I wish to thank you for your kindness in sending me, through Mr. Field last spring, a letter of introduction to Mr. Thompson of London. I did not arrive in London in season to attend the exhibition you wished me to: but I twice visited the gardens and enjoyed valuable conversations with Mr. Thompson, who was very obliging and communicative. I took his advice as to what I should see in Paris, and I had thought to offer you some account of what most interested me there. But nearly all that was new and valuable of my observations there has already now appeared in the Horticulturist in the article by Mr. T . from the Journal of the London Society.

I spent only about one month on the Continent, mostly Germany, where I much enjoyed the social out door life, and the frequent approaches to realizations of your ideal village. The custom of taking meals in the gardens or summer houses is very common; and it seemed to me the middle classes at [363]least lived in the open air more than even the English. Nor did it seem to me, as is frequently asserted, that their habits in these respects injured the family influence, or made Home any less homelike and lovable, but the contrary.

I saw the best parts of England, spending two months travelling through it on foot, seeing the country of course to great advantage, so that I feel as if I had not merely seen the rural character, but lived in it, and made it a part of me. I was then two months in Ireland and Scotland.

I wish you would, when convenient, do us (your disciples in Horticulture) the favor to explain distinctly the terms used to describe the different ways of growing pears, &c. I think your correspondents of the Horticulturist have generally used the term Standard to designate pears grown on pear stock only, and dwarf for those on Quince or Thorn. But in Europe does not dwarf mean a low ill shapen tree, or a maiden tree that has lost its leader, and is only suitable for walls? And standard is used only, is it not, as you use it when speaking of Mr. Rivers’ garden: you say he has 2300 standard trees of Louise Bonne of Jersey, etc. (That name will never do to take to market, by the way. I wish you would practicalize it.) I apprehended that some of your readers here would misunderstand you then, and I find they did.

Rivers I believe does not grow the L.B.J. on Pear stock at all, but condemns it. Nor does he grow the Copiaument or Bartlett on quince. I was disappointed at not finding the pear grown on quince more abroad. Even at Paris I saw but few in open culture. Those at the Jardin des Plantes and at the Luxembourg are splendid full grown trees, and even this bad season were as full as could be desired of fruit. At Versailles they were mostly on trellis or walls. Those en quenouille invariably looked unhealthy.

I saw your Fruits of America in France and England and Scotland; always shown as something for me to be proud of as your countryman.