1837] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



451 



witligooil oHects. The. principles of propiigatioii 

 ill vo^eti\l)lp and animal lilo arc, as has jusi boon 

 hintiui, nearly iho same; bat the propa<fation of 

 voiretables must exceed that of animals in impor- 

 tance in an economical point ofvievv, as nmch as the 

 veixelable produce of the country surpasses that of 

 Its animals in value. Inileed, animals may justly 

 be considered mere machines Ibr converting our 

 interior herbage into a higher species of rmtri- 

 ment; grasses and roots being likened to the raw 

 materials, butchers' meat to the manufactured 

 commodity. 



The importance of attending to varieties of cul- 

 tivated plants has been ably pointed out by Mr. 

 Bishop, at once a scientific botJinist and an expe- 

 rienced practical gardener. "i3y n)eans of varie- 

 ties," he says, "the produce of our gardens and 

 fielils are not only increased in a tenfold det^ree, 

 but the quality of the produce is improved in a 

 still ijroater proportion. In them we perceive the 

 labor and assiduity of man triumphing over the 

 sterility of unassisted nature, and succeeding in 

 giving birth to a race of beings calculated to sup- 

 |)ly his wants in a manner that original species 

 never could have done. The difference between 

 varieties that have sprung from the same species 

 fits them for difierent purposes, and for different 

 soils, situations, and climates. Some, by reason 

 of their robust nature, are winter vegetables; and 

 others, by being early, are spring vegetables ; 

 while some are m perfection in sumtrier, and oth- 

 ers in autumn. The fruit produced by some is fit 

 to eat when pulled off the tree;_ while the fruit of 

 others is valuable by reason ol'its keeping till that 

 season when naturie rests to recruit her strength. 

 Thus, in edible plants and fruits, we are supplied 

 with an agreeable change throughout the year, 

 from a diti'erence m varieties that have sprung 

 from the same species. In the earlier ages of 

 the world, no idea could have been entertained of 

 the excellence, some varieties have attained over 

 (heir originals. Who, upon viewing the wildcab- 

 baixe that grow along our sea-coast, would ever im- 

 airme that cauliflower or brocoli would have been 

 produced by the saine? Or who would expect 

 the well-formed apfile of a pound weiijht fi-om the 

 verjuice plant in our hedges? Many instances 

 might be noticed of original species that are 

 Si-.arcel}' fit to be eaten by the beast of the field, 

 the varieties of which afford a nutritious and 

 wholesome food for man. Upon comparinij the 

 oriiriual variety of the Daucas carota, the Pastinaca 

 satira, and some others indigenous to our climate, 

 with their varieties produced by culture, we are 

 struck with their great inferiority, and cannot help 

 reflecting on the hapless condition of that hun- 

 gry savage who first tauirht us their use ; (or 

 nothing short of the greatest privation could ever 

 have led to that discovery. Indeed, nothing is 

 more obvious, upon comparing original species 

 with their varieties produced by culture, than that 

 we, by means of the latter, enjo}'^ a veffelahle 

 food far preferable to our forefiithers — a circum- 

 stance, from vvliich it may be inferred that poste- 

 rity is destined to enjoy a better than that which 

 we do now. For although it is reasonable to be- 

 lieve that there exists a degree of excellence at- 

 tainable by varieties over the species whence they 

 have sprung, yet as that degree is unknown, and 

 as it is probably beyond the power of man, of 

 cultivation, or of time, to determine the same, we 



are justified in regarding it as progressive, and in 

 considering the production of a good variety as 

 the sign or harbinger of a better. 



The power of distinguishing varieties, and of 

 forming some idea of their worth at sight, is an 

 attainment nmch to be desired, because valuable 

 varieties may sometimes appear to those who 

 have it not m their power to prove by trial; and 

 il'they have, the probability is, that the nieans to be 

 employed retiuire more care, time, and attention, 

 than they are disposed to bestow on plants, the 

 merits of which are doubtfid; whereas, were such 

 persons capable of forming an estimate of the 

 worth of varieties fi-om their appearance, then 

 would they use nieans for their preservation, 

 whenever their appearance was found to indicate 

 superiority. That this is an attainment of consi- 

 derable importance will be readily allowed; yet, 

 that it, in soaie cases, requires the most strict 

 attention, appears fi'om the circumstances of va- 

 rieties being oftentimes valuable, though not con- 

 spicuously so. Let us suppose, for instance, that 

 in a field of wheat there exists a plant, a new va- 

 riety, having two more fi-rtile joints in its spike, 

 and equal to the surrounding wheat in every oth- 

 er respect: a man accustomed to make the most 

 minute observations would scarcely observe such 

 a variety, unless otherwise distinguished by some 

 peculiar badge; nor would any but a person versed 

 in |)lants know that it was of a superior value if 

 placed before him. How many varieties answer- 

 ing this description may have existed and escaped 

 observation, which, had they been observed and 

 carefully treated, would have proved an invalable 

 acquisition to the community! The number of fer- 

 tile joints in the spike of the wheat generally culti- 

 vated, varies from 18 to 22; and the inhabitants of 

 Great Britain and Ireland amount to nearly the 

 same number of millions; therefore, as the wheat 

 produced in those islands has been of late years 

 sufficient, or nearly sufficient, to supply the inha- 

 bitants thereof with bread, it is evident that a va- 

 riety with two additional fertile joints, and equal 

 in otfier respects to the varieties at present in culti- 

 vation, would, when it became an object of gene- 

 ral culture, afford a supply of bread to at least 

 two millions of souls, without even another acre 

 being brought into cultivation, or one additional 

 drop of sweat from the brow of" the husbandman. 



The same varieties are not repeatedly produced 

 by culture; if they were, there would not exist 

 that necessity for strict observation and skill on 

 the part of the observers, because, if a variety be 

 lost or destroyed, we might look forward to its re- 

 appearance; or did we possess the power of pro- 

 ducin<r varieties, and of producing them late or 

 early, tall or dwarf', sweet or sour, or just as we 

 mi<j:ht wish to have them, then might we plead 

 an excuse for inattention. But experience shows, 

 that when a variety is lost, it is lor ever lost, and 

 the slightest reflection cannot fliil of convincinir us 

 that our power of producing th^ni is most lim- 

 ited. Indeed, our knowledii'e only enables us to 

 produce rhose of the intermediate kind, while va- 

 rieties that confer extension or excellence are as 

 likely to be produced from the seed sown by the 

 humble laborer, as from that sown and treated 

 by tne ablest horticulturist, the most skilful bota- 

 nist, or most prol!)und philosopher of the age. 

 From these remarks it is obvious that the benefits 

 mankind derive from the varieties produced by cul- 



