84 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



The Flowers of Spring. 



SDme travelers have spoken of ihe punctuality o( 

 the Beaaona in both high and low latitudes, as if the 

 lines there ware stretched tight: though we know the 

 oscillation in more temperate climates, ie very great. 

 Thus Dr. Clarke says the snow in Uiisiia went off on 

 the day that had been foretold; and Bruce observed a 

 tree in Abyssinia to bloom on the same day for several 

 years. lu this countiy however, in 1634, the fliwers 

 of the Japan Quince were " nearly ready to expand" 

 on the first of the fourth month; but in 1641, on the 

 twentieth of the fifth month. 



The difference however, is not so great with the 

 apricot. In 18.''.4, it bloomed on the thirteenth of the 

 fourth month— in 1841, on the lOib of the fifth month, 

 showing a dilTcrence cf only twenty-seven days. 



The peach tree blossoms later than the apricot. In 

 1831, the difference was three days; in 1835, six days; 

 in 1841, ten days. But this delay is easily explained: 

 Cold winds from th» north, continued several days, 

 and vegetation was nearly at a stand. 



We will now notice flowers that appear earlier in 

 the season. 



Enjtkrunium dcns-canis from England is a beauti- 

 ful little plant. One variety has white flowers, others 

 of a reddish purple. It is earlier than our native spe- 

 cies, and increases more tlowly. 



or Corijdaiie, we think the American species are 

 ratJer murerdelicate than those from Siberia. All do 

 best in a shady soil abounding with vegetable earth, 

 particularly C.formosa,nndC.nobilis; but C. cava, 

 C. cncuUuric, and C. canadensis, ere very pretty in 

 the open border. ■C. soiidu with UJ, hae not brought 

 iufi'iwersto maturity. 



The Crown Imperial is "a thing to wonder at;" 

 but it is splendid as well as CL'rioue. Some other spe- 

 cies of the same geuue (TrilUlaria) are also interest- 

 ing. 0[ ihese, F. pt/reiiaica, ai^d F. incUagris, wiih 

 brownish variegated flowers, are the finest that we have 

 «een. i'. persica has very little beauty. 



S >me species of Narcissus are too lender for this 

 climate; but others are very hardy. The Trumpet 

 MiJTr in two varieties, is remarkable for its earliness 

 and the great size of its nectary. The single Dnflo- 

 dil is showy, though less so tjjan its double varieties 

 known under the name of PJicEni."!. A^. bijlorus of a 

 yellowish white, isinterestjc-g. N. argiisli/oUus.and 

 N. pnUicus with white petals and shallow nectaries 

 tipped with crimson, are very fine; and though near- 

 ly allied arc sulKcieuily distinct for both the botanist 

 and the florist. 



Tue Jonquils are sometimes frracged aca separate 

 group, though tclonging to the same genus. These 

 are, the great jonquil f:V. calalliinusj and the com- 

 mon or fragrant jonquil ( N. jonquilla. ) The latter 

 has a variety with double flowers. 



Tue Hyacinth is a most dcjirablc plant for its beau- 

 ty and its fragrance. Its varieties spread into almost 

 every color, though in neither red nor yellow, are the 

 marking intense. Loudon quotes Miller as saying 

 thtt in hia time the Haarlem florist had 2000 varieties; 

 a.iJ he adJo, that though the passion for this flower 

 hid greatly declined, they have still upwards of hall 

 that number. 



Tae grape hyacinth and nutmeg hyacinth, both re- 

 imrkuble for their fragrance, are now placed in the 

 genus Muscari. The former has small flowers of a 

 rich blue-puiple. 



The common Tulip is called " the king of florists' 

 fl.iwers:" and certainly ranks among the moat splen- 

 did. Rr'd, yellow, while, are almost endlessly eom- 

 poun.led; while blue, purple, violet, ore eschewed. 

 L-'udon sjys a late London catalogue contains more 

 VnaaftSOvsrietiosef this floT-or. 



Another species (Tulipa turcica f ) has bright yel- 

 low flowers, increases from seed, and makes a fine 

 display in the border, (t is sufliciently distinct Irom 

 the common tulip to excite attention. 



The Iris is a gtims that long continues to decorate 

 the garden. Soon after /. persica has faded, the pur- 

 ple /. pumila, another wilh light yellow flowers, and 

 a third ( I. crisluta,) — come into bloom. The last is 

 the most of a dwarf, but nearly covers the ground as 

 it spreads, and is remarkable for the delicacy of its 

 tints — a light blue finely variegated wilh purple, white, 

 and yellow. 



The trailing species of the Phlox, also exhibits mas- 

 ses of bloom; and few spots on earth are finer than 

 those covered by P. subulata and P. setacca. P. ni- 

 caiis appears to be a variety of the latter; and a bank 

 of enow may tjive some idea of the multitude and 

 whiteness of its blossoms. It requires some protec- 

 tioi) in winter. 



Pulmonaria rirginica, a native plant from the allu- 

 vial soil of our rivers, eighteen inches high, has large 

 delicate leaves and fine blue flowers suspended from 

 the top of the stem. A white variety is rare, though 

 we have seen it on islands in the Schuylkill, and on 

 the banks ol the Tonnewaota. 



Magnolia uhocato, a shrub from China, blooms 

 when only iwo or three feet high. It is almost hardy, 

 and quite so in mild winters. The flowers arc large, 

 purple on the outside and white within. It is mag- 

 nificent, t 



fair chonce, it multiplies with far gi eater rapidity than 

 wheat, and hence the constant tendency it has to the 

 ascendancy. 



And those, who like our correspondent " R." have 

 seen, or heard of, head- of chess growing out of wheat 

 heads, or on wheat stalks, we would respccllully re- 

 quest to forward them to this office, where they can 

 be seen. It is a little singu'ar that auch gn at curiosi- 

 ties are never preserved; or if they have been in some 

 instances formerly, they have invariably on rigid ex- 

 amination, proved impositions. If any of our corres- 

 pondents, or any other person, will procure us such a 

 specimen, which shall be pronounced by an experien- 

 ced examiner of plants, such as Prof Dewey, as no 

 hoax, he shall have one hundred dollars for his trouble, 

 with our thanks. * 



Wheat turning to Chess. 



We had hoped lo have kept clear of this controver- 

 sy — we hope si still. Several communications have 

 been received, favoring transmutation, but as they ap- 

 pear to us not only wholly inconclusive, but as not af- 

 fecting in the least degree the immutability of the law 

 of nature that plants or animals of one genus never 

 change to another, we beg leave to decline their publi- 

 cation, as well as all others which do not amount lo a 

 dcmonstraliun of such change. In the mean lime, 

 we may stale two tacts, capable of the clearest proof, 

 which may be furnished if necessary, either of which 

 we consider a itrttonslratioji that wheat does not turn 

 to chtBs. 



1. No plant, nor animal, hns ever been known, to 

 change from one genus to another, as a swan to an ea- 

 gle, a hen to a huinniiug bird, an elm to a hemlock, 

 or a Triticum to a Bromus ; and to admit such changes 

 would be to throw the beautiful order of Creation into 

 inextricable confusion. 



2. There are farms, and regions of countiy, where 

 chess has been carefully excluded or eradicaied, where 

 it does not return, and vt'hich it would of course do, if 

 a change occurred. 



To those who may be puzzled to explain the fre- 

 quent appearance of chess where wheat has been inju- 

 red or destroyed, except by the conclusion that auch 

 injured wheat is iranaformed to chess, we will merely 

 instance a few, out of many facts, to assist them. 1. 

 Chess, like the seeds of many other weeds, will remain 

 for years, wiihout growing, in the soil. 2. It has 

 been seen, when overshadowed by wheat or ginso, 

 with a single grain growing on a stem two inches high, 

 ripening and perpetuating its species on the soil, 

 wholly unobserved by a common eye; and when the 

 wheat has been destroyed, it has been seen to shoot up 

 from a single seed, four feet high, and bear ihousinds 

 of seeds. 3. Seeds of chess generally escape the 

 teeth of animals, and are scaUcreil with their manure 

 wherever ihey moy pass; and birds may scatter it pro- 

 fusely in the same way, unobserved. 4. Chess, from 

 its insignificant appearance, frequently escapes the eye 

 of ihe farmer, and is sown by him over hie fields, when 

 it might he detected by careful examination, as by 

 siirMding it on 9 teblft or floor- 6- Wlj»n a!!o«-ed » 



Itlauufacture of Silk in State Prisons. 



It is well known that for several years past numer- 

 ous memorials have been presented to the Legistalura 

 of this State complaining of the mechanical labor per- 

 formed in the State Prison at Auburn. Gov. Seward 

 has lately called the attention of the Legislatre to this 

 subject, and recommended that the present system ba 

 gradually abolished, and the culture and manufacture 

 of silk adopted in its stead. Experiments already tried 

 have shown the practicabiliiy of the enterprise, and as 

 it would entirely obviate the evils complnined of by 

 the mechanics, it aiipeara to us to be a very wi-e meas- 

 ure. The only difliculty in the way of its iminediata 

 success is the want of materials, and this will doubt- 

 less soon be obviated. Mr. Polhemue. the Prison 

 Agent, has issued the following notice, which we 

 cheerfully givea place in our columns: 



on, Aul/um, N. Y. ) 

 May 15th, 1841. \ 



TO FARMERS AND OTHERS. 

 Slate Prison 

 Ma 



The subscriber as agent of said Prison, having 

 commenced the manufacture of SEWING SILK, by 

 convict labor, will pay three dollars per bushel for all 

 the Cocoons of a good quality that may be offered at 

 this Prison, herealter. Any communication upon 

 ihis subject, addressed to the subscriber, (post paid, J 

 from any part of the United States, will receive imme- 

 diate attemion- 



iJaving become thoroughly satisfied of the foct, 

 that t)ie Mortis Multicaulus MulbeTy will endure the 

 frosts of winter in this latiiude, wilhout care or atten- 

 tion, nearly, if not quite as will as the common Apple 

 Tree, the subscriber bus det'-rinincd upon c.vieiiding 

 the business of miinufacturing Silk at this piisoii, to 

 nnv anionnt that the procurement of the material will 

 allow ; and hopes ultimately .o make it the priiieipul 

 employment of the convicts here confined. Under 

 this determination he will be prepared at all times to 

 purchase lor cash, at the above price, all the Cocoons 

 of a good quality that may be offered from any part of 

 the Unit d Slates. 



Tlie immense amount of foreign Silks annually im- 

 ported into the U. S. demonstrates the policy, if not 

 the necessity of a combined elfort on the part of iho 

 citizens of ibis country, geiier.Tlly, for the produciion 

 o( American Silk, which when ptoperly I", bricated, it 

 is believed far excels in quabiy ibat produced in any 

 other port of the world ; hf net every inriiviiiuni in the 

 community, fmm nioiivcsofpairiotism, os well as in- 

 terest, should feel a deep solicitude for its cu.ture a. id 

 success. 



li is believed that most farmers will, too certain ex- 

 tent, find it orofita'ile, so far at least, as the necessary 

 labor in fiseding the worms, etc., eai be performed by 

 the juvenile members of their families . 



Tbe tree may be planted by the fence side and in 

 othei unprodueiive portions of iheir groniids, to on 

 extent sufficient, after a few year's growth, to produce 

 alarge amount ol Silk — nor is it necc-sory ios baa 

 been supposed) to incur any expense in pieparing 

 buildings or fitting up apnriiiieiiis lor the feeding of 

 worms — a common bnrn, or out houset of any de- 

 Bcripli'in will answer all ibe piiipoais ; barns in par- 

 ticular may be used to ^rcoi advaiiuige iluring the ear- 

 ly part of the season, previous to the ingathering of 

 the crops. 



Being aware thai very erroneous opinions are enter- 

 tained by many in regard to the pr'^:«ss of produsin^ 



