Bloomington nursery, Illinois, Oct. 11,1856.

J. J. Smith, Esq., Ed. Horticulturist. - Dear Sir: Some weeks since, I addressed a letter to Messrs. Cockburn and Brown, nurserymen, of Montreal, with some statements as to the effects of Western winters on fruit-trees, and inquiring as to their experience in that northern region. In reply, they very kindly forwarded me a most interesting chapter, which (without, however, previously consulting them) I have taken the liberty to copy for the Horticulturist, if you deem proper, feeling confident that they will excuse me.

The drought here still continues with unabated intensity; positively, we have not had the ground half soaked once this year, and not half a dozen times has it been wet down three inches 1

Very truly yours, Ac, F. K. Phoenix.

Cote-des-Neiges Nurseries, near Montreal, Sept. 19, 1856.

F. K. PhOenix. - Sir: We were duly favored with your esteemed letter of the 13th. It affords us always much pleasure to communicate any information in our power to our brethren in the trade.

With regard to the subject matter of your letter, we have been always ranch surprised at the accounts we have so frequently seen in the Horticulturist, especially from parties at the far West, as to the winter killing of apple-trees. It is a thing almost entirely unknown with us here. During the course of ten years' experience on these grounds, we really cannot say that we have ever found one variety of the apple more tender than another, except, perhaps, the Early Harvest and the Baldwin, and, even in these two cases, we are not sure if we can attribute it to any inherent tenderness in the tree, for the Early Harvest is generally apt to canker and rot at the junction of the limbs and stem. In the case of oar losing some young Baldwins, it was perhaps owing to a too luxuriant growth. That there are sorts which seem to acclimate themselves better than others, there can be no doubt. Thus, the Fameuse, Pomme Oris, St. Lawrence, and Bourassa, all natives of Montreal, grow vigorously and well, whilst the Newtown Pippin seems to grow slowly and weakly; but then, we must attribute these differences to the original constitution of the tree, and not to the severity of the climate.

We believe that fruit-trees have nowhere ever been put to a severer test than on our own grounds, for the nursery lies on the northwestern slope of the Montreal Mountain, which overlooks the city, and the cold blasts from the Ottawa River sweep over it unbroken. We have experienced a temperature of 35° below zero, and every winter have it approaching 25° or 30°. Before winter sets in, we have some little freezing and thawing, but once the icy king is down upon us, there is little of that. Winter, in its rigor, lasts about four months. Our soil is a light, gravelly loam.

We see plainly that you have a strange and fickle climate to contend with. It must be all traced to that; ours may be called a ripening climate. Our cold, dry falls prepare the trees for the severity of the winters. From the lists you have sent us, it is plain that, with you, some sorts are in reality hardier than others. We have looked carefully over your list, and confess ourselves quite puzzled, for we see the universal Canadian favorite, the Fameuse, so hardy and fine, is occasionally tender at the West, and that hardy, healthy, sprawling fellow, the Rhode Island Greening, put in the same category. One remark we may venture to make, that those classed in your lists as hardy, are generally the most vigorous with us.

Winter killing of trees in the nursery row, is entirely unknown with us, as we have stated above. The snow generally averages about four feet in depth, and forms a valuable covering. In proof of this, we had a small Cryptomeria japonica quite uninjured last winter.

We will now name a few of the sorts of apples we have found most worthy of cultivation. Fameuse, the very best fall apple, of delightful flavor, and the tree an enormous bearer. Thousands of barrels are raised hereabouts. The same may also be said of the Pomme Gris, Bourassa, and St. Lawrence, though the Bourassa is rather getting out of favor, as it does not always bear well. Kerwick Codlin, the poor man's apple, and a universal favorite. Kerry Pippin and Hawthorne, very fine. We also name Emperor Alexander, Early Joe, Red Astracan, Sapson, Doming, R. I. Greening, Kentish Fillbasket, Rambo, Yellow Bellflower, Stone Pippin, Baldwin, Minshall's Crab or Baker. Ribston Pippin, every way worthy, and grows most luxuriantly. Breden Pippin, small, but good. Golden Pippin, of sorts. Northern Spy, late in bearing; all the Leadingtons do well with us. Montreal Beauty, a Crab, and the best of all. Sam Young, Carroll's Seedling, Pearson's Plate, and Cornish Aromatic, are four old country sorts of exquisite flavor. Carroll's Seedling is one of the best apples we ever ate.

Rosemont is a new winter sort, produced in Montreal of first-rate flavor.

The above remarks as to the hardihood of trees, refer to apples alone. When we come to pears and cherries, we must give a different account. The pears of American origin, such as the Oswego Beurre, Swan's Orange, Buffuin, Seckel Stevens' Genesee, etc, we have found the best and most hardy. All the Bonchre-tiens and Bergamots are as hardy as apples, and have long been the only sorts that could be depended on here. The Scotch and English sorts are also generally hardy. We frequently have winter-killing of the cherry here, especially such sorts as Bowyer's Early Heart, Early White Heart, Downer's Late Red, and Waterloo.

Our plum-trees are scarcely ever hurt in the wood, though the fruit buds above theBnow-line are sometimes killed outright. This year, we had an abundant crop of plums. The two new British sorts - Denyer's Victoria and Prince of Wales - are amongst the very best. Corses' Seedlings (of Montreal) are well worthy of cultivation, especially his Nota Bene, a most delicious plum, and very hardy.

The most valuable of the new currants are certainly the Cherry and May's Victoria. The green fruited Black has borne with us, and proves of very fine flavor. We have also fruited the Pearl White, small, but very handsome and good, and of a pearly white color. The striped fruited bore this year and last; not unlike the Champagne, and pretty good. Sperry's White is one of the sweetest of all. The Banquet and Black Grape are two of the best blacks. Of raspberries,' the old Fastolff still takes the lead, as a market fruit, so far as we have tested, excepting, perhaps, Knevitt's Giant, which we think sometimes a larger. The Flesh-colored we have fruited, and consider it the most delicious of all. It is a raspberry one can eat. We have not much of it, but we intend to plant it out for our own use when we can do so. The Imperial is very early, large, and fine. Barnet's Cane, small but very prolific - the Franeonia, perhaps, the hardiest of all.

This year we fruited the new Nimrod Strawberry, the very largest of all, and very fine. Mr. Prince discards it - why, we know not. Mr. Brown (the writer) spent two years, lately, at home (Scotland). They know nothing of fruits there as we do in America. He could not get an eatable apple till he fell in with some Newtown Pippins. Respectfully, Cockburn & Brown.