154 
health and useful knowledge,—it has high claims to our 
notice and regard. 
I present upon your table, for examination, gentlemen, 
more than one hundred named varieties of the apple 
and pear, collected from my grounds, which twenty 
years ago were a barren waste; and I might have added 
many others of doubtful or inferior character. Those 
presented have all been recommended as superior fruits, 
at the season of maturity, either for the dessert, the 
kitchen, for preserves, or for cider. They are the na¬ 
tural products of the northern and middle states, of 
Canada—and of Russia, Germany, France, the Nether¬ 
lands, and Great Britain. They include of course only 
late autumn and winter varieties. Yet these fruits form 
hut a small portion of the kinds which are to be found 
in our valley—much less in our country. Though we 
have a great many good kinds, there must be but com¬ 
parative few that can be denominated excellent, or best. 
The only way to determine which are the best, is to 
bring the different varieties together, and to judge of 
them comparatively, at the season of their maturity. 
How desirable it is, that when starting in our pomolo- 
gical career—when selecting the fruits that are to ad¬ 
minister to our enjoyment and our profit, through life, 
we be able to select the best kinds'? But who is now a 
competent judge in these matters? What individual 
knows the comparative merits of half, or a quarter, of 
the fruits which abound in our land? Not one among 
us, I venture to say. How shall we then acquire the re¬ 
quisite knowledge? We have at present no competent 
guide to direct us in the selection. Individual effort is 
incompetent to the labor of classifying and describing 
all our best fruits. It can only be effected here, as it has 
been done in England, by the joint efforts of an associa¬ 
tion—by bringing together the various kinds, testing 
their qualities, and establishing a standard of their rela¬ 
tive merit, for the various uses for which they are adapt¬ 
ed. This subject is so deeply connected with the com¬ 
fort of all classes of our citizens—of the buyer as well 
as the cultivator of fruit—that I venture to recommend 
it to the early attention of the association. 
The introduction of new and valuable varieties of fruits, 
seeds and ornamental plants, from different sections of 
our own country, as well as from the old world, should 
also engage our early attention. Many facilities present 
for effecting this. First, by a correspondence, and in¬ 
terchange of plants, seeds and fruits, with horticultural 
associations at home and abroad. Secondly, through 
the depot established at Washington, under the direction 
of an enthusiastic friend of rural improvement, H. L. 
Ellsworth, Esq. the commissioner of the Patent Office. 
Thirdly, through our naval, commercial and travelling 
citizens. Our Corresponding Secretary, who has ten¬ 
dered his resignation in consequence of being about to 
take up his residence for some years in France, has 
kindly tendered his services in this behalf—and his ser¬ 
vices there, in forwarding the objects of the association, 
may be rendered extensively useful. After all, much, 
very much, will depend upon our individual exertions. 
If we show a spirit to go ahead, and to be useful to the 
community, assistance will be tendered from every quar¬ 
ter. But only those who do exert themselves, can or 
ought to expect assistance from others. We must put 
our own shoulders to the wheel, before we call upon Her¬ 
cules. We can render this association pleasant and use¬ 
ful to ourselves, and highly beneficial to the public, if 
we but resolve to do so. But unless we set out, and perse¬ 
vere, in the resolution to do so, we had better suffer the 
association to die in embryo, and to forget that we had 
the ambition to be useful in promoting horticultural im¬ 
provement, but lacked the resolution and the spirit to 
carry out our laudable design. 
In conclusion—to the gentlemen who have interested 
themselves in getting up this exhibition, and particularly 
those of a sister state, whose contributions of superior 
fruits and flowers afford the strongest incentive to per¬ 
severance on our part, I feel myself authorized to ten¬ 
der the grateful acknowledgments of the association. A 
multiplicity of circumstances, and I may say of misap¬ 
prehensions, combined with protracted bad weather, have 
tended very much to diminish the interest of our first ex¬ 
hibition; and yet I believe I may venture to say, that 
there has never, on any occasion, been collected in our 
state, a greater number of excellent varieties of fruit, or 
finer samples, than has been exhibited on this occasion; 
and although the season has been highlyunpropitious to 
the floral department, yet the exhibition of fine dahlias, 
the favorite flower of the season, has been peculiarly 
brilliant. We have no reason to despond, but much to 
induce perseverance and renewed exertion. We have 
laid the foundation of improvement in that branch of in¬ 
dustry which administers largely to the wants and ele¬ 
gancies of life. We can rear the superstructure. We 
can deserve success, though we cannot command it. And 
even the high satisfaction of doing this, is a consoling, 
if not satisfying reflection, to him who derives pleasure 
in laboring for the public good. 
Advantages of Planting Fruit Trees on Declivities. 
Dodart first observed that trees pushed their branch¬ 
es in a direction parallel with the surface of the earth. 
If a tree stands on a steep it pushes both towards the 
hill, and towards the declivity; but on both sides it still 
preserves its branches parallel with the surface. As 
there is an attraction between the upper surface of 
leaves and light, I am also persuaded, though not equal¬ 
ly certain of it from experiment, that there is an attrac¬ 
tion of the same nature between the under surface of 
leaves and the surface of the earth. This I consider the 
true cause of the phenomenon:—I had long observed 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
that the most fruitful orchards, and most fertile trees, 
are those planted on a declivity, and the steeper it is, 
though not quite a precipice, the more fertile they prove. 
It is well known that the spreading of trees always ren¬ 
der them fruitful. On a plain they incline to shoot up¬ 
wards; and therefore art is employed by skilful gar¬ 
deners, and applied in various ways to check their 
perpendicular, and to promote their lateral growth. 
But this point is obtained on a declivity by nature. 
There a tree loses its tendency to shoot upwards, and 
in order to preserve its branches parallel with the sur¬ 
face, is constrained to put them in a lateral direction. 
Hence an important rule in the choice of orchards and 
fruit-gardens.— Rev. I). J. Walker. 
There is another advantage in planting on declivities, 
particularly where there is a retentive subsoil—water 
does not stagnate about the roots of the trees, as is often 
the case upon level surfaces, but passes off freely down 
the inclined plain, and the trees are consequently more 
healthy and vigorous. 
Notices to Correspondents. 
We received, too late to be noticed in our last, a com¬ 
munication from a mercantile correspondent, expressing 
a strong inclination to become a farmer, but who is de¬ 
terred by the fear, that, like many others who start in a 
rural career, he will become tired of farming and the 
country, and sigh again for city life. He askes us to 
explain the causes of this frequent disappointments and 
to suggest the antidote. We take the cause of the dis¬ 
appointment generally to be, that Avhen city gentlemen 
turn farmers, they place their dependance of enjoyment 
upon wrong objects—upon the fruits, and not upon the 
labors of the farm. Accustomed to the busy throng,— 
possessing little knowledge of their new business, and 
either not the disposition or the patience to acquire it, 
their time hangs heavily on their hands; they soon find 
themselves disappointed in their expectation of profit 
and of pleasure, without a manly effort to secure either, 
and ennui drives them back to the city. The antidote 
lies in taking a direct and active interest in the labors and 
business of the farm—of devoting to it his mental, and 
at least a portion of his physical powers—and of per¬ 
severing in his efforts till he understands something of 
the theory, and is familiar with, and can direct with 
judgment, the. practical operations of the farm. Hav¬ 
ing attained this point, and conformed his habits of liv¬ 
ing to his situation, there is little danger that he will 
again sigh for city life. 
We received also, cotemporaneously with the preced¬ 
ing, a communication from a medical correspondent, who 
is now a noviciate in husbandry, and who has described 
his farm, and asks our instructions in its management. 
We fear our medical friend underrates the business of 
farming, and over rates our capacity for instruction.— 
Should we ask his direction for the medical treatment of 
our family, although we should attempt to describe to 
him their constitutions and habits, he would probably re¬ 
ply to us, that medicine is a profound science, acquired 
by long study—an art, thoroughly mastered only by long 
practice—that he could only give general direction for 
the treatment of diseases—and that all special directions 
must be preceded by an examination of the patient to be 
prescribed for. Our correspondent will see from this 
analogy the task he has imposed upon his, and that we 
might subject ourselves to the charge of quackery, were 
we to attempt to prescribe in his particular case. A 
knowledge of agriculture cannot be infused into one by 
inoculation. It must be acquired the natural way. As a 
science itmust be acquired by patiently studying the prin¬ 
ciples upon which it is based. As an art, it demands per¬ 
severing practice to become a competent master. All 
we can do, is to advise Dr. H. to study agriculture as 
he studied medicine—make himself familiar with the na¬ 
ture and qualities of his soil, tamper a little with ex¬ 
periments, notice their effects, and he will ultimately 
settle down upon the best modes of practice. It may 
seem hard for him to undergo a second course of stu¬ 
dies; but he may rely upon it, that the best counsellors 
are personal knowledge and experience. The Doctor, 
we believe, will find most, or all, of his special ques¬ 
tions answered in the volumes of the Cultivator, either 
directly or indirectly. 
Draining. —B. F. Wells, of Suffolk, has sent us a de¬ 
scription and diagram of a salt and fresh meadow, which 
is rendered in a measure valueless by reason of the 
fresh water which saturates it, and is subject also to be 
inundated with sea water at high tides. He askes our 
advice as to the best mode of reclaiming it. The salt 
water must be kept out by an embankment, and gates 
that close with the flood tide, like those we have seen 
at Newark, N. J. The source or fountain of fresh water 
must be ascertained. If it is in the surrounding high 
grounds, it may be intercepted and carried oil' by under¬ 
drains, sunk into the hard pan, above the level of the mea¬ 
dow. Itmaybe extended, if necessary, entirely around it. 
If the source is in the bottom of the marsh, the evil 
seems incurable, as it would seem to lie too low to be 
drained, without permitting an influx of salt water, at 
high tide, through the underdrains. 
Influence of agriculture and manual labor schools .— 
We have two communications on this subject, which, 
we are sorry to say, are too carelessly written to ap¬ 
pear without correction, which we have not yet found 
time to give them. Both of our correspondents seem 
to consider manual labor as agricultural schools, and that 
they are calculated to promote general improvement in 
the science and practice of agriculture. This, we be¬ 
lieve, is not pretended to be the case in any existing manu¬ 
al labor school; and if so, we have not been advised that 
it has, in any instance, been successful. The pupils in 
these schools are not generally designed to be farmers. 
They work for health and economy, and not to learn the 
trade and mystery of farming. We should be sorry to 
have it believed, that these are a fair test of the utility 
of agricultural schools. 
Miller’s Tolls —We are not aware that any benefit 
will result, either to individuals or the public, from 
prolonging this controversy. It seems to be admitted 
on all hands, that the miller has a right, by custom if 
not by law, to take a tenth for toll—and no more. If our 
Oswego correspondent has had a tiventieth abstracted 
from his grists, as he alleges, he has been cheated, as 
we have been; and he has his remedy against the mil¬ 
ler—or he may send his work to a more honest man. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
On Rotation of Crops. 
Dear Sir —Although I have not the pleasure to 
know you personally, such is my confidence in your 
devotion to the cause which you are so successfully 
laboring to promote, as well as in your liberal indul¬ 
gence of opinions opposed to your own, that I 
shall offer no apology for the following remarks eli¬ 
cited by your interesting article entitled “Rules 
and Suggestions in Husbandry.” All of those I 
deem highly valuable: but there are a few which, 
although they have almost become axioms, ap¬ 
pear to me at least doubtful, notwithstanding they 
are sustained by such a host of celebrated authori¬ 
ties, that any individual who ventures to question 
them incurs the risk of being called quite presump¬ 
tuous. This risk, however, I am willing to run in, 
the hope of exciting some abler and more experi¬ 
enced agriculturist than myself to a full discussion of 
a subject so important to all cultivators of the soil 
as that which forms one of the chief topics of your 
article,—I mean, the rotation of crops. But to pro¬ 
ceed with my comments. 
In your 18th rule or suggestion you say,—“ The 
natural fertility of a farm cannot be kept up or in¬ 
creased, where arable and mixed husbandry prevail, 
from the resources of the farm stock, without resort 
to an alternation, or change of crops. Although 
the diminution of fertility may be imperceptible in 
some extraordinary cases—and although some soils 
seem naturally and peculiarly adapted to certain 
crops,—yet, where the same crop is grown on one 
piece of ground in successive years, deterioration 
as certainly goes on as the sun shines by day.” 
Here, in the first part of your second sentence, 
although you evidently make an exception to the 
universality of your rule, that exception is entirely 
done away by the positive unqualified assertion in 
the last part. This naturally suggests the following 
question ;—how is an imperceptible deterioration 
to be ascertained, and if that be practicable, can it 
be worth regarding in any of those cases, where it is 
so slight,—so gradual that nobody can see it ? 
The 19th rule declares, “ thattwo white, or grain, 
or culmiferous crops, should not be made to suc¬ 
ceed each other in the same field.” 
Now, in opposition to the universality of these 
rules, the facts which have fallen under my own 
observation, together with those communicated to 
me by perfectly veracious agriculturists, are so nu¬ 
merous and remarkable as to have made me, if not 
a decided infidel, at least a sceptic in regard to the 
absolute necessity of a rotation in crops, for the pur¬ 
pose, either of creating or preserving the fertility of 
soils. That some rotation is generally beneficial, 
and in a degree well worth regarding, I have no 
doubt. But like thousands of other good things, 
I feel equally confident, that its benefits have been 
immeasurably exaggerated, and thereby have pre¬ 
vented its adoption to the extent to which it might 
and probably would have been carried, had no Ba¬ 
ron Munchausen-tales been told about it. Many an 
excellent practice has failed to become general, 
solely from the circumstance that the first who 
adopted it on the recommendation of those who 
claimed to be the inventors, did not half realize the 
promises made in its behalf. Exaggeration is the 
besetting sin of almost all inventors and disco¬ 
verers, and this folly often deprives them both of 
the credit and the profit of their discoveries and in¬ 
ventions. 
Permit me now to state a few of the facts which 
have produced my scepticism. The two eastern 
shore counties of Virginia comprise a large extent 
of country. The soil is generally sandy, and not 
such as is usually deemed either the most fertile or 
the most lasting: yet all with whom I have ever 
conversed, confidently declare, that their lands at 
least “hold their own” although they have been 
generally cultivated, for a long series of years, 
without rest, in alternate crops of corn and oats, and 
without apparent diminution of the amount of pro¬ 
duce. The inhabitants ascribe this to a natural 
growth which they call a bean, but which is in fact 
a pea that almost invariably succeeds the oat crop, 
