOUS OEITICISM— J\IESSRS. CARTER'S 

 PRIZES. 



In an able article on criticism which has arrested my atten- 

 tion, Mr. Paul lays bare an unjust practice, and makes out a 

 good case for publicity of critics' names. It will have its effect. 

 A few years ago the country was flooded by lucifer match- 

 boxes, on which were engraved some well-remembered figures. 

 XDok at them on one side, and we see the very acme of 

 pleasure and satisfaction beaming from the countenances of 

 the faces there depicted ; stand on the other side of the box, 

 and we see the same figures expressing the very incarnation of 

 ugliness. Criticism has two sides. Mr. Paul stands on one 

 side — publicity, and sees the pleasant aspect. I stand on the 

 other side, and see the same figure ugly — inexpressibly ugly. 

 If I go to Mr. Paul's side I shall see as he sees. If Mr. Paul 

 will come to my side he will see as I see. I have gone over to 

 jMr. Paul's side, have seen with him, and believe. Let him 

 come over to my side, and believe with me, if be can. If Mr. 

 Paul can see as I see, and feel as I feel, he will, I think, say 

 as I say, that if anonymous criticism is ugly, the other side of 

 the question is ugly too. 



Mr. Paul has given an example. I will give one. I have in 

 times past sometimes felt it a duty or a pleasure to contribute 

 an article to this and other papers, and to which I have attached 

 ■my name and address. On almost every occasion I have had 

 private letters bothering me for something or other. Now, I 

 do not call this ugly, but I do not call it nice, as it raises the 

 question courtesy versus postage stamps. Through unavoidable 

 circumstances I am often scarce of the latter, and I do not 

 grumble much ; but if conserving the former adds to the exist- 

 ing scarcity of the latter, I have a right to grumble and stop 

 the demand on my resources. This, as before said, I do not 

 call ugly, but 1 do the following. If I have happened to have 

 written recommendatory of an article, and have given the 

 leasou of my success, I have been insulted by applications for 

 a few dozens or a few hundreds, intimating that as the pro- 

 duction cost me nothing, I might make a "good thing of 

 it," and my master be no worse. I call that the ugly side of 

 publicity, and I determined to avoid the temptation by taking 

 away the means which called it into action. Seldom since, 

 except by special request, have I appended my name, whether 

 the article has contained praise or blame, or whether in this 

 respect it has been neutral. Herein I may have erred, not 

 that anything I could say would do either much good or much 

 harm, but that it is but just and honest in principle that critics 

 in censuring men or things should append their names. This 

 is manifestly so fair that it needs no attempt at proving, and 

 I daresay it is aU that Mr. Paul contends for. But while I 

 lay down this rule for my own guide, and act up to it, I shall 

 also act pretty closely to another, and not append my name to 

 anything personally commendatory of one man above another. 

 £'or instance, were I to bring to public notice some splendid Vines 

 which I can see every day, and of whose parentage Mr. Paul 

 might be proud, and to append my name, that eminent nursery- 

 man might possibly not complain of my doing so, but Mr. 



Pearson might perhaps question my motives, because the same 

 house contains some from him equally good, but yet unnoticed. 

 Some. men's names are of greater strength than their judgment. 

 At present the general rule stands thus — to give one's name 

 when we praise, and to withhold it when we blame. I am 

 aware there are many exceptions, but it seems to be the rule, 

 and in my humble opinion it would be as well for aU parties if 

 it were simply reversed. 



Having expressed my thoughts, I will leave the subject to 

 clearer heads and abler pens than mine, and venture a word 

 of comment on the schedule of prizes offered through the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society by Messrs.Carter & Co., seedsmen, 

 Holborn. Every year something fresh is brought forward, 

 startling in character and price. It is but natural that the 

 growth and maturity of these new-born subjects ushered -into 

 the world with everything that can make them attractive are 

 jealously watched by a criticising and discriminating public. It 

 is right that it should be so, but woe be to the proprietor if they 

 found a character for any of their proteges on the results 

 achieved in an abnormal season, and which are not upheld 

 under other aspects and other circumstances. It is right that 

 new subjects should be assailed, and have their bad points 

 mercilessly brought forward— if a thing cannot stand the fire of 

 public criticism it will not fulfil the demands of public ntiUty. 

 I have been their assailant, and probably shall be again. But if 

 it is right that faults should be exposed, it is equally right that 

 virtues should be recognised. That many subjects possess 

 virtue there cannot be a doubt, or the experience of the best 

 cultivators and the judgment of the best authorities go for 

 little or nought. "Who that has seen the Alpha, Wonder, and 

 Hundredfold Peas grown under favourable circumstances can 

 fail to recognise in them points of merit of sterling quality? 

 while Potatoes, and even salads and Parsley, have left their 

 mark on the horticultural world. If Messrs. Carter reap the, 

 reward of their enterprise it is only what they are entitled to, 

 and if the world is benefited who should begrudge it ? At any 

 rate, it is clear they have confidence in the strength of their 

 introductions, or they would not have deliberately adopted such 

 effectual means of exposing their weakness as to offer nearly 

 £50 for the bringing together of their productions and sub- 

 mitting them to the examination of the most competent judges. 

 It is to be hoped the liberal offer will have a liberal response, 

 and those who offer and those who contribute wiU alike reap a 

 reward from their venture, and general horticulture be col- 

 laterally advanced. — W. B. H. 



PROGNOSTICATION OF THE PRESENT WINTER. 

 In last November's number of " Symons's Monthly Meteoro- 

 logical Magazine," Mr. G. D. Brumham, Cirencester, observed 

 that according to a law which for the last hundred years " has 

 always proved correct, the coming winter must be remarkably 

 severe — that is, the mean temperature must be very consider- 

 ably below the average." The law Mr. Brumham stated in the 

 December number of that Magazine is this : — 



" When the rainfall of the first seven months of the year is below 

 10 inches (near London, or at Lyndon in Kutland), or there have been 

 in the first eight months of the year three or more months in each of 

 which the rainfall has been below an inch, the sncceeding winter is 

 ahjsays remarkably severe, if the Greenwich mean temperature of 

 August to October inclusive has been not more than 56^.1 in the former 

 case, or in the latter more than 53°. 4." 



How the prognostication has been and is being fulfilled we 

 all know, and we have had this note sent us on the subject : — 



" I am bound to confess that I have not much faith in 

 weather prophecies in general, so many have been put forth 

 without much foundation to rest upon, have flourished for a 

 time, but soon come to an untimely end, but this, certainly, 

 seems more promising than anything we have seen for a long 

 time, and up to the present period has been remarkably ful- 

 filled, and also has the merit of having been issued before the 

 commencement of the winter, and not in ambiguous language, 

 after the manner of the old-fashioned almanacks by which 

 people might be rendered wise after the event. 



" This prophecy, like all others, must stand the test of time, 

 and if found sound will be a valuable acquisition to our meteor- 

 ological knowledge, and will reflect credit on Mr. Brumham, 

 the discoverer. Whether it continue successful in future years 

 or not I regard it as a step in the right direction, and a line of 

 investigation which should be followed. No doubt the varia- 

 tions of the weather, which appear so strange and unaccountable 

 to us, are not really so, but proceed according to certain fixed 



