18 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



August 6, 1830. 



of the utility of soaUiiig seed corn in solution of 

 copiieias and saltpetre; and that he is able to as- 

 i^ign so probable a cause of their failure in some 

 instances, the present season. 



Mr Fessenden — 1 was somewhat surprised on 

 reading the statements of L. S. in the Farmer of 

 July 9th, on the application of brine to pear- 

 trees. My own experience had led me to believe, 

 that salt, or strong brine, in any considerable 

 quantities, would kill any tree or shrub to which 

 it might be applied. 



A few years since, having cut several butternut 

 and walnut trees from the cultivated part of my 

 meadow, I was troubled with an amnial growth 

 of sprouts and suckers, from the stumps and roots ; 

 and although I cut them off closely, each year, 

 yet they seemed not at all to diminish. And as 

 it was difficult to extract the green roots, I had 

 recourse to brine, such as your correspondent ap- 

 plied to his Pear trees — and though I put less 

 than a pailful to a stump, yet one course was suf- 

 ficient to kill them, entirely, in a few weeks. I 

 have tried salt brine, with the same effect, on 

 other trees, which [ wished to remove. — I have 

 also found it useful in destroying beds of Canada 

 thistles. I should like to know more of the ben- 

 eficial effects of salt in given quantities, in im- 

 proving an exhausted soil, or as a mixture in com- 

 posts — and whether other farmers or horticultur- 

 ists have found it useful to fruit trees, as stated 

 by L. S. Yours, &c. J. S. 



Grafton Co., JV. H., July 19, 1830. 

 Remarks by the Editor. — That strong solutions 

 of salt in water are fatal to vegetation of all 

 kinds is a fact which has been known for ages. 

 But it is stated by agricultural writers that in 

 small quantities, mixed with other substances, and 

 judiciously applied, it is useful as a manure. Its 

 application is recommended for destroying insects, 

 and it is probable that its good effects when ap- 

 plied to pear trees, mentioned by L. S. pages 401, 

 402, vol. viii. New England Farmer, might origin- 

 ate in the destruction of some worm in the root, 

 Vfhich the brine might destroy, without being 

 Btryng enough to injure the tree. We have here- 

 tofore expressed our doubts relative to the utility 

 of salt, applied as mentioned above, but are not 

 prepared to say that cases may not exist, in which 

 it may be of service as an antidote to premature 

 decay in fruit trees. The most efficient and use- 

 ful medicines, as well for vegetables as animals, 

 are poisonous and destructive, when exhibited in 

 too large doses. 



er a hen cannot or ivill not distuiguish between a 

 worm and a cornfield, I leave to the njelaphysi- 

 cians ; but it is quite certain that she do's not, nor 

 does sliH seem to be at all concerned to comprehend 

 the difference between her master's enclosures 

 and those of his neighbors. 



If Major Wheeler's hens could be persuaded 

 to follow his ' precepts and example,' his neigh- 

 bors would have no cause of complaint; but al- 

 though he never invades my cornfield himself, 

 and has forbidden his bens to leave his garden, 

 yet they disregard it, and no longer ago than last 

 summer, ])Ut into their crops not less than half a 

 dozen bushels of corn from the ears in my field. 



In this state of things, I have bought me a dog, 

 and a very good dog too, Mr Editor, and hope I 

 shall be able to persuade my neighbors to do the 

 same. JOHN BALLARD, 2d. 



Framingham, July 29. 



FOWLS IN GARDENS. 



Mr Fessenden — I have read in a late New 

 England Farmer, the communication of BE^JA- 

 MiN Whreler, headed ' Fowls in Gardens.' I 

 am one of the ' neighbors' of Major Wheeler ; 

 and except his hens and my dog, our families are 

 all good friends. — Under these circumstances I 

 feel called on to give my reasons for not hav- 

 ing been ' convinced' by the ' precepts and exam- 

 ple' of my friend. 



From my youth up I have had occasion to ob- 

 serve that a hen is naturally disposed to all man- 

 ner of mischief; being altogether selfish in her 

 feelings, regardless of of all interests except her 

 own and those of her chickens ; and because no 

 laws have been made for her better regulation, 

 and no fences required to restrain her wander- 

 ings, she deems herself to be lawless, and sets all 



VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 



Mr Fessenden — The following outlines of the 

 Theory of Vegetable Physiology, were drawn up 

 by Prof LiNULEY of the London University, from 

 the writings of M. du Petit Thenars, and with 

 some modifications, may be regarded as exhibiting 

 a general view of the science in its ])resent state. 

 Every proposition abounds with matter for atten- 

 tive consideration, and might serve as the theme 

 for an interesting disquisition. As the result of the 

 researches of one of the most accute observers and 

 ingenious reasoners ever engaged in the investiga- 

 tion of this subject, it is worthy of a careful stu,dy ; 

 and as the season is approaching in which the 

 operation of budding is usually performed, it may 

 prove acceptable to many of your readers. 



Respectfully yours, W. 



Salem, August 2, 1830. 



1. The bud is the first visible moveable point of 

 vegetation ; one exists at the axilla of every leaf. 

 It is manifest in the greater number of dicotyle- 

 donous plants and grasses. It is latent in monocoty- 

 ledonous plants, in which it exists only as a vital 

 point. The leaf therefore is to the bud what the 

 flower is to the fruit and seed. 



2. The bud is at first supported by the juices 

 contained in the utricles of the interior vegetable 

 substance or parenchyma. This is the operation 

 by which the parenchyma is reduced to a state of 

 pith. That part is therefore analogous to the coty- 

 ledon of the seed, or seminal embryo. 



3. As soon as the bud is formed it is subject io 

 two general movements. The one is a motion 

 upwards, or an aerinl motion. The other is a mo- 

 tion downwards, or a terrestrial motion. From the 

 first proceeds the embryos of leaves, analogous 

 to which is the plumuli ; from the second proceeds 

 the formation of the wood or bark, analogous to 

 which is the radicle. 



4. Each of these fibres is formed at the expense 

 of the cambium or of the sap produced by thy first 

 fibres and deposited between the wood and bark. 

 The fibres carry downwards the matter necessary 

 for their own elongations, which matter is the de- 

 scending sap. 



5. The development of the bud consists in the 

 aerial or leafy elongation of these fibres ; each of 

 which, attracted by the leafy extremity, carries 

 upward with it the matter necessary for its own 

 elongation, which matter is the ascending sap. 



6. From this sap are formed two general sub- 

 stances, the woody and the parenchymatous, (which 



is disposed in fibres which undergo no change 

 The parenchymatous appears formed, in the outset, 

 of detached particles which unite and form utricles; 

 so that it assists in the process of increase in every 

 direction. This is the only substance which is 

 susceptible of a green color. 



7, The sap is the food of plants. It is pumped 

 up in the fi)rm of moisture by the roots, and it be- 

 com s exposed to the atmosphere in the leaves. 

 In the first instance it has a conmion use ; but 

 finally it receives a particular destination according 

 to the kinds "of plants and their parts. It is only 

 carried to the points when it is wanted, so that there 

 is no universal circulation. Being composed prin- 

 cipally of the two general substances, of which 

 mention has been made, the woody and the paren- 

 chymatous, as soon as one of these is employed in 

 the process of vegetation, it is necessary that the 

 other should be di.sengaged and deposited in the 

 I vicinity ; so that the application of one substance 

 is the separation of the other. 



YELLOW LOCUST. 

 Mr Fessenden — Early in May, 1828, 1 remov- 

 ed two Yellow Locust trees from a dry, sandy soil, 

 where they were suffering much from the depreda- 

 tions of the worm, to a wet, mucky soil, highly 

 favorable to the growth and operations of worms. 

 These trees were not originated from seed, but 

 sprouts from roots, where trees had been eaten 

 down. Soon after they were transplanted, I observ- 

 ed that the worms, which had previously eaten so 

 as almost to destroy the trees, continued their rav- 

 ages, and their chips lay in piles aroimd the trees, 

 as ample witnesses of their unabated industry. It. 

 gave up my beautiful young Locusts for lost. 



Early in June, of the same year, being engaged! 

 in whitewashing some fruit trees, I thought proper 

 to try its effects upon the Locusts. 



My first operation was, to fill up the cavities, 

 occasioned by the worms, as much as convenient 

 with lime from the bottom of the vessel containin{ 

 the wash ; I then, with my brush wasJied the trei 

 from the ground upward about five feet to tht 

 limbs ; finding in a short time, that the desirablt 

 effect had been produced, I threw some lime aroune 

 the roots of the trees, in order more fully to test iti 

 utility and increase the thriflinessof the tree ; sufficr 

 t to say, my most sanguine expectations have beet 

 answered in regard to them ; my trees are in a ven 

 thrifty state, and no worm has disturbed them it 

 more than two years. I place a small quantity o 

 lime around the roots every spring, and repeat thtf 

 washing. Yours &c. 



Richmond, Ms. July 29, 1830. W. BACON 



the lawyers and field drivers at defiance. Wheih- were long ago recognized by Grew ;) the woody M'Lane, of Boston. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



FRUITS. 



Saturday, July 31, 1830. 



Apples. — A basket of Early Harvest, by Johi 

 Prince, Esq. of Roxbury, very fine Sopsavine b;i 

 RcFUS Howe, Pine apple by same. 



Apricots. — A number of boxes of fine appear 

 ance by Dr Roebins of Roxbury. Aspecimer 

 of this fruit of large size, upon the branches, mucl 

 injured by the late rains, Wm Gridley, of Bos 

 ton — supposed to he the Moor Park. Those ex 

 hibited by Mr Aspinwall, of Brookline. were verj 

 fine — Moor Park by E. Phinney. 



Plums. — Morocco Plums, of good appearand 

 by RuFUs Howe. Cherry Plums, by Gen. Dear 

 BORN, a specimen' of the Morello Cherry, upontb 

 liranches, of handsome and rich appearance, bu 

 too acid for table fruit, from the garden of Ml 



