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observation and experience will soon discover it; and experiments have al. ready been made, which prove the facility of raising as fine varieties of fruit in this country, as any which have been imported from others.

Almost every plant, the existence of which is not confined to a single summer, admits of two modes of propagation; by division of its parts, and by seed. By the first of these methods, we are enabled to multiply an individual into many; each of which, in its leaves, its flowers, and fruit, permanently retains, in every respect, the character of the parent stock. No new life is here generated; and the graft, the layer, and cutting, appear to possess the youth and vigour, or the age and debility of the plant, of which they once formed a part. No permanent improve. ment has therefore ever been derived, or can be expected, from the art of the grafter, or the choice of stocks of different species or varieties; for, to use the phrase of Lord Bacon, the graft in all cases overruleth the stock, from which it derives aliment, but no motion. Seedling plants, on the contrary, of every cultivated species, sport in endless variety. By selection from these alone, therefore, we can hope for success in our pur. suits of new and improved varieties of every species of plant or fruit; and to promote experiments of this kind, the Horticultural Society pro. pose to give some honorary premiums to those who shall produce before them, or such persons as they shall appoint, valuable new varieties of fruit, which having been raised from seeds, have come into existence since the establishment of the institution.

In the culture of many fruits, without reference to the introduction of new varieties, the Society hope to be able to point out some important improvements. Several sorts, the walnut and mulberry, for instance,

are not produced till the trees have acquired a considerable age, and therefore, though the latter fruit is highly valued, it is at present very little cultivated. But experiments have lately been made, which prove that both walnut and mulberry trees may be readily made to produce fruit at three years old; and there appears every reason to believe, that the same mode of culture would be equally successful in all similar cases.

In training wall trees there is much. in the modern practice that appears defective and irrational: no attention whatever is paid to the form which the species or variety naturally assumes; and be its growth upright, or pendent, it is constrained to take pre. cisely the same form on the wall.

The construction of forcing hou. ses appears also to be generally very defective, and two are rarely constructed alike, tho' intended for the same purposes: probably not a single building of this kind has yet been erected, in which the greatest possible quantity of space has been obtained, and of light and heat admitted, proportionate to the capital expended." It may even be questioned, whether a single hot bed has ever been made in the most advantageous form; and the proper application of glass, where artificial heat is not employed, is certainly very ill understood.

Every gardener is well acquainted with methods of applying manure with success, to annual plants; for these, as, Evelyn has justly observed, having but little time to fulfil the intentions of nature, readily accept nutriment in almost any form in which it can be offered them but trees, being formed for periods of longer duration, are frequently much injured by the injudicious and excessive use of manure. The gardener is often ignorant of this circumstance; and not unfrequently forms a compost for his wall trees, which for a few years stimulating them to preternatu

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ral exertion, becomes the source of disease and early decay.

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It is also generally supposed that the same ingredients, and in the same proportion to each other, which are best calculated to bring one variety of any fruit to perfection, are equally, well adapted to every other variety of that species. But experience does not justify this conclusion, and the peach in many soils acquires a high degree of perfection where its variety,thenectarine, is comparatively of little value, and the nectarine frequently possesses its full flavour in a soil which does not well suit the peach, The same remark is also applicable to the pear and apple; and as defects of opposite kinds occur in the varieties of every spécies of fruit, those qualities in the soil which are benefi

hope to receive the support and assistance of those who are interested in, and capable of promoting, the succes of their endeavours.

Critical Observations on HOME, a poem. EVERY one who has remarked lately made their appearance in the the numerous poems that have Scottish metroplis, must congratulate his country on the addition which these make to the catalogue of British poetry. The little volume on which I wish to make a few observations, sent into the world, like many children, anonymously, will not be the less acceptible to the reader, that the author

has not wandered for in search of a subject. Home, however poor it may be, possesses always some attractions; and there are few who will not feel interested in arguments which tend to strengthen that attachment.

cial in some cases, will be found injurious in others. In those districts where the apple and pear are cultivated for cyder and perry, much of the I am not of that surly race of crisuccess of the planter is found to de- tics who read a book only to point pend on his skill, or good fortune, in out its defects. Perfection in huadapting his fruits to the soil. man composition is not to be expectThe preceding remarks are applied; and when an author sits down cable to a part only of the objects which the Horticultural Society have in view; but that they apply to that part in which the practice of the modern gardener is conceived to be most defective, and embrace no inconsiderable field of improvement.

In the execution of their plan the committee feel that the society have many difficulties to encounter, and, they fear, some prejudices to contend with; but they have long been convinced, as individuals, and their aggregate observations have tended only to encrease their conviction, that there scarce exists a single species of esculent plant or fruit, which (relative to the use of man) has yet attained its utmost state of perfection; nor any branch of practical horticulture, which is not still susceptible of essential improvement; and under these impressions they

and spends his time to please or to
instruct, it were hard not to allow
him credit for the attempt, whateve,
the merit of the execution may be.
"Small is the skill my Lord delights to
praise."

The author of the present work is certainly entitled to a considerable degree of credit for the choice he has made of his subject. In a short introductory paragraph, he mentions, that he has never seen any poems. written expressly on the subject of Home ; but this is not to be wondered at, for the homes of most of our British poets of eminence possessed but few charms for celebration in heroics. A garret and a farthing taper, "a cap by night, a stocking all the day," would not be very interesting objects of description or Panegyric. That, however, which

former

former poets have been unable or unwilling to enter upon, has now been attempted by one, who whatever may be his other merits, has at least the praise of placing and describing things in a light different from any of his predecessors.

In offering a few remarks on this work I shall begin with the plan of the poem. The author divides it into three parts, "because," says he, "each part relates to a particular period of time." What particular period of time the author alludes to I cannot, after a careful perusal, pretend to say. Perhaps it may be morning, noon, and night; perhaps infancy, manhood, and old age. If the former, the author has undoubt edly displayed, a great deal of deep thinking, acute observation, and knowledge of the world; for breakfast, dinner, and supper, are not the least attractions to home at these periods. Many people, in remarking the obscurity of the periods alluded to, might set it down as a blemish; but I am of a different opinion, and must regard it as a beauty. If the author had been clear on this point, it might have gratified the ignorant or the indolent reader; but, by leaving it a little in the dark, he affords to the ingenious an opportunity of attempting to specify them. Perhaps few poems, however, could bear to have fewer resting places than this; and there is none that could be divided with less improprie ty into numerous divisions. It is framed with such a masterly hand, that neither a transposition of its parts, nor any manner in which it could be arranged, would hurt either the sense or the melody.

In part first, the author begins with an address to Clydesdale, that district of Scotland watered by the river Clyde. In this he has followed the best models. Thomson begins his seasons with an invocation to Spring, and Pope and many other poets invoke certain heathen deities to their aid. But we prefer the ad

dresses, or invocations, that are made to inanimate objects, to any other; for this reason, among many others, that there is little danger of the poet being interrupted or embarrassed by a reply. In this part the author informs us, that it is better to be at home (he means his fire-side) than among trenches, steel-crowned ramparts, or even the banks of the Clyde in a stormy day; and if there be a female companion," adorned with loveliness and youth," to welcome one, it would be better and better still. What an inestimable discovery is this! Former writers might hint at such a thing being the case; but it was reserved for the beginning of the 19th century, for the author of "Home," to demonstrate it by unanswerable arguments.

In the second part, the author transports his readers to the island of Juan Fernandes, and versifies a chapter of Lord Anson's voyage, for the purpose of telling us, that his fire-side is more agreeable to him than fresh provisions and vegetables could be to the seaman affected with scurvy after a long cruize. He next points out some of those amusements which endear the "seat of his joys to him;" among which are the manuring and planting of fruit trees, the making of zigzag roads, and the propagating of bees.

After a few reflections on the false happiness which "erring men pursue," he indubitably proves that the greater part of the people in the world have hitherto been misled in this point, and that to be completely happy, we must become a cottager, with a large family; labour hard all day to prevent us from thinking and have sometimes the pleasures of going through "plashy fields," or "striving with blinding snows," or, if we are a little better educated, we may amuse our spare hours in 'more intellectualjoys.'

Wealth, pleasure, and power, he asserts, only enlarge our misery; of consequence the reader will perceive that poverty, pain, and dependance,

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no doubt, both amazed and pleased the poor fellow; and the author makes him even question its reality : Can this be real? sure enchantment reigns;

For sees he not, entranced, his native Plains?"

Whether the poor girl had sat in the situation described during the time of her lover's travels, is not positively asserted; but from nothing being said to the contrary, it is more than probable the author means she did. We do not mean to question his veracity by doubting of this cir cumstance; but we cannot help exclaiming, in the emphatic language of Dr Young, "O what a miracle of love is here!" The discovery to Edwin of his real situation, and an assertion that riches cannot contribute in the smallest degree to happines, concludes part second.

"The frantic chace of riches I'disclaim; Love needs them not, to feed his holy flame.

Love needs them not. Let Fortune's

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where trees with musical voices are the performers, and moss roses are the chief dancers! He next describes, his feelings when absent from home: we shall give them in his own words. But we

must remind the reader, that altho', to make his ideas appear more clear, we have extracted them in the form of prose, yet in the title page of the book they are denominated poetry. "Perhaps my Emma drops an'an"guished tear: On me, perhaps, a

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suffering cherub calls-I startthe lights are dim, the banquet "palls; wit pains me ; laughter sick"ens-if I strive with sadness--if "more cheering thoughts revive;--yet, "ceased the bosom's animated tone, "the charm, which gives to joy its "joy, is gone." A prospect from the window of his house next presents itself, which we are confident must please every reader of taste and lover of novelty. The waving corn is seen spreading its chearful green; the ripe grass is requiring the mower to cut it down; the city of Edinburgh “rears "its castled crest on the sunny breast "of Lothian," and the Frith of Forth is moving, with all convenient speed, to wed, fair stream, the Eastern Main." The author leads us next to the West Indies, Africa, &c. in imagination, (by the bye avery cheap and pleasant way of travelling,) till he commands his thoughts to return from their excursion; and after a twilight view of various objects, be presents to us the moon, and many other fine objects. At last, "slumber bekconing bids his revels cease," and he concludes with the following verses, the first couplet of which well characterises his whole production :

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Is this a dream, unauthorised and vain, The light and worthless coinage of the brain? As well to chace the ills that earth deform, Controul the whirlwind, and chastise the storm, May man pretend, as hope the power to find, Of opening ceasless sunshine on the mind, Of binding base desires in Reason's chain, Or calming the rough waves of passion's main

&

Ah, yet, even so, yet better hopes arise,

That scorn the earth, and ask their kindred skies
Hopes, that upon a firmer basis rest,

Than the weak counsels of the human breast.
When Man shall quit his frail abode of clay,
Earth shrink with heat, and sun and moon decay;
When Ruin, grasping stern the starry frame,

Shall, plunge them in th'abyss from which they came ;
The Sire of being, with paternal care,

Shall for his chosen, fit retreats prepare,

From earth; from those bright worlds whose myriads roll,
In fair disorder o'er the mighty pole;

From stars remoter, whose unwearied light
Has striven in vain to dawn on mortal sight;
From planets, which their tremulous orbits trace
On the dim boundary of formless space;
The heirs of bliss, from every stain refined,
Their sorrows and their frailties left behind,
Shall, at his voice,, that calls to glory, come;

Enter the gates of day, and find in Heaven their home."

Such are the three divisions into "which Home, a poem," are arranged. On the propriety of the plan which the author has chosen we will not hazard any opinion. It may be what Milton calls "regular confusion;" but from not being able to comprehend it, I do not absolutely say so. It is certainly novel in some degree, though many former writers, both in prose and verse, have contrived to puzzle their readers as to the meaning and purpose of their works. Oliver Cromwell was a great statesman, though it is related that in his parliamentary speeches his meaning could not be guessed at. In like manner, the author of "Home" may be a consummate poet, though even an intelligent reader may not be able to distinguish whether his book bę prose or verse. The ideas he endeavours to give us of many things might no doubt exist clearly in his mind, though they "leave not a wreck behind". in the conception of any who may give the work a peruBut I do not blame the book

sal.

because it is not to be understood. Incomprehensibility is a prominent beauty in modern poetry; and no

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