00 



i mli only further instance, among tin, semi-tropical plants grown witn us, the 

 potv o, the growth and habits of which, gave me valuable hints, while experimenting 

 with 4g trees. The yield of the potato is too uncertain with us, south of 40°, for its 

 cultivation as a field crop, and it is only grown in small patches ; but between 41° and 

 45° it is successfully and extensively grown in the field. 



The tuber of the potato, when unprotected, is very easily injured by frost ; but if 

 left where it grows, covered with three or four inches of earth, the potato will be 

 found sound and uninjured, and after the hardest winters, although it may have been 

 frozen and thawed many times. If so tender and watery a tuber is so protected by a 

 slight covering of earth, that it may be thus frozen and thawed without bursting its 

 cells and destroying its organization, it i3 fair to infer that many semi-tropical plants 

 may be protected in winter the same way. We may thus have not only the fig (which 

 is no longer an experiment, but a success,) but many other valuable fruits of Southern 

 climates, grown among us, in great abundance and perfection, and at a small cost; 

 for our summers are warm enough and long enough to ripen nearly all of them. 



RULES FOR NUMBER OF PLANTS 

 REQUIRED ON AN ACRE. 



Multiply the distance in feet between the rows by the distance the plants are apart 

 in the rows, and their product will be the number of square feet for each plant or hill : 

 which, divided iuto the number of feet in an acre, (43,500) will give the number of 

 Plants or Trees to the acre. For instance : 



Strawberries, 1 foot by 3=3)43,590(14530. 



Raspberries, 6 feet by 6=36)43,590(1210. 



Dwarf Pears, 12 " by 12=144(43,590(302. 



PLAN OF A FRUIT DRYING HOUSE. 



The house is 7 by 10 ; posts 7 feet high ; drawers No. 1—3 feet wide, 8 feet 4 inchei 

 long— eight drawers on a side. They are made of inch and a half pine for the end 

 and back — the front is 1 by 4 inches. The bottom of the drawers are covered with 



