Since the appearance of the May number of the Horticulturist I have been besieged by a fresh batch of inquiries concerning the Marengo Winter Crab, occasioned by your article on "Apples for Extreme Northern Sections." By that prompt and impartial notice of this new fruit you have, in my opinion, placed the people of the Northwest under obligations which they will not fail to remember. To men in the more favored fruit latitudes of the East, it may seem strange that an extensive region, already embracing several millions of people, should possess scarcely a single variety of the apple that can be relied upon as entirely hardy. Yet, judging from articles in Northern journals, none except the Siberian Crabs have fully stood the test of our late winter. Draw a line due west from Chicago to Nebraska, and it will be found that such apples as the Jonathan, Gilpin, and Fameuse, are not generally hardy north of that line. They are not perfectly so at this place, a point that has gained a reputation for growing more varieties of apples in perfection than any other equally far north in the West.

I do not wish to be understood as saying that these varieties, and many others, are not grown to a great extent north of that line, but that there are seasons in which all of them totally fail from the effects of the climate, and sometimes the trees themselves are seriously injured or killed outright, while the Siberian Crabs uniformly bear heavy crops, and are never injured from climatic causes, even in the most extreme northern limits.

You will thus see that, according to the terms of your own estimate, the Marengo Winter Crab is worth ground room, not only in the extreme north, but over the whole of that extensive territory known as the Northwest, a section destined to become, perhaps, the most populous, as it is now the most enterprising, portion of our country.

A variety that will supply, with certainty, the want of this vast region for a first-rate cooking, and even a second-rate eating apple, during the whole winter season, can not fail to become one of those sectional blessings which it is so praiseworthy to promote. We have but to consult Northwestern journals to notice the perfect furore for the few varieties of fall and summer apples that have proved hardy there, such as Tetofsky, Duchesse d'Oldenburg, and especially the Transcen-dant and Hyslop Crabs. The Marengo Crab combines the perfect hardiness of the latter with nearly all the good qualities of the former. For the kitchen, its luscious cooking qualities are decidedly superior to either, and it is probably not inferior in eating flavor to the Duchesse or Ben Davis. In beauty and productiveness it has no rival. Added to this, it can be kept till late in spring, while it is in prime condition for use in early winter.

In bringing this new variety thus early into notice, through the columns of the Horticulturist, you have entirely transcended my expectations; indeed, I should not have chosen to publish a description of the specimens sent you, as they were the very last and smallest of a lot which had been used all winter for exhibition, « and had been, I think, frozen at the meeting of the Northern Illinois Horticultural Society in February last. Your outline could not, therefore, have done full justice to the size of the variety; nor could the constant handling and transportation have preserved its juices and flavor to fully attest its excellence, beauty, or keeping qualities. Specimens are now growing which I hope to submit to you with different results as to size and quality. The apple crop is almost a complete failure here this season, from injury done to the buds in winter. The trees bloomed imperfectly, but dropped their fruit, while not a Siberian Crab that showed blossoms but is now loaded with fruit.

Yours truly, C. Andrews.

Marengo, Ill.

[Remarks. - The writer of the article descriptive of the Marengo Crab desires us to thank Mr. Andrews for his compliments, and to say that in giving account of the fruit, his object was simply to draw the attention of fruit-growers at the West to this as a new fruit, and, like other new sorts, deserving their attention and careful examination, comparison, etc., relative to its future permanent value. It has ever been the aim of the Horticulturist to notice all new fruits, as well as to comment on old varieties, with a view to careful selection for the masses to cultivate; and our Western readers and fruit - growers may rely upon our journal as one largely supplied with information from the broad prairies and fruit sections of the West. We have a large number of correspondents regularly keeping us posted, and from whose letters we constantly glean valuable items for our readers. - Ed].