DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



483 



some objections? In the experiment referred to, 

 the ascending current is through the descending 

 and against its motion. This is not so in the 

 plant. The downward flow is through the same 

 channel as the upward. The liquid in Dutro- 

 chet's tuhe docs not receive any additions, or un- 

 dergo any changes from the atmosphere, hefore it 

 begins its descending movement. Is this so in 

 the vegetable orgrnization? 



But my purpose is not so much to oppose the 

 theory iu question, or to propose a new one, as to 

 express a hope that you will give us your opinions 

 on this subject in that journal, the discontinuance 

 of which, for any reason, your subscribers in this 

 region would regard as almost a national calamity. 

 C. Smith. Newport, N. Y., Feb. 4, 1850. 



Answer. — Undoubtedly Dutrochet's explana- 

 tion of the galvanic law. by which, when two 

 fluids of unequal density are separated by a mem- 

 brane, the denser is positively, and the less dense 

 negatively electrified; and hence two electric 

 currents of unequal power set through the mem- 

 brane, carrying the fluid with them, is correct; 

 and it is by this law that the fluids of plants being 

 denser than the water in the soil, the latter is, 

 under certain conditions, continually impelled into 

 their systems. But the vital force — the living 

 principle — governs even this law, and is the real 

 cause (if that can be termed an explanation, )-of 

 the circulation and secretions of plants. Ed. 



Association for collecting rare Trees and 

 Plants. — We ask the attention of our readers to 

 the following excellent suggestion by Mr. Barry, 

 of Rochester. The plan is one that has worked 

 well abroad, and seems to. us very feasible at the 

 present moment, here. We think the Massachu- 

 setts and Pennsylvania Hort. Societies will enter 

 into the plan liberally ; and we shall be glad to 

 hear from amateurs and commercial gardeners 

 who feel interested in the matter. Ed. 



Dear Sir — Since my visit to Europe last win- 

 ter, the subject of obtaining seeds of the magnifi- 

 cent pines, firs, and other rare and valuable trees 

 and plants of Mexico, California, Oregon, &c., has 

 been constantly in my mind. When I saw the 

 lawns and arboretums of England studded with 

 them, and in Belgium and France immense ranges 

 of houses devoted to their multiplication, and 

 when I found that not horticultural societies alone, 

 but individual cultivators were enthusiastically and 

 successfully engaged in collecting and introducing 

 them, in opposition to the most formidable diffi- 

 culties, I thought, that with our much talked of 

 enterprise, it would be most remarkable indeed if 

 some cllort of the kind should not be made here ; 

 and the more particular, as recent golden events 

 have created such close and constant communica- 

 tion with these regions. 



The botanists and horticulturists of Europe, 

 who regard with wonder and admiration the vast 

 vegetable riches of this continent, cannot under- 

 stand why so little attention seems to bo given it 



here, considering that such a largo proportion of 

 our population are devoted to the culture of the 

 soil. Sir Wm. Hooker, of the Kew Gardens, and 

 others, complained to me of the difficulty and 

 even impossibility of obtaining from our settled 

 and populous districts even, many rare species of 

 plants, in consequence of their not being known or 

 cultivated. The reasons for this are all obvious 

 enough to us. The circumstances of our country, 

 in many respects, have been such as to prevent 

 any considerable attention to the culture of rare 

 trees. Our best landscapes have been worked 

 out of the original forest, which have at the same 

 time afforded an ample supply of timber for all 

 purposes of the arts. Arboriculture has, conse- 

 quently, been, in the main, confined to fruits. A 

 short time ago we had a correspondence with a 

 gentleman who was about forming an arboretum ; 

 and after applying to nearly all the American 

 nurseries, in vain, for specimens of American 

 trees, he found he had to order most of them from 

 Europe. The truth is, there has been no demand 

 until quite recently for more than a few very 

 common and well known species of ornamental 

 trees and shrubs ; and what is not in active de- 

 mand will not he cultivated in this country, at 

 least by professional cultivators. 



But there are great changes going on in the 

 condition and circumstances of this country. The 

 natural forest is disappearing rapidly from a very 

 large portion of the country. Towns, cities, and 

 villages are increasing in number, population and 

 wealth, at a pace that almost outruns the imagina- 

 tion. Around all these cities, towns and villages, 

 suburban dwellings of various grades are spring- 

 ing up. These have no longer the native trees 

 to shade and shelter or embellish them; and 

 hence they must plant. Planting is therefore 

 going on in a manner and spirit altogether unex- 

 ampled in this country ; and the prospect is, that 

 the attention to be given it in future will quite 

 equal the neglect of previous times. Americans 

 seldom do things in a small way. Their ideas 

 and plans usually partake of the grand and com- 

 prehensive. So that when we once see the public 

 mind awakened on any given subject, we may 

 expect to see it prosecuted in a vigorous and ef- 

 fectual spirit. 



Throughout the whole country, we hear and 

 see evidences of an interest in landscape garden- 

 ing. The President of the Massachusetts Horti- 

 cultural Society has introduced the subject in his 

 recent annual address, and suggested that a pro- 

 fessorship for this department be established. 

 The prospect is that wc shall soon have public 

 gardens, in connection with agricultural schools 

 and colleges. These arc all the evidences and 

 results of the public taste and sentiment on these 

 matters. Within a lew years, considerable quan- 

 tities of rare trees have been imported from Eu- 

 rope, notwithstanding their high price and the 

 many risks attendant upon their transmission. I 

 have this moment before me an invoice of up« 



