Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-09-02

"reminiscences of Lake Champlain
and Grand Isle County, Verm ont.

ei1% VA aAd AS4S SOuuGy CA4 Ill O1I'
Such articles as the following, which is from
one who knows whereof he speaks, add to the
stock of our knowledge. Ed.
Back 10 South Hero: homage is paid to that
deeply -engravtn law If nature, plants and ami
mails must depend for kind, qnantly and quality,
on circumstances. One positively known as
any is, temperature. The average annual, though
about the Same real temperature of The whole
Island, is probubly, some part OF the year, some
what above neighboring towns. Yet, with few
exceptions, plants and animals DO not differ.
This being 50, we are struck with early travellers
finding chostnut-lrees plenty further north, in
country where snow falls three or four feet deep
at Chambly and few miles south Of Montreal,
on The hanks -Af L.~kA 81 I-o..'- NL---,-i i.
too, in discovering this lake, taxes creduIty
heavily in making the chestnut abundant at
Rouse's Point, latitude As deg. The facts are
since, trial has been made on the west side Isle
La Mott, on the Fisk place, more fuYomble, with
total want Of success. Also, one half century
ago, more or less, pains, were taken to trans
plant three young chestnut trees near the South
island centre. One only lived, and although
living, produces no sprouts or fruit, as in nat
ural cline. 1t will be recolleCted, that maturing
70 fruit 10 either case, cannot be accounted toI
by standing alone As Botanists would say, the
plant was complete Monecian fruit bearing
within itself All proving the chestnut barely
thrive in warmer parts Of Vermont, and in SIM
attudes.
The peach tree has nlso been tried, protected
as much as could be by hollows and standing
apples trees, VERY productive, but most alway
proved a failure. One man did however, in
very warm year, raise thirty or forty bushels
Notwithstanding the black gum (Pepperidge*
grows wild on the Island (Bullers,) north cas-
and it is borne in mind, plants and animals ar
natnralzed TO different and colder countries a
the potatoes 10 Ireland, Indian corn to Europ
&c, and the silk worm to France north @
nativity.
As to animals black squirrels we're ncve
known till about Augaat, 1906 or 1877, and the
swan over from Colchester and other towns, ad
joining the lake, in such numbers producing as
tonishlnent, not, as often written, son bark O
pieces of wood, using their tails for sails, -" BIT
swimming out.andout, taking advantage OF
warm day and slight south wind to wait thet
to our shore where they dried and re ted an
summed themselves. Their tails, instead of be
ing used as sails, served being drier, to buoy "
:, in addition, apparently employed to steer will
1t is believed the black squirrel never frequent
any country ill somewhat advanced in cuItlvf
ton. South LIcro's case proves things, in rcgpr
to squirrels in any point of view, curious -
was noticed that the common red squirrel
great swnmer,) was less frequent, that few wei
seen of any kind unless what hunters called ii
mongre', half way in size and looks between Il
new black and Old red +; now The old pure red
" as plenty as ever and the black wholly suppa
o ted by the grcy.--But again, more directly
our case = the products Of South island wer
: inviting to the black squirrel lately only, |
swimming, as any town in northwestern We
u mont it was older in settlement, only hayir
IS *rhe facts are elder Botanists disagree wi
II ater. The last make this plant measurably il
dependent Of temperature in so far as lattu
il concerned. Philosophy says th' earth's su
D. lace bears the same relation TO its temperotur
rs hat plates Of lin, moe or less naturally rehec
:, ing, do to the finished kitchen bsker Ia sho
:. nay not the Pcpperiage," (uuknown it al
u thln the aquatic species is found far Norh)
possessed ut qualify other species aud phr
III have not--of being Influenced, perhaps favor
ii by bv some condition cnld Affords or at best
:. fleets he harmless? The two species have
u isrent colored wood. The first white, the Sc
n, ond dark, called black gum'--likey the CO.
ii non name of both Again, if higher or dffere
&c temperature be necessary for the first spec
md may result from reflection, ought not ii
III circumstance to be given along with all bntn
id ia peculiarlties, aud none moro important
s. If any than aquatic species exist in the valley
"a Lake ChamplaIn, on the bench OF the isant
:, in geological language shingle.) or in other
: latiHs as far north, explaaalion might be four
lie tho less common, why this plant grows in {
III United States" yet barely in certain sections