74 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Vol. XI.-No. 10. 



perfect l]jl)rid between tbe two. The grain be- 

 ing of a pure brimstone rolor, of the size and form 

 nf'the Tiiskarora, and like that witli eiglit rows 

 on the cob." 



" We planted this corn last spring ; the stalks 

 were very dwarfish, resembling those of the Sionx." 

 " It is now ripe, and on examining it, we find 

 that the original colors have separated, and instead 

 of the brimstone color, we have, on every car, 

 srains of the bright yellow Sionx, and the pure 

 white Tuskarora. But the quality of the corn is 

 evidently superior to either of the original pa- 

 rents ; although the colors have resumed their 

 original tints. This is to us a singular circum- 

 stance, and one we are unable to account for." 



As we are all learners beyond the limits of posi- 

 tive science, and this subject, viz. that of the laws 

 that influence character in the generation of both 

 vegetable and animal life, is one of the darkest, yet 

 remaining for elucidation, we wish in common 

 with this writer to elicit light from some one able 

 to treat the inquiry in an elaborate manner. 



Although the grains of the new varieties of corn 

 resumed die original colors of the parents, yet it 

 appears that in essential qualities they weie dif- 

 ferent from them and superior to either. The 

 gentleman who made the experiment, thinks that 

 according to what he supposes to have been set- 

 tled as the law of nature, the color of the grains 

 should have been that of the hybrid, sulphur color. 

 There appear to be many cases aualogcus to 

 this, both in animal and vegetable life. It is ad- 

 mitted to be a law of nature thai like mil product 

 like. But it seems to be limited in its application 

 to species, and not extended to varieties and indi- 

 viduals, at least with snfiicienl uniformity to de- 

 serve the name of law or a rule of nature. 



Among animals, a common hybrid, the mule, 

 is generally supposed incapaWe of producing 

 young, at ail. There are however, a few well au- 

 thentrcated cases to the contrary, and but a few. 

 In one that occurrcil in Scothuul, about the year 

 1760, the progeny is represented as hideous, and 

 though the offspring of a l.orseaud a female nude, 

 the foal resembled an ass much more than the 

 mule did— the head at its hirih being larger than 

 the entire body besides. 



The vegetable hybrids for a long time after ihe 

 impregnation by hand was adojned, for the pur- 

 pose of procuring iuiproved varieties, were sup- 

 posed to be incapable of reproducing their kinds. 

 What is now the amount of the evidence to the 

 contrary vvc know not. 



that as'perli.ips all fruits and flowers, now exist- 

 ing, were produced by accidental or artificial im- 

 pregnation, or from seeds of hybrids, so it is a well 

 known fact, that the seeds of the apple and the 

 pear, and the stone fruits, cannot be relied upon 

 to reproduce their kinds. Nature seems to be 

 constantly at work in the process of generating 

 new varieties. That the seed of a sweet apple, or 

 the stone of a free-stone iicach, should bring to 

 perfection within itself a thing so unlike its pa- 

 rent as a sour apple, in the one case, and a cling- 

 stone peach in the other, is perhaps, as surprising, 

 as that the hybrid corn of the writer in the Amer- 

 iijan Farmer, should furnish nature an occasion for 

 t*ie exercise of her prolific power, and love of va- 

 riety. Providence has always some beneficent 

 designs in all results ; and in none are we permit- 

 ted to see this more distinctly than in the tendency 

 o€ crosses, vegetable and animal, and we may add, 

 .■■.. moroJ, to produce valuable improvements. 



We quote the following passage from the same 

 piece, for the purpose of carrying our remarks one 

 step further. 



" The only thing analogous is the proposition 

 advanced liy an able writer some time since in the 

 columns of the American Farmer, that the off- 

 spring of cross breeds of animals would, instead of 

 partaking of the mixt character of the immediate 

 parents, assume that of one or the other of the 

 oriwinal progenitors. How far this proposition 

 mav hold good witli animals we do not know, but 

 it certainly appears to be the case iu the vegetable 

 world, at least so far as the fact above stated war- 

 rants the formation of au opinion." 



He, however, doubts the fact stated in regard to 

 animals in its general ap|)lication, because, as he 

 very ingeniously PX|ilains, he does not see but 

 that, "if the two kinds of corn, which were com- 

 bined in the hybrid, have become distinct varieties, 

 tliev are each of them the produce of one distinct 

 parent ; the one, of the Tuskarora female, the oth- 

 er of the Sioux male." But he afterwards, to- 

 wards the close of his paper, says that these new 

 varieties of grain were neither of thom either pure 

 Tuskarora or pure Sioux, but jiartook of qualities, 

 in part, of both. Which fact goes to prove what 

 alone seems probably true, in regard to the pro- 

 "puy of cross breeds of animals, viz : that they 

 mm/ resemble their original progenitors more than 

 their immediate parents. This is not uncommon 

 iu the human race, and is a fact, we believe well 

 established in regard to domestic animals general- 

 ly. Sometimes too, members of the same family 

 bear little or no resemblance to each other, or to 

 any known ancestor. 



In the vegetable kingdom, the intermixture of 

 different sorts from mere juxtaposition or the force 

 of other circumstances, takes place where there is 

 a certain affinity. So that each individual as a pa- 

 rent, may come to have the power to transmit in 

 various degrees and unequal proportions, the qual- 

 ities of all preceding generations. 



This is a state of things which would seem 

 likely to baffle any attempt to secure in the de- 

 scendants, anv one or more marked and valuable 

 properties of the immediate parents by direct 

 propagation from seed. 



This gives rise to the question, whether any 

 principle can be settled on sufficient grounds, by 

 which, in breeding or raising improved stocks ot 

 animals or vegetables, a liability to the reproduc- 

 tion of infirmities and undesirable qualities can be 

 But thus far seems clear, | overcome ? 



There is a vulgar saying, that in every apple or 

 pear, there is one seed larger than the rest, which, 

 when planted, will give the parent fruit, A se- 

 lection of grains from an ear of corn is sometimes 

 recommended to prevent degeneracy in future 

 crops. Some persons are attentive to save for 

 seed of a favorite kind of potato, such as have the 

 characteristics of the particular sort. This all 

 goes to show that there is an inability in the crop 

 generally to maintain the stock in another genera- 

 tion. The finest individuals among horses and 

 horned cattle, particularly males, are chosen to 

 continue the species. 



Now, if the parents of all these individuals, veg- 

 etable and animal, or any of their ancestors, not 

 very remote, were ordinary, the defects, whatever 

 they may have been, will lurk in the constitution 

 of these fine individuals, and may chance to ap- 

 pear, even through them, in the next generation, 

 and, if not in the next, in some succeeding one. 



The basis therefore of the science of breeding 

 domestic animals, as understood and practised up- 

 on by high breeders in England, is, we believe, to 

 propagate from individuals only, both on the side 

 of the male and female, whose ancestors have 

 been for some generalions, the longer the better, 

 distinguished for the finest qualities. 



If the object be to obtain superior milch cows, 

 then to breed from animals, all whose female an- 

 cestry on both sides, have bt^en thus distinguished. 



If for beef, then from individuals of a family 

 niarkable, on both sides for many generations for 

 the small quantity of offal, &c. With this care, 

 it is obvious, that the chances of fine individuals 

 producing inferior young, will diminish with each 

 generation, and the liability be at length wholly 

 at an end. And, by the bye, it might have been 

 suggested by Jeremy Bentham, had he lived a few 

 years longer, or may he still by some other polit- 

 ical reformer, that, if monarchy is to remain on 

 the earth, it would be well to breed scientifcallif, 

 for the throne. 



TRANSPLANTING TREES ; ENGLISH 

 CHERRY TREES, &c. 



To the Editor of the N. E. Former. 



Sir — I have lately had an opportunity of read- 

 ing a volume of the New England Farmer, and 

 find many things that are biglily beneficial; but 

 there are some things, which I have found by 

 long experience to be of much use in transplant- 

 ing and cultivating fruit and forest trees, wluch ( 

 have not found noticed in your paper. 



About seventeen years ago, I set about twenty 

 sugar maples by the side of the road. I selected 

 trets for setting out that were about an inch in di- 

 ameter. I pruned lliem but lit'le, and paiil no at- 

 tention to the side of the tree that I set to the 

 south, and in two years they were chiefly dead. 

 I then set out new ones in their stead, in the same 

 way, and at this time there is hardly one of them 

 standing. Since that time, 1 have ado|)ted a new 

 method ; I now select trees for setting out that 

 are about two inches in diameter. I mark tlie 

 soutk side of the tree, and set it with the same 

 side to the south that it stood before it was taken 

 up, I cut off the whole of the top about ten feet 

 from Ihe root. I dig the holes for the trees about 

 three feet in diameter, and leave the roots long 

 enoufh to reach across the hole. I make them 

 fast 11 a stake three or four feet from the ground. 

 But tke thing that I think most essential is yet to 

 be toU ; that is, when the tree is set, and the earth 

 that was taken out is nearly all put back into the 

 hole ajaln, lake half a pint or a pint of good ashes 

 and stiew round in the hole, and over the roots, 

 then hie in the rest of the earth that came out of 

 the hole, and cover the ashes, and the work is 

 done. Since setting the trees in this way, I have 

 not los: more than about one in thirty. 



I tlink that ashes used in this way would be 

 highly jeneficial to fruit trees. It is wonderful to 

 me that farmers in this part of the country pay no 

 more atcntion to the cultivation of fruit trees, es- 

 pecially the English cherry, I know of but one 

 English cherry, that is a bearing tree within twen- 

 ty or tlirty miles. English cherry trees and maz- 

 zards hive often been transported from the vicini- 

 ty of loston to this part of the country ; and if 

 they donot die the first winter they become sick- 

 ly, and in two or three years they all die. Last 

 autumn I procureil English cherry trees and maz- 

 zards from Massachusetts, to the number of about 



