354 



NEW ENGLAND FiVRMEK. 



Aug. 



age about fifty-five flowers, so that it bears on 

 the whole about 330,000 individual flowers. In 

 addition to the pleasure given to the eye, this 

 plant yields a most grateful perfume. 



For the Aew Ejisland Farmer. 



MATURITY OF PLANTS. 



BY A. G. COMINGS. 



The life and maturity of the varions plants and 

 vegetables wliich are cultivated among us. is a 

 subject upon which a little more study and inqui- 

 ry may be profitable. 



Plants which are growing in a soil which con- 

 tains no ear])on, either in the form of vegetable 

 matter, or otherwise, cannot mature their seed. 

 Supplied with the mineral or inorganic elements 

 necessary to their growtlit they may draw suffi- 

 cient carbon from the atmosphere to promote the 

 growth of the stalk ; but not to mature seed. The 

 organic elements necessary to produce a good 

 growth of wheat straw, and also shrivelled and 

 worthless seed, may bo produced upon soil where 

 nothing is wanting for the production of a good 

 crop of grain but an increased quantity of old 

 vegetable matter in the soil. It is so also in this 

 respect to the fitness of soil for maturing corn, 

 rye, oats, &c. 



We can produce a good crop of turnips or cab- 

 bages, with but a small amount of old vegetable 

 matter in the soil ; if the mineral elements neces- 

 sary to their growth are supplied in sufficient 

 quantity. But if we want to raise cabbage or 

 turnip seed, and have it perfectly mature and 

 o-ood. we must set them in a soil which is well 

 supplied with carbon, in such a state as to feed the 

 roots. 



Those plants which produce seed the first year 

 of their growth, and then die, draw away the 

 suljstance of the root to mature the seed. Their 

 death is therefore consequent upon this exhaus- 

 tion. Those which produce seed. the second year 

 of their growth, and then die, are exhausted by 

 producing the seed. This is the case with clover ; 

 and yet farmers find fault with clover because "it 

 so soon runs out." But let the elements neces- 

 sary to its growth be in the soil, and let it be 

 mowed every year when just in blossom, and it 

 will live many years, and the roots become very 

 large. AVhen the nature and value of clover comes 

 to be understood, farmers will see it their interest 

 to cultivate it. 



Seed-producing crops always exhaust the soil 

 greatly of that which in old soils is most want- 

 ing. If wo would continue to raise much grain, 

 of any kind, and not reduce the soil to utter bar- 

 renness, we cannot too 'soon consider the impor- 

 tance of plowing in green crops. 



Some plants do not come to maturity, to pro- 

 duce seed, for several years. Among these, I be- 

 lieve we class potatoes, liaised from seed they 

 must generally have several years of growth be- 

 fore they will produce seed. Before they become 

 mature, they feed carbon and other elements 

 more largely from the atmosphere, and produce 

 larger tubers. Tliey do not generally rii)en early ; 

 and they appropriate more carbon in the form of 

 an atmospheric gas. After they become seed- 

 producing kinds, they pour less downward into 

 the tubers, and consequently an excess of gaseous 

 food is more injurious to them, and they are more 



lia])le to disease. Roots and seeds do not com- 

 monly grow at the same time. In tlic period be- 

 fore maturity, every plant feeds more from the 

 atmosphere ; and at maturity more from the soil. 

 This decides where it must draw its nourishment 

 and support from, and what is, at different peri- 

 ods of growth, tlie current of its juices. 



Nobody expects to see potato-l)lig]it in early 

 summer, before the vines have come near to ma- 

 turity ; but why not? Simply because such a 

 thing has never yet been known. But, there is, 

 doubtless, a reason for all this. 



The growth of grass for a few days after blos- 

 soming, exhausts the-soil more than many days of 

 growth does befo*e th.e time of blossoming. 



Large quantities of corn fodder may be raised 

 with very little exhaustion of the soil, if it ma- 

 tures no seed. 



Here is enough for somebody to talk about un- 

 til somebody Avill do better by the subject. 



Mason, N. H. 



VERMONT STATE AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



The Fourth Annual Fair of this Society will be 

 held at Bratilcboro\ on Tuesday, Wednesday and 

 Thursday, September 12, 13, and 14, 1854. The 

 premiums offered areliboi-al, and embrace nearly 

 everything produced by the farmer. Persons re- 

 siding out of the State, may compete for premi- 

 ums on foreign stock, plowing, and all articles in 

 the floral, mechanics', and manufacturers' halls ; 

 and may make entry of animals or articles of any 

 class, for exhibition merely, which will be admit- 

 ted within tlie enclosure for that purpose, if 

 deemed worthy by the Executive Board, or its 

 agent at the Secretary's office. 



To those who have not visited the region, there 

 will be an additional adducement, to witness the 

 romantic scenery in and about Brattleboro' — the 

 rich intervales of the Connecticut and the grand 

 mountain scenery on the New Hampshire side. 

 On more than one public occasion we have shared 

 the ho.spitality of the people, and feel safe in say- 

 ing that the Vermonters will only act out their 

 generous impulses, when they do everything need- 

 ful to make their visitors djifii-fortable and happy 

 during their stay among them: 



The officers of the Society are as follows : — 



lion. Frederick IIolbrook, of Brattleboro'^ 

 President. II. B. Stacy, of Burlington, E. Ham- 

 mond, Middlebury, J. W. Colburn, Springfield, 

 and E. B. Chase, of Lyndon, Vice Presidents, 

 J. A. Beckwith, Middlebury, Cor. Secretary ; 

 Charles Cummings, Brattleboro', Rec. Secretary; 

 Edward Seymour, Vergennes, Treasurer, and E. 

 P. Walton, Montpelier, Auditor. The Directors 

 are Messrs. B. B. Newton, Henry Keyes, J. M. 

 Vail, George T. Hodges, Portus "Baxter, John 

 Gregory, A. L. Bingham, John Howe, 0. Wood, 

 and George Campbell. Lyman P. White, Super- 

 intendent at the Fair. 



All the Railroad companies in Vermont will 



