THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



809 



in the dryland sandy parts of Limbur^, An- 

 vers, and Northern Brabant, we would raise no- 

 thing but dwarl trees, which at the age of twenty 

 or thirty years, perhaps, would be rovered wiiii 

 mosses, and the growth ofvvhich would after that 

 become more slow, and would soon afterwards de- 

 cay. It is our interest then to bring these seeds 

 from still colder climates and better soils, and from 

 countries in which these two trees grow larger, 

 viz. : from the Alps, Switzerland, the Tyrol, the 

 mountains ol Hartz, the Black Forest, and Nor- 

 way. 



The rule which I wish to establish will perhaps 

 become very useful in introducing into this coun- 

 try foreign forest trees, for it is very probable that 

 the little success with which we have met in this 

 important part of the cultivation of forest trees is 

 occasioned principally by choosing unsuitable 

 countries from which to bring the seed. 



[The foregoing communication well deserves 

 the attention of all thinking farmers. If Profes- 

 sor Bronn's opinion is correct, we may make it 

 operate beneficially on the practice of every farm, 

 either for the correction of common errors, or the 

 introduction of positive improvements, or for both. 

 Very many cases of the proper application of this 

 theory will readily occur, of which 1 will mention 

 a few only as examples. 



We frequently change our seed wheat, either 

 from choice or necessity, and obtain new supplies 

 from other, and perhaps very different soils — and 

 we decide on the comparative productiveness of 

 any two kinds, most generally, by their growth 

 as they stand in the field. Yet, according to the 

 foregoing theory, the greater length and bulk of 

 straw may be expected from seed that will yield 

 a deficient crop of grain. By attending to the 

 rule offered, we may make profitable selections of 

 seeds from every single field, by taking from the 

 warm and light soil, if we want the best product 

 of grain, or the cold and backward, if the crop is 

 of a kind to be most profitable in proportion to its 

 whole bulk. Another necessary deduction is, that 

 the farmers of lower Virginia ought often to pro- 

 cure new seeds of clover and other grasses from 

 the mountains, or the northern states, to renew the 

 original bulk and value of those crops, and to pre- 

 vent their becoming more productive in seed than 

 in hay. And the reverse operation will be equally 

 beneficial as to wheat and other grains, of which 

 the mountain and northern farmers ought fre- 

 quently to obtain a new stock of seed from the 

 plains and from the south. But even if such 

 considerable changes are not attempted, a less de- 

 gree of benefit may be obtained by attending to 

 these rules within the limits of almost every farm. 



A striking proof of the truth of Professor 

 Bronn's opinion of the influence of climate on 

 seeds is presented in the different times of raatur 



ing of the timothy grass of America and the 

 cat-tail grass of England. These grasses are in 

 appearance, and in every respect, precisely the 

 same, except that the English grass is about two 

 weeks later in maturing than the American, when 

 both have been sown together on the same soil, 

 Mr. Sirickhind made the trial, and slates the result 

 in his observations on the agriculture of the 

 United States, reported to the British Board of 

 Agriculture. This diflierence, which was so fixed, 

 and appeared so remarkable to the observers, is 

 completely explained by Professor Bronn's theory, 

 applied to the temperate and moist summers of 

 England, and the more heated air and drier soil 

 of the United States.— Ed. F. R.] 



HEM ARKS. 



Professor Bronn's theory on the influence of 

 seeds is, in the main, confirmed by many facts 

 which have come under the observation of the 

 writer of these remarks. Seeds or trees trans- 

 planted from northern to southern soils, mature 

 their fruits earlier than the same species not so 

 transplanted ; and vice versa. 



The northern summer is of short duration, and 

 the progress of vegetation is consefjuently very 

 rapid. Plants in such climates thus acquire the 

 habit of quick grovirth and early maturity ; and 

 this habit is perpetuated lor several generations 

 in annual plants, and (or one generation at least 

 in perennial plants, upon removal to a southern 

 climate. On the contrary, southern plants, having 

 a long period in which to perfect themselves, 

 acquire a slow growth ; and this constitutional 

 tendency is manifested in iheir offspring, when 

 removed to a northern climate. 



In the case of fruit trees, the varieties of the 

 winter apple, introduced into Virginia from the 

 northern nurseries, perfect their fruit early in 

 autumn. It falls from the tree before the usual 

 period of gathering, and is therefore of no value 

 lor winter use. The summer apples from the 

 north come early into bearing here, and possess 

 desirable qualities. 



Nearly all our best varieties of peaches have 

 originated north of us, or been introduced thence 

 from foreign countries. The latest of any merit 

 is the well known Heath, which ripens here 

 about the loth of September; in Baltimore from 

 the 25ih to the last of September; and in New 

 York so late as seldom to develope its superior 

 excellence. Our earliest peaches are also ob- 

 tained from the north ; lor we have no native 

 variety that ripens early in the season. The 

 advantages of our climate are such, that we 

 might have the peach in perfection ^rom the mid- 

 dle of July to the middle or end of October; but 

 as long as we depend upon northern sources for 

 this fruit, we can never have any variety ma- 

 terially later than the Heath. Had the system 

 of originating fruits been practised here and south 

 of us to the same extent as elsewhere, it would 

 have been practicable, by making judicious selec- 

 tions from various sources, to have the peach in 

 regular succession, and in a high degree of per- 

 leclion, for at least three monihss. 



