No. 7. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



103 



does not spring up again in pine, but in oak, gum, and 

 hickory, and cka versa. Tlie facts, in a ninjority of 

 instances, are so. All plants spring from seed — there 

 can be no spontaneous production. Omnia ad ova is 

 a doctrine as old as the days of Linnffis, and nature has 

 never departed from it. May it not then be that na- 

 ture, after having for ages nourished one kind of tree, 

 has exhausted the properties of the soil adapted to that 

 kind of production, and when a new forest is to be 

 created, imparts its influence to trees of a different 

 kind, better suited to its present state, and withholding 

 its fertility from that to which it is no longer adapted. 

 Be this as it may, the English farmer acts on the prin- 

 ciple of the necessity of a rotation of crops. The re- 

 sult from this and other judicious modes of culture, 

 has been an increase of three fold. In Carolina we 

 have adopted the opposite course. Many fields have 

 been planted in Indian corn since the days of the revo- 

 lution, and the result has been that we have retrogra- 

 ded from forty bushcU per acre to eiget, and often less. 

 I will now give the method of English culture in 

 regard to the 



ROTATION OF CROPS. 



1st. year. Fallow crop. Irish potatoes — beans or 



turnips. The potatoes, as is the case in high north- 

 ern latitudes, produce small stalks, and are conse- 

 quently planted much nearer in the rows than with us. 

 Endless varieties have been produced from seed. 



The beans, adapted to field culture, are the kinds 

 usually called horse beans, (Faha vulgaris. J Hun- 

 dreds of acres are cultivated with this bean, and its 

 numerous varieties, and the product is immense. It 

 is used as food for cattle. I have never known it to 

 thrive equally well in any part of America, probably 

 owing to our warm summers. In our Southern 

 states especially, the pods in general do not lill well, 

 and I doubt wiaether it is calculated to be a productive 

 crop. There is, however, one variety, from the south 

 of France, called the Winter Bean, (La I'acroU d'- 

 Hicer,) which is lemarkably hardy and prolific. It 

 is planted late in autumn, and stands the winters of 

 France and England, and might be experimented on 

 as a winter crop, when nothing else can be cultivated 

 with us, and it would not interfere with the crop of the 

 following spring. The Heliogaland bean — Purple 

 Field bean — and Alexandrian Field bean, are also va- 

 rieties which the agriculturits of England and France 

 recommended to me as probably well adapted to win- 

 ter cultnre in our Southern climate. 



The turnip crop is considered as the most valuable 

 in England for feeding cattle. These diflerent pro- 

 ductions, however, require to be noticed under separ- 

 ate heads. I will endeavor to return to the subject in 

 a future number. 



2d. yeor. Wheat — the varieties are yearly increa- 

 sing. At present the kinds cultivated almost uni- 

 versally in the higher grounds and lighter soils of 

 Scotland, are the Golden Drop and Blool Red. The 

 skins are thicker than in most other varieties, and 

 shey yield more bran. These varieties would, I think, 

 answer well on our elevated mountainous regions. — 

 The average crop is said to be about fifty bushels to 

 the acre. In the Lothians — the Carse of Sterling, 

 and in the low rich soils of England — in Denmark — 

 and the alluvial soils of Germany, I remarked that the 

 varieties called Uxbridge and tfunter's Wheat, were 

 most cultivated, and considered most productive. — 

 The yield is froui fifty to sixty bushels per English 

 acre — the average weight per bushel is from 62 to C3 

 lbs. — the finest 65 lbs. Tlie Mengoswell's wheat is a 

 variety of Hunter's and is cultivated on the Carse of 

 Gowrie as a superior grain. Three new varieties 

 have been very recently introduced. The Whitting- 

 ton wheat from the south of England — the Chevalier 

 wheat from France — and the Hieklings — the latter is 

 white in straw, but yellow in sample. Rye is not 

 ciUtivated. Grass seeds are sown in the fie'ds in the 

 month of April, These are red clover (Trifolium. 

 praicnsc) and Rye grass (Lolium pcrcnc and Itali- 

 cum.) Calves and sheep are allowed, in autumn and 

 winter, to feed on the young grains. 



3d. year. This is a Grass crop — usually a heavy 

 one. It is sometimes cut twice, but usually only once 

 a year, and serves as pasturage in the fall. 



4th year. A crop of Barley or Oats is now raised. 

 This is once more succeeded by a fallow crop. In 

 this manner crops succeed each other by fours in good 

 lands, or where the soils is inferior, another year is 

 added for grass and pasturage — afibrding a wheat crop 

 only once in four or five years, but producing in the 

 mean time, other articles equally valuable to the far- 

 mer. 



Electricity vs. Oak Trees. 

 After a philosophical investigation of some months, 

 a writer says that species of trees arc allied to iron. — 



It is well known to chemists that oak contains a con- 

 siderable portion of iron in its composition. It is pre- 

 sumed the metal is held in solution by the sap, and 

 cquolly distributed throughout the tree. This may 

 account for the fact that among a copse, the oak is in- 

 variably struck by lightning, while other trees of equal 

 magnitude escape destruction. — On this subject a wes- 

 tern editor says: 



Our own observation confirms the fact that oaks arc 

 singled out from other trees, by electricity, and prob- 

 ably most of our citizens have seen its effects in this 

 vicinity. At one place, within a few miles from this 

 village, some twenty ook trees can be seen within the 

 space of a few rods, splintered by the subtle agent, 

 while other trees in the immediate vicinity remain 

 untouched. — Blanch Clamk Courier. 



Native Varieties of the Apple. 



We entirely agree with the editor of the Mogazine 

 of Horticulture, that " many of our native varieties 

 have not been surpassed by any foreign fruits;" and 

 in regard to apples we are prepared to go one step fur- 

 ther, ond say that we know of no foreign variety that 

 equals many of our native sorts. The Swaar and the 

 Spitzenburgh may be mentioned as examples. We do 

 not suppose, however, that these kinds, if tronsjjlant- 

 ed in Europe, would yield fruit equal to what they 

 produce here; for a slight difference of climate often 

 works great changes in the flavor of fruits. The St. 

 Germain, considered an excellent winter pear near 

 Philadelphia, has been a mere incumbrance to the 

 ground in our fruit garden; and the Rambo, the Pen- 

 nock, the Vandiver, and the Queen apple, are much 

 inferior to those produced in that region. 



We ought not to be discouraged, however, by the 

 partial or absolute failure of a few sorts, from extend- 

 ing our enquiries and experiments. They cost but 

 little; and the introduction of a superior variety, well 

 adapted to our climate, is a public benefit. Our pre- 

 sent success ought to stimulate us to further exertions. 

 The Seckel pear and the Bellflower apple, attain great 

 excellence with us, as well os in their native land, 

 three degrees to the south. 



Some persons believe, indeed, that only a few kinds 

 of fruit are necessary; and comfort themselves with 

 saying " We want nothing better" — ^just as if sum- 

 mer fruits would keep throughout the season; and just 

 as if we all did not lo^e variety. Let us go into a 

 well furuiehed cellar in Winter, guided less by thought 

 than by instinct, and the kinds that we chose to-day 

 may be neglected to-morrow. * Besides we want ap- 

 ples and pears for various purposes, and the best for 

 stewing or baking, are often rejected as table fruits. 



But many of our best apples decay rapidly in spring, 

 as soon as the season becomes warm; and yet it is de- 

 sirable to have such as are very good through more 

 than half the summer. The Roxbury Russet will 

 keep for that length of time, and is much superior to 

 the American Pippin I but we hope and believe there 

 is something better still. 



Last winter we received grafts of more than thirty 

 kinds of apples from Ohio, and we apprehend thot 

 but few of them are known here, several having orig- 

 nated in the south eastern ports of that state. Twen- 

 ty kinds of this collection are growing in our nursery: 

 but as only one small graft of each sort was furnished, 

 we have to record that the remainder have not yet 

 started, and probably will not. Of these, we shall 

 hope for a new supply from our respected correspon- 

 dent next winter. 



K!j° We would apprise our readers that these noti- 

 ces were written in great haste as each scion was 

 marked and packed away; and without ony idea that 

 we should lay them before the public. 



"1. Dumpling. Very large, cooks well when half 

 grown — before any other, brittle, sub-acid and fine 

 flavor. Ripe from the middle of July to the middle 

 of August. Brought hither from Cincinnati. 



2. Ruse. Not large, red, very sweet, excellent.— 

 Ripe, Aug. 21, 1839. 



3. Cluster. Middle size, brownish red, sweet, ex- 

 cellent. Ripe, Aug. 25. 



4. Cash. Over middle size, sweet; bakes well; 

 fine to dry ; first rale. September. 



5. Monarch. Large, agreeably acid; admired for 

 the table; first rate to cook and to dry, decidedly the 

 most valuable of its season. Ripe Sept. — Oct. A 

 seedling of Belmont county. A noble tree — one of 

 the largest I ever saw. 



6. Angle. Over middle size, very sweet, and of 

 highly agreeable flavor. Sept — Oct, Oiiginatcd 

 near St. Clairsville. 



7. Lady Finger. Middle size, egg-shape, sweet, 

 first rate. Oct. — Feb. 



8. Fall Sweet. Good size. Oct. — Dec. 



9. LoTillc. Quite large, reddish brown on the sun- 

 ny side, sweet; fine for apple butter, for opple molas- 

 ses, and to dry. A great beorer, and a noble tree. 



10. Ohio Sweet. Middle size, red on one side, 

 very sweet, good flavor — the best sweet apple of its 

 season that I know. Originated in Belmont county. 



11. Neeer/ail. Middle size, brittle, sub-ocid, good 

 flavor. [It appears to have been named from the cir- 

 cumstance of its coming into blossom a fortnight later 

 than other sorts, — a property of less value to this 

 country than in the south.] 



12. FaU Vandirer. Good size, reddish brown, ra- 

 ther fiat than long, unsurpoesed for the table, and 

 cooks well. Ripe, rather before other winter apples, 

 and they fall if not gathered early. [It is also called 

 Spitzenburgh, but doubtless very distinct from the 

 Spitzenburghs of New York.] 



13. Pike. Good size, sweet, one of the most plea- 

 sant I ever eat. A great bearer, but more so in alter- 

 nate years. A large tree. 



14. Red Romanilc. Rather under size, sub-acid. 

 The prince of keepers. 



15. Roman Stem, Middle size, yellow, sub-acid, 

 among the very best. A good bearer. 



16. Mound. Good size, reddish brown, sub-acid; 

 keeps lill July or August; fine for the New Orleans 

 market. Rather a spare bearer, or it would be very 

 valuable Originated in Belmont county, and takes 

 its name from an orchard of them near the great 

 mound at the mouth of Grave creek. [It may be a 

 good bearer in this climate, however. 



1 6. Red Vattdiear. Middle size, much celebrated 

 by some. A great keeper. 



IS. White Vandirer. Middle size, valuable, keeps 

 well. 



19. Black Vandirer. One of the very b st apples 

 here. A great keeper. [This graft, though set on a 

 young stock, has several apples on it, and seems to 

 promise to mature them. 6 mo. 12. 



20. Siccet Vandiver. Middle size, reddish brown, 

 a choice fruit. Nov. — Feb. 



Several grafts were sent at our request, that we 

 might test the quality of the fruit; but our correspon- 

 dent thinks they are inferior to those which he select- 

 ed. He adds, "I am of opinion thot too little sweet 

 fruit is cultivated. It might save much sugar and 

 molasses. Good sweet apples dried with good acid 

 ones, and mi.xed, make pies of very fine quality. — 

 Sweet apples boiled or steamed, and then pressed, 

 yield a juice, which, when clarified and concentrated, 

 is very superior for table use to West Indian or Or- 

 leans molasses. Hence I am taking much pains to se- 

 lect sweet fruit." 



These remarks accord with our own views ajid ex- 

 perience, t 



I * This is a good way to teat their comparative excellence. 



Do you want to know the man against whom you 

 have the most reason to guard yourself? your looking 

 glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face. 



