156 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
“ 270. For this reason a branch of a plant, subjected to a high 
temperature in winter, will grow, while its stem is exposed to a very 
low temperature. 
“271. But growth under such circumstances will not long be 
maintained, unless the roots are secured from the reach of frost; 
for, if frozen, they cannot act, and will, consequently, be unable to 
replace the sap of which the stem is emptied by the attraction of the 
buds converted into branches, and by the prespiration of the leaves. 
(XII.) . . . , , 
“272. Whatever tends to inspissate the sap, such as a dry and 
heated atmosphere, or an interruption of its rapid flow, or a great 
decomposition of carbonic acid, by full exposure to light, has the pro¬ 
perty of causing excessive vigor to be diminished, and flower buds 
to be produced. 
“ 273. While, on the other hand, whatever tends to dilute the sap, 
such as a damp atmosphere, a free and uninterrupted circulation, or 
a great accumulation of oxygen, in consequence of the imperfect de¬ 
composition of carbonic acid, has the property of causing excessive 
rapid growth, and an exclusive production of leaf-buds. 
“ 274. Inspissated or accumulated sap is, therefore, a great cause 
of fertility. 
“ 275. And thin fluid, not being elaborated, is a great cause of 
sterility. 
“276. The conversion of sap into different kinds of secretion is 
effected by the combined action of air, (XI.) light, (XI.) and tempe¬ 
rature .” ___ 
Chinese Indigo. —Gen. Tallmadge has just returned from a year’s 
tour upon the old continent; during which he has devoted much 
time to the collection of facts, &c., to improve our arts and agricul¬ 
ture. His letters, which have been published in the Journal of the 
American Institute, abound with interesting matters upon these to¬ 
pics. He has brought with him some seeds of a plant called the 
Chinese Indigo, (the Poligonum Iricitorium of botanists,) which is 
extensively employed in China for dying cloth of a beautiful blue or 
green, and has kindly promised us a portion of them, with a view of 
giving them a trial in this latitude. This plant is a biennial, grows 
two feet high, flowers in July and August, and is represented by 
Loudon as rather tender. But, under the direction of a Russian 
agricultural society, it has been grown in Georgia and other districts 
on the northeast borders of the Baltic sea, as cold a climate as ours, 
chiefly as yet for its seed, with a view of multiplying it, and it is be¬ 
lieved will be found adapted to our climate. What comparison it 
will bear with woad, as a dye weed, the mode of using it as a dye, 
or of extracting the colouring matter, and the manner of cultivating 
it, are matters of which we are as yet ignorant. 
THE MORUS MULTICAULIS. 
A new mode of acclimating this plant to a northern latitude, as 
practised in Belgium, has been communicated to the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, by a Belgian gentleman. The method is to 
cut down the plants in autumn, to a few inches above the sod, and 
to cover the stump with leaves or other matters, and to do this an¬ 
nually, till the roots have acquired size and strength enough to with¬ 
stand the severity of winter, which is less severe in Belgium than 
it is with us. The stump sends up shoots in the spring, in propor¬ 
tion to its size, which grow six or eight feet, and afford as abundant 
a supply of leaves as would a tree upon a single stem, and are much 
more easily gathered. Any deficiency in product may be made up 
by planting thicker than for standard trees, as treated in this way 
the plants may be placed eight to ten feet apart. This mode ot 
culture is successfully practised with, the basket willow, not to pre¬ 
serve it from cold, but to enhance the value of its products—the an¬ 
nual shoots are multiplied, and increased in strength, as the root ac¬ 
quires vigor by age. This plan, we believe, is the best that can be 
adopted here, with the multicaulis. 
After all the lauding that this plant has received from journalists 
and speculators, as being hardy enough for our northern climate, 
and as affording the best material for ordinary silk culture, the truth 
is now evidently admitted, that it has neither of these qualities to 
recommend it;—that it does not withstand our hard winters—and 
that although it produces the finest, it does not produce the best 
silk, for common fabrics, and requires peculiar delicacy in its man¬ 
agement, illy adapted to common rural labors. 
The Osage Orange, ( Madura aurantica.)—W e have noticed 
several articles in the public journals, commending the Culture of 
this plant as affording suitable food for the silk worm. We have 
had this plant in our grounds eight or ten years, and the stems have 
been invariably killed by the winter. It is more tender than the 
Morus multicaulis, and is of slow growth ; its fruit resembles, in ap¬ 
pearance, the black walnut, and is altogether worthless. We state 
these facts to guard our readers against expending time and money 
in attempting to cultivate it for feeding silk-worms. 
Experiments with ashes, gypsum, lime and salt. —The last Farm¬ 
er’s Register gives us the details of seven experiments, made with 
mixtures of ashes, leached and unleached, gypsum, lime, &c., appli¬ 
ed to com when planted. The experiments were made on a field 
embracing forty acres. The different compounds were applied each 
to five rows, and six other rows were left without any application 
between each series experimented upon. The compound was drop¬ 
ped, in various proportions, upon the seed before it was covered with 
earth. “ Not the slightest apparent benefit was derived from any of 
these experiments. ” Most of the compounds were entirely calcare¬ 
ous, and the reason assigned for their not acting beneficially, is, that 
the whole field had been already rendered calcareous, by the free 
use of marl. The experimenter expresses a belief, in which we fully 
concur, that upon soils deficient in calcareous earth, these applica¬ 
tions would have produced a decidedly beneficial effect. Every year’s 
experience teaches the use of scientific knowledge, in determining 
the qualities and defects of soils, their adaptation to particular crops, 
and the best modes of increasing their fertility. 
THE FARMER’S SCHOOL BOOK, 
Is the title of a volume in 12 mo. of 240 pages, just published by 
J. Orville Taylor, publisher of the Common School Assistant, 
and is one of a series of small volumes which he is publishing, de¬ 
signed as reading books in common schools. Price 44 cents. It is 
a good book, calculated to instruct the boy, and to implant in his 
mind the seeds of knowledge and usefulness. If it is proper for 
boys to learn “ those things which they expect to do when they are 
men,” and of this no one will express a doubt, nothing can be more pro¬ 
per to be put into the hands of those who are soon to become farmers— 
(if the speculating mania should in time abate) than a book which 
teaches them the properties and laws of organic and inorganic matter 
—which not only instructs them in their future business of life, but 
tends to qualify them for the higher duties of society, which will 
tend to make them intelligent, and useful and good men. Such is 
the character of the work of which we are speaking. An effort is 
now making to “ bend the twig” as it should grow, by providing for 
our common schools, and common school libraries, in a cheap form, 
a selection of books, calculated to make our sons wiser, and we 
trust better, than their fathers. The effort is a noble one, and those 
engaged in it deserve the commendation, and the co-operation, of 
every friend to civil liberty. 
he Peach Worm. —Dr. Scott has furnished us, in the Plough 
Boy, with a description of the habits of the insect which attacks the 
peach tree, about the surface of the ground, and often fatally. The 
egg is deposited by a large fly, in July, which pierces the outer 
bark; it soon hatches, and proceeds always towards the root, 
through the green or inner bark, until checked by the cold of win¬ 
ter. Its presence is indicated by the gum which exudes near or at 
the surface of the ground. The worm resumes its depredations in 
the spring, and emerges, a perfect insect, late in June, or early in 
July. The doctor’s remedy is, to put ashes about the collar, or 
lower part of the stock, and particularly in the spring. The worm 
is then below the surface, and the rain which percolates through the 
ashes, becomes a ley, which settling into the worm hole, destroys 
the insect. Whatever prevents the eggs being deposited near the 
surface, as covering the lower part of the stock with straw in the 
spring, so that the frosts of winter may destroy the insects ere they 
penetrate the ground—or whatever will destroy the worm when un¬ 
der the ground, as the alkali of lime, ashes, &c. will preserve the 
peach tree from the depredations of this insect. 
FOREIGN WHEAT. 
There was imported, to the port of Baltimore alone, between the 
first of January and first of November of the current year, 164,408 
bushels of foreign wheat, and an equal amount, probably, to the 
ports of New-York and Philadelphia. It may be deemed good for¬ 
tune that these supplies Of foreign bread stuffs have come to our 
