582 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



the period of greatest maturity. There are two 

 periods in the latter part of ihe orirnnizfition of a 

 seed which, alihough separated hy no hniits, re- 

 quire to be distini^uished. The first i.'S that when 

 the embryo is completed ; and the second is when 

 nature has, in addition, lurnished it with the 

 means of mainlaininor its vitality lor a long pe- 

 riod. It is just as capable of growing at the ex- 

 piration of the first period as of the second ; it 

 will do so immediately iCcommitted to the ground, 

 and we see it actually happening to peas, beans, 

 corn, and other field crops, in wet summers ; but, 

 at the end of the second period, it cannot germi- 

 nate (ill it has relieved itself of all the carbon 

 which, during that period, was deposited in its 

 tissue. 



If seeds are to be preserved for a length of lime, 

 a slate of complete dryness is so necessary to 

 them that it has been recommended to increase 

 it by artificial means ; not, however, by tlie ap- 

 plication of heat, or by any process like that of 

 kiln-drying, for that would destroy their vitality; 

 but by some of those chemical processes which 

 dry the atmosphere without raising its tempera- 

 ture. It occurred to Mr. Livingstone, that air 

 made dry by means o( sui|)huric acid might be 

 advantageously employed lor this purpose, and 

 he says iha' the success of his experiments was 

 complete. He placed the seeds to be dried in the 

 I)ans of Leslie's ice machine, and carefully re- 

 placed the receiver without exhausting the air; 

 small seeds were sufficiently dried in one or two 

 davs, and the largest seeds in less than a week. 

 (^Hort. Trans., iii. 184.^ 



Other contrivances might easily be adopted. 

 Muriate of lime, for instance which has the pro- 

 perly of absorbing the moisture of the atmosphere, 

 might, perhaps, be employed with advantage in 

 drying the air in which seeds are placed after be- 

 iuir sathered. 



The reason why it is so important that seeds 

 which have to be long kept should be thoroughly 

 dried, is, partly because seeds have the power of 

 decomposing water, which causes the commence- 

 ment of germination, and, if this happens while 

 they are cut oH' from the other means of exist- 

 ence, the process of growth must be stopped, 

 and their death will follow ; and, in part, from 

 the tendency of vegetable matter in contact with 

 water to putrefy, if the actions of life are not in 

 play. 



THE PEAR TREE. 



From the New Genesee Farmer. 



We are told that many persons are afraid to 

 plant pear trees, lest they should die with the^re 

 blight; that they have done their best to save the 

 trees, but all to no purpose ; and that they now 

 settle down in despair. In reply to this melancho- 

 ly account, however, we can repeat the assurance 

 that we have not lost a single tree by ihe fire 

 blight in twenty years. It has been in our fruit 

 garden several times, but always seemed to walk 

 out again as last as we did ; for we cut off the in- 

 jured branches without delay, and burnt them 

 immediately, destroying, as we believed, the 

 whole colony of insects that had commit'Led the 

 depredation. 



As soon as the leaves begin to blacken on the 

 branches, lor two leei or more near their extre- 

 mities, let the owner waken up at once, lay aside 

 all other business, and proceed with as much zeal 

 10 the task as he would drive the pigs from his 

 garden. We are satisfied it is Ihe putting off till 

 a more convenient season in such cases, that 

 proves so fatal to the pear tree. The stable door 

 may be locked when the iiorse is stolen ; and the 

 limb may be cut oft' when the insects are gone to 

 another part of the iree. Did you cut off' the 

 limb below where it was dead, say a loot or more? 

 " No, we only cut off the dead part" — leaving 

 the insect at work below. Did you burn it when 

 it was cut oii'l '• Why, no, we left it under the 

 tree"' — (or the insect (if there) lo go up again at 

 his leisure. 



THE CURCULIO. 



From the New Genesee Farmer. 



Every person who owns a plum tree, ought to 

 feel an interest in the history of the curculio, lor 

 it has been the chief obstacle to raising plums, 

 apricots and nectarines, where there were trees. 

 We believe it is not known in Jiiirope, though 

 other species of the same genus there have their 

 peculiar mode of annoyance. 



Of the benefit of our circular tin troughs, we 

 can say nothing decisive, because they were not 

 applied till alter the curculio had ascended the 

 trees, and we jarred the trees that had those ap- 

 pendages, as well as the others. To ihe slaugh- 

 ter that we made of this insect in the early part of 

 summer, we ascribe much of the abundance that 

 our trees have yielded ; and in confirmation of 

 this opinion, we may mention that a tree in the 

 Iruit garden which had been forgotten, bore Ihree 

 aprico's, while another young tree, of rather less 

 size, bore half a bushel ; and we know of no 

 other reason lor the difference. 



iJelbre this summer we had believed that the 

 young curculio continued in the fruit till it lell, and 

 only escaped Irom its habitation after it had lain 

 for some time on Ihe ground. Late observations, 

 however, have shown that impression to be in- 

 correct. We found both plums and apricots on 

 the trees, from which the insect had taken its de- 

 parture through a small orifice cut in the side of 

 the fruit. 



We have had some curiosity to ascertain the 

 whereabout of the old curculio, after if had ceased 

 to deposile its nits in Ihe fruit, (which is said by 

 Judge Darling of New Haven to be early in the 

 seventh month.) We iherelore spread a sheet 

 under several plum trees, about the middle of the 

 eighth month ; and, on jarring them violently, 

 caught several, though in far less number than 

 when we last examined the trees aliout two 

 months before. Indeed, under some trees where 

 we most expected them, we found none. This 

 fiiilure, however, may have been chiefly owing to 

 the hot weather, so favorable to the activity of all 

 insects, and which doubtless enabled them the 

 better lo hold on. We hope to repeat the experi- 

 ment in cooler weather, t 



