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448 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. both—let us cultivate all the land of the country which will pay lor such cultivation, but first let us improve the tillage of that which is now under culture, and look to advancing knowledge to aid us to develope to the utmost the latent powers of those fields which we have now in hand." Gardeners' Chronicle. An Amateur's View on the Propag-ation of Kew Varieties of Fruit. In a late number of the Horticulturist, W. Creed, of Rochester, N. Y., advances a new idea which may prove of great benefit to those who are engaged in the most praiseworthy effort to produce new and improved varieties of fruit, either from natural or artificial fertiliza- tion. An experienced nurseryman can distinguish many varieties of the apple, pear, and other fruit trees, by some peculiar characteristics of leaf, branch, color of bark or habit of growth, as well as he can distinguish one man from another by his peculiar feature^, and in many of the varieties of apples, and pears particularly, we can determine their identity (and they may mostly all be learned) by any one of these features, and with them all combined the mere novice may soon learn to distinguish them. In regard to these peculiar characteristics the writer assumes that " the most important contrast in these distinguishing points, so far as the propagation of new varieties is concerned, is in the seeds themselves ; take up your knife and half quarter a pear from each of the above varieties named. Compare the seeds and the contrast will be as equally convincing as in the fruit, foliage, &c. In reference to the seeds, however, we may expect that ninety-nine in a hundred in any particular variety closely resemble each other in shape, furm, fcc., peculiar to that variety, and producing seedlings exhibiting a close ajjiaily to each other, and, therefore, not likely to result satisfactory to the experimenter ; but as soon as we find a marked difference in the formation of a single seed in any select variety, that seed should be chosen by the amateur, for in that seed (which apparently is one of nature's freaks) is the symbol (in embryo of a new variety, whether "gooil," " very good," or " best," will be left for providence to work out, man also doing his share in the matter. Another part of the success, it is evident, will depend upon tlie choice of tiie best varieties, from Avhich to select one of these ' freaks,' or * spurts,' which are more or less traceable throughout the wln)le classification of vegetable physiology, and intended by an all-wise Being to excite the wonder and admirat#n of man, prompting him to energetic action, and to study out the workings of nature in all its beauty and complicity." Ileusoning from analogy, there seems to be some plausibility in the theory suggested. It is one of the established laws of nature that like nearly begets like. If we examine the seeds of any specimen of a particular variety of pear or apple, we discover a striking similarity of form and color in them, which renders the conclusion a safe one that the little filaments in the blossom, connected with the embryo of each seed, and which constitute the pistils or female organs of the blossom, have been fertilized with pollen of the same variety, but in an orchard containing many kinds of the same fruit, many of these diff'erent varieties blossom at the same time, and the pollen is cast by the wind, or carried by insects from one tree to another ; this coming in contact with a single filament or female organ of a fruit of a different variety, and some peculiarity of the male parent is at once stamped upon the seed in its embryotic state, and this peculiarity is extended to the future tree and fruit, producing a new variety, partaking in part of the combined characteristics of both parents more or less modified. This is an interesting question to the amateur and experimenter, in producing new varieties of fruit, and one, the truth of which, may be easily tested by an experiment in artificial impregnation. If the seeds produced in this manner differ materially from those impregnated on the same tree, in the natural way, it is safe to conclude that the difference was stamped upon them by the male parent from another variety. It is well known to intelligent fruit growers that there are certain varieties of the apple, and of the peach particularly, that more surely produce their own kinds from seed than other varieties do. This is either owing to the period of blossoming, earlier or later than the trees of the same class in general, which renders the blossoms less liable to be fertilized from pollen from other trees, or to some peculiiirity of the blossoms of the variety that is likely to prevent the contact of the fertilizing powder from other kinds. We give these varioiis hints upon an interesting subject that experimenters may have them in mind, with the hope that some light may be cast upon the subject. "We have arrived but at the threshold of investigation and scientific progress, and every new idea that is likeh' to aid investigation and promote improvement is worthy of attention. Valley Farmer. Simple test for Guano.—A bushel of guano, if pure, weighs almost exactly seventy pounds ; if adulterated with light substances (which is rarely the case), it will, of course, weigh less. If clay, marl, sand, &c., have been used, they will be materiall}'increased, and so far as this test applies, gross adulterations will be easily detected.
SOUTHERN PLANTE1?,-ADVEKTIS1NG SHEET. AUGUST & WILLIAMS' Agricultural Registry and Agency Office, t the olHce of the Sonthern Phmier, No. 150 Main Streetj RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. subscribers are engaged in tlie business of jUYiisrG ^:NrD SELLiisra la-Nds, outing orders tor all kinds of iRICULTURAL MACHINERY Al IMPLEMEiTS. SEEDS. IMPROVED STOCK, of every variety, &c., election and shipment of which we will give our personal attention. have now on hand ibr sale^ a large number of Farms in various sections of the State, (see to be found in another part of this paper), to suit persons ol" the most limited or enlarged and will cheerfully furnish information respecting any of them upon ai){)lication. are also Agents Ibr the sale of ** Phelps' Patent Combination Bee-Hivej" which can be seen in operdtion at oui- dffice. s f)ur design to make our office a kind of "Farmers' Head-Quarters/' and cbi'dially invito I call and see us when in the city. They will find cbnstantly on our tfible a number of the icultural periodicals in the country, always open for their inspection and information, iind '. receive and remit subscriptions for the same, /Vce of charge. Lv 1, 1858. ATTGUST & WILLIAMS. •AÎItsTTS. PÎISTTS* PÎISTTS. PURCELL, LADD & CO., iDH.xjc3rca-iJS"rs, No. 122 Main Street, corner 13th, BICHMONO, VIRGINIA, low prices, a large and well assorted stock of articles in their line—embruciiig 'AINTS, COLORS, VARNISHES, OILS, &C. IS' WHITE LEAD, MACHINE OIL. ;W J. WHl IE ZINC, Horsehead brand, PARIS GREEN, CHROME GREEN, CHROME YELLOW, VERDIGRIS. TURKEY UMBKE, TERRA l)£ SIEWNA, LAMI^ OILS, LINSEED OIL, SPTS. TURPENTINE. /ulors for Paiatersj Coach Makers, anil dlher.
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n mn'^ttKmMxtii VOL. XVIII. [JULY.]
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TH E Devoted to Agriculture^ Hortic
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THE SOUTHERN PLANTER., RICHMOND, VI
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But for the support of these ofRcia
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legotiution, the balance is either
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and have laboured to have these law
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To Teachers. We call the attention
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— THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 397 drops
Page 17 and 18: produced in less than one. And this
Page 19 and 20: : thing From the Farmer''s Practica
Page 21 and 22: Comotive velocity that you have not
Page 23 and 24: THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 405 From the
Page 25 and 26: — cow, in milk and butter for fou
Page 27 and 28: Writers have differed considerably
Page 29 and 30: — I shall go into each of their h
Page 31 and 32: THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 41S there is
Page 33 and 34: done a day's work, and until Ihe de
Page 35 and 36: with its inhaling and exhaling and
Page 37 and 38: C«
Page 39 and 40: practical labours, clearness and fu
Page 41 and 42: 152. For tlie best entire colt foal
Page 43 and 44: FAT STOCK—CATTLE. lih Class. 240.
Page 45 and 46: Judges. E. C. Jordan, Jordan's Spri
Page 47 and 48: Class VII. Fan Mill. Hay Press, Dit
Page 49 and 50: 515. For the best bushel of sweet p
Page 51 and 52: BRANCH Vm. Honorary Testimonials to
Page 53 and 54: THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 433 making an
Page 55 and 56: Plants ; and we know, also, as an e
Page 57 and 58: [^From the Valley Farmer. The Hog.
Page 59 and 60: keep company with as many long- han
Page 61 and 62: whose business amounts to from $800
Page 63 and 64: the value of any crop for agricultu
Page 65 and 66: ural and most economical fall feed
Page 67: THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 447 \v']\] be
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