VARIETIES. 



the fmaller kind (hould be introduced into the bloffoms of 

 the larger, as nnder thefe circumftances it has generally, 

 though with fome exceptions, been found that there is a 

 prevalence in the fruit of the charadler of the female parent, 

 probably on the following accourit. The feed-coats are 

 wholly generated by the female parent, and thefe regulate 

 the bulk of the lobes and plantula ; and it has been noticed, 

 in raifing new varieties of the peach, that when one ilone 

 contained two feeds, the plants thefe afforded were inferior 

 to others. The largeil feeds, procured from the fineft 

 fruit, and from that wiiich ripens moft perfetlly and moft 

 early, fliould conftantly be chofen. When it is intended to 

 propagate new varieties in this manner, it will be neceffary 

 for the gardener to extraft the ftamina of the bloffoms from 

 which he purpofes to propagate fome days before the farina 

 begins to flied. After young trees have rifen from feed, a 

 certain time muft elapfe before they become capable of 

 bearing fruit, which, it is believed, cannot be fhortened by 

 any means of cultivation. Pruning and tranfplanting are 

 equally hurtful ; and no alteration in the charafter or 

 merits of the future fruit can be effected during this length 

 of time, either by manure or any fort of culture. The 

 young plants fliould be fuffered to extend their branches in 

 every direAion, in which they do not interfere with each 

 other in a hurtful manner ; and the foil be jull fufficiently 

 rich to promote a moderate degree of growth, without ex- 

 citing the plant to preternatural exertion, which conftantly 

 brings on difeafes. The foil of an old garden is particu- 

 larly deftruftive in this way. The length of time that dif- 

 ferent forts of fruit-trees require to attain the age of pu- 

 berty, admits of great variation. The pear demands from 

 twelve to eighteen years ; the apple, from five to twelve or 

 thirteen ; the plum and cherry, from four to five years ; the 

 vine, three or four ; and the rafpberry, two years. The 

 ftrawberry, if its feeds be fown early, affords an abundant 

 crop in the following year ; and he has produced feveral 

 new and excellent varieties of this fruit ; but the hautboy 

 ftrawberry does not feem to propagate readily with the 

 other varieties, poffibly belonging to an original diftinft 

 fort. He has, however, obtained feveral offspring from its 

 farina ; but they have all afforded a feeble and abortive 

 bloffom, and been of little value. 



In another paper in the fame volume, the fame writer, in 

 fpeaking of raifing new and early varieties of the potatoe, 

 fays that thofe who have cultivated early varieties of this 

 plant, muft have noticed that they never afford feeds or even 

 bloffoms, and that the only mode of propagating them is by 

 the divifion of their tuberous roots. Alfo farther, that 

 each variety has been found by experience, when long pro- 

 pagated, to gradually lofe fome of thofe good qualities 

 which it poffeffed in the early ftages of its culture ; the 

 duration of a variety in the ftate of perfeftion, being hmited 

 to about fourteen years. A good new variety of an early 

 potatoe is, of courfe, confidered highly valuable by the 

 perfon who raifed it ; and as fuch early varieties, accord- 

 ing to any method of culture heretofore praftifed, can only 

 be gained by chance from feeds of late kinds, they are not 

 very frequently produced. But by the method here di- 

 reAed, feeds are readily obtained from the earlieft and beft 

 varieties ; and the feeds of thefe may poffibly, in fucceffive 

 generations, finally afford much earlier and better varisties 

 than have yet appeared. 



The caufe of the conftant failure of the early potatoe to 



produce feed has been fufpefted, and found " to be the pre- 



ternaturally early formation of the tuberous root, which 



draws off for its fupport that portion of fap, which in other 



Vol. XXXVI. 



plants of the fame fort affords nutriment to the bloffoms 

 and feeds." 



After taking feveral methods of placing the growing 

 plants fo as readily to prevent this, he found the following 

 to be the beft. He fixed ftrong ftakes into the ground, 

 and raifed the mould in a heap round the bafes of them, in 

 perfect contatl with their bottom parts ; and then planted 

 on their fouth fides the potatoes from which feeds were 

 defired. As foon as the young plants were about four 

 inches high, they were faftened to the ftakes by means of 

 ftireds and nails, and the mould waflied away, by a ftrong 

 current of water, from the bafes of their ftems, fo that the 

 fibrous roots only of the plants entered into the foil. As 

 the fibrous roots of this plant are perfcftly diftinct organs 

 from the runners, which give exiftence and fubfequently 

 convey nutriment to the tuberous roots ; and as the runners 

 fpring from the ftems only of the plants, which are, in this 

 mode of culture, placed wholly out of the foil, the formation 

 of tuberous roots is eafily prevented. Whenever this is 

 therefore done, numerous bloffoms will foon appear, and 

 almoft every bloffom will afford fruit and feeds. It is alfo 

 fuggefted as not improbable, that by introducing the farina 

 of the fmall and very early varieties into the bloffoms of 

 thofe of larger fizes, and fomewhat later habits, moderately 

 early varieties, adapted to field culture, and winter ufe, may 

 be obtained ; the value of which to the farmer in the colder 

 parts of the kingdom, whofe crops of this root are followed 

 by one of wheat, would be extremely great. 



It is likewife ftated by Mr. Biggs, in the above work, 

 that the different varieties of the apple-tree may be raifed in 

 a ready manner by means of cuttings, and that the trees fo 

 produced, " from healthy one-year old branches, with blof- 

 fom-buds upon them, will continue to go on bearing the very 

 fineft poffible fruit, in a fmall compafs, for many years. 

 Such trees are alfo peculiarly proper for forcing, by way 

 of curiofity or luxury, and, it is believed, that they are 

 lefs hable to canker than when raifed by grafting. This has 

 been more than once experienced in the golden pippin, cut- 

 tings of which have remained feven years in perfeft health, 

 when grafts, taken not only from the fame tree, but from 

 the very branch, part of which was divided into cuttings, 

 cankered in two or three years. This mode of raifing 

 young apple-trees was difcovered by accident, from fticking 

 cuttings of thefe kinds of trees into the ground, as flower- 

 marks during a wet feafon, which took root. 



In raifing new varieties of carnations, much advantage has 

 lately been found from ripening the feed of the old plants by 

 means of placing them in the artificial heat or warmth of 

 fome fort of lioufe, frame, or other contrivance of thefe 

 kinds, as they naturally flower late in the feafon, and, of 

 courfe, fully ripe feed can feldom be procured in that way 

 for the purpofe. 



Varieties of Land, in Jgricullure, the different forts 

 or qualities of it, as they relate to the nature and manner of 

 its cultivation, or the ufes to which it is applied. Though 

 no general principles are probably yet capable of being laid 

 down in regard to the comparative value or utility of dif- 

 ferent modes or plans of cultivation, or of the different 

 methods of proceeding in refpeft to crops that are had re- 

 courfe to in different cafes and fituations, as the real nature 

 of it, and the particular circumftances to which it is 

 expofed and liable, in every inftance, are not Sufficiently 

 known ; it is evident that all the lefs firm, clofe, and folid 

 forts of land are not fo greatly benefited by much working 

 over, as thofe of the ftiff and cohefive kinds, in which mi- 

 nute divifion of their parts and full aeration are effentially 

 4 M neceffary, 



