100 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



October 10, 1832. 



From the New York Fam 



EFFECTS OF THE PAST WINTER. 



It is a singular fact, that while many tender for- 

 eign plants stood the severity of last winter as 

 well, or better than usual, such as the Ailanthus, 

 Catalpa, Magnolias glauoa, and macropliylla, &c, 

 most descriptions of fruit, which are deemed hardy, 

 siifl'ered more than during many of the preceding 

 years. The destruction lias been extensive, among 

 pears, peaches, plums, cherries, quinces and na- 

 tive crapes, and partial among the apples. Either 

 the fruit blossoms, branches, or the entire tree 

 above the surface of the ground were killed. In | 

 the latter case, the bark was found to be killed 

 upon the bole or trunk, sometimes generally, at 

 others in circles, at about the height of the surface 

 of the snow in winter. 



How are we to account for this uncommou 

 fact? My hypothesis is this: That the foreign 

 plants, being more sensitive to cold, were divested 

 of their leaves by the early frosts, the sap had be- 

 come concentrated, or reduced in volume, by the 

 cold of the autumn months, and the plants as- 

 sumed their winter habit before the winter could 

 set in ; and that the snow which soon alter cov- 

 ered the ground, sufficiently protected their roots. 

 Our indi"'enous trees, or those more liardy, were 

 kept in a partial growing state by tlie mild weath- 

 er of autumn; and their sap vessels were fully 

 distended with juices, when the cold conmienced ; 

 and that they suddenly became, frozen, ere it is 

 condensed by a gradual and natural process, 

 which instead of diminishing, added so to its vol- 

 ume as to burst the sap vessels, and destroy vital- 

 ity. And I doubt whether it was the severity, so 

 much as the long continuance of intense cold, 

 which proved so injurious. Tie thermometer 

 did not fall lower than 20 degreesfbelow zero with 

 me ; and this degree of cold is not uncommon in 

 our winters. But the long continuance of severe 

 cold was unprecedented in niy memory. From 

 the first of December to the 17th of January, a 

 period of nearly fifty days, the mercury did not 

 appear above the freezing point but about two 

 hours, and then but one or two degrees. Man is 

 capable of sustaining (and the remark will in a 

 manner apply to other animals) a variation of tem 

 perature from 40 degrees below, to more than 200 

 above zero, but only for a time. The extremes 

 of cither heat or cold, soon overcome and destroj' 

 the vital principle, if unremittingly applied to the 

 animal system ; I infer that the same laws hold 

 good in regard to plants. 



Another fact is worthy of notice ; plants suf- 

 fered far more severely upon sandy, than upon 

 clay soils ; indeed most of the mischief was done 

 upon the former. The term iimrm, applied to 

 sandy soils, does not convey a correct idea of its 

 properties. It would seem to imply that such a 

 soil is least sensitive to cold, and will afford the 

 earliest vegetation; such is not the fact. It is 

 true it becomes soonest warmed by the genial rays 

 of a vernal sun; and it is equally true, when 

 warmed it soon becomes cold from the absence of 

 those rays. It receives calorie more readily than 

 any other soil, and parts* with it more rapidly. 

 Other circumstances being similar, it is therefore 

 most liable to late and early frosts. It is not so 

 Avell adapted to wintering plants as a soil more 

 compact and tenacious, on account of the frequent 

 and sudden transition of temperature, and i know it 

 is not so well adapted for early vegetation in spring. 



From the New York Farmer. to the article in question. Irregularities may have 



^ j arisen in some cases where persons having eaten 



ROTATION OF CROPS. { occasionally of fruit who were not in the habit of 



Th.tt crops deteriorate when continued m the usj„g. [j daily. This may have been the case, and 

 same field successive years, is a fact well kmwn j, ;„ ,,(,1 to be wondered at, however good and 

 to the observing fitrmer ; and yet it is never si ffi- i „|,olesome it might have been if used prudently, 

 ciently regarded in practice. The Hollanders do ^ ■\Ve find that nature in her amplitude, produces 

 not permit flax to grow in the same field oftf ler f,.,,|ts in their proper seasons, suited to the nature 

 than once in 10 or 12 years, upon the princble | g,,,] eondition of man, whereby health, the most 

 that it requires this lime to restore to the soiljhe j jupsiimahle of all blessings is promoted. It ap- 

 specific food required for the flax, and which lad j pe;,|-s from scripture, that man was originally 

 been exhausted by the preceding crop. Glod | ,j,aiie to subsist entirely on herbs and fruus, and 

 husbandry requires, that not only two crops of 1 as the structure of the human body has undergone 

 the same species, but of similar character, ly Lo change, but remains precisely as it was anterior 

 wheat, rye, oats and barley, should not succi jd ,„ il,u time of tlie fall, we argue therefore, that 

 each other, as these in a measure exhaust the s il Cuit is as healthy at the present time as it was at 

 of like properties. Judge Peters laid it downjas its introduction into the world. The changes of 



a fundamental rule, that two crops of grain sho Id 

 never be grown in succession in the same fi^d 

 Our farm crojis, as regards rotation, may be 

 vidcd into three classes, viz. grains, grasses sLA 

 roots, and th<'se again subdivided ; and 1 wold 

 let no two of any one class follow. If maruirms 

 applied in an unferraented state to the roots aid 

 Indian corn, which are all hoed crops, weeds v<hl 

 be destroyed, the manure incorporated with t 

 soil, and its advantages to the hoed crops be 

 clear saving. 



But the object of penning this article is to i 

 press upon s;ardeners the necessity of alternatii j, 

 to insure good crops. It often happens that p; ■ 

 ticular portions of the garden are assigned tot 

 same vegetable for successive years ; and as tlU 

 portion of ground generally receives an annill 

 dressingof manure, the ioqiorlance of alternatiit 

 is not so apparent. VV'iihout due reflection,'^ 

 adopted this too common practice, and had m 

 onion quarter, beet quarter, melon quarter, ice, 

 which have been jdanted with those vegetables al- 

 most exclusively for eight or ten years. Notwi 

 standing I manured highly, I was astonished that 

 my crops every year grew worse, till from 'iiis 

 very inferior ipialtty, I was led to reflect upon the 

 cause, and the consequence was, that I becimc 

 convinced, that the principle of alternation, which 

 I knew was beneficial in farm operations, should 

 be apiilicd also to the garden. I planted my an- 

 ions, beets, carrots, &c, on new ground, althoiigli 

 the former, I had understood, should always bi 

 continued on the same plat. The result of the 

 change is, that these vegetables have nearly quad- 

 rupled in product. 



Grisenthwaite maintains that the same crc] 

 may be taken successively from one field , provi- 

 ded we know the specific food which such crop 

 requires, and supply it insufficient quantity an- 

 nually. He says the specific food of wheat is 

 phate of lime, and animal matters that afford that 

 nitrogen ; that of barley, common nitre (sahpetre, 

 that of sanfoin, clover, &c, gypsinn, &c. But un 

 til we become so learned in chemistry as to know 

 the specific food which each requires, it will be 

 discreet to pursue the course which nature siig 

 gests, that of alternation. B. 



the seasons effect the constitution of the human 

 body : when the cold rough winds of winter soft- 

 en into gentle gales, the constitution of man seems 

 to un lergo the same change : the succeeding sea- 

 sons bring with them herbs and fruits which are 

 necessary to be taken into the stomach in order 

 that the constitution may keep jiace with the 

 changing seasons. Fruit is etTieacious in throw- 

 ing off the morbid or feculent matter that is pro- 

 duced in the stomach during the intense heat of 

 iuninier. Fruit is not only healthy and nutritious 

 n itself, but it has been used with wonderful suc- 

 cess in curing aggravated diseases. Raspberries, 

 blackberries and grapes, have been successfully 

 used in the dysentery. I am fully persuaded that 

 the juice of the grape, the apple, and the jieach, 

 Lave been perverted from their true and legiti- 

 nnte use — they have been fermented and distilled, 

 nil their natures changed. And sad to relate, 

 iheir effects upon the human family have been 

 iiwful beyond description. 



The writer of this article can say from expe- 

 rience, that fruit has been to him a blessing. 

 From a child he has indulged in this luscious 

 bouiitv of nature, and health has marked his al- 

 most every step. And here let him modestly re- 

 mark, ardent spirits has been an utter stranger to 

 his lips. 



Fevers generally succeed fruitless seasons : this 

 is a fact so far as my observation has extended. 

 The wise Creator of our bodies knows what is 

 most healthy and fit for us to eat. He it is that 

 has caused the strawberry to hide its modest head 

 in the verdant grass, and hastened the perfection 

 of the pear and the apple. It is He that has given 

 the peach its crimson tint, and made it delicious 

 and healthy. I am convinced that ripe fruit keeps 

 the stomach in proper tone, causes digestion to be 

 natural and easy, keeping the viscera in a healthy 

 and proper state. 



These, Mr Editor, are some of my views re- 

 specting fruit, and you are at hberty to pubhsh 

 th?m if you think fit. C. 



From the American Farmer. 



FRUIT. 



Mr Editor — Having seen a communication in 

 your paper under the signature of B. relating to 

 the free use of fruit, and fully believing in the 

 free use of ripe fruit for the promotion of health, 

 I could not conscientiously believe in or subscribe 



CULTURE OF SILK. 

 A gentleman who has recently returned from 

 an excursion through Connecticut, states that from 

 his observations he is fully convinced that the 

 culture and manufacture of silk must become a 

 staple and profitable business in New England — 

 the climate and soil l» ing well adapted to the 

 growth of the mulberry tree, and the genius and 

 enterprise of the inhabitants equal to the task of 

 producing silk goods superior to the imported. 

 Connecticut pays to her sons a bounty of fifty 

 cents per pound on all silk reeled on the im- 



