Fessenden's Complete Farmer. 87 



shrub 6 ft. in height, and, when in flower, has a very light and 

 elegant appearance. We trust it, and the seven new species of 

 A^cev, will soon be introduced into British arboretums and forest 

 scenery. Hippocastaneae : the few species which compose this 

 order are natives of North America and of the mountainous 

 parts of Asia. It is singular that the native country of the 

 common horsechestnut is yet unknown. It is generally thought 

 to belong to the north of India, but it has never been found 

 there. The genus Pavm, which is distinguished from that of 

 ^'sculus by the surface of its fruit being destitute of prickles, 

 is frequently met with in the lofty mountains of northern India. 

 Pavm indica (not yet introduced into Britain) grows in elevations 

 of 8000 ft. to 10,000 ft. on various mountains, and also near the 

 sources of the Ganges. " It is a lofty and not less ornamental 

 tree than the common horsechestnut." The bulky seed of this 

 species is eaten in the Himalayas, and the bark is used as a 

 tonic. Sapindacese is both an Asiatic and a South American 

 order, and contains a number of tropical fruits. 



Art. IV. The Complete Farmer and Rural Economist ; containing 

 a compendious Epitome of the most important Branches of Agricul- 

 ture and Rural Economy. By Thomas G. Fessenden, Esq., Editor 

 of the " New England Farmer." Boston, 1834. 



The object of the author is to give a brief practical sketch of 

 some improvements in modern husbandry. With this view he 

 has " collected, and generally abridged, from the sources which 

 his occupation as editor of the iV(?w England Farmer has made 

 it his duty, as well as his pleasure, to explore." In the preface 

 the author gives some comparative observations on the agricul- 

 ture of the United States, and that of Britain. He quotes from 

 the journal of an American traveller in England ; and after- 

 wards subjoins his own remarks, and a notice of the climate, 

 soil, and husbandry of the United States. We shall extract 

 the whole, as likely to be useful to our readers, both agricultural 

 and horticultural : — 



" * Every spot of ground in England capable of being cultivated is im- 

 proved. Wherever I have been, the fields are generally small, enclosed by 

 hedges, and made perfectly smooth by means of cast-iron rollers. Numerous 

 trees are left to grow around the hedges, and scattered over the fields. These 

 are so nicely trimmed as to add greatly to the beauty of the country. Not a 

 weed is suffered to grow. The crops all look well, and are much more pro- 

 ductive than ours. The cattle and sheep feed on grass up to their knees, and 

 look, as we should say, fit to kill. The slight enclosures that keep them in 

 their pastures would be but a poor protection against our lean, half fed, unruly 

 animals. Here the cattle have no need to break fences ; they have food suf- 

 ficient within their own domains. I came here under the impression that this 

 country was bare of trees : on the contrary, I find it better stocked in this 



