244 



NEW ENGLAND I ARMl^R, 



Feb. 15, 1832. 



'<©3iaMiwEr:i>eiisa®£rs9 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON THE 

 FRUITFULNESS OF PLANTS. 



Mr Fesse.\de_\ — In your paper of the 3d of 

 August last is an article extracted from the Montli- 

 ly Journal of Geology and Natural Science con- 

 cerning the influence of climate on the fniitfulness 

 of plants. Tlie pro])osition which the writer at- 

 tempts to establish is, that the cnlrivated plants 

 yield the greatest and most valuable products near 

 the northernmost limits in which they grow. The 

 author is evidently a man of talents and nuich ob- 

 servation, aud has collected many important facts 

 and observations upon the .subject on which he 

 treats ; and I was much pleased and instructed 

 with some of his remarks. 1 apprehend, however, 

 that a disposition to generalize has led him into 

 some material errors. It having been circulated 

 in your widely extended periodical ami having 

 seen it commented upon with much ap[>robatiou 

 by the editor of another, it cannot be altogether 

 unimportant to point out (though late) the errors, if 

 such exist. 



Without any claim to the talents exhibited by 

 the writer of the article in question, I shall adduce 

 some facts aud stateiuents from various authors, 

 which I think will make it appear that the writer 

 has evidently been carried too far by a favoiite 

 theory, however flattering it may be to us, who 

 live in a northern clime to be taught to believe 

 that we are the favored sons of earth in physical 

 advaiitages (as we doubtless are in moral) yet we 

 should be careful not to adopt such opinions con- 

 trary to evidence, as they will lead to unhappy 

 results. That the proposition in question is cor- 

 rect with regard to some and probably many plants 

 I am not disposed to question but that it is not uni- 

 versally true, and that it is not true with regard to 

 some vegetables mentioned by the writer, I think 

 equally evident. 



In the first place, it may be noticed that the 

 adaptation of many plants to difl'ereut climates de- 

 pends not merely on the mean temperature, but 

 likewise much, and in some cases, mainly, on the 

 variation of temperature. Indian Corn, for in- 

 stance, being an annual plant and depending most- 

 ly on the temperature of the summer mouths, grows 

 freely in Canada, but will hardly come to ]ierfec- 

 tion in the south of England ; while other perenni- 

 al plants are raised with much less difiiculty in 

 England than in New England. Of many vegeta- 

 bles likewise it is diflicult to assign any natural 

 limits, owing to the capacity they possess (so to 

 speak) of acclimating themselves in almost any la- 

 titude. 



Cotton, the first production adduced by the 

 writer aforesaid, his proposition may be mainly 

 true, as I am not possessed of information suflicient 

 to determine whether it is owing to the poorer 

 quality, that cotton is not cultivated in the tropical 

 regions, or to some other cause. One or two facts, 

 however, would lead us to believe that the quality 

 does not degenerate until we go much south of 

 the cotton region of the United States. The first 

 is that of the upland cottons; the New Orleans, or 

 that raised in the most southern limit of this coun- 

 try is the finest. Another is that the Egyptian 

 cotton, raised probably in latitude from 30 to 31" 

 is believed to be superior to any except the Sea Isl- 

 and. Whether tlie protection of the seed from the 



cold is any part of the design of the cotton wool, 

 may perhaps be questionable. One undoubted ob- 

 ject of it in common with the adaptation of the ap- 

 pendages of many other seeds, as the down of the 

 thistle, the wings of the maple, burrs and hooks of 

 various seeds, is the dispersion of them abroad. 



Of Flax and Hemp I think the writer may be 

 coirect in his remarks. 



With regard to Indian Corn ; in the first place, 

 Mr Editor, I am slow to believe that one hundred 

 and fifty bushels have ever been raised upon an 

 acre of ground. The assumption that the produce 

 of the lands in the northern states is greater than 

 those of the middle and western states is contrary 

 to almost all the statements of those well informed 

 of the facts. The soil of Kentucky is proverbially 

 fertile in Indian Corn. It is also said on good au- 

 thority, contrary to the statement of the writer in 

 question, that maize is extensively raised for food 

 in the West Indies. That the Indian Corn of 

 northern climates is heavier than that of southern 

 is a well known fact ; but that upon soils of eqtud 

 fertility the produce is greater in the northern than 

 in the nuddle and southern parts of the United 

 States, until further evidence is shown, I must be 

 I)ermitted to doidit. In other countries, of much 

 less latitude and warmer climate, Indian Corn is a 

 very productive crop. In Mexico, a writer in the 

 London Quarterly Review, vol. iii. p. 160, says 

 ' the indigenous udiabitants who are satisfied with 

 the diflerent preparations of maize can supply the 

 demands of a family during a whole year by the 

 labor of a single individual for a day.' 



Of Wheat, Woodbridge's Isothermal chart, con- 

 structed principally from the authority of Baron 

 Humboldt, gives the southern limit in north lati- 

 tiules, as ranging in different longitudes from S>) 

 to .37 degrees and the northern from 50 to 64 de- 

 grees. Suppose then it were true, as stated by the 

 writer, that the latitude of Pennsylvania and New 

 York produces the finest and most abundant crops, 

 it would still be nearer the southern than the north- 

 ern limit according to Humboldt and his authority 

 will be admitted to be far from disreputable. 



But how does the writer's jjosition with regard 

 to the wheat of Europe bear the test of facts. 

 Sicily, in latitude 37" was formerly the granary of 

 the Roman Empire, and according to Doct. Blorse 

 it produces of some kinds of wheat 20 and 30 fold 

 and of one variety 60 fold! .\ccording to tlie 

 same authority the vale of Valencia in Spain in lati- 

 tude 39" to 40" produces of wheat from 20 to 40 

 fold. 



In some parts of Mexico likewise wheat is a 

 very exuberant crop. Says the writer in the Quart- 

 erly Review, before quoted, ' We have been as- 

 sured by some who have been engaged in their 

 cidtivafion, that in the vicinity of the city of Gu- 

 anaxerato, there are large plains, where, with a 

 single ploughing, without manure, and aided only 

 by an irrigation which in the rainy season is easily 

 efl^ected, the increase of wheat is rarely less than 

 fifty for one, and more frequently is eiglity for 

 one.' 



Of Grasses, especially of some kinds, the observa- 

 tions of the author appear to me to be correct and 

 judicious. It is however contrary to my precon- 

 ceived notions that the juices of the Sugar Cane 

 are either more abundant or richer near the north- 

 ern limits of its production than in the tropical 

 climates. 



Tobacco, the writer brings forward as an in- 

 stance in support of his doctrine, on account of 



the strength of the narcotic quality ; but the supe^ 

 riority of the flavor of that grown in the warmer 

 climates, is familiar to every one. 



'The delicious aud pulpy fruits,' says this writer 

 are in a still more striking way illustrative of our 

 principle,' &.C. In this paragraph are class<'d to- 

 gether fruits congenial to climates of very diflerent 

 tenq)eraturcs. The Peach, although it certainly 

 does well in our latitude, yet is hardly in perfection 

 north of New York, without the aid of the artifi- 

 cial warmth produced by the congregated buildings 

 of cities; audit is probably in its highest perfec- 

 tion somewhat south, at least as near the south- 

 ern as the northern linut of its growth, acconliiig to 

 the authority ofHiunboMt, who fixes the southern 

 limits, varying from 29" to 37" and the northern 

 from 40"to53". The apple,whicliihe writerclasses 

 with the peach, and states to have originated near 

 the tropics, is a pative of northern latitudes, and is 

 now found wild in England. It grows in perfec- 

 tion in our latitude in this country. In Europe as 

 well as in this couuti-y it produces well, nearer its 

 southern than its northern limit. Dr Rlorse says 

 that Biscay and Asturia, in Spain, abound in or- 

 chards and produce the finest cider in great abun- 

 dance. 



With regard to Apricots, Nectarines and the 

 more delicate kinds of foreign Gra])es, it would be 

 a source of nuieh gratification tome, cotdd I be 

 satisfied that the climate in which our lot has been 

 cast, b}- a wise Providence, is well adapted to the 

 pcrfiction of these delicious fruits. But unliap- 

 ])ily, the evidence to the contrary is so convincing, 

 that I am compelled to be satisfied with the expec- 

 tation of a merely precarious enjoyment of them. 

 It is a matter of notoriety, that although in New 

 England the trees grow well, the fruits of the ap- 

 ricot aud nectarine are rarely perfected, except in 

 cities where a factitious temperature is excited. 



The apricot, it is well known, derives its name 

 from its adaptation to a warm climate ('a]iricus' 

 'sunny'). If 'the juices of the grape are best 

 matured for wine near the northern limits of 

 their growth,' as this writer afllrms, it is cer- 

 tainly otherwise with the flavor of the fruit for tlie 

 table. The a|)]»ellation of' vine clad,' bestowed 

 on Italy, is very nmch at variance with the writer's 

 assertion, that 'in no southern coimtry of Europe, 

 except Madeira, where elevation makes the difl(?r- 

 ence, is the vine in much repute.' 



It might also be shown, did the limits of this 

 comnumication ])ermit, that there is equal reason 

 to doidit the correctness of the writer's remarks on 

 the Melon and the Orange. 



It is also proper to notice here, (as tending to 

 show the incorrectness of so general a proposition 

 as that maintained by the writer referred to,) the 

 variety in the parts of vegetables appropriated to 

 use, and likewise the various qualities constituting 

 their value. Thus, while many are cultivated for 

 the seed, others are raised for the herbage, and 

 others, still, for their outer covering. It nuty, 

 therefore, very naturally be the consequence, that 

 while some are more productive of seed in a warm 

 climate, others used for the herbage may be most 

 productive in a climate farther north. As regards 

 the qualities, also, of plants, one is valued for its 

 productiveness, another for its flavor, &c. 



All will, however, agree with the writer, that 

 proper attention should be paid to the influence of 

 climate on the productiveness of plants, in all the 

 operations of agricultural pursuit, and that much 

 time and expense might be saved, and much great- 



