266 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MARCH 5, 1S34. 



dies, founded in the history anil manners of their 

 country, were acted, without intermission, from 

 morning till night. Wo, too, might, perhaps, ob- 

 tain in this way, a national drama more congenial 

 to the state of manners and of morals among us, 

 than that of modern Europe. Here, too, some new 

 Herodotus might read to bis assembled country- 

 men the yet unwritten history of the achievements 

 of (heir fathers ; some modern Pindar restore the 

 glory of poetry, by devoting it anew to the praise 

 of heroism and virtue. A festival like this, held, 

 perhaps, once in three or four years, would pro- 

 duce no trifling effect in maintaining among the 

 people a high national spirit, and cherishing that 

 principle of public virtue which we are taught 

 to regard as the essence of our government. 



Hut, gentlemen, I am trespassing too long upon 

 your patience, with a detail of plans that, perhaps, 

 may never be realized. Whether such a disposi- 

 tion as I have now suggested, will ever be made of 

 the sacred domain of Mount Vernon, will tli pend 

 upon the wisdom of the General Government. In 

 the mean time you have commenced on the smaller 

 scale, corresponding with the wants and- the re- 

 sources of a single State, an establishment of this 

 description, which promises to become one of the 

 chief ornaments of the neighborhood, and of which 

 the progress, thus far, does great credit to the dis- 

 cernment and taste of your society. Superior in 

 its natural advantages of position to the famous 

 sepulchral grounds of the ancient world, we may 

 venture to hope, unless the sons of the pilgrims 

 shall degenerate from their fathers, that Mount 

 Auburn will hereafter record in its funeral inscrip- 

 tions, examples not less illustrious than theirs, of 

 public and private virtue. Even now, when the 

 enclosures that surround it are scarcely erected, — 

 while the axe is still busy in disposing the walks 

 that are to traverse its interior, — this consecrated 

 spot has received the remains of more than one, 

 whose memory a grateful people will not willingly 

 permit to die. There was laid, by the gentle min- 

 istration of female friendship, as the first tenant of 

 the place, the learned, devout, and simple-hearted 

 Daughter of the Pilgrims, who has wrought out an 

 honorable name for herself, by commemorating 

 theirs. There reposes in peace, the young War- 

 rior, cut off like a fresh and blooming flower, in 

 the spring of his career. There, too, rests beside 

 them, the generous Stranger, who in his ardent 

 zeal'for the welfare of man, had come from a dis- 

 tant continent to share the treasures of li is wisdom 

 with an unknown people.* Around their remains 

 will gradually be gathered the best, the fairest, the 

 bravest of the present and of many future genera- 

 tions. Iu a few short years, we, too, gentlemen, 

 who are now employed in decorating the surface 

 of .Mount Auburn or describing its beauties, will 

 sleep in its bosom. How deep the interest that 

 attaches itself to such a spot ! How salutary the 

 ■effect which a visit to its calm and sacred shades, 

 v, ill produce on souls too much agitated by the 

 siorms of the world ! It was surely tilting that Art 

 ami Nature should combine their beauties, to grace 

 a scene devoted to purposes so high and holy. 



• The persons alluded i<> in the text are Miss Hannah Adams, 

 ]..euf. \\ atson, and l>r. Spur2jiemr. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



Saturday, March 1, 1S34. 



.tipples. From Mr. Cheever Newhall, Dorches- 

 ter, Pippin, Spitzenberg, and oblong Russet ; also 

 a very fair apple, name unknown. 



From Co), Wilder, Dorchester, Nonsuch, and a 

 highly flavored apple name unknown. 



From E. M. .Richards, Esq. Dedbam, Nonsuch, 

 Secknufarther, Spitzenberg, and a kind Dame un- 

 known. 



From Mr. Sparbawk, Brighton, the Roxbury 

 Russets in fine order. 



From Nathan Webster, Esq. Haverhill, Hodg- 

 kins apple, tender and fine flavored. 



From William Worihington, Esq. Dorches- 

 ter, a line apple name unknown. 



For the Committee, B. V. French. 



ITEMS. 



A spoonful of horse radish put into a pan of 

 milk, will preserve it sweet for several days. 



In one year 05,000,000 of eggs were exported 

 from Fiance to Great Britain, 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



From S. Walker, Roxbury, Viola alba pi. 



From Thos. Mason, Charlestown Vineyard, 

 Chinese tree Fanny iriotltan Banksii, Acacia longi- 

 folia (salicifolia albo), Camellia alho plena, Camel- 

 lia seedling very fine, Queen Stocks, do. Ten- 

 week. 



From M. P. Wilder, Dorchester, Camellia 

 iaponica, var. Chandleri, Wiltonia, Clintonia, 

 (gnmdiflora spatulata), Lindbriata, alba plena, 

 anemone-flora. 



From Messrs. Winsiiip, Petunia myctag'miflora, 

 Primula acaulis, sinensis, Erica mediterranean, 

 Erica purpurea, Cyclamen-v-album, Cineraria 

 populifolia. Lachenalia pendula, Teucrium fruti- 

 cans, Oxalis caprina, Bellis bortensis, Bellis fistu- 

 losa, Azalia indica alba, Yellow-Tea rose, Stocks, 

 &c. 



The show of flowers will be continued every 

 Saturday, at the Society's new Rooms, No. 70 

 Cornhill, provided the weather is fair and mild ; 

 the splendid display of flowers exhibited this day, 

 induces the Committee respectfully to request ev- 

 ery Horticultural amateur to patronise the exhibi- 

 tion, by sending to the rooms on Saturdays be- 

 tween the hours of ten and twelve o'clock in the 

 forenoon, such plants, or flowers, as they may es- 

 teem interesting. 



By order of the Committee, 



Jona. Winsiiip, Chairman. 



From the Fanner's Assistant. 

 CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT OF SEEDS. 



Most plants are found to degenerate to a certain 

 degree, unless their seeds are frequently changed. 

 This has been attributed to their cultivation in cli- 

 mates where they are not indigenous. But this 

 can hardly be the sole reason ; for it is found that 

 most plants will be improved, by having the seeds 

 brought from the east to the west, and vice versa. 



Providence, in making so large a world as this, 

 seems to have designed that there should, never- 

 theless, be a common acquaintance among the Na- 

 tions which inhabit it. They are invited abroad, 

 for conveniences which their own climates do not 

 furnish ; they are impelled !■> a general intermix- 

 ture, from a knowledge that it is beneficial ; and 

 the benefits to be derived from a change of seeds, 

 me probably only in furtherance of the general de- 

 sign of a Community among Nations. 



But W8»are yet much in the dark, as it respects 

 the best changes of seeds, and from what parts of 



the world they should be brought, to produce the 

 greatest crops. Ought not this to become a matter 

 of more general concern ? The Irish Farmers sow 

 our flaxseed, and find great account in it. Would 

 their flaxseed be equally beneficial, when sown 

 here ? We have known flaxseed brought from 

 Longisland, and sown in Orange county, which 

 produced nearly double the crop which the com- 

 mon seed there produced. Spring wheat brought 

 from Canada, and sown here (Herkimer county), 

 greatly enhances the crop ; but soon degenerates. 

 Siberian wheat yielded largely in this country, for 

 a while. The seeds of apples brought from Europe 

 will produce trees larger than our own. For roots, 

 it is generally supposed that seeds brought from a 

 more southerly climate are best. Indian corn, 

 brought far from that quarter, will be in danger of 

 ripening too late : that brought far from the north 

 will ripen too early for a large crop. Ou the 

 whole, the Farmer should make his changes as io- 

 dic ioush as possible : : ml in most instances be will 

 then fin.! the product of his crops greatly increased. 

 Btft, in order to prevent seeds from degenerating, 

 by long use, we are of opinion that the plan pur- 

 sued by Mr. Cooper of New Jersey, will be found 

 effectual ; though we believe that seeds, improved 

 according to bis plan, would undergo. a further 

 improvement, by a suitable change of place. 



His method is to make frequent selections of 

 the most perfect plants of every kind, and to culti- 

 vate the seeds of these by themselves, for the pur- 

 pose of raising new and improved stocks of seed 

 of every kind ; and further, when be raises seeds 

 of plants, of which there are different species, he 

 is careful to set or plant them as much as one 

 hundred yards from each other, in order that in 

 propagating they should not mix breeds, and thus 

 produce spurious or degenerated seeds, partaking 

 more or less of the qualities of each plant. 



Seedsare also sometimes susceptible of improve- 

 ment, by growing varieties of the same plants to- 

 gether, for the purpose of obtaining seeds of a 

 medium between the two. But we will further 

 illustrate these matters. 



Thus, in making selections in wheat, for in- 

 stance, search for such heads as have the largest 

 seeds, and the greatest number in each head. In 

 Indian corn, of any particular variety, for stalks of 

 good size, with the greatest number of cars on 

 each, and the ears the largest, most perfect of tho 

 kind, and best filled. In flax, for the longest 

 stalks, and such as have, at the same time, seeds 

 of good size. In pumpkins, for such stalks as bear 

 the greatest number, and these the largest, and 

 sweetest. In short, in making the selections, take 

 the most perfect and valuable plants to be found, 

 of whatever kind is wanted, and from each of 

 these raise the progeny that is to serve as the stock 

 for seed of the different plants to be cultivated. 



In many kinds of plants, such as Indian corn, 

 pumpkins, &c. the selections, may be yearly re- 

 peated, without any essential inconvenience. In 

 infers, such as wheat, barley, &c. yearly selec- 

 tions would be loo expensive. In such, let selec- 

 tions be made, say, every eight years; and from 

 the seeds of" the plants thus selected raise a yearly 

 stock, sufficient to serve for seed. The more con- 

 stantly the selections are made, however, the more 

 valuable may the products be expected from such 

 seeds. 



In regard to the means just mentioned, for pre-* 

 venting a degeneracy of seeds, by the intermixture 

 of different species of the same plant, we will state 



