166 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
commended above, throughout the second and 
third years, and by that time you will have got 
a well-formed specimen plant, worthy of a place 
in any exhibition or conservatory. The follow¬ 
ing year they may be allowed to bloom, there¬ 
fore the laterals will not require to be stopped. 
Let the soil used for potting be of a strong tex¬ 
ture, and give abundance of air on all favorable 
occasions, whereby you will get short-jointed 
wood and fine bloom.— E. A., in Gardeners' 
Chronicle. 
NEW-ENGLAND SPRING FLOWERS. 
Continued from page 151. 
The leaves, which appear subsequently, are 
on long petioles, rounded or heart-shaped at 
base, and cut into three or five toothed lobes, 
which are separated by a sharply-indented sinus. 
They vary much in outline, though always pre¬ 
serving their general character. Early in the 
autumn, before the warm weather has quite de¬ 
parted, they begin to assume the gay coloring 
which has given a name to the tree. This rich 
scarlet is first seen in a few leaves, then in a 
few branches, and finally whole trees are clothed 
in its gorgeous magnificence, when the foliage 
of other trees still retain the fresh green of 
midsummer. 
The cause of this change in the color of foli¬ 
age at autumn, has given rise to much specula¬ 
tion. It has been generally ascribed to the ac¬ 
tion of frost, inasmuch as the change takes 
place at the time when frost generally appears. 
But modern research and observation have 
proved this to be a fallacy. This tree, in par¬ 
ticular, is adduced as a proof that frost or even 
cold is not necessary to produce the change, as 
it is often found clothed with its autumn dress 
before the first sign of frost. Leaves may be 
found at all seasons of the year, which have 
changed color from premature decay. The best 
explanation yet given, is, that the cellular struc¬ 
ture of the leaf becomes gorged with an inter¬ 
nal deposit, in the same manner as the stony 
portion of fruits is formed, and that a subse¬ 
quent chemical action upon the green chloro- 
phylle produces the alteration. The leaf is, in 
fact, ripe. The skins of many fruits retain their 
green hue until ripe, and then assume a bright 
color, which does not depend on cold, but on 
maturity. The texture of this fruit skin does 
not materially differ from the skin of a leaf 
blade. The maturity of a fruit is its incipient 
decay. It no longer grows, but decomposes. 
Those fruits which, like apples, may be kept for 
a long while, only resist longest the action of 
decomposing agents; they arc not living, but 
slowly decaying, to make food for the seeds they 
contain. The chemical action which the vitality 
of the leaf opposed, begins to take place at 
once on its death. Therefore we believe that 
the forest leaves ripen and perish in their sea¬ 
son, and that their bright beauty is the result of 
their death. The cold breath of winter may 
kill them, but it is not that cold itself which 
paints them with purple and gold. 
One other early species of maple which is 
found in the western part of the State, is the 
White or Silveh-Leaved Maple (Acer dasycar- 
pum , Ehrhart.) It grows more loosely than 
the red maple, and is easily distinguished from 
many peculiarities. The flowers appear before 
the leaves, and are of a greenish yellow. The 
samaras are always green, downy when young, 
but smoother when mature, with two large, 
thick, diverging wings, on pedicels an inch long. 
The leaves are more deeply cut, and whitened 
beneath with a silvery down, which glistens in 
the sunlight when the wind agitates its branches. 
Like the red maple, it has been extensively used 
as an ornamental shade-tree; and though des¬ 
titute of the gay colors of the former, its foliage 
and mode of growth are more graceful. 
The maples typify the order Acerace.e, and 
are its only representatives in the North. At 
the South is found the Asn Leaved Maple, or 
Box Elder, Negundo Aceroides, Mcench,) which 
was classed with the acers, by Linnaeus, and 
differs in its primate leaves, and constantly 
diaecious flowers. No single genus of trees is 
of more varied importance to man. They fur¬ 
nish one of the most useful woods for a great 
variety of purposes; one species (A. sacchari- 
num) yields a delicious sugar, and all are highly 
ornamental in cultivation. 
To go from the lofty to the lowly, let us no¬ 
tice a charming little flower which appears very 
early upon the dry hills—the Five Finger, or 
Cinque-Foil ( Potentilla Canadensis , L.) From 
each root spring several creeping stem, which 
run over the ground, giving forth leaves and 
flowers at intervals, which become longer as the 
plant gains strength. The leaves are on long 
petioles, and are cut into five obovate, wedge- 
shaped, distinct leaflets, which are sharply 
toothed at the top, and covered on both sides 
with a silky down. They are accompanied by 
two downy stipules, which are both cut into 
three sharp, lanceolate lobes. The flower is on 
a lone: slender peduncle, springing from the ax¬ 
ils of the leaves. The calyx is cut into five 
lobes, alternating with five bracts, which are so 
much like the calyx as to make it seem ten- 
lobed. The five petals are rounded and obo¬ 
vate, longer than the calyx, and of a bright 
golden yellow. They are lightly attached at 
the base, and soon fall away. A second bloom 
appears at the end of the summer. The nu¬ 
merous short stamens surround a cluster of 
pistils, which become, on ripening, a close, 
flattened head of small pointed seed-vessels. 
The whole plant is covered with a soft, silken 
pubescence. 
We have described only one variety of this 
species of Potentilla. Modern botanists have 
placed under the name of Canadensis , given by 
Linnaeus, two distinct varieties. The one under 
consideration is the sarmentosa of Muhlenberg. 
It is early, never erect, always in dry soils, and 
of a slender, starved growth. The other P. 
simplex of Michaux, appears later, is twice as 
large in every part, greener and ranker, stand¬ 
ing erect, or leaning upon the tall grass, and 
growing in damp soils. The difference between 
them is such as might be caused by the differ¬ 
ence of situation; yet intermediate forms do 
not so often occur as might be expected. AVhen 
plants of any extended region are examined to¬ 
gether, many nominal species are found to run 
gradually into each other, which would be con¬ 
sidered certainly distinct in an isolated locality. 
We will close this chapter of our desultory 
descriptions, with an account of a flower, uni 
versally known and esteemed as one of our 
sweetest spring beauties—the Wild Columbine 
or Honeysuckle ( Aquilegia Canadensis , L.) 
It grows in dry places from the crevices of rocks, 
sometimes covering a loose, crumbling declivity 
for a considerable distance, with its brilliant 
blossoms. The stem is smooth, a foot or more 
high, branching widely at the top, and bearing 
on its ultimate divisions the large solitary flow¬ 
ers. The lower leaves are twice triply divided, 
the first divisions being long, and the second 
ones short stalked. The leaflets are variously 
cut and lobed at the apex. The stem leaves are 
gradually reduced to three simple lobes, or even 
a plain ovate form. They are all smooth, ex¬ 
cept where the patiole embraces the accompa¬ 
nying branch; the sheathing, stipular portion 
is there pubescent. The flowers are of a bril¬ 
liant scarlet on the outside, and a rich yellow 
within. The live ovate sepals arc petaloid in 
texture and color; they curve outward at the 
base, and become nearly erect, overlapping and 
exceeding in length the yellow petals. These 
are peculiarly formed. The rim of each would 
give the outline of any common form of leaf, 
with an apex, two sides, and a base; but the 
blade is drawn downwards into a long, hollow, 
turbular spur, which gradually diminishes in 
diameter, and is thickened at the point. These 
were termed nectaries by the older botanists. 
Under this name they classed every honey-pro¬ 
ducing apparatus of the flower, and even the 
strange or uncommon appendages which pro¬ 
duced no honey. Modern writers do not now 
classify these parts under a general name. They 
no longer recognize the nectary 7 as a separate 
and integral portion of the flower. The parts 
so named are considered to be merely peculiar 
developments of the organs on which they oc¬ 
cur. The stamens of the columbine are nu¬ 
merous, gathered together in a conical bundle 
in the center of the flower. From the center 
of these spring five long, thread-like styles. 
The flower hangs drooping from the apex of 
the nodding stalk, so that the spurs are upright, 
and the stigmas pendent. But when the flower 
falls away, the stem resumes its upright posi¬ 
tion, bearing five separable carpels, erect, and 
tipped with the persistent styles. They open 
inwards like a dry pod, exposing numerous 
seeds. 
All the May-day ramblers eagerly seek for 
wild columbines, as they are only found in warm, 
sunny situations, so early in the year. It 
flowers profusely a week or two later. Its bril¬ 
liant colors and elegant foliage, make it highly 
prized by the young herborists of the season. 
Nor is it less welcome to those of older growth, 
to whom, more than to children, it is significant 
of the coming season of beauty; to whom its 
grace and loveliness are an epitome of that per¬ 
fect harmony which reigns in the whole natural 
world. 
The columbine is another representative of 
the order Ranonoulace.-e, which furnishes so 
many of our early flowering plants. The Euro¬ 
pean species A. vulgaris , is very common in our 
gardens, and is an instance of that tendency to 
procure foreign plants, with an idea that they 
must be more beautiful than our own. Our 
species is more elegant in every respect than 
the European one, and better deserves cultiva¬ 
tion. 
We have by no means described all the early 
spring blossoms. There are others, less fami¬ 
liar, but equally worthy of our examination. 
There is something greatty attractive in the first 
signs of summer life, and we feel peculiar grati¬ 
fication at the discovery of the first specimens 
of favorite flowers. If our readers are willing 
to again look over our shoulder to notice the 
plants we cull, we will at once proceed to collect 
anothor bouquet. 
-• • » — 
GARDEN FARMS IN VIRGINIA. 
Land in the vicinity of Norfolk is said to be 
rapidly advancing in price. The Argus states 
that small farms on Tanner’s creek, that a short 
time ago were bought for a few hundred dollars, 
now sell rapidly at thousands. One that was pur¬ 
chased only a few years ago at $1400 has been 
subsequently disposed of at $5000, and it was 
cheap enough at the advance of $3600, or of 
more than 250 per cent. The Argus thinks 
that “all that is required to make a fortune on 
a small farm near Norfolk—now that we are 
supplying the tables of the hotels and private 
houses of the northern cities with fruit, vegeta¬ 
bles, &c.—is a small capital, industry, and some 
knowledge of the way of cultivating the soil to 
to the best advantage. One thousand baskets 
of strawberries, and one hundred barrels green 
peas were shipped by Mr. P. H. Whitehurst, 
Saturday, to New-York, where they command 
a ready sale at high prices. Another sent eight \ 
barrels rock fish and ten barrels eggs. Wc are 
informed by this individual, that he has two i 
thousand two hundred empty barrels in readi¬ 
ness for the heavy business he intends to do 
shortly in fish, vegetables, fruit, &c. 
Tiie Water Lily. —It is a marvel whence 
this perfect flower derives its loveliness and 
perfume, springing as it docs from the black 
mud over which the river sleeps, and where 
lurk the slimy eel and speckled frog, and mud 
turtle, whom continual washing cannot cleanse. 
It is the very same black mud out of which the 
yellow lily sucks its obscene life and noisome 
odor. Thus we see too in the world, that some 
persons assimilate only what is ugly and evil 
