No. 5. 



Diversity of Climate and Seasons. — ^c. 



141 



state of cultivation, or forced by too much 

 nourisiiment to extend its runners too far. 

 Repletion is fatal to the perfection of tlie 

 blossom, though it may produce apparently 

 vigorous growth. 



" Many kinds of strawberries have a 

 greater tendency to extend their runners 

 than others; this excessive running often 

 debilitates the old plants, and a great portion 

 of the young plants, especially those most 

 distant from the parent stock, are too weak 

 to form new plantations; yet in most in- 

 stances they are taken without discrimina- 

 tion, and especially when a new and valu- 

 able variety is obtained, and the desire is to 

 increase it as speedily as possible, every en- 

 couragement is given to extend the young 

 runners. These, when planted out in new 

 beds, and then again forced on by large sup- 

 plies of manure, are so far removed from a 

 natural state, that sterility is the almost in- 

 evitable result. Disappointed in tiie pro- 

 duce of the fruit, the cultivator either ne- 

 glects his bed or destroys it, and without 

 further trial, gives up the variety as worth- 

 less. Precisely such has been the manage- 

 ment of many beds of our seedling; and 

 we know of repeated instances where the 

 beds of last year, owing to their entire un- 

 productiveness, were given up as unworthy 

 of any care, which the past season produced 

 immense crops, though overrun with weeds, 

 and this, too, without being in the vicinity 

 of any other kind. Many such experiments 

 have proved, conclusively, tliat cultivation 

 alone creates sterile or fertile plants. 



" In conclusion, we think we may safely 

 aver, that there is not the least necessity of 

 cultivating any one strawberry near another 

 to ensure the fertility of the plants, provided 

 they are under a proper state of cultivation. 

 But if it be that the plants, by any mode of 

 growth, are rendered defective in the blos- 

 som, then the proximity of some other va- 

 riety will certainly ensure a crop. Those 

 cultivators, therefore, who wish to guard 

 against any emergency, may plant their 

 beds of such sorts as have a tendency to be- 

 come sterile, in the vicinity of the Old Vir- 

 ginia. Wherever the strawberry is culti- 

 vated, a small spot of ground is generally 

 selected for the purpose, and as the Old Vir- 

 ginia is one of the earliest as well as best 

 sorts, those who would have no anxiety 

 about a sure crop, may plant a bed of this 

 kind near their large sorts. No neglect of 

 cultivation will then fail to ensure an abun- 

 dant supply of fruit. 



" We are now instituting a course of ex- 

 periments in connexion with this subject, 

 and hope to give our readers the result in 

 the course of another year." 



Diversity of Climate and Seasons. — 

 The Albany Argus, after collecting many 

 instances of the weather in different parts 

 of the Union, in regard to dryness and moist- 

 ure, remarks : — " According to the usual 

 laws of nature, it is impossible for a drought 

 to pervade our whole country. Neither can we 

 readily have a famine as long as the cultiva- 

 tion of the soil is attended to. Local and partial 

 scarcity may prevail, but what is the loss of 

 one section, is frequently the gain of some 

 more fortunate section. When the North 

 is parched with drought, the West or the 

 South, is rejoicing in fertilizing rains. When 

 the summer is cool in New York and New 

 England, it is frequently the warmer and 

 more genial in Michigan, Wisconsin, or 

 Ohio; and even a drought which would 

 burn all vegetation to a crisp here, does not 

 exhaust the crop-growing energies of the 

 black muck of the Western prairies, or the 

 woodlands. Their new and virgin soil is 

 comparatively more independent of the 

 dews and rains of heaven. This is the rea- 

 son why the Great West presents so in- 

 viting a field to the thrifty, calculating, and 

 industrious farmer. He can place more re- 

 liance upon the intrinsic qualities of the soil 

 and upon his own exertions, and seems less 

 dependent for a return upon the uncertain 

 events of rain and sun. 



" We have known wheat to ripen on the 

 Western prairies, in such cloudy weather 

 as would, in the Eastern States, on our thin 

 and comparatively impoverished soil, give 

 no fullness to the berry — the exceeding rich- 

 ness and natural warmth of the Western 

 soil, in a measure supplying the absence of 

 a warm and ripening sun." 



Maxims of Bishop Middleton. — Perse- 

 vere against discouragement. Keep your 

 temper. Employ leisure in study, and al- 

 ways have some work in hand. Be punc- 

 tual and methodical in business, and never 

 procrastinate. Never be in a hurry. Pre- 

 serve sell-possession, and do not be out- 

 talked of conviction. Rise early, and be an 

 economist of time. Maintain dignity, with- 

 out the appearance of pride; manner is 

 something with every body, and every thing 

 with some. Be guarded in discourse — at- 

 tentive, and slow to speak. Never acqui- 

 esce in immoral or pernicious opinions. Be 

 not forward to assign reasons to those who 

 have no right to ask. Rather set, than fol- 

 low examples. Practice strict temperance; 

 and in all your transactions remember th^ 

 \Jinal account. — Common School Journal. 



Patient industry accomplishes wonders. 

 A little done daily makes much in a year. 



