THE ILLmOIS FAEMEE. 



Jan. 



this point From the nature of the soil, and 

 with open, clean culture, we have strong hopes 

 of success with such varities as Norton's Vir- 

 ginia and Pelaware, but we would not think of 

 planting tlie Isabella." 



It may he asked: How do these masses of wa- 

 ter affect the frost? Science answers : By their 

 evaporated moisture influencing the atmo>^phere. 

 This may save us from the blighting influence of 

 frost, by enveloping the frozen vegetation in a 

 wet blanket of fog; enabling it to be thawed in 

 the dark, as it were, bv which we avoid the in- 

 fluence of a bright sunshine, th it would have de- 

 stroyed the tissues had they been suddenly ex- 

 posed to it when frozen. An equa'ly important 

 result is derived from the direct influence of the 

 humidity of the atmosphere, which modifier the 

 temperature remarkably. The inamediate vicin- 

 ity of large bou:"S of water, insular situations es 

 pecially, even when low, are known to have a 

 more genial climate in consequence of this coa- 

 dition of the atmosphere, which dspends upon the 

 large amount of caloric that is present in the la- 

 tent form, in the vapor, and whicli becomes sen- 

 sible hesit as fast as the moist'ire is condensed. 



We thus see that very opposite situations, in 

 regard to mere elevation, may both be recommen- 

 ded to orchardists ; but the latter are rather the 

 exceptions than the rule, for we can not always 

 count upon the saving influence of a fog, nor are 

 the modifying effects of a moderate sheet of wa- 

 ter alwiys to be depended upon at the time when 

 most needed. Still, we may find a few favored 

 spots, where an insular position, in a lacustrine 

 eituation, receives a double effect — acting at both 

 extremities of the season of vegetation, in quite 

 an opposite way, but in both acting favorably. 

 In such places we shall discover that the spring 

 opens late, being retarded by the cold atmosphere 

 flowing ovtr the chilled waters, that may be even 

 icy, when inland places in the same latitude are 

 rejoicing in a mild and genial temperature, tempt- 

 ing the expansion of the flower-buds. Vegetation 

 on an inland thus situated is retarded until all 

 dinger of frost has passed, and the cir has re- 

 ceived the full benefit of latent heat by its hy- 

 j.rcmetricity Then, again, in the autumn, when 

 we are in danger from the access of an early frost, 

 such as sometimes, north of latitude forty de- 

 g-ees, destroys the whole crop of corn, almost 

 universally, over hundreds of miles, these favored 

 spots have really a warmer atmo-phere, from the 

 influence of a great extent of water, that has en- 

 joyed a summer's sunshine, and which warms the 

 air by giving off its heat very steadily, but slow- 

 ly; and besides, as the surface of the land cools 

 by radiation and coadeuses the watery vapor, it 

 receives accessions of temperature that had been 

 locked up, or was insensible in the vapor. Hence 

 we find that; in those places, though the opening 

 of spring was retarded a month, the approach of 

 winter and autumnal frosts is warded off for two 

 months, making the season really one month lon- 

 ger than in the same latitude inland. 



It must be confessed, however, that the subject 

 of meteorology i* not fully understood. We Lave 

 but a glimmering of the light that we hope is to 

 be shed upon the subject when the deductions 

 from mi'iioDS of observations long continued and 

 systematioar.y conducted, shall have been wrought 



out for the benefit of the orchardist and the gen- 

 eral agriculturist. 



We also have storms accompanied by a low 

 temperature, passingacross the country, in which, 

 at times, the greatest intensity of cold is at the 

 southern border. Such a one passed from the 

 west to the east in January, 1852, in which the 

 mercury, near Marietta, 0., sank to thirty de- 

 grees below zero; at Zanesville, 0., on the same 

 river, it was — twenty-seven degrees; at Lancas- 

 ter, 0, — thirty-two degrees; while at Cleve- 

 land, , it was only fifteen degrees below, and at 

 Aurora, on Cayuga Lake, influenced by the un- 

 frozen water, its greatest depression was only 

 four degrees below zero. 



Aspect. — When considering the orchard site, 

 the best aspect of the ground becomes a matter of 

 interesting inquiry. To all vegetation, the morn- 

 ing sun is a welcome visitant after the night's re- 

 pose ; for plants, as well as animals, rest from 

 their functions at night, and all nature rejoices 

 in the return of day ; hence an eastern or a south- 

 eastern exposure is generally preferred, but ^e 

 find that practically there is little d ffercnce in 

 the dilFerent parts of an orchard that can be fair- 

 ly referred to this cause. Some planters prefer 

 a southern slope, thinking that the fullest expo- 

 sure to the sun is essential ; others select a north- 

 ern pspect, in the hope that they may there avoid 

 a too early excitation of vegetable life, and also 

 that the heats of summer may be thus moderated, 

 [n my own opinion, the aspect is a matter of lit- 

 tle consequence to the success of an orchard, 

 though my predilections are in favor of an east- 

 erly exposure. The danger of a sounthern aspect 

 in summer, and the advantages cf the northern 

 slope, may, in a great degree, be obtained or ob- 

 viated by judicious planting and pruning, as will 

 be set forth in another place. 



A theory has been started by those who are 

 opposed to a northerly slope, that vegetation 

 continues later in the season in such situations, 

 esp'cially with young trees, and that hence they 

 are not in so good a condition to resist the access 

 of very severe weather at the sudden setting in 

 of winter. The hypothesis is not sustained by 

 Icng-continued observation, although many facts 

 noted in the autumn and winter of 18-59 induced 

 persons to embrace the theory ; these wpre par- 

 ticularly the killing of the peach-puds, upon 

 northei'n slopes, by the December freeze. There 

 is no evidence that there was any want of perfeat 

 ripening of the wood in these situations ; on the 

 contrary, it is well known that, loag before De- 

 cember, the growth of these very trees had been 

 checked, the wood had been ripened, and the fo- 

 liage had been cast to the ground. 



The warmer exposure ot a southern slope may 

 and often does favor the premature swelling of 

 the buds and starting of the sap durirg mild and 

 pleasant, bright weather in the winter, and veg- 

 etation is often seriously injured from this cause. 



In many parts of the country, it is much more 

 important to consider the exposure to the pre- 

 vailing winds of the region, and to select the site 

 and aspect that shall enjoy the benefit of protec- 

 tion. This. I am aware, is a proposition that has 

 had opponents as well as advocates in the broad 

 savannahs of the West, where, especially, it be- 

 comes a question of the greatest importance. 



