756 



FARMERS' REGISTER— CLOVER— VEGETABLE INTELLIGENCE. 



petals of the flowers, and principally of the stig- 

 mas. 



CLOVER SOWN OX CORN LAND, AVHILE UN- 

 DER TILLAGE, 



To the Editor of t!ie Faimor.s' Rc!;i.ster. 



New York, J^pril 4th, 1835. 



Occasionally I have an opportunity of seeing a 

 number of your valuable Fanners' Register, and 

 as I leel a deep interest in the prospect of every 

 thing like improvement in Virginia, (of "vvhich 

 state, it is with feelings of pride I claim to be a na- 

 tive,) I cannot but add my humble mile — the re- 

 sult of a conversation held a short time since with 

 a New Jersey farmer. 



In conversing with him upon the subject of ag- 

 riculture as practised in Virginia, I remarked tiiat 

 I was but little acquainted with it either theoreti- 

 cally or practically; but the inform.ation I had, was 

 derived almost entirely from the perusal ol' a num- 

 ber published in your Register and contributed by 

 Hill Carter, Esq. of Shirley, upon the manage- 

 ment of his estate generally, and the subject of a 

 rotation of crops. This I endeavored to explain 

 to him m the best manner I could, and believe I 

 made nij'self understood. 



He replied tliat he had practised the fbur-shift 

 system, but had latterly adopted a more extended 

 method — dividing his liirm into some six or seven 

 fields 1 tliink, and practising a proper system ol ro- 

 tation with the benefit of clover. 



But upon the use of clover he said he thought 

 he could impart to me a valuable secret. It was a 

 discovery made by himself, had been adopted by 

 his immediate neighbors, and they had all pro- 

 nounced it in a high degree successful. 



He stated it was his custom, immediately after 

 ploughing through his corn a second time, (to 

 weed it,) and ailcr it had atlained soa^ieihing like 

 a foot in height, to sow clover seed in amongst it. 

 That the clover would spring up too late to ofier 

 any obstruction to the corn, and»it would answer 

 the double purpose of not only shielding the earth 

 from the impoverishing heat of the sun, but of 

 also cleansing the field from all noxious weeds. 

 The corn then matures — it is gathered in due sea- 

 ?ion — and tlien says he, I turn my cattle in upon 

 the clover; or let the field lie as I may think pro- 

 per. The fall comes, and I plough my field up, and 

 have a fine clover fallow u{;on which to sow what 

 is usually denominated the corn ground wheat. 



The remark struck me, with my limited know- 

 ledge of agriculture, as being practicable, and now 

 that the season approaches when it may be tried, 

 or improved upon, I have taken the liberty to com- 

 municate it, [t can at least do no harm to try the 

 experiment, and if successful, it will always be a 

 source of gratification to me to know that I have 

 suggested any thing, however trifling, that can 

 redound to the advancement ol' the good "Old Do- 

 piinion," 



W. H. II, 



For the Fr.rii'.ers' Register. 

 VEGETABLE AND MINERAL INTELLICxENCE. 



From a variety of experiments made on vege- 

 tables, many naturalists are of opinion they pos- 

 sess mind. It is asserted that the common hop, 

 (Humulns Lxtpiilm,) directs it? course to the 



nearest perpendicular object; as if it were assured 

 of the great danger to which it would be exposed 

 by extending its branches on the surface of the 

 earth. The Euscreia, American dodder, or love 

 vine, entwines a number of small plants in 

 moist places. The seed is deposited in the earth, 

 and in a short time begins to vegetate — a vine puts 

 up which seizes the first plant it reaches. This 

 plant afibrds it nourishment — the communication 

 between the earth and dodder is now cut oiF, and 

 it is dependent on various vegetables lor support. 

 If the plant around vvhich the dodder clings be- 

 comes unhealthy or dies, the dodder is said to de- 

 sert it tor a better friend. The spiral direction of 

 vines in climbing perpendicular objects seems to be 

 a strong argument in favor of some intelligence, 

 for when they creep horizontally, this is not ob- 

 served. In climbing objects vegetables have to 

 oppose gravity, and unless they secure themselves 

 by winding round their support, they must neces- 

 sarily fall to the ground. The cow itch, (Dnlichoa 

 Pruriens,) climbs erect objects, without winding 

 round their support; but it is prevented from falling 

 by a number of radicles that attach themselves to 

 the object. All plants become languid when de- 

 prived of light; but if a small hole be made in 

 their apartments, so as to admit light, they find 

 they Avay to it and creep out as if they were tired 

 of their confinement, and pleased in looking around 

 and contemplating the great variety of objects 

 that present thetuselves. 



The sexual intercourse of vegetables is well 

 known, for it is ascertained that a powder (or pol- 

 len) secreted upon the anthers is necessary to ren- 

 der the young seed fruitful: without the male in- 

 fluence, seed cannot ripen or mature. 



Venus' fly trap, (Dionea vwscipula,) deserves 

 notice. The leaf" is shaped like a shoe or slip- 

 per, the edges of which are notched in such a 

 manner as to form a very singular apparatus. The 

 leaf being very scnsifive, when a flj' or any insect 

 lights upon it, the leaf closes and confines the ob- 

 ject. It is asserted by Mr. Buffon, that the roots 

 of plants will creep aside to avoid bad earth, or to 

 ajjproach good. 



Dr. Darwin assures us plants are very particular 

 in selecting their food, though they sometimes, 

 like animals, take in poisonous substances, produ- 

 cing disease and death. 



Dr. Hales put the stem of an apple tree in 

 strong brandy: in a short time the stem became 

 intoxicated and died. 



Wheji any part of" the sensitive plant is touched 

 it fidls, which would seem to prove that the plant 

 possesses asensorium, or brain. 



Many of the gossiping female flowers are 

 known to be guilty of adultery by deserting their 

 husbands and kissing other males or stamens. 



If vegetables did not possess organs of sense, 

 could they be so completely under the influence of" 

 heat and cold, moisture and dryness, light and 

 darkness? We know they have lite, motion and 

 sensation, and do they not possess mind? If so, 

 is it not probable that minerals and crude matter 

 possess it in some degree? It seems absurd, be^ 

 cause philosophy has not yet extended her re- 

 searches fax" enough to ascertain the truth of this 

 observation. Is it reasonable to suppose that God 

 has created any thing without intelligence? Has 

 he not given intelligence to the whole globe itself, 

 which is more or legs observable according to a 



