A lietrospcct. S\ 



it in the one aspect only, while they forget, or overlook the other. This 

 iniiy be one reason, and the c/t?V/' reason, why so many are disapj)ointed 

 in the expected results. They have perhaps, for some years, been follow- 

 ing their favorite rules of practice, copied from that of their predecessors, 

 and have been surprised at the small fruit of their labors ; while at the 

 f-ame time they have been violalijig some fundamental law of vegetation. 

 It is always safe to follow nature, but not to dictate to,or force ber. Peo- 

 ple may say what thev ]ilcase against " book farming" and book garden- 

 inix, but it is indispensably necessary to make the science of vcgctahlc 

 l)hysiology a subject of careful study. 



Jlcat and moisture are the two great and essential agents in the process 

 of vegetation. "Where these are furnished in excess, trees and plants are 

 found having a luxuriant growth and reachingto a gigantic size, and they 

 are so found within the tropics. But in the polar regions, these agents 

 are feeble, and the trees and plants are dwarfish in proportion. 



So.ine ])lants and fruits, natives of warm climates^ have indeed been 

 gro.wii with some degree of success in high latitudes. For instance the 

 pine apple of the West India Islands, and, the Muscat grapes of Spain, 

 have been produced in England, having a latitude of 50 degrees north, 

 and in northern New York, New England and Canada, having a high 

 northern latitude. But bow has this been done? Not that these delic- 

 ious fruits will succeed without the powejful stimulants which nature fur- 

 nieUes. Art has been brought in to assist nature. Structures have been 

 erected, covered with glass, whereby the solar heat can be economized 

 and retained. The quantity of water can be graduated at will; and thus 

 an artificial climate can be made to mcet,the wants of the plant. Th? 

 successful gardener should be well endowed with that faculty of the min,d. 

 which is called imagination. If occupied ingrowing the foreign grape 

 under glass, let him in imagination transport himself to the sunny clime 

 of Spain or Syiia, and by inspecting the condition of th^ "vine at home,"- 

 judge of its wants and propensities when an exotic. 



O I that the lovely vine were endowed with the faculty of speech, so as 

 to be able to plead its own cause under all manner of abusive treatment. 

 Sometimes it is drowned- with flood ; and tiien it is scorched with fire. 

 Now its border is completely saturated with rain ; then it is dry as the 

 desert of Sahara. Some are fed with stimulating aliment, even to sur- 

 feiting; others arc left to starve with hunger. But if (he often ignorant 

 and but loo heedless wine-dresser, could be induced to study his subject 

 scientifically, and learn to sympathise with his tender charge, then might 



