22 On the Acclimating Principle of Plants. 



The fact supported in the first number of the American 

 Journal of Geology and Natural Science, ' that plants are 

 most productive near the northern limit in which they will 

 grow,' that they bear more seed or fruit, and have more vigor 

 of constitution, offers much encouragement to agriculturists. 

 This proves that it is not a meagre, stinted existence, de- 

 void of profit or productiveness, that we give to plants, by 

 pushing their culture far north, but a strong and healthful 

 growth, one that repays the labor and attention, by a greater 

 product than belongs to more southern situations. 



Every view that we can take of this interesting subject, 

 every fact within our knowledge, whether drawn from the 

 actual state of cultivation, or from physiological investiga- 

 tions into the habits, nature and construction of plants, goes 

 to show that plants do become acclimated, both in the na- 

 tural and artificial way, to a great extent. Enough has been 

 witnessed to prove that plants have a physical conformation, 

 that does accommadate itself to circumstances, and have ca- 

 pacities more extensive than are generally ascribed to them : 

 enough has been realized to encourage farther efllbrts, and to 

 give us hopes of much future benefit. 



In this enlightened age, where invention in the "arts and 

 mechanical philosophy is changing the whole order of our 

 social economy, where new comforts and resources, unknown 

 to our fathers, are daily developed, and, as it were, created ; 

 in this age, where labor-saving machinery is redoubling the 

 productions of the arts, almost exempting man from in-door 

 exertion, and cheapening all the elegancies of clothing, fur- 

 niture, buildings and books, until luxuries are common to rich 

 and poor, and education within the reach of all, why should 

 not agriculture awaken, put forth its energies, and partake of 

 that spirit of improvement that is working its magic in all 

 other departments ? Why does it not avail itself of that 

 knowledge of the nature of the soil, which chemistry gives? 

 those tabular statements of the weather and climates, which 

 naturalists furnish ? those philosophical investigations into the 

 nature and habits of plants, which have been presented ? and 

 that labor-saving spirit that seems to know no limits in other 

 branches of business? Why should all our capital improve- 

 ments fly the'open fields, where culture exists, and be realized 

 only in cabinets and manufactories? Agriculture follows the 

 old dull routine, and its products lumber on to market in 

 heavy carts, while all other branches move on, aided by a 

 thousand inventions, with ease and despatch. That field, 

 whence our food is derived, and on which our very existence 



