166 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



in a horizontal position on a pivot, where 

 it will readily turn, say on a thread tied 

 near its centre. When the storm is com- 

 ing on, the air outside is lighter than that 

 within the vial ; of course the vial sinks, 

 and indicates a change in the atmosphere. 

 Such a barometer may be made in ten 

 minutes, and some of our philosophic far- 

 mers will incline to have barometers of 

 their own manufacture. 



PLANTING TREES. 



Many object to planting trees because 

 the benefit of their labors can he enjoyed 

 only by posterity. A very good story is 

 told of an aged man who was engaged in 

 transplanting some trees, and who was in- 

 terrupted in his noble and philanthropic 

 labor by a passer-by with the interroga- 

 tion — " Why do you plant who cannot 

 partake of the fruit ?" The old man raised 

 himself slowly, and gazing for a while on 

 the querist replied — " Others planted trees 

 for me before I was born : I have enjoyed 

 the blessing, and partaken of the fruit of 

 their labors and I now plant that others 

 may enjoy the blessing of mine, and that 

 the moral of gratitude may exist when 

 I am dead and gone." Such sentiments 

 are alike creditable to the head and heart. 



There are many regions on almost every 

 farm which, from their natural roughness 

 and sterility, are susceptible of profitable 

 use in no other way than by devoting 

 them to the production of trees either for 

 fruit or fuel. In England, Scotland and 

 Wales, the lofty barren and heath co- 

 vered mountains, are being converted into 

 plantations of trees for the latter purpose. 

 The old Duke of Athol, planted, on his 

 estate in Perthshire, no less than fifteen 

 thousand five hundred acres of mountain 

 land, previous to planting, was rented for 

 twenty-two cents yearly per statute acre, 

 but is now valued at the enormous sum 

 of thirty-two millions five hundred thou- 

 sand doirars ! 



In this country, where, comparatively 

 speaking, there is still an abundance of 

 fuel; and where but a limited few pos- 

 sess the advantages requisite for extended 



operations of this sort, we do not expect 

 to see the planting of trees for fuel carried 

 to great extent ; but we do hope that 

 more attention will be accorded to the 

 subject than it has thus far elicited, and 

 that plantations of valuable trees for fuel 

 and mechanical purposes, as well as for 

 fruit, will yet arise to adorn and beautify 

 the land. Wherever there is a vacant 

 spot, by the road sides or in the farm yard, 

 let it be occupied by trees. 



Travel through some of the older dis- 

 tricts of New England, and witness the 

 beautiful appearance presented by the 

 hamlets and villages, where every edifice 

 has its surrounding grove, and every street 

 its colonades of maples, oaks, or elms. 



THE POTATO ROT. 



A disease now exists, and for several years 

 has existed in the potato plant which has pro- 

 duced a great deal of mischief. Of course, 

 the causes of this disease have been most ear- 

 nestly sought for; but no theory that we have 

 seen, seems to answer all the facts of the case. 

 We will endeavor to give an account of some 

 of them with our own observations upon them, 

 and shall be always happy to hear from any 

 one who is possessed of information upon this 

 subject. 



The disease seems to take its origin in the 

 plant itself, though it may be for a long lime 

 propagated by means of cuttings of the root. 

 When it attacks the leaf, it is propagated 

 down its stem to the stalk. When it reaches 

 the stalk all the leaves which are above that 

 portion of it are as much isolated as if cut off 

 by the gardener's knife, and wither as speedily. 

 When it reaches the potato itself it becomes 

 rotten, discolored, and moist, or shrivels, or 

 decays with a large irregular cavity inside. 

 Frequently the disease does not manifest itself 

 for sometime after the potato is dug up; and 

 cargoes have been shipped as sound which 

 were found to be wholly worthless before the 

 voyage's end. 



The disease, as we already said, may be 

 propagated for a long time, by planting the 

 cuttings of a diseased potato. One thing is 



