400 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



may be termed — we find that directly the opposite 

 propeities are made use of than during the respira- 

 tion of animals, and thus sustaining the desired 

 equilibrium. Indeed, it is chiefly, and I might say 

 wholly owing to the action of the atmosphere and 

 vegetable kmgdom upon each other that the air 

 continues always fit to impart to us its vital princi- 

 ple. 



But to explain. It is found that animals, dur- 

 ing the process of breathing, retain the oxygen of 

 the atmosphere for their own use, and in returu 

 load the air with carbonic acid, which, if accumu- 

 lated, would in process of time render the atmos- 

 phere totally unfit for respiration. Here, the veg- 

 etable kingdom interferes, and, as oxygen to the 

 plant is not so essential as many other ingredients, 

 such as hydrogen, carbon, &c., it attracts and decom- 

 poses the carbonic acid, retains the carbon for its 

 own purposes and retains the oxygen for ours. 



Ah, what a striking instance of the harmony of 

 Nature ! And what an admirable design of Him 

 who maketh eveiy part of the creation thus to con- 

 tribute to the support and renovation of each othei. 



We are now about to bring our observations on 

 this point to a close. We have observed the nice 

 minute arrangement exhibited through all the va- 

 rious stages of development, and have admired the 

 great perfectitude with which the process is elfect- 

 ed. The whole " modus operandi " of vegetation, 

 in miniature is before us, and as we review it 

 again and again, truly how forcibly are we struck 

 by the " fitness of all things " — of the striking in- 

 tent o\ {he Divine Architect in all His works, as 

 well as that infinite and truly superhuman power 

 every where evinced. Indeed, who, with the least 

 of those qualities which beautify the inner man, 

 can regard these All-wise demonstrations of a kind 

 over-ruling hand without being led " to look 

 through Nature up to Nature's God." 



R. H. H. 



Burlington, Vt., Oct. 27th, 1851. 



Remarks. — (a.) Parenchyma. The pith or pulp 

 of plants. 



(b.) Lobe, or Cotyledon. The part of a plant or 

 fruit, to which the seeds are attached, and which 

 perishes when the seeds sprout. 



(c.) Radicle. That part of the seed of a plant 

 which, upon the seeds vegetating, becomes the 

 root. 



(d.) Plumule. The ascending part of the plant 

 which becomes the stem. 



TO MAKE YOUNG PEAR TREES BEAR. 



I was afflicted by the sight in my garden for 

 four or five years, of the most luxuriant and thrifty 

 young pear trees, which would not bear, but all 

 their strength ran to wood. Vexed at this, I re- 

 solved to try the eflfact of bending down the 

 branches so as to check the flow of sap and cause 

 them to form fruit buds instead of wood buds. Ac- 

 cordingly, the first week of December, 1847, I 

 filled my pockets with stout twine; I drove down 

 some small pegs into the ground underneath my 

 trees, (which had branched low, so as to make 

 dwarfish heads;) I then tied a string to the end of 

 every long shoot, and gradually bringing down the 

 end of the limb till it curved down so as to make a 



considerable bend or bow, I fastened it in that 

 position either by tying the other end of the string 

 to the peg, or to another branch or a part of the 

 trunk. 



According to my expectation, the tree next 

 year changed its habit of growth, and set an abun- 

 dance of fruit buds. Since that, I have had plenti- 

 ful crops of fiuit without trouble — take good care 

 not to let many branches go on the upright system. 

 — Horticulturist . 



THE FARMER. 



Drive on, thou sturdy farmer. 



Drive cheerfully o'er the field, 

 The pleasures of a farmer's life. 



No other life can yield. 



Thou risest with the morning sun, 



To till the fruitful earth. 

 And when thy daily task is done, 



Thou seek'st Ihy peaceful hearth. 



Thou lovesl not the gaudy town, 



With its tumultuous roar; 

 Plenty and peace thy fireside crown, 



And thou dost ask no more. 



Monarchs in robes with crimson dyed, 



Are low, compared with thee; 

 They are pampered sons of pride, 



Thou art God's nobility. 



Go on, thou sturdy farmer. 



Tread proudly on thy sod, 

 Thy proud and goodly heritage, 



Thou chosen son of God. 



TAPIOCA. 



A milk-white substance is deposited by the juice 

 of the mandioca root, which being collected, and 

 hardened by exposure to the sun, constitutes the 

 article so well known as tapioca, from which such 

 wholesome and delicious puddings are made. So 

 very poisonous in the root in its natural state, that 

 it has been found to occasion death in a few minutes 

 uhen administered experimentally to animals, and 

 it is said that tiie natives used it with great effect 

 many years ago in destroying their Spanish per- 

 secutors. It has been ascertained by dissection 

 that this poison operates by means of the nervous 

 system, producing immediate convulsions and ex- 

 quisite torments, as soon as it is introduced into the 

 stomach. In some instances it has been used in 

 the executions of criminals, in which cases death 

 invariably ensued within five to ten minutes after 

 imbibing it. The fatal principle appears to exist 

 in certain gases which are dissipated by heat. 

 This is conclusively proved, from the harmlessness 

 and highly nutritious properties of the farina, 

 when the process of its manufacture has been 

 completed. 



It has been stated on good authority, that a 

 single acre of land planted with the mandioca root, 

 will afford nourishment to more persons than six 

 acres of wheat planted in the same manner, and my 

 own observation fully justifies this assertion. Con- 

 cerning the value of the plant, Southey remarks 

 with truth, that "If Ceres deserved a place in the 

 mythology of Greece, far more might the deifica- 

 tion of that person have been expected who in- 

 structed his fellows in the use of mandioca." — 

 Paraon the Amazon. 



