vot. xvm. NO. 7. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER, 



55 



cisely the same. Similar trials I myself have made 

 and seen made by otliers with dry straw, alternate- 

 ly ploughed in as soon as spread, and left on the 

 surface until the ne.\t sprin<j. In every case tlie 

 last method proved best, as far as the followintj 

 crop would prove it. The same experiment has 

 been made by myself and otiiers of my acquain- 

 tance, with manure from the horse stables and win- 

 ter farm pens, consisting of much unrotted corn of- 

 fal : and witliout a solitary exception, either seen 

 by mo, or heard of, tlie surface application, after 

 the corn was planted, produced most i::anifestly, 

 the best crop. Upon these numerous, concurrent, 

 and undeniable facU my opinion has been found- 

 ed, that it is best to npjd'J mnnuns on the surface of 

 land ; and " I guess," (as brother Jonatlian would 

 say,) that it is not likely to change, unless indeed, 

 I should hear a still greater number, equally well 

 authenticated, on the opposite side ; although I 

 must say, that up to the present time, I have not 

 heard a solitary one. True it is, that I have lead 

 many ingenious, finespun arguments in opposition 

 to the opinion which I hold in common with numer- 

 ous other agriculturists, but no proofs whatever 

 have accompanied them, and therefore I must re- 

 main an infidel, until they are sustained and cor- 

 roborated, by such facts as should always be deem- 

 ed indispensable to establish any practice whatev- 

 er, in any of the various bjanches of husbandry. — 

 To collect these facts is a slow and most tedious 

 process, not very flattering to that pride of opinion 

 which delights in speculative theories of our own 

 elucidation%nd sickens at the mere tlioughl of the 

 labor necessary to make, to watch, and to record 

 accurate experiments in agriculture. In no other 

 way, I think, can we account for those differences 

 of opinion as to matters of practice, which are often 

 found among our brethren, where all the facts are 

 on one side. But to refuse to believe in that which 

 we cannot explain, unless in some way that tickles 

 our own vanity, gave rise to the sect of sceptic phi- 

 losophers, and it is to be feared, will keep up the 

 breed as lonsr as the world stands. Let me not be 

 here misunderstood. Far be it from me to object 

 to theory and speculation, provided the sole object 

 in concocting and maintaining them be to arrive at 

 truth. As this should be the aim of all, I am in 

 favor of the utmost latitude of discussion in the 

 honest pursuit of it. But I do, and will forever 

 protest against that practice which is far too com- 

 mon amongst us, of regarding plausible and appa- 

 rently scientific conjectures so much more than the 

 actual results of experiments fairly and accurately 

 made, as not unfrequently to indulge our fancies 

 with the former, even in direct opposition to the lat- 

 ter. Take, for example, the two cimflicting creeds 



ses I have stated, although I liave never seen nor 

 heard of their doing it in any. The effects how- 

 ever, which realbj have taken place, (facts though 

 they undeniably are,) liappen to contradict, as 

 plainly as we see the nose on a man's face, cer- 

 tain preconceived fictions, or ingenious theories, if 

 you please to call them so — quoad manures— in 

 the propagation of whicli nmch paper and ink has 

 already been consumed, much head-work is still 

 employed ; and what is to be done ? Shall all this 

 labor, all the ponderous volumes elaborated by it, 

 all the cogitations in support of tliose theories, 

 which are now taking the rounds in our agricultu- 

 ral pa"ers — shall all be discarded as things serving 

 only to show how much fonder men are of their 

 own speculations, than of facts the occurrence of 

 which brings them no credit for remarkable talents ? 

 Or, shall we still cling to these theories, maugre 

 the facts, merely because we have already siied 

 so much ink, and spent so much time in laborious 

 efforts ti> sustain them? I can answer only for 

 myself by saying, that I will ever abide by facts in 

 preference even to my own opinion, whenever they 

 conflict with each other. But in regard to the 

 subject now under consideration, I believe there is 

 a perfect accordance between them. Your sub- 

 scriber, however, may possibly think that I liave 

 "jumped too speedily to my conclusions :" I will 

 therefore, respectfully offer to him such explanation 

 of the operation of surface spread manures, as has 

 been satisfactory, at least to myself. Should it 

 prove so to liim, I shall have gained my object in 

 complying with his request. 



[Concluded next week ) 



Alassacliugetts Horticultural Society. 



KXHIBITIOS OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, Aug. 10, 1839. 



We -were not present at the exhibition to-day ; 

 but from a memorandum made, and kindly handed 

 to us, by our attentive Corresponding Secretary, 

 Robert Treat Paine, Esq. we are enabled to make 

 the following report 



Tv/o splendid specimens of Nerium splendens, 

 from Mr Warren of Brighton. 



A beautiful specimen of Echinocactus Eryiesii, 

 and a bouquet from the garden of S. Sweetser, Esq. 

 of Cambridgeport. 



By Thomas Lee, Esq., of Brookline, Roses, 

 Dahlias, and other flowers, 



Col. M. P. Wilder, of Hawthorn Grove, Dor- 

 chester, fine specimens of the following Dahlias, 

 viz. Marquis of Lothan, Striata formosissima, Sud- 

 bury Hero, .'\. A. Broadwood, and Reliance. 



Balsams, Carnations, Picotees and other pretty 

 things, from Mr S. R. Johnson. 



U .,„tc f-„™ Moaco T Hr.vov onrl S Wnllror 



Wilder, Messrs Carter, Warren, Mason, Howe and 

 Walker. Bouquets from Messrs Carter and Walker. 



There were two specimens on our tables which 

 we consider as very beautiful, viz. a seedling 

 Phlox (alba), by Mr Carter of Cambridge. We 

 hazard our opinion, and our taste, when we say it 

 is the best of all the numerous, and we had almost 

 said the nnmberless varieties of the Phlox. The 

 other a fine specimen of Dahlia, var. Striata for- 

 mosissima, by iM. P. Wilder, Esq. This carnation 

 striped flower has exceeded our expectations, and 

 has opened to our mental vision a new field ; we 

 now look forward with hope that we may yet see 

 this gorgeous flower with a pure white ground 

 striped with scarlet or crimson. From our know- 

 ledge of parti-colored flowers, as also froHi report, 

 we were led to suppose that this variety would 

 sport very much, but the specimens exhibited by 

 Col. Wilder, on the 3d, 10th, and this day, have 

 been very uniform and very beautiful. 



Native flowers by Wm Oakes, Esq. — Liatris 

 scariosa, Apios tuberosa, Gerardia glauca, Rud- 

 beckia laciniata, Spirea alba, var. with rose colored 

 flowers, Solidago canadensis, Eupatorium pubes- 

 cens, Cinna arundinacea. Aster acuminatus, A. 

 solidaginoides, A. conyzoides, Solidago flexicaulis, 

 Scutellaria lateriflora, Apocynum and rosaemifoli- 

 um, Actiea alba, var. fruit with slender pedicels, 

 Viburnum dentatum in fruit, Coxeus alternifolia in 

 fruit 



Native plants by E. Weston jun. Esq. and F. 

 Parker. — Scutellaria lalerifolia, Glycine apios, Li- 

 num Virginiana, Clematis Virginiana, Trenauthes 

 alba, Solidago Isevigata, Gerardia maritima, Hype- 

 ricum Virginica, Liatris scariosa, Eupatorium ver- 

 ticillatum, Gerardia glauca, Hedysarum Canadense 

 in flower and fruit, Gerardia pedicularis, Monarda 

 allophyila, Vernonia novaborecensis. 



EXHIBITION OF FRDITS. 



Saturday, August 17, 1839. 



Mr J.'Deane, of Mansfield, exhibited three vari- 

 eties of Apples Cnot named), very fair for early kinds. 

 Also, very fine looking Peaches grown in open air. 



B. V. French, Esq. of Braintree, exhibited Ap- 

 ples : Early Harvest, River Apple, Sopsavine, and 

 Kentish Filbasket — the latter a very choice fruit, 

 and worthy cultivation. 



From Otis Johnson, Esq. Lynn, superb speci- 

 mens of Black Hamburg Grapes, weighing 2 lbs. 

 and upwards. 



Messrs Mason, Charlestown Vineyard, exhibited 

 fine clusters Sweet Water Grapes. 



Aaron D. Williams, Esq. Ro.xbury, exhibited a 

 basket of " The Williams Jlpple," pleasant to look 

 upon, and sweeter to the taste ! This apple should 

 be cultivated by those who like fine fruit 



