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the same nature can be expected. During this fallow time a new quantity of the mineral will be decomposed, and a new quantity of the lost element produced.

This explanation, like all others given by the author, of the circumstances which are favorable or opposed to the abundance of crops, is altogether founded on accurate analyses of the different plants generally cultivated, and on a complete knowledge of the chemical composition of the different soils. In a scientific point of view, they are most satisfactory, while, at the same time, to the practical man they must furnish many excellent ideas.

We think, however, that the scientific value of the book is much superior to its practical one. For, although it cannot be denied that it makes us acquainted with the soil which best suits each family of plants, or the means of making each given soil best adapted to each given crop; this, it will be remembered, is less important, in our country at least, where good lands, adapted to each kind of produce, are in abundance, and where labor is comparatively high, and consequently the application of the principles can more rarely be made, it being thought preferable to invest capital in new lands, to expending it in the improvement of others, except in some special and very limited cases.

It was by no means the intention of the author to write a treatise upon agriculture. He has merely considered this noble art as far as it can derive benefits from organic chemistry. For which reason he scarcely mentions the physical and geological characters of the soil, though these, with the climate, have even a greater importance than its mineral composition. In looking over an immense extent of flat country, we see that with the same atmospheric circumstances, and the same exposure, as respects the sun, the crops rarely vary, although growing in soils whose composition is very different; on the other hand, in a very limited extent of broken country, the greatest differences may be seen, though the mineral composition of the soil is the same. So we find, for instance, that on the Neckar, on the Rhine, the Moselle, and the Saar, the growth of the grape vine is exclusively limited to the valleys of these rivers, or rather, to the slopes of the mountains which border them on both sides; so it is, also, in Champagne, where the sloping borders of the Marne present the most cheerful aspect, while, on the contrary, the plains which extend to an immense distance on both sides of this river, though composed of the same calcareous soil, are of a most monotonous character.

The geological character of the soil is not of less importance. So, for instance, a shady soil will show very different qualities, according as it is on the slope of a hill, or on its top, or at its baseaccording as it is more or less deep, and resting upon a stratum permeable or impermeable to water.

This work, we repeat, is not at all to be considered as a treatise on agriculture. It is a volume of interpretations of some of those

Besides its

marvellous pages which compose the book of nature. contents on agriculture, there are in it some chapters on the decay of organic beings, and, in general, on the modifications which vegetable matters are subjected to. Alcoholic fermentation, or formation of wines; acid fermentation, or formation of vinegar; (in the vegetable kingdom;) and the formation of nitric acid and nitre, by the decomposition of animal matters, is treated with great skill.

It is not a book to be recommended exclusively to any one class of readers. Whoever feels any curiosity about the wonderful means by which the surface of our globe, as well with regard to its living beings as to its mineral composition and shape, is constantly changing, by which death and destruction are followed by new creation and life; whoever has been enabled to understand one of the thousand voices which so harmoniously sound from every shapeless stone, from every drop of water, from each leaf and humble flower, will find in this book a new source of enjoyment. Some have an idea that the only object of science is the discovery of steam engines, and apparatus needed in the useful arts; while, on the contrary, her true votaries worship the divinity for her own sake-for the intellectual enjoyment she procures them; and, strange as it may seem, all the discoveries, most important even for their usefulness, have been made by the latter class. To those who interrogate science in this manner, we have no doubt Liebig's ideas on life and decomposition will be interesting, should they even not always seem unexceptionable.

4. Biography and Poetical Remains of the late Margaret Miller Davidson. By WASHINGTON IRVING. Philadelphia: 1841. Lea and Blanchard.

WHEN We finished this touching narrative of real life, we could but reiterate the language of Mr. Irving, and say, "we shall not pretend to comment on these records; they need no comment." And even now, when our emotions are calmed, we feel little disposition to add any thing further, than to recommend every one to read it. It is a simple tale, simply and beautifully told, composed altogether of the "lights and shadows," the little incidents which made up the young spirit's life, fondly treasured in the memory, and feelingly narrated by a bereaved mother to the biographer. The subject of it was indeed a bright exhalation, too pure for this earth, a "bright planet" that will shine long "above the waste of memory." We should

"Rejoice for her, that when the garland of her life
Was blighted, and the springs were dried,
She received her summons hence."

No one could censure a mother's pride and affection for so remarkable a child, nor doubt the facts related of her, especially as she has passed from life unto death-it would be desecration; yet, of all precocious children, she is the most remarkable. When not quite two and a half years old, her sister Lucretia died, and yet the event make a strong impression upon her; she understood and appreciated Lucretia's character. The recollection of her death is not so extraordinary, but the comprehension and estimation of her character is inexplicable, unless indeed great poetical ardor had quite transformed her nature, and introduced her to a "communion of saints," ere her "mortal had put on immortality." The verses addressed to her sister are beautiful, and her Leonora is wonderful, considering her age. In perusing this most interesting volume, one is lost in admiration of the child, and won back by love to the gentle devoted Christian mother-the drooping withered plant, surviving the loss of so many buds of promise. Surely, she too must have been endowed with the like gift; her little Margaret appears to have been but a miniature of herself.

5. A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, adapted to North America; with a view of Improvement of Coun try Residences, with remarks on Rural Architecture. By A. T. DOWNING. New York and London: 1841. Wiley and Putnam.

THE publication of this volume may be considered a new epoch in the annals both of our literature and of our social history; for while on the one hand it is our first attempt in a kind of literary productions, of which England gives every year so many beautiful specimens, it shows, on the other, that we have arrived at that stage of advancement, in which all minds are not needed for inventing or discovering new sources of material wealth, nor all hands for turning them into public use. We do not mean to say that it is not until very recently that the attention of the wealthier part of our community has been directed toward the embellishment of summer residences; we know, in the vicinity of our city, and on the banks of our beautiful river, of several places which give proofs of the contrary; we merely state that this is the first publication by which posterity will be enabled to judge how far, in 1841, the art of gardening here was advanced. We do not intend to dwell on the moral good which may result from a residence in the country, in a place where the beauties of nature procure innocent enjoyments, which do not require the aid of city pleasures to keep ennui at a distance. In opening the volume before us, it was with a view of ascertaining how far the contents correspond to the title. We shall briefly

communicate to the reader the impression which it made upon ourselves.

The work is divided into ten sections, headed as follows: - I. Historical Sketches; II. Beauties of Landscape Gardening; III. Wood and Plantations; IV. Deciduous Ornamental Trees; V. Evergreen Ornamental Trees; VI. Vines and Climbing Plants; VII. Treatment of Ground - Formation of Walks: VIII. Treatment of Water; IX. Landscape or Rural Architecture; X. Embellishments Architectural, Rustic, and Floral.

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The author considers a landscape garden as composed of certain elements, which he examines and describes minutely. These elements are, the natural character of the locality, architectural buildings, water, and plants. The last he divides into two classes, namely, those which constitute and adorn parks, and those which constitute and give variety and beauty to flower gardens. The former class contains trees and vines, while the latter is composed of flowering herbaceous plants and shrubs. The fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters are devoted to the first class. There the reader will find descriptions of the finest indigenous and imported, but hardy trees and creepers, written in beautiful language, and intermingled with numerous quotations from favorite English poets, and also from Delille and some other foreign writers. It may seem to some readers, that too much attention is paid to this embellishment of the book, and to this desire of suiting it to the taste of the fair reader. But we cannot complain that a man who spends his days among flowers and their perfumes, should try to give a little variety to the uniform green sward of a descriptive work, by interspersing it here and there with pots of Bengal roses and fragrant geraniums.

Plants being considered here as elements of landscape gardening, could not be classified according to any botanical system; hence the author, we think with great success, arranges them according to their physiognomy, or rather according to their forms. Trees he divides into round-headed, oblong or pyramidal, spirytopped, and drooping. The descriptions of the individual genera of trees are made interesting by historical notices on the largest and most celebrated of each kind. It treats especially of those kinds which are hardy, and may be cultivated in any part of the country south of Albany.

The book contains, moreover, a most valuable catalogue of herbaceous plants, and of shrubs, arranged according to the time in which they flower, and with an indication of their size and colors. This part of the book we consider as by far the most important, and we cannot but regret that it was not more extended, to the exclusion, if necessary, of much that is now devoted to parks. For while almost every person who resides on a small estate in the country, would be able to derive great enjoyment from a flowergarden, intermingled with shrubs, there are but very few even of

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our most wealthy citizens, who have the means of laying out extensive grounds in parks, lawns, and miniature lakes.

The book, then, is adapted to North America, inasmuch only as it makes us acquainted with the greatest number of plants which stand our climate, and may be introduced into our plantations. We cannot say all our plants, because we miss from the catalogues some of our own indigenous trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, the sight of which in our fields and woods always delights us. Of these we may mention our wild cherry trees (prunus Virginiana, Canadensis, and obovata), whose deep green and generally glossy foliage would produce such a beautiful effect, when contrasted with that of most other trees; while the delicate white flowers, with which they are covered at the end of May and the beginning of June, give them a great beauty, even independently of the contrast. We are the more surprised at not seeing them mentioned, as M. Chevreul, of the French Institute, in his work on the subject,* makes such a happy use of these very trees, in combining them with the Judas tree, with whose flowers those of the wild cherry harmonize most beautifully. In the list of shrubs we looked in vain for some of the most beautiful of our natives, which are well adapted to embellish our summer retreats. Among others we noticed, that of the numerous species of andromeda not one is honored with a place in the catalogue, though some of them are worthy of being placed on the flower-stand of the drawing-room.

These remarks must, however, be considered as an expression of our regret, rather than a criticism on the book. We expected to find our less known plants recommended for landscape gardening and the embellishment of villas, as well as those which, from being naturalized in Europe, have there acquired a certain celebrity. We expected to find even a peculiar attention paid to the indigenous plants which adorn our woods. The author is himself a distinguished gardener, having formed one of the most complete collections of trees and shrubs in this country, which led us to hope to find a fuller account of them in his landscape gardener; and the defect in this respect is almost the only one worthy of being noticed in Mr. Downing's book.

Beside very good and interesting descriptions of trees and vines, there are in this work drawings of villas and cottages, plans of establishments upon a larger scale, and of extensive grounds, with an enumeration of the most remarkable hot-houses in the country; of these Mr. Perry's, at Brooklyn, deserves to be particularly noticed, which is superior to any of the same size in Europe. Our climate is so different from any in Europe, that if we are to adapt landscape gardening to our own country, we must emancipate ourselves as soon as possible from European tutelage. Any one who has had an opportunity of comparing our vegetation with that of

* La loi du contraste des couleurs, par E. Chevreul. Paris: 1839.

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