Vol. 1.— No. 12. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



93 



thickly set with fruit spurs. it is ar. annual 

 bearer. It is in eating from February till 

 June .— ( To be continued.) 



SHADE TREES. 



There are few things whirh add more to the 

 beauty of a town or village, than the proper 

 arrangement of shade tiees ; whether they are 

 intended for the purpose of giving shelter and 

 shade from the inclemency of the scorching 

 sun, or for heightening the beauty of other ob- 

 jects connected with them in perspective, they 

 are equally desirable, and connect witli them 

 such ideas of comfort, 'aste, and rural enjoy 

 rnent, that they are the pride of those who 

 possess them, and the admiration of passing 

 strangers. 



What can give a more pleasing introduction 

 to a town ur village. than entering it through a 

 well arranged avenue of trees, whoso different 

 shape* and shades of foliage seem to lend new 

 beauty to all surrounding objectH, and produce 

 that association of ideas which can better be 

 imagined than described. ResideB shelter- 

 ing the inhabitants from the sun. they are of 

 gr^at service in tempering the winds, by check 

 ing their violence, and in summer they distri 

 buto their fragrance in every gale. 



For the purpose of lining streets and ave 

 nues, forest trees are better calculated than 

 fruit trees ; they are of larger growth and lon- 

 ger lived, and their beauty ofien increases with 

 their age. 



The effect of trees upon the salubrity of the 

 atmosphere is very great, not only by thuir in 

 fluence upon the temperature, which thev ren- 

 der more equal, but by their inhaling and exha- 

 ling different portions of the atmosphere. 



If we examine the results of different expe- 

 viments made by scientific men, we are forci 

 bly led to the conclusion, that the all-wise 

 Creator designed that animals and plants should 

 inhabit the same region, and breath the same 

 atmosphere. When a quantity of atmosphe- 

 ric airis taken into the lungs of an animal, the 

 oxygen is retained, and the hydrogen and car- 

 bonic acid is given off. On the other hand, 

 "when atmospheric air is taken into the leave? 

 or lungs of plants, the hydrogen and carbonic 

 acid is retained, and the oxygen is given off. 

 thus each acting for the other's benefit by an 

 unerring law of nature each rejecting that por- 

 tion of the atmosphere which is requisite for 

 the health of the other. 



As most transplanting is done in the spring* 

 we would recommend, the following kinds, 

 vhere they are intended for ornament only : 



Tulip Tree, or Whitewood. Liriodcndron 

 ulipifera.. This is one of the handsomest trees 

 of our forests. It grows to a large size, with 

 a handsome shaped head or top — the leaves are 

 large and of a beautiful shining green ; the tree 



is not often infested with any worms, and may 

 be called a very clean shade ire-o. Tht6 tree 

 produces a profusion of flowers, somewhat re- 

 sembling a large tulip, which are fragrant. The 

 seeds are produced .n a strobile, with woody 

 scales, not unlike the pine. 



Buttokvvood, or Plane Tree. Platanus oc- 

 udcntalus. This is one of the most rapid 

 growing trees of this section of our country. 

 When set as a shade, it forms a very hand- 

 some conical head, rather open than other- 

 wise. The leaves are five angled, of a pale 



green, inclining to yellow ; the blossoms are too 

 small to be taken into consideration, when set 

 as a shade tree. The seeds are produced 

 the shape of a ball thickly set with hairs. As 

 these are produced in profusion, they are the 

 Greatest objection to the tree, which added to 

 the sloughing off of tht outer bark, annually 

 makes it unpleasant when set near a dwelling ; 

 but for an avenue it is very ornamental. 



Basswood. Tilia Americana. Of this ge- 

 nus there are several species, all very well 

 calculated for ornamental trees. It grows 

 large, with well shaped lops, and very thick. 

 The leaves round and cordate ; some varieties 

 are shining, while others are somewhat downy, 

 • ini have red twigs, others are of a brownish 

 green. The flowers are inferior, but fragrant, 

 and inviting to bees. 



Elm. Ulmus Americana. Of which there 

 are several varieties, the white elm with pen 

 dulous branches being preferred. There is 

 also an European that is more beautiful in its 

 growth than any of the American varieties.— 

 This may be budded or grafted upon our na- 

 tive stocks. The flowers of all the varieties 

 are inferior, producing single seeds inclosed in 

 a winged pericarp. The leaves are rough, 

 cordate, but of a beautiful green color, which 

 ihey retain very late in autumn. 



Hacmatack. Pinus Microcarpa. This tree 

 when mixed with others, has a pleasant ap- 

 pearance, with leaves somewhat resembling 

 ether pines in summer, but falling off in win 

 ter. It is a tall fast growing tree, and may be 

 found in most of our swamps ; bears trans- 

 planting well, and although natural to swamps 

 it grows well upon our dry soils. The seeds 

 are produced in strobiles, like other varieties 

 uf pine. 



Maple. Acer saceharinum and rubrum. Both 

 tbeso varieties are well calculated for shade 

 trees. They are both hardy and bear transplan- 

 ting well. The rubrum or soft-maple, produ- 

 ces its blossoms very early in the spring, which 

 are very showy. The leaves of both are five 

 lobed, and the seeds are produced in winged 

 pericarps, joined at the base in pairs. 



Black Walnut. Juglans nigra. This 

 is a hardy tree, with an open top, the limbs 

 branching wide, leafets lanceolate, sub-pubes 

 cent.lhe fruit globular. The whole tree rather 

 fragrant. 



Wild Cherry. Prunus virgmiana. This 

 tree, from its large growth and inferior fruit, is 

 more deserving of a place among shade tree 8 

 than in the orchard It forms a very handsome 

 top, and the flowers, which appear in compact 

 racemes, are rather ornamental. It is well de- 

 serving a place in the avenue. 



The Vinedresser's Theoretical and Practical Na 

 nual. By Thikbaut De Bf.rneaud, Secrcta 

 ry of the Lmnrcan Society of Paris. 

 This is the title of a treatise on the cultiva- 

 tion of the vine, making wine, &c. ; and al 

 though carculatod for a foreign olimate, will be 

 found to contain some excellent directions, ap. 

 plicabla to the same objects in this country. — 

 As we intend hereafter to make some extracts 

 from tins work, we shall accompany thein with 

 such observations on the difference of climate, 

 soil, variety of grapes, manner of training,&c. 

 as we think will be beneficial to those engaged 

 in the business in this country. 

 Eor the present, we have only to observe, 



that we are convinced that we shall find it for 

 our interest to plant vineyards with American 

 grapes in preference to foreign varioties. We 

 repeat this opinion, in hopes that it may induce 

 those who have it in their power, to collect 

 and plant out cuttings of such varieties as are 

 good bearers, either of the Fox or Chicken 

 grape, without reference to their being plea, 

 sant table grapes, as some that are austere and 

 unpleasant to the taste, may be valuable for 

 wine, and it is only by repealed experiments 

 that we are to find the most valuable varieties. 



RENSSELAER COUNTY 

 IIORTICCLTniAL SOCIETY. 



We have been favored by one of the officers 

 of the above society, with a copy of the de- 

 claration of the objects of this society, togeth- 

 er with their Constiiuton and By-laws. 



Among the names of the officers c f this so- 

 ciety, we see some of the most scientific and 

 literary men of our state. When such men 

 associate themselves for the improvement of 

 Agriculture and Horticulture in our country, 

 we cannot for a moment doubt their patriot- 

 ism or success, and we hope that, their exam- 

 ple will be followed by all the counties in the 



state. 



Objects of the Society. 

 To stimulate Industry, directed in its efforts 

 by Art, Science, and Philosophy; to observe 

 facts, and to communicate them ; to excite a 

 generous competition ; and, finally, to make 

 Horticulture al once a sourco of elegant a- 

 musement, of domestic and social happiness, 

 and of profit, are among the objects of Horti- 

 cultural Associations. It has been supposed, 

 for somp time, that among the intelligent and 

 enterprising cultivators ofthesoil ofthis coun- 

 ty, a disposition prevailed favorable to the ex- 

 periment of an effort. We are about to make 

 this experiment ; for which purnose has been 

 formed and organized, The Rensselaer County 

 Horticultural Society, under a Constitution and 

 iiy-Laws, to which all that feel friendly to its 

 objects and purposes, are invited to add their 

 signatures. The organization is nearly com- 

 pleted ; the officers elected, to serve one year: 

 and we are assured by thosp persons most 

 competent to form an estimate of its pros- 

 pects, that about 100 signatures may be expec- 

 ed in Troy alone. 



It may be proper to ob-erve, that the Pre- 

 miums and subjects of Premiums, will soon 

 be declared ; before which i*. is necessary thai 

 the extent of patronage should he ascertained. 

 We therefore say, to all those who love an a- 

 bundance and variety of the good things of tin; 

 Garden, the Orchard, and th«i Finn — to all who 

 love to see labor well diree'ed and successful 

 — to the patriotic lovers of their country, and 

 all the friends of improvement — be prompt 

 in your action, and lot us go zealously to work. 

 That whatever increases the variety and 

 abundance of the productions of the soil, is a 

 public benefit, ali men admit. But that.in the 

 same ratio as this abundance and variety is ex- 

 tended by skill and science, is both land and 

 labor made more productive, seems either to 

 have been questioned, or the fact too general- 

 ly overlooked. Horticulture, stimulated by al; 

 effort such as we are about to make, will de- 

 monstrate this, not only as Horticulture mere- 

 ly, but in the mure extended operations of.?4'- 

 riculture ; a remark to which we invite the 

 attention of Farmers throughout the country. 

 That highly cultivated Unds have a local, 

 artificial soil, is generally known ; but that 

 they have, also, in a degree — and, during the 

 season of vegetation, in a very great degree — 

 a local climate, also, available for important u- 

 -es, may have escaped general observ ation.— ■ 

 The fact, however, is undeniable. We are 

 thus enabled, and with great profit, to propa- 



