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VOLUME I. 



ROCHESTER, FEBRUARY 26, 1831. 



NUMBER 8. 



COlHHItfNICA'J.IONS. 



FOIl THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The climate of the Genesee country, con- 

 siderably diners from that of the sea coast in 

 the same parallels of latitude. We have le9s 

 sunshine in winter, owing to the condensed 

 exhalations of our lakes ; and day and night 

 have a more equal temperatnre. Our snows 

 are more durable, — commonly swept off by 

 warm southerly winds, —seldom melted by the 

 .-am. In summer, not more subject to the 

 drought ; but back from the two great lakes, the 

 air is evidently drier than on the sea coast. 



Even as far south as Philadelphia, perhaps 

 the mcrcjiry sinks as low in the thermometer; 

 but their warm sunshine revives many a south- 

 ern plant, which has barely endured their clear 

 nights of intense frost. Long coniinued cold 

 fs more fatal to some plants, than greater cold 

 of short duration. In 1794, Fahrenheit's 

 thermometer at London, was 20 deg. below 

 Zero, yet many plants abide their winters, 

 which are here considered tender. 



In regard to tender plants, however, we 

 tiave something yet to learn. I have observed 

 that some shrubs, planted in autumn, weaken- 

 ed by lacerated roots and branches, have por- 

 isiied in winter, when the same kinds are un- 

 questionably hardy, alter their roots are estab- 

 lished in the ground, the wood matured, and a 

 scaly bark protects them from the frost. Such 

 ought therefore to be shielded from the severi- 

 !y of winter tili their vigor is fully restored. 



These remarks have detained me from some 

 brief comments on M. Floy's list. 



He has omitted the black maple, (Acer ni 

 grum) remarkable for its dense foliage. It is 

 a native of the Genesee country, and may bo 

 distinguished b_\ its dark greeu leaves, with 

 rapped lobes, pubescent on their under side. 

 I know of no finer shade tree. 



1 found Cuprcssus distieha rather tender, but 

 have hopes of its recovery. 



Cuprcssus tbyoidas is an elegant evergreen. 

 One of nearly three feet in diameter, stands io 

 Bartraai s Botanic Garden, planted by the em- 

 inent founder of that ancient establishment. I 

 S"et out three small trees late in autumn, care- 

 fully bent them to the ground when the cold 

 -became severe, and they now repose under in- 

 verted sods. I find it profitable to treat many 

 newly transplanted shrubs, both deciduons 

 and evergreen, in this manner. 



The biae-ash of the Western States (Fraxi- 

 ims quadra ngul-ata) 1 believe has not been in- 



a foot long and half an inch diameter, set i 

 common soil, I had a tree, in one season, five 

 feet high. We have several, very flourishing 

 and perfectly hardy. D. T. 



iroduced into any of the great nurseries. It 

 rs a fine stately tree, splits treely, and deserves 

 cultivation. Some of our citbens who visit 

 fne Seiota country in autumn, might easily 

 procure seeds. 



Three speoies of the Larch are known in 

 this country — two natives and one exotic. Our 

 farmers well know the redjarch (Pinusmicro- 

 ear/iff.) by the name of Tamarack, (perhaps a cor- 

 ruption, ot Tamarix, which it resembles in fo 

 fiage.) It appears to grow equally well in 

 deep swamps, and on the driest hills. It i 

 tree of great beauty. 



Magnulia tripetala, and M. glauca. I have 

 not been successful with these tine flowering 

 trees, which, when young, require protection in 

 'this climate. 



The white elm (Vtmvs Americana) consti- 

 tutes a remarkable feature in the scenery of 

 the Genesee Country. Its gigantic stature, 

 and elegantly recurved branches, have long 

 excited the admiration of foreigners. Tfiere 

 T3 another large elm in our forests (Vimus ra- 

 cemosa) which has lately been figured and de- 

 scribed in Silliman's Journal. 



I have not been successful ia transplanting 

 fhe weeping willow; in one case the bark was 

 injured by the hot sun ; — but 1 have complete- 

 ly succeeded wifh cuttitigs. From one about 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 

 GRAFTING THE VINE. 



Friend Tucker -Prince, in his new work, 

 ' Treatise on the Vine," in the article on the 

 object ofingrafting, makes the following state- 

 ment and assertions — "The vine differs from 

 other trees in having no hher, or inner bark, 

 nor cortical coverings, and it conseqnentlv 

 may be ingrafted, without its being requisite to 

 bring the two barks in contact, as the sap as 

 cendsby the different capillary vessels, with 

 out any distinction between liber, cortex, or 

 wood, whilst the sap of other trees is exclu 

 sivoly conducted between the wood and bark.' 

 Now this to me is entirely new doctrine, and 

 one which I am strongly inclined to controvert. 

 In the first place, I assert that the vine has a 

 parenchymatous, or outer, dead and excre- 

 idi Dial bark, analagous to the Epidermis of 

 the forest tree, which, in old subjects it casts 

 off more or less every year; and within that 

 bark certainly is another, which answers to 

 the cortical coverings and layers of trees and 

 shrubs; and next to the wood is a fine mem- 

 brane or cambium during. the vegetating season, 

 as I have frequently observed in attempting to 

 bud the vine. 



All of these points are in my mind facts, and 

 which every one familiar with the vino or veg 

 etpble phylology, will at once recognise as 

 such. 



Again the text asserts that " the sap ascends 

 by the different capillary vessels, without any 

 distinction between liber, oortex. or wood, 

 whilst the sap of other trees is exclusively 

 conducted between the wood and the. bark. 



On this last point, it is the first time that I 

 have heard that the sap of trees is conducted 

 between the wood and bark, for I supposed it 

 was settled that the sap ascended through the 

 alburnum, and descended between the wood and 

 bark ; and that such is the case, not only with 

 trees, but with the vine itself, I have only to 

 cite his own theory of" Girdling or incissure," 

 commonly called Ringing, (to the truth of 

 which I can bear ample testimony. „having per- 

 formed it in numerous instances with great ef 

 feet) to prove the fallacy of his assertion, that 

 the sap ascends through all of its organs, in- 

 discriminately ; for by girdling, the whole sap 

 is stopped in the parts above the incissure. snd 

 which continue to enlarge, while the parts be- 

 low remain entirely stationary, which incontro - 

 vertibly shows that the sap does not ascend by 

 ihe bark, and will not descend, if the vine is 

 girdled ; therefore we are to presume that the 

 whole operation is the same as in other sub- 

 jects. 



There is a great discrepancy between the 

 eatise, and the points above stated, which for 

 the benefit of the science, I should like to see 

 explained. 



I have, always been a sceptic on the subject 

 of grafting the vine at all, having never been 

 able to succeed in the operation, but friend 

 Prince asserts its feasibility, and gives the mi 

 nutue of manipulation with so much confidence 

 and cites such practical authorities, that I am 

 even constrained to believe it. 



Another point in reference to this subject, 

 and I have done; where it is stated that it is 

 not necessary for the bark in grafting to join 

 in any point, and that a cutting in the form ol 

 a peg, stuck into a hole bored in the end of a 

 large stock, will succeed as well as in any o- 

 ther method ; all of which is so at variance 

 with my notions of the process of ingrafting, 

 that nothing short of occular proof will ever 

 remove my doubts. And here let me observe, 

 that it is in all cases recommended (hat the 



operation should be performed bdow the sur- 

 face and tccll earthed up. Now I would ask 

 whether from the well known ease with which 

 cuttings strike, as it is technically termed, they 

 would not vegetate if well earthed vp, if it was 

 inserted in a dead vine, or in a "cherry," or 

 even in a potato? It most certainly would, 

 as that operation could be no hindrance to its 

 taking root, as an ordinary cutting, if well ear- 

 thed up, seldom fails; and in my opinion, the 

 process of grafting underground, needs exam- 

 ination, to see whether the eion does not 

 throw out its roots, above the point of eon- 

 tact, and independently of the stock in which 

 it is set. And yet after all, I will not under- 

 take to say but that the vine may be in- 

 grafted ; it is an easy process to try, and within 

 the reach of proof in the right season, to anv 

 person who has the least curiosity that way, 

 and therefore I will only say nous vcrrons. 



If any of tby readers have any practical ex- 

 perience on the subject, I shonld be very much 

 gratified by their communication through tby 

 interesting Journal. 



With the work generally I am well pleased ; 

 it is for its volume a complete Encyclopedia 

 of the vino : the descriptions are full and com- 

 plete, both as to foreign and domestic varie- 

 ties ; and the comparative advantages of cul- 

 tivating the different sorts, are honestly and 

 ably laid down ; together with extensive and 

 elaborate directions as to soil, elimate and cul- 

 tivation, and will prove that desideratum so 

 long and imperiously wanted, to secure suc- 

 cess in its cultivation ; an object which is not oj 

 secondary importance to any, except the produce 

 lion of silk, that our country possesses natural 

 abilities for, that is not yet generally mlrodn^ 



ccd. 



II. Y. 



West Bloomfield, 12th 2d mo. 1831. 



FOI} THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The Snow-Ball, or Guelder Rose, and the 

 High Cranberry, of our swamps, take, readily, 

 by inoculation, each on the other. To me, a 

 Snow-Ball Tree, covered with flowers ia 

 spring, and loaded with the fruit of the High 

 Cranberry, in autumn, and through the winter, 

 is a novel spectacle, though not rare. Both 

 the snow-ball and the cranberry, however, in 

 the garden, are so apt to be loaded with in- 

 sects.that I have had to cut down all ihe bush- 

 es, with iheir leaves, for two summers in suc- 

 cession. I had rather forego the pleasure off 

 this new family alliance, than breed such hosts 

 of enemies, especially in a garden. S. 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The excellent advice respecting smps by *; 

 [page 29] has suggested the inquiry whether 

 the glasses ought not to he shaded from the hot 

 sun ? and ought noi the clipping of the leaves to 

 be confined to such as would be co\ ered by the 

 the earth or mould ? The following extract re- 

 lative to layers, from Loudon's Eaq/clupedia of 

 Plants, exactly ace irds with my experience in 

 the treatment of cuttings. 



" Most cultivators cut off many of the leave? 

 ind shoots of layers, when they aro first taken 

 off, thinking the roots will not have so mufh 

 to nourish, which is the very reason they often 

 lose a great part of their crop; layers of any 

 kind of shrub whatever, when first taken uffi 

 should not have a single leaf taken off till they 

 have made fresh root: supposing their tops 

 flag ever so much, as long as there is life, it 

 II draw up-lhe sap, and help the plant to root 

 afresh.'' 



Jn the early part of last summer, I cut a stalk 

 of the golden-lotus chrysanthemum, planted it 

 in a pot, leaving on all the leaves above the 

 earth, and set it in the shade. It is a tall va- 

 riety; and the top withered and drooped So 

 mufti, that to keep it iinijghj, I Bad to fie ifr-to 



