Year: 1865

crn limit at which the peach can be made
to grow, we shall find it to possess suffi-
cient hardihood during the first winter
to withstand twenty or more degrees
below zero without injury.


If VIC continue our experiments and
plant the cherry instead Of the peach we
shall find that in the southern part of the
State our trees would pass through oil
the stages Of growth of the season, as
early as the first half Of July, leaving
three months of rest before the autumn.
al frosts could act as bar to further de-
velopmcnts In the cherry, subjected as
it has been to longer period of time
than was needed to ripen its wood and
buds, and the leaves having performed
their office, gradually reach that degree
of maturity that renders them no longer
useful, they are therefore cast of, and
the trees are in their lcahess condition
when the warm autumnal rains excite
them to second growth the crude juices
ascend to tho leaves making room for
and creating new matter; while at the
same time in their descent, woody sub
stances and young roots are formed by
the addition to the cellular tissues. Wa
ter thus accumulates in the system and
is not decomposed or disposed of by per-
spiration or by granulation of the sap in
the requisite degree. The trees there
fore, can neither ripen its wood nor form
it's inner structure, and is therefore in-
capable of resisting those extremes Of
temperature which would be harmless to
mature plants Both the cherry and
peach FIRST considered, are somewhat in
the same condition, and both from SINH
lar causes, though acting somewhat diff
terently; are about equally tender and
are incapable of resisting great extremes
of cold. 1t therefore becomes apparent
that correct knowledge of the require.
ments of plants in different soils and un.
der different climatic influences must be
we'll known before we can select situa-
tions suitable for them.


Most vegetable psychologists in dc.
scribing the conditions of hardihood in
plants, agree that the same plants grow
ing in dry climate, or in dry soil, or in {
situation thoroughly drained from water
during the winter will resist much more
cold than if cultivated in damp climate
or in wet soil, or in place affected BY
water in winter. Whatever tends to
Of conducting heat, and consequently
augment the susceptibility Of plants to
the Influences Of frost; and whatever
tends to diminish their humidity will
also diminish their susceptibility this
is an invarable law, and must conse-
quently be regarded as a Fundamental
principle in horticulture, upon attention
tion to which all success in the adapta.
tion OF plants to climate less warm than
their own, will essentially depend


In selecting sites adapted to the wants
of the orchardist, it will be we'll to pay
attention to elevations with their approx
innate surroundings such as large or
small streams of water, tho protection
ard influences Of timber and other causes
more or less local in their action.


Most persons on descending into low
valleys of still night, especially in
those watered by small streams, cannot
have failed to observe the great degree
of cold always present in these situations
The comparative difference in tempera-
ture will be found to be greatest when
the atmosphere is still and highly charg-
cd with moisture. Small, shallow bodies
of water absorb heat rapidly during the
day, consequently the valley is warmer
than the. hill; they part with it with
equal facility in the night, and now their
relative conditions are changed the
warm air has risen, and the cold air,
from its greater density has descended
and there remains.


The valley is not 80 cold in the early
part of the night as it is later; much Of
the heat Of the air is absorbed by the
water in evaporation, which is always q
cooling process, and the hotter has been
the day. the greater will be the differ
ence between the temperature of the hill
and valley. As for example, in certain
portions of Hindostan, where the atmos.
phere is very dry and hot, ice Of
fourth of an inch in thickness is formed
on water exposed at night in broad shal,
law pans; this is due to the rapid evap.
Grafton which cools the water. Countries
covered with dense forests, owing to their
retention of moisture, are colder in the
same latitude than those less thickly
wooded


Take Germany for instance where the
vine and fruits are perfected, was once
cold and desolate region. This great
change has been occasioned by the cut
ting down of their immense forests, thus
admitting the warm air from the Medit-
erranean, and the consequent drying up
Of swamps and marshes Yearly obser-
vations made in our neighborhood on
elevations varying from 20 to 25o feet
above, and bordering on the Mississippi
river, give difference in temperature on
still nights, as great as twelve degrees.


During the past fall, at an elevation Of
250 feet, and distant 200 yards from the
river, frost was barely pcrceptible; on
descending to near the mouth Of ravine,
which acts as a drain for the passage Of
cold air to considerable extent of
country, ice had formed of the thickness