HOW TO MAKE AN AMATEUR. 



soil, or in a situation thoroughly drained from water during winter, will resist much more 

 cold, than if cultivated in a damp climate, or in wet soil, or in a place affected by water in 

 winter. Whatever tends to render tissue moist, will increase its power of conducting heat, 

 and consequently augment the susceptibility of plants to the influence of frost; and what- 

 ever tends to diminish their humidit}^ will also diminish their conducting power, and with 

 it their susceptibility; this is an invaiiable law, and must consequently be regarded as a 

 fundamental principle in horticulture, upon attention to which all success in the adapta- 

 tion of plants to a climate less warm than their own, will essentially depend. The de- 

 structive effLCts of frost upon the succulent parts of plants, or upon their tissue, when in 

 a succulent condition, may be thus accounted for, independently of the mechanical expan- 

 sion of their parts; indeed, it is chiefl}'^ to that circumstance, that Dr. NeufFer ascribes the 

 evil influence of cold in the spring; for he found that at Tubingen, nearly all the trees con- 

 tain eight per cent more of aqueous parts in March, than at the end of Januarj^: and tlie 

 experience of the past winter shows, that the cultivation of plants in situations too much 

 sheltered, where they are liable to be stimulated into growth, and consequently to be fill- 

 ed with fluid, b}' the warmth and brightness of a mild protracted autumn, exposes them 

 to the same bad consequences as growing them in damp places, or where their wood is not 

 ripened, that is to say, exhausted of superfluous moisture, and strengthened b}' the de- 

 position of solid matter, resulting from such exhaustion." 



HOW TO MAKE AN AMATEUR. 



BY X. Y. II. 



The history of trees in the United States, has been too much after the following fash- 

 ion; much of the land had the reputation, if it had not the reality, of abounding in chills 

 and fevers, or fevers alone; whether the trees by causing dampness, or the unwonted ex- 

 posure of the settler caused disease, the native forests were considered in fault. To some 

 extent this was true, for till the country in many places, was cleared, and the sun, that 

 vivifier and sweetener, was let in, miasmatic influences were more or less rife. Ti'ee fol- 

 lowed tree, and when they were all down, and the house built, the settler had what he 

 believed he wanted — a clearing; he too often did not reflect that a belt at the north of his 

 dwelling would keep the wintry blasts from roaming down his chimne}', or protect his 

 sheep and poultr}'. His wife wanted sun to dry the clothes, never thinking of thermo- 

 meters at 90", and a clearing both parties had. The settler, however, either moved fur- 

 ther to swing his indiscriminating axe in the same manner, or, as many a sad histor}'- 

 would tell, if it had a Laurie Todd to commemorate it, he and his wife fell victims to 

 over exertion and exposure. 



The next owner is probably a man of more means; a little cultivated himself, he would 

 like to see cultivation around him; he looks about for trees to fill the gaps so ruthlessly 

 made, but sees or hears of none for sale in the vicinity, except it may be very small ones; 

 so he either moves a few from the remaining " woods," without knowing what precau- 

 tions to use, or adopts the small ones from the distant nursery. In either case, two own- 

 ers must live under the influence of cold winter winds, and hot summer suns. What is to 

 one in the matter.'' 



somewhat difficult to find an answer that will at once remed}' the evil, but 



