132 



Acclimation of Plants. 



Vol. VIII. 



most tropical, have reached the 45th degree 

 of latitude in perfection, and are found even 

 in 50°. Rice lias travelled from the tropics 

 to 36°, and that of North Carolina now pro- 

 mises to be better than that of more feoiith- 

 ern countries. The jrrape has reached 50°, 

 and produces good wine and fruit in Hun- 

 gary and Germany. The orange, lemon, 

 and sugar-cane, strictly tropical, grow well 

 in Florida, and up to 3l2°, in Louisiana, and 

 the fruit of the former is much larger and 

 better than under the equator. 



Annual plants grown for roots and vege- 

 tables, and grain, go still further north in 

 proportion, than the trees and shrubs, be- 

 cause their whole growth is matured in one 

 summer; and we know that the develop- 

 ment of vegetation is much quicker when 

 spring does open, in countries far to the 

 north, than in the tropics. In Lapland, and 

 on Hudson's Bay, the full leaf is unfolded 

 in one or two weeks, when spring begins, 

 although it requires six or eight weeks in 

 the south. Nature makes up in despatch 

 for the want of length in her seasons, and 

 this enables us to cultivate the annual plants 

 very far to the north, in full perfection. The 

 beans, pumpkins, potatoes, peas, cabbages, 

 lettuce, celery, beets, turnips, and thousands 

 of others, seem to disregard climate, and 

 grow in any region or latitude where man 

 plants and cherishes them. The fig is be- 

 coming common in France; the banana, 

 pine-apple, and many otiier plants, have 

 crossed the line of the tropics, and thou 

 sands of the plants valuable for food, cloth- 

 ing, and medicine, and such as are culti- 

 vated for their beauty, fragrance, or timber, 

 are extending their climates, and promise 

 much comfort and resource to man. Plants 

 lately introduced, whose cultivation has not 

 run through many ages or years, have ac- 

 quired but little latitude in their growth, 

 and show but little capacity to bear various 

 climates, because time has not yet habitu- 

 ated them to such changes, and human 

 cares have not imparted to them new habits 

 and new powers. 



Nothing can be effected by suddenness in 

 acclimating plants; too quick a transition 

 would shock them ; it must be a very grad- 

 ual process, embracing many years, and 

 many removals. The complete success that 

 has attended the plants first named, the ear- 

 liest companions of man, proves this. In 

 the more recent plants, success is exactly 

 in proportion to the length of time that a 

 plant has been in a train of experimental 

 culture. 



■ The most striking method of testing the 

 effect of climate on plants, is to carry sud- 

 denly back to the south, such as have been 



extended far, and become habituated to a 

 northern climate. Such plants have so 

 much vigour, and the habit of a quick and 

 rapid growth so firmly fixed on them, by a 

 long residence in the north, tliat when sud- 

 denly taken to the south, altliough the sea- 

 son be long and ample, they continue, from 

 habit, to grow and mature quick, and obtain 

 the name of rare-ripe ; because they do not 

 tnke half of the time to mature, that those 

 of the same family require, which have 

 never been so changed. Gardeners give us 

 early corn, peas, fruit, and turnips, by get- 

 ting seed from places far to the north ; and 

 cotton growers renew the vigor of the plant 

 by getting the most northern seed. This 

 practice is common in the case of most 

 plants, and is founded on the supposition 

 that plants do, and can acquire habits. 



The fact supported in tiie first number of 

 the American Journal of Geology and Na- 

 tural Science, "that plants are most produc- 

 tive near the northern limit in which they 

 will grow," — that they bear more seed or 

 fruit, and have more vigor of constitution, 

 offers much encouragement to agriculturists. 

 This proves that it is not a meager, stinted 

 existence, devoid of profit or productiveness, 

 that we give to plants, by pushing their cul- 

 ture far north, but a strong and healthful 

 growth, one that repays the labour and at- 

 tention, by a greater product than belono-s 

 to more southern situations. 



Every view that we can take of this in- 

 teresting subject, every fact within our 

 knowledge, whether drawn from the actual 

 state of cultivation, or from physiological 

 investigations into the habits, nature, and 

 construction of plants, goes to show that 

 plants do become acclimated, both in the 

 natural and artificial way, to a great extent. 

 Enough has been witnessed to prove that 

 plants have a physical conformation, that 

 does accommodate itself to circumstances, 

 and have capacities more extensive than are 

 generally ascribed to them : enough has 

 been realized to encourage further efforts, 

 and to give us hopes of much future benefit." 



To MAKE French Rolls. — Take a spoon- 

 ful of lard or butter, three pints of flour, a 

 cup of yeast, and as much milk as will work 

 it up to the stiffness of bread; just before 

 you take them from the oven, take a clean 

 towel and wipe them over with milk. 



Your lands will be very apt to treat you 

 as you treat them. You cannot expect them 

 to give you much, while you give them but 

 little — or to make you rich, if you make 

 them poor. Treat your lands as you would 

 have them treat you. 



