MONOGRAPHS OF VARIETIES OF FRUIT, ETC. 
31 
been a hard student of astronomy ; yet never mind, 
he is as smart as he looks, and what is more, he 
always drives the fattest, and rather the finest and 
best pair of cattle in town, so he is not to be 
sneezed at. 
How the Log got out of its Difficulty. —Coming 
down to the Major, I stopped him, and related 
Uncle Sim’s dilemma, when he smiled complacently, 
and very readily unhitched his team; a splendid 
pair of Devon red cattle, with long, upturned horns • 
sleek, glossy hair; powerfully developed muscles; 
and bones so fine, that they reminded me of those 
of a thorough bred race horse. It was really a 
pleasure to look at this high bred team ; for as he 
unhitched them from their load, they wheeled 
gracefully to the right, and marched into the field 
with the stately tread of a proud pair of highly 
disciplined grenadiers. Well might a man be proud 
to drive such a pair of cattle. Uncle Sim’s team, 
of the old mare and seven yoke of steers, were 
now released from their fast sticking burden, and 
the Major’s powerful reds hitched on in their place. 
Their master now patted them kindly on the back, 
then standing aside, gave one flourish around his 
head, of a small switch about three feet long, 
which he carried merely to guide his team, when at 
the single word “ go,” which he spoke in a quick, 
low tone, they instantly bent their necks to the 
yoke, gave a sudden twist, then a quick jump, and 
in less time than Uncle Sim could cock his aston¬ 
ished eye, they were at the top of the hill with his 
log. Lifting up both hands with profound amaze¬ 
ment at this unexpected feat, he let them fall again, 
and then taking his ox goad, he tossed it with a 
whiz to the Major’s feet, and said, “ wall, who’d a 
thought it now; them is a smart pair o’ cattle of 
your’n, and you’ve won that whip any how. I 
would’nt take three and ninepence for it, cash 
down on the nail—who’d a thought it—who’d a 
thought it. Wall, I guess there is somethin’ in feed, 
arter all.”—“ Yes,” I replied laughing, “ and in 
stabling warm, and the curry comb and card, and in 
concentrating your force ; especially when you 
want to start a big log—heh! Uncle Sim.” 
Sergeant Teltrue. 
Food for Pregnant Animals. —Every animal, 
while pregnant, should not only be full fed, but care 
should be taken that the food be of a proper kind. 
Recollect that the growing foetus has blood, flesh, and 
bones to form, as well as its mother • and therefore a 
greater proportion than ordinary of the constitu¬ 
ents which go to make these, must be supplied in 
the food of the dam, otherwise the foetus will suffer, 
and the dam also. Sugar, starch, fibrin, gluten, 
and the phosphates are particularly wanted ■ and 
happily all these are found in a mixture of good 
hay, grain of all kinds, and roots. But it is neces¬ 
sary that the pregnant animal be fed with the whole 
of each kind ; for the bran alone of wheat, rye, or 
corn, would not be sufficient, as these contain little 
of gluten, fibrin, or starch. 
Extraordinary Trotting in Tandem. —Wil¬ 
liam S. Reed, recently trotted Grey Harry and Bet¬ 
sey Baker, harnessed in tandem, one mile round 
the Union Course, Long Island, without a break , in 
two minutes and forty-four seconds. 
MONOGRAPHS OF VARIETIES OF FRUITS. 
A thorough, scientific examination of the capa¬ 
bilities of America, for the production of fruits, 
is yet to be made. Very little has been attempted, 
and much less performed, in examining the soil of 
different sections of our vast domain ; studying 
critically the effects of climate and soil, upon its 
productions * and tracing the history and habits oi 
the fruits, scattered through our widely extended 
orchards. Indeed, I have thought it strange, that 
the leisure and curious research of some of our 
many amateur cultivators and others, should 
never, have produced one thorough monograph 
of a single f ruit. Let one example be taken, as 
illustrative of my meaning. 
The Rhode Island Greening, is a standard apple. 
It has gone out from the North, to the South, as far 
as Virginia; westward it will be found occasion¬ 
ally, as far down as Kentucky, and even Tennes- 
see. It increases in abundance, as we come to 
the orchards of New England emigrants, until it 
reaches the extreme north of our territorial limits. 
It is thus cultivated in a range of twenty degrees 
of latitude, and nearly thirty of longitude. In this 
vast extent, it is found upon all geological forma¬ 
tions • at various degrees of elevation, and under 
exceedingly diverse climates. What is the natural 
history of this tree, under these conditions 1 What 
is the effect of soils—of heat or cold, in different 
proportions—of special culture % What is its 'per¬ 
sonal history % AVho introduced it into various lo¬ 
calities ; or what class of settlers ? If no one in¬ 
dividual can be known, what remarkable trees have 
existed % What sports, or prodigies are known ?- 
What has been the nurseryman’s experience of the 
various methods of working it ? What superiority 
or abatement of excellence, is manifested under 
special circumstances ? A comparison of its fruit 
in New England, the Middle States, the lower 
Western States, and the upper Western States. No 
enthusiastic pomologist, will ask of what use such 
a monograph could be. A minute study of any 
single variety would throw great light upon the 
obscurest part of pomology—the habits of trees. It 
would give more precision to the cultivation 
of fruits. It would afford many curious pro¬ 
blems, or solutions of problems, in vegetable physi¬ 
ology. 
Meanwhile, if those who have not the leisure to 
prepare such a work, will contribute any materials, 
disconnected and imperfect though they may be, 
they will indirectly prepare the way for some one 
hereafter to perform the work. 
Just now the rage is for descriptions of fruit, 
accompanied by engravings. The first effort, of 
which we are informed, is that by Mr. Hoffy, of 
Philadelphia. To what extent it was executed 
we do not know. A beginning was made of a litho¬ 
graphic series, by Charles Elliott, of Cincinnati. 
One number only was issued. Boston publishes at 
this time, two series; Mr. Hovey editing one, and 
the other coming out under the superintendence of 
a committee of the Massachusetts Horticultural So¬ 
ciety. Mr. Downing, of Newburgh, is also 
putting through the press a similar work. At ano¬ 
ther time, it will be a pleasant task to examine the 
relative excellences of these costly contributions to 
