352 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



INFLUENCE OF SOILS ON THE 

 COLOR OF FLOWERS. 



It is not, perhaps, generally known as it de- 

 serves to be that the color of flowers depends, to a 

 considerable extent, upon the character of the 

 soil on which they grow. The splendid and bril- 

 liant yellow of the Hypoxia is only seen on close 

 and compact clays, while tlic Lupine is success- 

 fully grown only on soils of a sandy or arenaceous 

 description. The marl indicator, or veronica, 

 grows only on calcareous lands, or those having a 

 large percentumof lime in their composition. The 

 ialinum,in Pennsylvania, is never fouad except in 

 magnesian rocks, where it flourislies with great 

 vigor and luxuriance, though wholly incapable of 

 cultivation in any locality to which magnesia is 

 not common, or in which it does not exist to a 

 greater or less extent. Among the almost count- 

 less varieties of plants which beautify the earth, 

 some only vegetate in brine — as the marine varie- 

 ties found on the margin of the sea ; others, on 

 the contrary, are aerial, and like the mistletoe, seem 

 to derive their sole nutriment from the air, while 

 there are others again which flourish only in 

 fresh water, and w^hich are incapable of success- 

 ful culture in any other situation, like the water- 

 lily, and the wild rice of the West. 



There are plants known to the botanist, which 

 are confined exclusively to the soil„ and which 

 never rise above the surface — others that canbe 

 made to germinate only in stones, and to which 

 common air and moisture are instantaneous 

 death ! Such facts appear astonishing, yet the 

 botanist recognizes in them but another manifes- 

 tation of that Divine Wisdom which regulates the 

 phenomona of life, and scattei's beauty and love- 

 liness equally over all the earth. In the cultiva- 

 tion of flowers, therefore, w^e should endeavor to 

 ascertain the circumstances most favorable to their 

 growth and vigor. Tlie soil has, as we have shown, 

 a strongly modifying and characterizing influence 

 in this department, and its action should be well 

 understood to ensure perfect success. 



TREES ON FARMS. 



Another point of some importance, as connec- 

 ted with farming, is that of scattering trees in the 

 hedges and open fields. On lands devoted exclu- 

 sively to pasturing, such as are needed for their 

 shade, and scattered generally over a country, 

 they add much to its beauty and jncturesqucness. 

 Especially is this the case in this country, wlicre, 

 owing to a damp atmosphere, tlio falling leaves 

 soon decay and mingle with the soil, instead of be- 

 coming dry and littering the land and highways, 

 as with us. Englishmen arc justly proud of their 

 old, spreading trees. Landlords often enter it in 

 their leases that no trees sliall be cut down. Still 

 in those parts of the empire, where the farming is 

 best, the trees are going. You now sec but few 

 in the wheat-fields of the lowlands of Scotland, 



for instance ; and very few in the fields of such 

 farmers as Mr Pusey and Mr. Mechi. These 

 men do not sacrifice their love for the beauliful 

 in nature. They cultivate trees in their })roper 

 places. They are the last men, I suppose, who 

 would leave a country naked and bald ; but trees 

 have no longer a place among their wheat and 

 barley. 



In our laud of scorching summers, let there be 

 trees. It would be barbarous to root them out 

 from our cultivated fickle, where they are injuri- 

 ious, without, at the same time, securing their 

 growth in other places, where they are not only 

 harmless but pleasing to the eye, conducive to 

 health, and often more profitable than anything 

 else the soil will grow. Let them study our pasture 

 lands, as gems of beauty and of comfort. Our 

 cattle need the means of coolness in summer, and 

 warmth in winter. Only by attending to this 

 matter sliall we ever approach that excellence in 

 this department, which our British bretlireu 

 have attained. More depends upon cherishing 

 the trees Ave have, than upon new. Lot 

 trees line our highways. Their roots and tops 

 will bo a little injurious to the bordering lands, 

 but not much ; the weary traveller and his beast 

 may rest under their shade, our children shall de- 

 light the pallet from their produce ; and our grand- 

 children build their houses with the timber they 

 grow. If our road-sides were adorned ))y a tree 

 once in five rods, the rows alternating with each 

 other, as far as convenient, the roads, v>-ith the ex- 

 ception of here and there a wet place, which might 

 be intermitted if thought desirable, would not ba 

 a whit the worse, and in many soils l)e far better. 

 If one-fourth of these are rock maple, they might 

 furnish sugar for the population, whenever it 

 should be cheaper to manufacture than to buy ; 

 and no one can tell what future times may be. 

 Rural dwellings should be adorned b^' shade trees. 

 An American larm-house, under a sun shining in- 

 tensely at least two hundred and fifty days in a 

 year, is a very difl'erent thing from an English 

 country residence, where the sun scarcely shines 

 as man_v hours, and that mainly morning an d even- 

 ing. Yet the Englishman takes care to provide 

 his residence with trees ; the breezes that enter his 

 windows come purified by a previous passage 

 through dense foliage ; but too often the Ameri- 

 can neglects to surround himself with ihQSQ conser- 

 vators of health and comfort ; so that he and his 

 family breathe air, not only scorching hot, but 

 often surcharged with carbon and ammonia. An 

 American farm-house, without trees at a little dis- 

 tance, (not so near as to produce injurious damp- 

 ness,) is out of all taste, is unfavorable to health 

 and comfort, and in utter disregard of the great 

 law of adaptation to circumstances of situation- 

 and climate. — Albany Cultivator. 



For the New England Farmer. 



TO PRESERVE EGGS. 



Take a suitable tub or pot, and put in a layer 

 of salt; then set in a layer of eggs small end down, 

 cover them with salt one inch thick; then another 

 layer of eggs, and so continue. Eggs will ketp 

 for twelve months if kept in a dry cool place Iree 

 from frost. D. s. 



Jaffrey, June 30, 1854. 



