Your favor is received, and I cheerfully respond to your request As you suppose, I had the gratification to examine, last season, while in fruit, some of the seedling raspberries, raised by our mutual friend Dr. Brinokle, of Philadelphia. I herewith annex a description of such as were then at maturity. As you are aware, these plants were grown in a limited space, being on the narrow borders of a paved yard, and therefore not susceptible of receiving the beneficial influences which accrue from open cultivation. What effect the latter would have, and whether their characteristics will remain the same, or whether the respective varieties will improve or deteriorate, time and experience only can decide. It is reasonable, however, to conclude, that some of these varieties will prove great acquisitions to our list of raspberries. When we consider the great improvement which has taken place within a few years by the hybridization of the strawberry, we may anticipate a result quite as favorable with the raspberries of Dr. B.

These are of various shades of color, from rich dark crimson, to transparent white. But the color of the Orange pleased me more than any other sort, having that peculiar tint which distinguishes the dawn of day. The superior flavor, size, and productiveness, of several of these varieties, is quite remarkable, and shows the great susceptibility there is of improvement in this class of fruits, particularly in the multiplication of kinds, ripening at different times in the season. The success which has crowned the few efforts which have been made to produce from seed new fruits adapted to our soil and climate, afford encouragement to cultivators to speed this branch of improvement. Let them generally evince the same zeal which has distinguished our friend in the discovery of native fruits and the raising of new and improved varieties, and our country would soon be filled with more valuable and appropriate sorts, than the thousand far-famed varieties which appear in the foreign catalogues. Give us the same enterprise, intelligence and assiduity, which characterizes the labors of Dr. Brinckle, and we should, instead of importing ship loads of trees and plants from Europe, soon be in the way of reciprocating the favors of our trans-atlantic brethren by sending back some "coals to New Castle?

The following eighteen varieties are the best of Dr. B's seedlings that have yet fruited, and are arranged in the order of their ripening. They are all of fine quality, but the position they occupy may accelerate or retard their natural period of maturity.

Woodward

This is one of the smallest of the varieties, though larger than the ordinary wild raspberry. Bound, sometimes roundish ovate, crimson. Bed spines. Has ripened as early as the 10th of June.

Walker

Large, round, deep crimson, solid, adheres firmly to the stem, keeps long in perfection on the plant, bears carriage well. Promises to be valuable as a market variety. Bed spines.

34a

A. seedling of the Orange, which it closely resembles in every respect White spines.

Orange

Large, conical, sometimes ovate, orange color, shaded with rose. Generally reproduces its kind from seed. White spines. Very handsome.

33 X

Seedling of Col. Wilder, and very similar to it in size, form, color and general appearance, but too tender for market purposes. White spines.

Col. Wilder

Large, roundish, brilliant, semi-transparent, cream color. White spines. Productive.

Mrs. Wilder

Seedling of Col. Wilder; has its brilliancy and general appearance, but is rather larger, and perhaps a shade deeper in color. White spines. Beautiful.

35h

Seedling of Cope. Large, obtuse conical, crimson. Profuse bearer. Bed spines.

Cushing

Large, conical, crimson, a twice-bearing variety. The second crop is grown on a shoot of the same year. It will scarcely mature the second crop in New England, but it frequently does at Philadelphia, and would no doubt invariably do so further south. Bed spines.

Longworth, (33 J)

Seedling of Col. Wilder. Large, round, deep crimson. Bed spines.

Mrs. Ingersoll, (32 P)

Large, conical, fair yellow. White spines.

36 L

Seedling of Cope. Large, roundish, light crimson, with considerable black. Bed spines.

Fulton

Seedling of French. Large, round, crimson, productive, vigorous grower. Bed spines.

Gen. Patterson, (33 M)

Seeding of Col. Wilder. Large, round, crimson. Does not part readily from the stem. Vigorous grower, very productive. Bed spines.

33 G

Seedling of Col. Wilder, Large, round, yellowish, inclining to flesh color when fully ripe. White spines.

Emily (33 E)

Seedling of Col. Wilder. Large, conical, sometimes round, often shouldered, which distinguishes it from the other varieties, light yellow. Vigorous grower; very productive. White spines.

Cope

Large, conical, crimson. Red spines. Foliage of a lighter green, and more deeply serrated than any of the others.

French

Seedling of Fastolff crossed with Yellow Antwerp. Large, round, crimson. Red spines. Very hardy. Very late.

I must not omit to mention a peculiarity, which Dr. B. has noticed, and which illustrates the great propensity of the raspberry to "sporting," namely, that he has never obtained a yellow fruited variety from its seed, but some of its grand-children have borne fruit of this color.