388 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



duration. This would not be the case if the inju- 

 ry was caused by frosts in autumn and spring, or 

 by excessive evaporation. I have been told by an 

 intelligent, and, for this latitude, extensive cultiva- 

 tor of the peach, that his buds have never been 

 injured in autumn or spring. On the other hand 

 he always finds the evidence of a failure abundant 

 after severe and protracted cold. 



In my own nursery the peach buds on the low 

 branches that have been buried in the snow — and 

 in that way protected from a lower temperature, 

 have always expanded. This, to my mind, is con- 

 clusive, that the temperature of snow is not in- 

 jurious to peach buds. It also shows that the in- 

 jury, whatever its cause, must be attributed to 

 some agent operating subsequent to the frosts of 

 autumn, and before the disappearance of snow in 

 spring, — otherwise the whole tree would be simi- 

 larly affected. One other fact in point is, that 

 in no instance of injury to my trees have the 

 roots been killed, .except in situations unprotected 

 by the snow. The trunks have invariably thrown 

 out strong shoots as high as the surface of the 

 previous winter's snow. But where the snow has 

 been blown off, the long protracted cold has found 

 its way to the roots, and produced the same 

 effect that is so often produced on the branches. 



The question now comes up, why are trees on 

 our sandy plains oftener injured than others 1 My 

 answer to this question is, that they are more sus- 

 ceptible of the influence of cold, owing to the 

 immature condition of the fruit-bearing portion of 

 the trees when overtaken by the winter. In ad- 

 dition to this it should be borne in mind that the 

 cold is more intense in such locations. An eleva- 

 tion of ten feet is said, by some who have tried 

 this experiment, to be equal to a degree of Fahren- 

 heit. If any one wishes to put the question, by 

 way of cross-examination, why the new growth of 

 trees, thus situated, is less perfect, the answer is 

 that these trees are subject to the influence of 

 early frosts, to which such land is liable, the 

 growth thereby becoming suddenly checked, and 

 the ripening of the wood prevented. On harder 

 and more elevated soil, the growth is usually less, 

 and more perfect ; the frosts are more tardy in 

 their appearance, and the cold of winter not so in- 

 tense. 



It is well known that the peach produces its 

 fruit on the previous year's growth ; and hence 

 any injury to this must, of course, be fatal to the 

 succeeding crops. Buds are killed, many times, 

 where trees are not perceptibly affected. One 

 reason doubtless is, that they are more tender, 

 and also that they are of such a form, and so situ- 

 ated on the twig, as to leave them exposed on 

 every side. For this reason they are affected by a 

 low temperature of comparatively short duration. 



It is often suggested, by writers on this subject, 

 that trees which are frozen are not injuriously 

 affected by any greater degree of cold. Such 

 writers seem to take it for granted that all the 

 evil arises from the expansive nature of frost, by 

 which the sap vessels become injured. This may 

 be true, but I have never seen any satisfactory 

 reasons for the theory. An effect is produced in 

 this way, beyond all question, but that it is the 

 only or principal effect of severe cold, is a matter 

 of some doubt. Heat has an expansive force — 

 much greater than cold — but no one tl links of at- 

 tributing all the summer ills of trees to this cause. 



Chemists tell us that all substances are con- 

 tinually giving out and receiving heat. Snow, 

 ice, and all frozen substances are non-conductors, 

 or,_ what is the same thing, slow conductors. 

 This is probably the reason why no injury is pro- 

 duced by severe cold of short duration. When we 

 consider how important results follow slight chang- 

 es of temperature in the warm season, it may not 

 appear unreasonable to suppose that equally im- 

 portant consequences may follow similar changes 

 at other seasons. 



The settlement of this question, on the line of 

 "fifty-four forty," or in some other satisfactory 

 way, is a matter of no small consequence to the 

 cultivators of fruit and fruit trees. It should be 

 at once settled how far Ave may safely follow the 

 practice of more southern cultivators, in setting 

 peach orchards on low sandy plains. Errors in 

 this matter of location have led many to believe 

 that the peach cannot be grown witli profit as far 

 north as New Hampshire, — a great mistake. 

 While some are groaning over their misfortunes 

 and meagre crops, others seem wonderfully free 

 both from failures and frosts. 



Observation has satisfied me that seedlings are 

 much more hardy than worked varieties. Who 

 has ever known seedling apple trees seriously af- 

 fected by the cold 1 ? w. n. u. 



Plaistow, N. H., July 8, 1852. 



RAISING CREAM— ARTIFICIAL METH- 

 OD. 



Some time since the papers published an ac- 

 count of an experiment made by a Mr. Beakaert, 

 of Brussels, to increase the quantity of cream from 

 milk, which had, it was said, resulted successfully. 

 It was confidently believed, by many persons, that 

 a very important desideratum had by the discovery 

 of Mr. B. been obtained. It is quite possible that 

 the efforts of this gentleman may have evolved 

 some new light upon the subject of his research ; 

 yet we question whether the rules he has promul- 

 gated in reference to the department of butter- 

 making will after all, be found of much utility. 

 We present his process, however, in e.vtenso, leav- 

 ing those who are desirous of adopting it to do so, 

 if they choose. We would remark, however, as 

 we go along, that it is somewhat difficult to con- 

 ceive how the carbonate of soda can produce the 

 result attributed to it, unless, indeed, it have a 

 stronger affinity for the elements of the milk than 

 the cream has, and thus allows the latter to sepa- 

 rate more freely from it, and consequently from its 

 greater levity "to rise." 



"To every two quarts of new milk, a table- 

 spoonful of a liquid made by dissolving in a quart 

 of water one ounce of carbonate of soda, one tea- 

 spoonful of a solution of curcuma or turmeric, and 

 three drops of marigold water." 



The addition of the solution of soda, he states, 

 causes a larger quantity of cream to rise to the 

 surface of the milk than is procured in the ordinary 

 process. The other ingredients are for the pur- 

 pose of improving the color and quality of the but- 

 ter made from the cream. 



