1882.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
3 
o£ his work ;—implements to be used in the hands, 
and tools to aid the head. A hoe is a garden imple¬ 
ment, but it is no more of one than a principle of 
plant growth, which, when understood, makes 
every stroke of the hoe more effective. The best 
seed planter that modern mechanical skill produces 
could be only a source of loss when guided in its 
work by one who knows nothing of the conditions 
mo6t favorable for each of the many garden seeds. 
These principles which underlie proper, and there¬ 
fore profitable gardening, are the accumulated ex¬ 
perience of all past ages, and are put within the 
reach of all in books upon the various subjects 
which belong to the orchard and garden. Some of 
these books are of a general character, and treat 
of vegetation as a whole, without making special 
reference to any particular vegetable or fruit. 
Such books give the ground work or fundamental 
principles upon which the special treatises rest. 
For example, the nature of soils, the composition 
of the atmosphere, and the physiological laws 
which govern the growth of plants are general sub¬ 
jects which involve principles that apply [to all 
vegetation. The person who knows these prin¬ 
ciples — understands how plants grow, when, 
where, and how they get their foods, is certainly 
possessed of superior tools in the culture of field 
or garden crops. We can serve our readers no bet¬ 
ter than to commend to them the careful study of 
the two books : “How Crops Grow,” and “How 
Crops Feed,” by Professor S. W. Johnson. A 
thorough mastery of these two volumes—and they 
are not large ones—will not only make all future 
farm or garden labor more intelligent, but more 
pleasing and profitable. There is no time that is 
better adapted for this work of storing the mind 
with valuable knowledge than during the long 
evenings of midwinter. The busy days of spring 
and summer usually leave but little time for study ; 
but thanks to labor-saving machines, more time 
can now be spared for systematic thinking. 
Orchard, aisd Nursery. 
There are several books devoted specially to the 
interests of the orchardist. We do not know of a 
book that gives more valuable information for the 
outlay than “The Fruit Garden,” by Patrick Barry. 
The language is plain and clear ; it treats the whole 
subject of fruit-growing, and is not confined to the 
garden fruits, as the title might suggest. An im¬ 
portant feature of Mr. Barry’s book is the attention 
that is given to the statement of principles that un¬ 
derlie the successful growing of young trees—a part 
of the book that is the outgrowth of a lifetime of 
practical work in one of the largest nurseries in 
the world. Another work of great value is “ The 
American Fruit Culturist,” by J. J. Thomas, which 
contains a very full descriptive list of the leading 
varieties. Warder’s “American Pomology” is 
another work, which, though not including all that 
the title would lead one to infer, is excellent as far 
as it goes ; it is in some respects a western book, 
both as to nursery management, and the descriptive 
list of apples. For a larger and more expensive 
work Downing’s “Fruits and Fruit Trees of Amer¬ 
ica ” is invaluable. 
There are not many things to be done in the 
orchard at this season of the year. Manure may 
be carted, or better, if there is snow, drawn out on 
a sled among the trees. Cions can be cut, tied in 
bundles, labeled, and stored in sawdust or sand. 
The clusters of the Tent Caterpillar can now be 
cut away, thus saving the trees from the attacks 
of theGvorms that hatch from them in early spring. 
THe Fruit Garden. 
The books on fruit culture mentioned under the 
preceding heading contain much upon the “ small 
fruits,” but there are a few important works that 
treat-specially of the products of the fruit garden. 
The leading one of these is Fuller’s “Small Fruit 
Culturist,” a new and revised edition of which has 
just been issued from the press. “Success with 
Small Fruits,” by E. P. Roe, is a larger and pro¬ 
fusely illustrated work. Among the leading books 
devoted to a single fruit are Professor Husmann’s 
“Grape Growing and Wine Making,” Fuller’s 
“Grape Culturist,” White’s “Cranberry Cultur¬ 
ist,” and Fuller’s “ Strawberry Culturist.” These 
books, if carefully read, will teach the grower of 
small fruits many valuable facts and principles. 
They will also inspire him with a greater love for 
his work. It is our desire that every farmer should 
have a well stocked Fruit Garden, that his table 
may be supplied with choice fruit from the time 
the earliest strawberry ripens until the latest grape 
is gone. It has been our misfortune to sit down to 
a summer dinner at the table of many a farmer, 
upon which there was no sign of a fruit of any 
kind. A man with even a ten-acre farm cannot 
afford to be without a portion of it devoted to the 
growth of such fruits as strawberries, raspberries, 
blackberries, currants and grapes. 
'I'lie iiitclicu and Mavlcet Garden. 
The leading helps of intelligent vegetable garden¬ 
ing are the “ Gardening for Profit,” by Peter 
Henderson ; Quinn’s “ Money in the Garden ” ; and 
Brill’s “ Farm Gardening and Seed Growing.” All 
of these are thoroughly practical, and are written 
by men who do not keep the secrets of their suc¬ 
cess from the reader. There are a number of books 
and pamphlets devoted to special crops, such as 
“Onion Raising,” by J. J. H. Gregory. Also his 
works on Squashes, Cabbages, Carrots, etc. 
The present work in the garden consists in look¬ 
ing after the stored crops that they may not suffer 
from extremes of heat and cold. The cold frames 
need daily care, and the sashes should be closed 
only when the temperature is below 30°. Hot-beds 
may be started this month for early vegetables in 
the Southern States. Now 7 is a good time to per¬ 
fect all the plans for the work for the next season. 
It is well to have the orders for seeds sent in early. 
Much can be learned from a careful reading of the 
catalogues of the various seedsmen, and they 
should be procured so soon as issued. 
The Flower Garden and Lawn. 
It may be that the grounds are to be improved 
thecomiug year, and a work like Mr. Weidenmann’s 
“Beautifying Country Homes” will offer many 
valuable suggestions. Downing’s “ Landscape 
Gardening ” is another standard work. Those who 
feel that only a trifle can be expended in a book 
will find Henderson’s “Gardening for Pleasure” a 
valuable guide to the management of small places. 
There are a number of special treatises in this 
department, as “Parsons on the Rose,” etc. 
There will be but little out-of-door work at this 
time. If heavy snows fall, the limbs of the Ever¬ 
greens will need attention. The load of snow is 
best removed so soon as it has fallen before it has 
become frozen to the bushes. The paths should 
be used in winter, and no crossing of the lawn by 
either vehicles or persons on foot should be toler¬ 
ated ; it spoils the looks of the ground to have 
“ sheep paths ” thus made in winter by those who 
would sacrifice beauty to save a few steps. 
<j}r«eii!ioiise anil Window Plants. 
The admirable work, “Winter Greeneries,” by 
E. A. Johnson, and “ The Window Flower Garden,” 
by J. J. Heinrich, will furnish valuable assistance 
to those who wish to grow plants and flowers in¬ 
doors. The two principal items in the care of 
house plants are water and insects. Plants suffer 
greatly from a lack of proper watering. The whole 
soil of the pot should be kept moist. The fre¬ 
quent and light application of water that only 
keeps the upper layer wet, is ruinous to successful 
plant growing. On the other hand, most plants 
will succumb when the roots are continuously kept 
sopping wet. It is sometimes well to withhold 
watering until the plants show the lack by wilting, 
that it may be certain that the watering is not over¬ 
done. The Red Spider is one of the worst “insect” 
pests, but is not difficult to destroy by frequent 
washing of the foliage with water. The Mealy Bug 
is much easier to find, from its large size and white 
color. It must be removed by hand picking. 
Popular Science.—Keeping Warm. 
Some Scientific Facts and Principles, Plainly 
Stated, with Practical Lessons they Teach. 
During January and February, over most of this 
country and the whole northern hemisphere, a 
large proportion of the time, effort, and expense of 
all classes is devoted to keeping warm—a much 
larger proportion than one would suppose without 
some thought on the subject. Fuel is only one 
item ; fourfold clothing and bedding as compared 
with summer, warmer dwellings and largely in¬ 
creased food supplies are to be reckoned in. There 
are some scientific principles involved, so simple 
that all may comprehend them, an understanding 
of which will be of practical advantage. They ap¬ 
ply to all warm-blooded land animals, man included. 
9S’A° 
The bodies of all human beings are so constituted 
that while some parts may be temporarily be¬ 
numbed with cold without danger, the blood that 
circulates through the heart and through the sys¬ 
tem generally, must be maintained uniformly at 
just about 9Ss° of temperature (981° Fahrenheit, or 
37° centigrade). If the heat of the blood rises or 
falls only6or 7 degrees from this normal point, and 
continues so, fatal results are expected. Every de¬ 
gree that disease elevates the general internal 
heat above 100°, is a rapid approach towards the 
danger point, and when only 105° is reached, the 
most skillful efforts of physicians are usually need¬ 
ed to save life. On the contrary, even in the cold¬ 
est regions where the thermometer marks 60° or 
70°, or more, below the freezing point, the internal 
heat must be kept up, and if it falls only from 98° 
to 94° or 93°, and continues thus, there is great 
danger that the wheels of life will stop. (These 
are general statements, applicable to a healthy con¬ 
dition. Cases have been reported where in tetanus 
or lockjaw the temperature rose to nearly 111°, 
while in asthma it sunk to 78°, and in cholera to 67°.) 
Developing Heat. 
The natural process of maintaining the uniform¬ 
ity of blood temperature is a most interesting- 
study, of decided practical utility to every one. 
Whatever the nature of heat, its relations to elec¬ 
tricity, to mechanical and chemical force, its various 
methods of production or exhibition, etc., we all 
know some of its effects, and some methods of 
securing its manifestation. We know it may ap¬ 
parently exist in an invisible or inactive form ; that 
in a cold room with cold wood or coal and cold 
matches, we can develope intense heat; that ice 
water poured upon ice cold unslaked lime will 
produce a scalding temperature ; that beating cold 
iron with a cold hammer will sensibly warm it; 
that simply rubbing two cold pieces of wood to¬ 
gether, makes them hot; that electricity from a 
cold battery sent through a fine wire or a film of 
charcoal, will produce the intense heat that gives 
the electric light. So chemical or mechanical, or 
electrical action, developes heat that was before la¬ 
tent, or insensible, or that existed in another form. 
How Heat is Diffused. 
We know also that heat is radiated , that is, it flies 
out in straight lines, as from a fire or the sun ; we 
can feel the heat strike us. These heat rays can 
be bent like light rays, by interposing a reflecting 
surface in their path to change their direction. 
Heat is also carried as freight, so to speak, as 
when air takes it from a stove and carries it to the 
top of a room, or from a hearth fire out of the 
chimney; or when water particles carry it from 
the bottom to the top of a kettle set over the fire. 
Heat is also conducted or passed along from one 
body to another, and also from one particle to 
another in the same substance. Hold one end or 
side of a piece of metal to a fire, and the nearest 
particles of metal will take in heat, and pass it to 
the next particles, and these to the next, and so on 
until the heat is conducted a long distance. But ex¬ 
perience and experiments 6how that different sub¬ 
stances differ very greatly in their ability to thus 
conduct heat through them. This is a matter of 
