Vol. V—Xo. 



i%EW ENGLAfMD 1 AKiVlEK. 



51 



t!ie pns-iijo ol tlio sap in small <)iiantities, unci 

 a slii^rtrisi muuiiet, just siitficiont to J<ecp tlio 

 LH' iVoiii p'oiisliiiig altojrcUicr, and Uccp a few 



Soot'; 0:1 Uie top alive. But this I conccivo is no 

 i.Icnce t'lal tlu-se are tiie natural niul iisuul clmn- 

 jIs tliroiigli wliiv-li the sap passes in a healthy 

 lund tree. 



Mr Lowell says, " every day's observation leatls 

 us to expect most extensive disease in all the 

 vessels below, when, in extreme heat and full 

 irrowtb, the sap is stopped in its progress and of- 

 fices. Arrived at the point of disease and finding 

 the vessels all dry and unlit for its passage to the 

 loaves already decayed, unable to return to. the 

 root bv the principles which caused it to rise, it 

 must stagnate, ferment, become acid, and then 

 putrid, and this will continue until it reaches its 

 point of junction with the main stem — there the 

 evil would stop if too many limbs were not af- 

 fected." 



I will ask. Sir, whether the cutting off, or break- 

 la; off, or otherwise destroying a limb at a given 

 oint, docs not stop the progress of the sap as ef- 

 ctuallv as if the limb was so far dead and re- 

 aininc on the tree ? If it does, tlien cutting oif 

 le limb below the disea.?e;l part is as bad or worse 

 an the disease itself, according to Mr Lowell's 

 asoning — for the sap is equally thrown back in 

 ne case as in the other, and the greater the dep- 

 '.vation of its branches the more surplus sap there 

 'ill be to stagnate and become putrid, and of course 

 m increase of the disease wifl be created in pro- 

 nrtion to the suppression of branches, and the 

 sonsequence would be sudden death. But is this 

 ne fact ? Every year's experience shows us it 

 annot be. On the contrary, the reverse of this 

 i the fact, for pollards live longer than any other 

 ■ees. Let us inquire, then, what becomes of tiiis 

 uperabundant sap. It must find vent somewhere, 

 •ecause, as Mr Lowell says, it cannot return to 

 »ie roots, by the principles which caused it to rise. 

 'he answer is already given above, — the sap will 

 eek the most tender issues, which are found in 

 ertical and young branches or shoots in the neigh- 

 orhood where it is checked in its natural pro- 

 gress, in the first place ; and if they are not suf5- 

 iently numerous or strong to absorb it all, then it 

 .-ill burst through the harder and less tender bark 

 if the branches, producing the shoots that are 

 ailed suckers. If the flow of the sap is exces- 

 ive these will assume the character of luxuriant 

 ir glutton branches, which if not removed, soon 

 ■xhaust and destroy the lateral fruit branches by 

 Irawing to themselves the principal part of the 

 lourishment which is afforded by the roots. Our 

 jrchards bear melancholy testimony of this fact in 

 ilmost all directions, where this upright, stilf, and 

 inprofitable shoot is allowed to grow till it forms a 

 lew head at the expense of the old one. 



I am a«arp that if some trees, such as the apple 

 For instmce, (the juices of which are very acrid 

 md liable to ferment,) are deprived of too many 

 tranches in the spring before the leaves and young 

 hoots put out, as is sometimes the case in prepar- 

 ing a tree lor grafting, that the surplus sap that 

 would have issued at the small branches of which 

 the tree has been deprived will be thrown back, 

 and before it can find new issues through the hard 

 and thick bark, stagnates, ferments, ancl becomes 

 putrid, and in this state destroys the bark and 

 lometimes tlie tree itself. But in the case before 

 us there is no such deprivation of the natural is- 

 Rues for the sap as to cause the effect laid down 



liy Mr Lowell. 'I'lie diseased shoots may be nt 

 the end of a large biaiich and numerous sma-U vig- 

 orous ones below tlie diseased part ready to re- 

 ceive and to give vent to the sap — but in tJiis most 

 destructive malady which infests our pear trees, it 

 matters not how many channels e.vist to carry ofl" 

 the sap in different directions. The disease des- 

 cends with a rapidity that is nppallino', until it 

 strikes the body of the tree. 



Mr Lowell admits, in his examination of Mr 

 Duhamers theory that he v.-as " tlio best prarlicul 

 " cultivator of fruits which the Horticultural art 

 " can boast." But he adds — " still he lived in tlie 

 " infancy of the science, and when he states his 

 " theories and gives the reasons for them, we may 

 " all judge of their soundness." 



That Mr Duhamel was a man of extensive sci- 

 ence in the Physiology of Plants I should not have 

 supposed Mr Lowell would have doubted. I be- 

 lieve in this opinion, at least, he will stand alone ; 

 his writings are, I think, as extensive on this par- 

 ticular point as any one else, and to the present 

 day his works are considered as leading and 

 standard authorities throughout France, if not 

 throughout Europe. He was a member of most of 

 the distinguished Scientific Societies in Europe, 

 such as the Royal Academy of Sciences in France; 

 of the Royal Hocicty of London ; of the Acade- 

 mies of St. Petersburg, of Palermo, of Bologna, 

 and of Edinburgh ; and Inspector General of the 

 Navy. With these qualifications I should hardly 

 think him an object of ridicule and contempt, and 

 cliargeable with empiricism and ignorance, be- 

 cause he imputed the disease in question to the 

 corrupt state of its circulation. What would more 

 naturally and more certainly produce disease in a 

 plant than the corrupt state of its juices? Mr 

 LoH ell says, '• In this age we must demand a 

 " reasonable cause for a destructive effect in a 

 " healthy patient." I should think a diseased 

 state of the blood, (which frequently exists in an 

 individual apparently very healthy) was a " reas- 

 onable" and a snjjicienl cause for disease in any 

 part of the body ; and accordingly we frequently 

 see a high fed and luxurious man healthy in ap- 

 pearance, but with local disease attached to him 

 in the form of cutaneous irruption or gangrenous 

 affection ; and it does not follow, I conceive, that 

 the corruption does not exist in the blood or sys- 

 tem, because the whole surface of the body is not 

 affected equally and at the same time. 



With respect to the specific cause of the dis- 

 ease in pear trees, it may not be in the power of 

 any one to trace it — but so far as my own obser- 

 vations go, (and I have suffered as much I believe 

 as any one from it) the trees in highly cultivated 

 grounds, and in low, wet and rich soil have been 

 most seriously affected ; while those in my high 

 land and uncultivated soil have escaped infection. 

 So far my experience accords with Mr Duhamel's 

 theory. 



Mr Lowell's closing paragraph says, " Duha- 

 " mel adds (to be sure) to his stagnated water and 

 " superfluous manure" — " or some other causes" 

 "a phrase which a Lawyer would call a saving 

 " clause," " but which is in effect nothing less than 

 " an avowal of his entire ignorance of the true 

 " cause." 



In the translation which was given of Mr Du- 

 hamel's view of the subject by " Cultivator," the 

 words are — " If the evil be caused by manure, or 

 " stagnant water (for it may be produced by other 

 '• causes) the earth should be removed, &c." The 



words im;mtod to Mr Duhamel were used by 

 «' Cnltivator," and whatever ignorance or empiri- 

 cBitl' they may imply is imputable to liiiii and not 

 to Mr Duhamel. 



As I apj)reliond that little or no good « ill be 

 produced to the public from a continuance of this 

 discussion, I shall take my leave, hoping that you 

 will not involve yourself any further in "■iviiu' 

 sui)port to the opinions of your Brooklujo corres- 

 pondent. • " CULTIVATOR. 



Stplcmbir 4, 1820. 



NEW WORK. 



We understand that a professional gentleman of 

 this Commonwealth has it in contemplation to pre- 

 pare for publication a work on which for h'is own 

 information and amusement he has for some years 

 bestowed considerable thought, viz. a Gazetteer of 

 the Colleges, Academies and Schools of Leaniing, 

 public and private, together witli all Literary So- 

 cieties of note and distinction which have at any 

 time or do now exist in the United States. In 

 which will be contained an account of the studies 

 pursued, the manner of instruction, the attempts 

 to improve the common course of Education, arid 

 as far as can be ascertained the successful or un<- 

 successful results of these attempts. 



The whole to be followed by an essay on educa- 

 tion, drawn from a general view of the practice 

 and experience of these institutions, together with 

 such suggestions ou this all important subject as 

 shall be thought calculated to improve the general 

 cause of education, and secure to the rising gen- 

 eration, the knowledge, best adapted to the condi- 

 tion of our civil, religious, and social institutions. 



Such is the nature of a work, which has been 

 maturing for years by a gentleman distinguished 

 for his reflection, experience, and learning. The 

 utility and value of the work will be greatly en- 

 hanced at this period when so many laudable ex- 

 ertions are making to improve our system of Edu- 

 cation. We shall wait with great interest for the 

 completion of the benevolent undertaking, and 

 have no doubt but the author will receive an ample 

 reward for his labours in the praise and gratitude, 

 of succeeding generations. [Haverhill Gaz.] 



From a personal acquaintance with the author of 

 the work alluded to in the above article, we have 

 no doubt that it will be well and faithfully executed. 

 The usefulness of such a publication is too obvi- 

 ous to require comment. Every man who is or 

 aspires to be a member of the great family of lit- 

 erature, will no doubt feel some solicitude to learn 

 the pursuits, character and standing of his con- 

 nexions. — Editor. 



ARKANSAS. 

 The season in this Territory had been very fa- 

 vourable to the last date (July 11.) Almost all the 

 early corn is sufficiently forward to come to matu- 

 rity, even if there should be no more rain ; and 

 that which was planted at a later period will yield 

 good if a drouglit should not set in within two or 

 three weeks. From present appearance it is be- 

 lieved that corn will be very abundant and cheap 

 in the fall. The season is also said to have been 

 favourable for cotto^. And the produce of the 

 Territory will probably exceed that of any formed 

 year. The Arkansas river had taken a rapid rise 

 during the preceding week, but was again falling. 



Corn was lately sold in South Carolina at two 

 dollars a bushel, and flour at ten dollars ji barrel. 



