MEW ENG1<AN1> FxlJRMER. 



Published by John B. Rdssell, at JVi». 52 JVorlh Market Street, (at the J)s:rieultural H'archouseJ. — Tuo/has G. Fessewden, Editor. 



VOL. VIII. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1830. 



fslo. 25. 



HORTICULTURE. 



FOR TUK HEW ENGLINO FARMER. 



SELECTION OF FRUITS. 



iIr Fessenden — Ad your papor appears to ine 

 le the best medium for obtuiuiiig information 

 ceriiiiig fruits, and almost any other topic con- 

 ted with farming, and as I wish for correct in- 

 nation concerning a kind of pear recoimnend- 

 n your New American Gardener, culled the 

 brctle, I wonld ask you to do ine the favor to 

 rt a few lines in the New England Farmer, 

 liuong other trees, I hitely sent to a respecta- 

 nurseryman for one of that particular kind rc- 

 imciided in your book, and he sent as a sub- 

 ite, one by the iianio of Franc-real. I shoulii 

 to know if it is the same kind as xhe Ambrette, 

 called by a different name.) I think it comes 

 rer the pear described in tlie New England 

 mer of the 18th inst., called the Yellow tointer 

 rden ; if it is that kind, I should like to know 

 if not, I shall wish to procure it. Last spring 

 nt to him among others, for the Pelrc pear, 

 ceived as a substitute, the Early cluster. I am 

 ing to receive other kinds of trees than those 

 ;nd for, provided they are as good ; but if 

 s come under a different name from what are 

 red, I should like to know if they are worth 

 ivating, as I am unacquainted with the kinds, 

 the Ambrette pear is so highly recommended 

 le New Anioricafi Gardener, I would not bp. 

 ppointed in the kind on any considcrstion if J 

 i avoid it. If any person will inform me 

 re I can get a few scions from the tree intro- 

 3d into tins State in 1612, by Mr Coxe, as 

 3d in your book, or a few trees of that kind, 

 ugh the medium of your paper, or by letter, 

 3nd tiiem to the New England Farmer office, 

 II pay a reasonable price, and feel very much 

 ged. I wish to make a selection of the best 

 1 of fruits, and as I am unacquainted, by ex- 

 ence, I have generally followed the directions 

 our American Gardener, a book that I would 

 mmend to every person that has not got it. I 

 1 to be informed what kind of pears ranks next 

 le following kinds, which I have got : — Early 

 :n Chisel, Early cluster, Jargonelle, Autumn 

 gauiot, SecUle, St Michael's, St Germain, 

 ice's St Germain, Pound pear, Bartlett, and a 

 other kinds, names unknown. As I have room 

 for a few more trees, I wish to get those that 

 the best. There are so iii-jiiy recommended 

 ifferent books, that I am unable to make a 

 ice of many other kinds, thcrefiire I want some 

 son that knows by experience, to select for me. 

 lid not feel very an.xious to make the best 

 sible selection of fruit trees, or if I were ac- 

 inted with the different kinds myself, I wo'iM 

 lie. so solicitous for information. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



JAMES LEON AKO. 

 Mmton, Dec. 29, 1829. 



JUDGE PITMAN'S ADDRESS. 



Concluded from page 1S9. 

 ?his lady closes the tirst part of her letter will 

 5t of the clovers ami trefoils adapted to each 



i soil, and in the latter part she says : "The first part 

 of this letter was written more than a year pre- 

 (reding the present time. The trials I liave since 

 I lin<le, have so completely confirmed the necessity 

 tf placing each plant in its own proper soil, that 

 tie matter will no longer bear a doubt by thoje 

 I vlio deeply study the subject ; for each plant is 

 ii)t only formed by \ts leaves for the soil in which 

 it was intended to exist, but in the root also; and 

 of course the manner of taVnig ill its nutriment is 

 ctmpletelyadapteti" for that soil. Thus a sand 

 pant takes the greatest part of its nutriment from 

 tie atmosphere ; it is therefore loaded with hairs 

 tf various shapes and figmiea, which, receiving 

 ticir juices from the de.ws^ &c. prepare them ac- 

 /:ording to chei»ical affinity, and then permit them 

 'as soon as coinpleted,) to run from the hairs into 

 he plant ; while the roots, (which are often thick 

 iiid large, but which have very few radicles,) are 

 dinost incapable of taking nourishment from the 

 cirth, and therefore the plant depends almost 

 wholly on the exposure to the heavens, and it is 

 oj that account, peculiarly necessary for these 

 phnts, that aspect shoiUd be most strictly attended 

 to, and that they should be so placed as to face 

 thi east or southeast, receiving the morning and 

 evening dew, and not too much exposed ai;d dried 

 uj the rest of the day. To these plants, the soil 

 orearth is of infinitely less consequence than the 

 a3(iect ; and throwing away loads of manure is re- 

 ull/ expending money without cause or effect, 

 si ^cr it will be of little use except warming the 

 ground, Tvhich nsaiats rrrost pJatsto, t>i>« t<. *Lo c^rUi'.k 

 only a small quantity is necessary. For dai/ plants 

 which take in less nourishment from their leaves, 

 indeed scarcely one fourth, how different should 

 be the provision the fanner makes for them. The 

 root is formed with quantities of radicles, but all 

 close roiind ; manure is here, therefore, of great 

 use if properly adapted, and labor of still more. 



•' The chalk plant takes iniich of its nutriment 

 from the earth ; this depends chiefly on soil ; and 

 adding sand to chalk is often as serviceable as 

 manure. 



" The water and semi-water plants require wa- 

 ter only as food ; they take none from their leaves, 

 but have their roots made for the purpose of inha- 

 ling water all day, and closing the pipes at night. 

 These, of course, should be in very wet soils. 



" How necessary is all this knowledge to farm- 

 ers! What a contrast is the mountain and rock 

 plant ! Instead of taking its fdbd from water, as in 

 the last named plants, ills wholly fed by its leaves; 

 having no impervious skin, (which covers every 

 other plant,) its open pores receive sdl the juices 

 the atmosphere will bestow. They are so formed 

 as to take no nutriment whatever from their roots, 

 except what just suffices to form their seeds ; the 

 quantity they take in at their leaves is so great, 

 that ifthe field is on a high mountain, and is wellex- 

 amined with a microscope, even at noon, the plants 

 will almost always be found bathed in dew ; many 

 of the clovers, also, are mountain and roc'iC plants, 

 and take in all their nourishment at their leaves, 

 and are constantly seen immersed in dew. Of what 

 use, then, is manure to such plants ? It is throw- 

 ing away money to expend it, when in otlier parts 

 of the farm it misrht be so serviceable." 



I These extracts are but a small jiortion of this 

 (-ommnnication, which is well worthy an attentive 

 and careful pdriisal. And when we read, let us 

 think for ourselves, and compare what we read 

 with the result of our own oli.servation. 



How various and wonderful is nature! How 

 bountiful the God of nature in the provision which 

 he has made for man and animals, adapted to all 

 the variety of soil and climate ! How minute and 

 comprehensive is the science of agriculture, and 

 how highly ought we to estimate an art upon which 

 we are all dependent, and which requires so much 

 sagacity, observation, labor, and study to bring to 

 perfection. 



And here 1 cannot but regret that so little pro- 

 vision is made in our systems of collegial ediica 

 tion for the ac<]ui.sition of agricultural knowledge. 

 Their object seems to be, to educate young men 

 |)rincipally for the learned professions, in which a 

 few only meet with that success which they anti- 

 cipated, while a large number who have no patri- 

 mony, arc placed in a precarious dependence upon 

 the labor of others. How much more hapjiy and 

 useful would be the man of modest merit, who 

 cannot take the kingdom of this world by violence, 

 if his education enabled him to labor himself, ov 

 direct the labor of others in the most profitable 

 manner, while he found in rural retirement that 

 health, competence, and peace, which ho who 

 possesses has no reason to envy the cares ol 

 wealth, or the precarious honors which feed, but 

 cannot sr.";iy> ambition. 



ure peace is its, abuiiu ua^, .™*r«kgoJ 

 To disappointmeut and fallacious hope ; 

 Rich ill content, id nature's bounty rich. 

 In herbs and fruits ; whatever greens the spring. 

 When heaven descends in showers, ov bunds the bough ' 

 When summer reddens, and when autumn beams." 



In some parts of our country, schools have 

 been instituted, in which the science of agricul- 

 ture forms a part of their system of education. I 

 wish to see, however, not mere boys, but young 

 men, educated in this science, and reducing it to 

 practice by the labor of their hands. A college 

 on an extensive and fertile farm would be the best 

 seat of the muses, and with a professor of agri- 

 culture who would not confine himself or his pu- 

 pils to theory, would not need a gymnasium. 

 Here might be a pattern form where the most sci- 

 entific mode of farming might bo practised, and 

 experiment.-) tried for its improvement. Here, free 

 from the vices of cities, towns, or villages, young 

 men tni!;hl be taught everything requisite for the 

 learned or practical professions, and the commu- 

 nity would lake a deep interest in the success of 

 an institution, the utility of which would be dis- 

 played to the eye .^s well as to the ear, which 

 would become the nursery of tcientific and prac- 

 tical farmers, and communicate that knowledge 

 to the future lawyer, physician, and clergyman, 

 which would render them still more respected ami 

 useful. A 



In striving, gentlemen, to inipiovc our estates » 

 and the industry of the community, let us not for- 

 get the raiiid. And as, in tiiis state, we have com- 

 menced a system of public instruction, may we 

 aid, with our best eflbrts, an object vvliich is as 



