These are two separate comments on a paper by Wrigley, Jones and Briffa (<i>AATA</i> <b>25-1239</b>) on computer-assisted cross-dating in dendrochronology. In the first, Monserud agrees with Wrigley <i>et al.</i> that no automatically applied statistical technique can replace evaluation by the experienced dendrochronologist. In the second, Yamaguchi takes the view that, carefully applied, such methods offer a powerful tool that can improve the objectivity of... cross-dating.