The Van Buren press., 1874-05-26

My previous lectures, as you know,
have been confined to the uses and abuses,
or rather to the oft repeated errors as ex.
hibited throughout our country on the
one hand, and the gradual advance of
science on the other, in the department
OF agriculture.
shall venture to hope that you have
in greater or less degree profited by
what has been said OF that subject
now propose to address to you some re
marks on by no means a iseren,subjcct
but one so very closely AI.ed as to exhib'
it no well marked, but rather an magina.
ry line between the two, The word az.
riculture, as rendered by Mr.. Webster,
and believe by every other English lex
icographer, means in short the cultiva.
tion Of the ground for the purpose oil
producing vegetables and food for the
use of man and beast, on large scale
Horticulture, from the Latin word h0ytuS
a garden and cultura, cultivation, while
closely allied to agriculture on one side,
from which, however, it is distinguished
by the nature of its products, and by the
more limited extent and greater com
plexity of its operations. on the other
side, and its processes of embellishments
approaches the department of landscapes
and flowers, from which however it re
tires in the comparative minuteness of its
details. Like other arts, Horticulture
borrows its principles from the general
sciences. To botany it is beholden fol
the facts and theories of vegetable physi
ology. To chemistry, Tor assistance in
reference to soils, manures and artificial
heat. With these subjects the scientific
horticulturist will not fail to make him
self familiar. 1t is very desirable, how
ever, that such information SHOULD be.
come extensively difrused among prac
teal men.
Gardening is said to have been the
first occupation of man. In all ages of
the world it has numbered among its vo-
taries some of the wisest and best OF our
race, and by such men at all times has
been deemed delightful employment
But in order to yield either profit or
pleasure it must be prosecuted under
standingly. The acquisition of this know
ledge is not in our day at all difficult
He that reads UNDERSTANDING the books
by various authors, notes the directions,
and executes according TO formulas, can
not fail of success, and will be rewarded
by our good old mother earth in health,
profit and pleasure. NJ, White, in Lis
-" Gardening far the. sAselth, remarks
that gardening in ali its departments is
regarded as the peculiar province of the
ladies, not, Of course, meaning that they
are expected to perform the labor in Its
preparation and culture, but that all well
informed, right minded ladies becoming
house wives and matrons will naturally
take deep interest in the manipuations
of the garden, directing The management
of all its operations, in order that the ia.
bic may be furnished with a bountiiul
supply of fresh and choice vegetables and
luscious fruits and her flower pots and
vases with those richest and rarest EN-.
blems Of etlnement-1owers, whose rich
perfume imbues the soul and inspires the
beholder with an ardent love for the
beautiful, and crowns the occupant as 4
queen who rules the useful and the beau
tiful Once inspired by the love Of flow
ers one is led to the admiration OF what
the lamented Downing denominates the
flower of commodities, and declares to
be the most perfect union Of the useful
and the beautiful that the earth knows
That trees, full Of soft foliage, blossoms
fresh with spring beauty, and finally,
fruit, rich, bloom clustered, melting and
luscious, are the treasures of the orchard
and the garden tcmptingly offered to
every land holder in this bright and tenn.
perate climate. These things being true,
who does not desire to learn ana know
how they are to be obtained how propa.
gated, cultivated, pruned, matured and
fruited. Modern horticulture has point
ed out clearly the ways and means of
procuring almost everything that can be
desired to give paradisiacal richness to
our vegetable, fruit and flower gardens
The gifted Downing so declared it, and
| am witness that it is true Now,
then, shall we avail ourselves Of these
treasures, or shall we reject the offerings
Of natures richest bounties, and volunta.
rily place ourselves under ban Of ex.
pulsion from all the fair and goodly pro.
duc,ions of the garden2 If not, then let
us proceed to discuss the modes Of ra-
tional induction, in order that we may
arrive at safe conclusions IN the aggre
gate. The size of the gorden should al
ways correspond to that OF the family
and to the amount Of supplies demand.
ed for the use of the same. In our genial
climate the character of the SOL is Of
more importance than sit uation or aspect
The mechanical texture is especially to be
regarded, as on this depends the proper
retention of manures and mostures
There are two grand divisions Of soils,
denominated heavy and light, which pass
into each other by imperceptible grada.
ton Heavy soils are those in which
clay predominates and by some are
termed cold, waxy lands. Such is not.
nor can it be made fit for garden with
out receiving very large amount OF
muck or mould, and thrice rs much
sand, to be incorporated with it, ali of
which is large amount of work that can
almost always be dispensed with by the
selection of proper kind of soil. which
is attainable in almost any country,
Light soils are those in which sand aud
fine gravel predominate. The water
which falls on these soils passes readily
A. .l than Ia hunAmp