March. 



THE POMOLOGIST. 



39 



where it is subjected to the action of the 

 weather, and kept moist until the fruit 

 decays and the season of germination arrives, 

 when it springji forth without farther trouble 

 or delay. 



There are many shell seeds in the North 

 which are very much retarded in germina- 

 tion and growth, by being allowed to dry 

 before planting. The chestnut, it is said by 

 those who claim to know, should not be per- 

 mitted to dry when intended for seed, as its 

 germinating powers are thereby very much 

 injured, if not entire!}' destro3'ed. The soft 

 maple seed should lie gathered and planted 

 as soon as it matures. It will then sprout 

 like .corn, and come as soon and grow sev- 

 eral feet the same season ; when if allowed 

 to dry before planting it may not come up 

 at all; or at least until the next spring. It 

 is not the frost which causes it to germinate, 

 but the continued moisture. Nearly all of 

 our field and garden seeds are hastened in 

 their early growth by being soaked in 

 water ; and, sometimes hot water is far pre- 

 ferable to cold. The germination and early 

 growth of onion seed and peas, as well as 

 other seeds we might mention, are materi- 

 ally accelerated by beingstirrediu hot water 

 until it becomes cold. Perhaps the hydro- 

 pathic practice might be resorted to, with 

 success, in all cases where frost is wanting, 

 in relation to both fruits and vegetables. If 

 that practice will succeed in one climate, 

 why not in another ? I am strongly in- 

 clined to believe that it would, althongh I 

 would not deny that it might require a 

 longer time than freezing. We know that a 

 very slight action of frost is sufficient, when 

 connected with moisture, to insure a speedj' 

 germination, while perhaps, without the 

 frost, many months might be required, and 

 germination thereby delayed. The course 

 of nature teaches us a very important les- 

 son in relation to this matter. She does not 

 lay up her seeds to dry, but plants them, 

 partially, as soon as matured. We cannot 

 expect to gather our fruit stones and lay 

 them up to dry, and have them germinate as 

 speedily as if kept moist, in imitation of 

 nature. Frost will not effect them, if kept 

 dry, no matter how cold the weather. They 

 will dry as well, but not so fast, in cold 

 weather as in warm. They require moisture, 

 under any circumstances, unless artificial 

 means are used to open tliem. Thus, we see 

 that frost alone is entirely insufficient to ac- 

 complish the object desired, anywhere. — 

 That frost cannot be an indispensable requi- 

 site, for that purpose, in a warm climate. — 

 That nature has so arranged the matter that 

 seeds of all kinds will germinate in all cli- 

 mates. 



Now, will any one be kind enough to in- 

 form the public what single principle, or 

 agent, will accomplish that object alone? — 

 Or whether the combined action of several 

 is necessary ? There is a misapprehension 

 in the public mind in relation to the matter ; 

 and, perhaps a smattering of scientific infor- 

 mation might disabuse it very happily and 

 advantageously. 



S. LOMBAKD. 



Doimola, in. 



For the Western PomoIoglBt. 



How to Raise Forest Trees. 



To have success in planting tree seeds, the 

 following conditions must be observed.— 

 First, the seeds must be fresh, and then b(! 

 planted as nearly as possible in nature's 

 way. She does not plant them deep as peo- 

 ple plant potatoes and corn, but she covers 

 them very shallow with a coating of autumn 

 leaves, which affords the best possible pro- 

 tection for the seeds, which generally ger- 

 minate successfully with the warmth of 

 spring. Therefore we should bear in mind 

 not to cover them too deeply. As a general 

 rule, as deep as the seed is thick will answer, 

 and then the covering should be very light 

 and friable ; leaf mould, leaves, rotten straw 

 or grass, or some such substance. When tree 

 seeds cannot be planted as soon as ripe, they 

 can be kept for a time in nearly drv sand, 

 being careful not to put too large quantities 

 in a mass. It will be useless to plant seeds 

 of walnuts, hickories, oaks, chestnuts, hazle 

 nuts, and such like, after they are thoroughly 

 dry, as they will not vegetate. Some seeds 

 vegetate as soon as they fall to the ground, 

 without any covering whatever; among 

 which are the wliite elm, red and silver 

 maple. Perhaps most failures are to be 

 attributed to planting too deep and on un- 

 suitable soils. Give each kind of seed its 

 natural soil as near as can be. The swamp 

 trees do not grow well on dry land, and vice 

 versa. 



I will give a list of trees for particular 

 soils, and some directions how to manage 

 evergreen seeds, which are more difficult to 

 grow than the seeds of decidious trees. 



Trees for Different Soils— Ever- 

 greens FROM Seed.— For dry clay soil : 

 white oak, red oak, sugar maple, beech, &c. 



For wet clay loam : Burr oak, swamp 

 oak of several kinds, linden, white ash, red 

 ash, black ash, red and silver maple, honey 

 locust, white elm, hickory, &c. 



For dry sandy land : Pitch pine, red pine, 

 Jersey pine, red cedar, &c. 



For rich or moist sandy loam ; Black 

 walnut, butternut, hackberry, hemlock, 

 spruce, firs, magnolia, papaw, buckeye, 

 sweet gum, larch, &c. 



The best plan to raise evergreens from 

 seeds is to prepare a bed of sandy loam, 

 (one-half sand and one-half leaf mould) on the 

 north side of a building or high fence; 

 around it boards should be set edgewise, so 

 as to be a foot above the bed ; in this bed 

 plant the seeds in the fall or spring, barely 

 covering them. Tiiey must not get too wet 

 or dry. A person can regulate the moisture 

 and shade by having narrow strips of boards, 

 not over three inches wide, to lay on the 

 frame, leaving space between as required by 

 the weather, or the whole can be covered 

 with glass or muslin, always giving air to 

 the plants. 



W. C. Hampton. 

 Mt. Victory, Ohio. 



Vegetable Physiology. 



Tlie .science that defines the nature and 

 structure of the tree or plant, has much to 

 do with .skill in cultivation. By making 

 ourselves familiar with the elements neces- 

 sary to the vigor and development of the 

 various parts, we are enabled to judge of our 

 means to develop or promote the vigor and 

 health of Die whole. Tlie production of 

 fruit is the desired result; the tree must be 

 kept in a healthy, vigorous state ; each series 

 of organs must be efficient to produce the 

 ultimate object; climate, .soil, nutritive mat- 

 ters in the soil, due regulation of the wood 

 and fruit systems, the checking of the undue 

 developments of wood buds to the neglect 

 of fniit buds, and the tendency on the other 

 hand to the production of fruit spurs to the 

 leaf system ; the proportionate amount of 

 roots to branches, the promotion of the gen- 

 eral healthy growth of leaves, as well as all 

 other indispensable auxiliaries to the health 

 of the tree, must be carefully preserved and 

 lU'omoted. 



We must sec to the propagation of healthy 

 trees, and these secured, preserve them in 

 that healthy condition. 



The growth of roots, branches, and leaves, 

 are so closely related that we need only state, 

 in passing, that these depend on skill in 

 propagation, either by seeds, cuttings, layers, 

 buds or grafts. 



The normal mode of propagation is by 

 seeds. This is the favorite plan of nature, 

 so far as we may judge by natural indica- 

 tions. Like all her unerring laws, this ap- 

 pears to have been made immutable, that 

 like should produce like ; that the herb and 

 fruit tree should bear seed, in which is se- 

 cured the elements of reproduction. Man 

 was not limited to this means of multiplying 

 individuals, the gemma or bud possessed, he 

 discovered all the rudiments of the tree 

 under certain conditions, and from the eye 

 or bud we now multiply fruit trees with 

 unerring precision, each individual a coun- 

 terpart of its parent. The seed is still the 

 chief reproductive agent in our food-produc- 

 ing grains, or cereals, and in many of the 



" "■" When 



more minute forms of vegetable life, 

 we oliserve that each fruit of the apple en- 

 closes in its well-protected core or ovary, 

 from five to ten seeds, and that a single full- 

 grown tree will produce fifty bushels, the 

 unlimited means of propagation become 

 apparent. We have only cited the subject 

 of iihysiology to press its importance on the 

 cultivator. Without a competent knowledge 

 of its laws, he will attempt in vain to become 

 an intelligent fruit grower. — [Cor. Gardner's 

 Monthly. 



♦-»-* 



English Demand for Beeswax. — A cir- 

 cular issued by A. S. Macrae, Produce Broker 

 of Liverpool, Oct. 26th, calls attention to the 

 extensive demand in Europe for American 

 beeswax, as follows : 



American apiarists are perhaps not gen- 

 erally aware of the enormous consumption 

 of the above article in Europe, and the pre- 

 eminent value of the United States' supply. 

 Independently of the very large yield of 

 mineral and vegetable waxes, England alone 

 must consume some 2,000 tons a year, to the 

 value of, say $2,100,000! Its worth is 

 assessed by color, purity and melting point, 

 and the latter process readily exposes adul- 

 teration or foreign matter. To-da3''s quota- 

 tions, taking gold at 131, are as follows, viz : 



American bright pressed yellow, 45@51c. 



Americjin romrh mixed yellow, 43@43Jic. 



West India yellow, 41l4;@533|c. 



East Indian yellow, 41 i4(rti43^c. 



African yellow, 36t4@41,i4;c. 



As an instance of the consumption, it may 

 be mentioned that one European palace 

 alone is said to burn ten thousand wax can- 

 dles nightly! 



