^ns2B ssaxrai 



VOLUME I. 



ROCHESTER, APRIL 16, 1831. 



NUMBER 16. 



THE Gt;l»BSEE FARMER 



AND CARDKNEB's JOURNAL. 



Devoted lo Agriculture, Horticulture, Domestic Ecotio 



my, &c. &c 



N. GOODS'r.LL EDITOR 



Published on Saturdays, at :$2 50per annum, 



payable in six months, or at $2 00, if paid at the 



time of subscribing, by Luther Tucker, at 



!he office of the Rochester Daily Advertiser 



COTMIHTNXCATIONS. 



DEATH OS' PLANTS BV OL.D AGE. 



TUB THE GENESEE FARMEH. 



1 am glad to see the initials of my friend [>. 

 T. beginning to appear in public journals.— 

 Science, aits, and agriculture, are profited by 

 the observations of such praciic.il men, when- 

 ever they send forth a thought from the shades 

 of retirement. 



His communication on the 1st page of num- 

 ber 11, m wht-h he opposes the opinion ol 

 Knight Smith, and other distinguished natural 

 ist9. ounht to be fully discussed. As my opin- 

 ion is diametrically opposed to his, and to the 

 Editor's.and I am an entnc proselyte to Smith 

 and Knight, I should delight in discussing this 

 very important question, with that nice obser- 

 ver; but my time is wholly occupied at pre- 

 sent with professional duties. I hope some 

 one of the cotrespondentsof the Farmer will 

 find time, at least to provoke friend D. T. to 

 come oui again, and present us with additional 

 facts on the subject of Dindrological biogra- 

 phy. I w iuld particularly insist on his giving 

 n reason for citing the groa' age of some trees, 

 as a pro 'f that tliuy never die of old age ; uu- 

 los- tie will show us that Methuselah's great 

 a<»e ornves that man never dies of old age, or 

 he OU"ili to come down to our own times, and 

 show us, that the elephant never dies of old 

 age, because he lives centuries longer than the 

 American locust, or the house dog. 



As tar as we have any knowledge nf organi 

 zed nature, it appears to be subject to dissolu 

 tion- The laws of chemical attraction seem 

 to be forever at variance with the living prin 

 ciple: and life is unquestionably a "forced 

 3tate." The hand is now organized and adap- 

 ted to the performance of its assigned duties. 

 Let a tournequei be screwed upon the wrist, 

 wnh sufficient force to cneck circulation — the 

 living"princinle being suspended, leaving the 

 elementary atoms to the government of chem 

 ical affinity, we can then perceive what Ins 

 been the tendency of those atoms, hitherto 

 contiolled by the living principle. The atom.-, 

 of hydrogen and of sulphur form their predis- 

 posed union, and a disgusting gas, called sul- 

 phureted hydrogen, is produced — nitrogen an .! 

 hydrogen unite and produce ammonia — carbon 

 and hydrogen form carburetted hydrogen— ox- 

 ygen and hvdrogen form water. Thus go on 

 ih,^ various combinations of atoms now left 

 witho'it their adversary's" control, until the 

 whole hand is reduced to a state of odious and 

 disgusting ruin, 



A- the same powers (the living principle and 

 chemical attraction) are forever at war in v» 

 getable nature, as well a:, in animal nature, 

 (which may he shown by similar trials) shall 

 we not believe, that the living principle will 

 finally yield in all vegetables 1 Numerous fos- 

 sil relics prove, that some radiated and mollus- 

 cous animals, now *itt»<;',iniist have live,! man; 

 centuries ; probably some thousands of years. 

 I would ask, whether friend D. T has math 

 l fair statement of tbo opinion of Dr. James 

 Edward Smith, and others'! They believed, 

 that no original plant, from which grafts, 

 cuttings, bulbs, or buds, were taken, would 

 probably live as long as these " individual e.\ 

 tension ." For being fostered in all situa- 

 tions with particular care, they would be ex- 

 tended in many places to the last moment al- 

 lowed by " that incirable disease, old age;" 



while the parent sioi k may have been dead for 

 centuries. They believed, that plants were 

 propagated on two distinct principles. First, 

 by reproduction — second bv continuation. That 

 reproduction required a perfect seeJ ; which 

 could never come into existence without the 

 application of the pollen or farina of a flower 

 to the stigma conducting it to the germ of the 

 new fruit. This process.they believed renewed 

 the species, and that its chance for long life was 

 eqml to that ol the parent plant, producing 

 the seed. That all other method? of propaga- 

 ting merely extended or continued the original 

 individual. A thousand grafts, or buds, taken 

 from the same tree, were but branches of that 

 tree, fostered in different localities ; all of 

 which must die of old age at a limited period. 

 They supposed few, if any, arrived at the ex- 

 tremes of this limited period ; as few men hvi 

 to the great age of Parr, or even of our coun- 

 ryman Francisgo. 



The methods of extending the same indt- 

 idiial are numerous, and exceedingly interest- 

 ing to the farmer. Friend Thomas ought to 

 lassify and describe them, and give detailed 

 directions in the Genesee Farmer for cuntinu- 

 ing fruit and fruit trees by grafts and buds, 

 grapes by cuttings or layers, liliaceous plants 

 by bulbs, potatoes by roots, &c. ic, He may 

 roserve Irs theory, and still give all the pracn 

 cal knowledge requiied. 



Written in haste, without revision or refer- 

 ence to authors, by A. E. 



N. B. 1 think the editor ought to press 

 upon his patrons the importance of seeking 

 new varieties of "apples, pears, peaches, pjta- 

 toes, grapes, buibous plants, <Stc. by planting 

 small patches with their respective seeds, in 



I kinds of soil, situation, aspect, degrees of 

 humidity and dryness, &c. 



It is well known that a variety of the pota- 

 toe will run out, or die of old age, after being 

 continued several years by the root-buds only. 

 Taking advantage of our folly, European Hor- 

 ticulturists make a profit by raising from seeds 

 and sendmg us, new and useful varieties. 



FOR THE GENESEE FARMER. 

 COMMENTS ON M FLOY'S LIST Or' SHRUBS, 



WITH ADDITIONS. 



Though the English Broom (spartiuni sco- 

 parium) drops its leaves in autumn, it has ev- 

 ergreen branches. In this climate, it is not 

 perfecily hardy. One that spreads near the 

 ground, is mostly covered in snows of a fool 

 deep ; but in severe winters, those branches 

 which projected above the snow, have been 

 killed. Still, in this humble state it is a shruh 

 of great beauty when in flower. 



There are four species of Jasmine suitable 

 for the open ground ; but to insure their beau- 

 tiful and fragrant flowers in spring, it is neces 

 sary to lay them down at the commencement 

 of severe weather. 



1. Jasminum officinale, the white flowerin 

 Jasmine. This slender shrub has bet n culti- 

 vated in England, from time immemorial, and 

 it still retains its reputation. C'owpeb, with 

 the taste of a florist, and the language of a po- 

 et, refers to this fine species : 



Luxuriant above all 



The jasmine, throwing wide heretegautsweetB ; 

 The deep dark green of whose unvarni6hed leaf 

 Makes more conspicuous, and illumines mure 

 The bright profusion of hor scattered stars. 



I have planted clumps, to be covered with in- 

 verted sods in autumn, and to bo raised and 

 fastened to posts in spring ; and now, after ly- 

 ing in this state nearly four months, the plants 

 are in fine preservation. 



2. Jasminum rcvolutum. This is from Ne 

 paul. Many plants nearly hardy, have been 

 brought from thai sunny, but elovated region. 

 This plant has remained in a covered border 

 fur two winters, and is to be transplanted this 

 spring into the open ground. 



3. Jasmin um frulicans is considered more ten- 

 der than the following species, abo from the 

 ">'outh of Europe, and neither are so robust as 

 J. revohitum. 



4. Jasminum humile withstands our milder 

 winters. The three last species, when shel- 

 ered partially, rotain their green leaves thro' 

 the year; and all these kinds continue to bloom 

 a long time in moist seasons. 



Coronilla emcrus, like the preceding species, 

 has ever^.een branches, and some leljves con- 

 tinue through the winter. It is a low shrub, 

 with many slender stems from the root, near- 

 ly hardy, and quite ornamental when in flow- 

 er. It is safer to cover it in the beginning of 

 winter. 



The terms " English" and " Scotch labur- 

 num," are not proper; for neither kind is in- 

 digenous to Britain. Cytisus laburnum'ia a 

 native of Switzerland and Savoy. 



Several species of Calycanthus are cultiva- 

 ted. C. glaucus is from the mountains of Ca- 

 rolina, and C. levigatus from those of Penn- 

 sylvania C. precox from Japan, has been com- 

 monly kept in the green-house ; but one trans- 

 plan :ed last autumn in the open ground and 

 covered, appears uninjured. 



Cercis canadensis is a native of the lower 

 parts of Peunsjlvania. It is very ornamental 

 when in flower, and of singular aspect when 

 in leaf. 



'. ulutea arborescens becomes rather trouble- 

 some in gardens, from the number of young 

 plants which spring from its seeds. 



1 know of no nurseryman who can furnish 

 the double scarlet hawthorn. 



Cydoisia japonica is not " an evergreen," in 

 this climate, though it appears to be perfectly 

 hardy. 



Mezereon (Daphne mezcreum) withstands 

 the winters of the Gtnesee country without "a 

 khel'ered situation." It is the summer or au- 

 tumnal heat i hat pro' es fatal. 



Leather wood (Dirca palnstris) abounds in 

 the Genesee country. Wear the borders of 

 the great swamps (which once spread between 

 Lockport and Pendleton, but now drained by 

 the Erie canal) I hate seen this shrub 8 feet 

 high, and 2 inches in diameter. It possesses 

 the singular property (in a vegetable) ofstovgh- 

 ing, — throwing off the wood. It is rather dif- 

 ficult to transplant successfully unless the 

 plants are selected from the open ground. 



Gymnocladus canadensis, Kentucky Coffee 

 Tree, occurs in vaiious localities on the east 

 shore of the Cayuga lake, and of the Seneca 

 river, from Aurora down to Jack's Reefs. At 

 the latter place we found one 60 or 70 feet 

 high and 15 inches in diameter. This tree has 

 singularity and beauty. When it is cut down, 

 many suckers, at different distances, spring 

 from the roots. 



1 am told that Hybiscus syriacus in this cli- 

 mate, sometimes perishes in winter ; the dou~ 

 ble ichite indeed is considered tender at Flush- 

 ing ; but 1 have found four other varieties liar" 

 dy. 



The shrubby Hypericums " from the south- 

 ern states" are said to be tender. The kinds 

 commonly cultivated are from other places.— 

 H. kalmianum is a nativo of Pennsylvania.— 

 A fine variety ? grows plentifully on the 

 wet soil of the Table Rock at Niagara, but. 

 flourishes in drier ground. H. hericum with, 

 brger flowers, is from the south of Europe. 



The slender stalks of Kerria japonica do not 



withstand our winters without some injury. 



These should be bent down in autumn, and 

 covered. The advantage is worth the labor. 



Robinia arborea is a larger shrub than R. his 



pida, of which it is considered a variety. 



Though its flowers are smaller, they are large 

 enough io render it a very beautiful and desi- 

 rable plant. A light sandy soil is most favor- 

 able to the growth of those shrubs. 



