288 



fit for seed until the next harvest, as the germinating power is killed ia 

 the drying. 



Yours truly, 



JOSEPH BOWROIS'. 



To Albert C. Ingham, Esq. 



Sec. of the Wis. State Agr. Society. 



THE MORAL INFLUENCES OF HORTICULTURE. 



The Grove, Northfield, III., December 20, 1852. 



My Dear Sir: — A compliance with your request, that I furnish a hor- 

 ticultural paper, for your forthcoming volume of Transactions, is ren- 

 dered difficult, by circumstances not necessary to mention ; and, yet, I 

 do not feel at liberty entirely to neglect your flattering call, inasmuch as 

 I acknowledge your right to command the aid of my pen, and perhaps 

 believe that the example of professional writers may prove of some avail, 

 even, though, their communications contain little or nothing of practical 

 value to the well-informed reader. 



Now, the three or four pages of argument, floating in my mind, may 

 not reach the paper in a way to convince a single individual, but I may 

 excite thought, and that thought may cause investigation and application. 



My theme is the Moral Influences of Horticulture ; though I may in- 

 cidentally glance at other phases of the question. 



I consider Horticulture, not only "the fine art of rural life," but as 

 the primary school of taste and refinement, and the normal school of 

 practical country life. 



To begin with the familiar and unquestionable branches ; all who stop 

 to think will admit, that a well-tilled garden is in reality a model farm ; 

 and from the results there, the large farmer can readily take practical 

 lessons, on the general efi'ects of improved fertility, by the use of man- 

 ures, depth and fineness of tilth, thoroughness and extent of after-cul- 

 ture, incidental protection, irrigation, <fec., and if we leave out the above 

 consideration, it must still be admitted, that a good kitchen garden gives 

 a larger return in wholesome and desirable food, for the small amount of 

 occasional labor, than any part of a farm — the orchard excepted — and 

 it furnishes, also, agreeable occupation for some hours that might be 

 worse than wasted, were it not for this handy resource. 



