HORTICULTURAL, REPOSITORY. 



2ST 



not make up his mind to become a citizen until after 

 tho war was concluded. As to Mr. Wilson's com- 

 parisons between what he calls "Yankees" and Euro- 

 peans, they are not worth notice. It is well known 

 that an American going to Europe, would have some- 

 thing to learn there, whatever may be his previous 

 acquirements : and if the Americans have arrived to 

 such perfection in knowledge on Horticultural sub- 

 jects, pray what is the use, Mr. Editor, of yourself 

 and others wasting their time and talents to publish 

 books on the subject ? 



I am Sir, with the highest respect, 

 yours, &c. 



T. BRIDGEMAN. 

 ■Bowery road, New York, Nov. 1S28. 



ART. 159- — Remarks in answer to a " Squash.' 

 By Betdla. Alba. [Addressed to the Editor of 

 the New-York Farmer and Horticultural Repo- 

 sitory.] 



Sir. : — I hope the following observations, on article 

 131, page 191, of your Repository, will not be con- 

 sidered so uninteresting, as to prevent an early inser- 

 tion of them in your columns. The writer of that ar- 

 ticle endeavors to vindicate the assertions and senti- 

 ments of the American Horticulturalist, as stated in 

 pages 191 and 192. How far that writer has suc- 

 ceeded in convincing your readers of the truth of these 

 assertions and sentiments, I am unable to judge. To 

 me, however, it does appear that he has proved noth- 

 ing, except that which is in favor of what is advanced 

 by the author of Critical Remarks. Let me, for one 

 moment, shortly state to the reader, the point in dis- 

 pute. It is stated by the Am. Hort. that the climate 

 of this country is superior, in point of congeniality, to 

 that of England ; and that it is on this account, that 

 her garden products, in many respects, exceed those 

 of England. Now your critic does not deny that 

 Jhere are both fruits and vegetables that succeed bet- 

 ter in this climate than in that of England ; but this is 

 not at all the point in dispute. The dispute is, wheth- 

 er the climate of this country is superior to England, 

 in point of congeniality for garden products. The 

 Am. Hort. says that it is. In order to prove this as- 

 sertion, he refers us to a list of what he terms supe- 

 rior garden products, which arc brought to maturity 

 in this climate ; and then in an exulting manner, ex- 

 claims, " what has England to compare with these?" 

 In answer to this, your critic maintains the proof to 

 be insufficient ; because, that many of the articles e- 

 numerated by him do actually grow in England, and 

 in as great perfection as they do here. Your critic 

 says ; " allowing that none of these things could be 

 brought to perfection in that climate, it by no means 



proves that the climate is inferior." I deem it alto- 

 gether unnecessary to point out to the reader the dif- 

 ference that exists in the two climates: every one is 

 acquainted, by well authenticated evidenco, of the 

 mild and temperate climate of England. Did I for a 

 moment think any of your readers were ignorant of 

 this fact, I could show volumes of evidence, to con- 

 vince them of its truth. Let them examine any or all 

 of the works that have been written on English hor- 

 ticulture, and if they are not then convinced, I should 

 call in question the sanity of their minds. Your 

 American Hort. has given us a very erroneous im- 

 pression respecting the nature and state of horticul- 

 ture in England. He would make us believe that 

 the great care and expense bestowed upon garden- 

 ing in that country, is owing to the uneongeniaiity of 

 the climate ; this however is altogether a mistake. 

 The great care and expense bestowed, is to procure 

 a supply of vegetables and fruits out of the usual 

 season. I might here digress and point out the be- 

 nefits that we in this country might derive from an 

 adoption of the same system, for it is self-evident 

 that it is as necessary here as it is there. Perhaps 

 on some future occasion, I may say something more 

 on this subject. I shall now take notice of the at- 

 tempt that the writer makes to prove that the people 

 in England esteem summer or winter squashes as 

 garden luxuries. The testimony of the celebrated 

 Mr. Loudon is brought forward in proof of this asser- 

 tion. Let me ask, does his testimony prove any- 

 thing of the kind ? No, in no wise, for not one word 

 is said about their being esteemed luxuries, nor does 

 any writer or English horticulture with whom I am 

 acquainted, say that this is the case ; I believe there 

 is not sn Englishman that will give his testimony in 

 favor of such an assertion. The truth is, that in 

 some parts of England, the cottagers grow pumpkins 

 and occasionally have them for pies. 



As to Mr. Sabine's testimony, it goes for nothing, 

 the vegetable marrow being neither a summer nor 

 winter squash. Our author seems perfectly sensible 

 of the weakness of his cause and of his incapability 

 to support it, for in the agony of distress, he calls 

 aloud for help. " We must confess (says he) we 

 blush at the apathy of the cultivators of American 

 soil in suffering so long in quietness, the reproaches 

 which are thrown upon their valuable and abundant 

 products, by the most gross impositions ; more glar- 

 ing samples of whiah was certainly never offered to 

 the public, than those advanced by your horticultural 

 Critic, both respecting the luxurious productions of 

 English cottage gardens as well as the fallacious as- 

 sertion respecting the value of that most simple and 

 pliable production, the fruit of a squash." 



The-e mv friends are the last struggles of our de- 

 parting friend. 



