animals, a harmony which serves to perfect the pleasures of the domestic circle, and develop in the human breast an attachment to the birthplace. It furnishes mankind with nearly all things necessary to existence, and thus secures true independence, affording a protection from the corruptions which so often prevail among the inhabitants of cities. In a word, the interest of the land-owner is so intimately identified with the general interests of the country at large, that the most worthy rural proprietors everywhere constitute the class best fitted to direct public affairs. Under all these considerations, agriculture offers to the human race the chief means for its multiplication, independence, and moral progress. More than any other active branch of industry, it gives character to national life. In the order of the material world and the province of labor, it is the power which best carries out the objects of creation. The preeminence of agriculture over other arts has been so often proclaimed among the ancients as well as the moderns, that it may be regarded as an axiom. Even in the eighteenth century, in France, a melancholy epoch charged with so many vices proceeding from the influence of courtesans corrupted by luxury and idleness, the administrators of public affairs were obliged to make an official acknowledgment of their respect for agriculture. "Among the useful arts," says Cicero, "there is none superior to Agriculture, none more fruitful, none more agreeable, none more worthy of a freeman." -De Officiis. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. † EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PLATE 1. Short-Horned Cows. PLATE 2. p. 1117. Varieties of Wheat, with the most destructive Ene mies. a, Summer or Spring Wheat. b, Winter or Lammas Wheat. c, Egyptian Wheat. d, Turgid Wheat. e, Polish Wheat. f, Spelt Wheat. g, One-grained Wheat. h, The Wheat Fly of Scotland, New Eng PLATE 4. p. 1044. Rice, Sugar, Tobacco, &c. a, Canary corn. b, Rice Plant. c, Wild Rice. d, Sugar Cane. e, Indigo Plant. f, Virginian Tobacco Plant. g, Common Green Tobacco. h, Havanna Repanda Tobacco. i, Quadrivalvis Tobacco of the Rocky Mointains. k, Mana Tobacco of the Rocky Mountains. PLATE 5. p. 575. land, &c., the larva or worm of which destroys Hay-Grasses adapted to particular Soils and Situa the grain in the head or chaff. i, One of the Worms magnified. k, The Hessian Fly, which attacks the stem near its root. 1, A portion of Wheat Straw affected with Rust, magnified, to show the parasitic plant or fungus giving rise to the disease called Rust, Blight, and Mildew. m, Another portion of a Diseased Stem in a green state, and before the fungus is quite ripe. n, The small portion marked 1 (1) is still more strongly magnified. o, p, q, r, s, t, u, Very highly magnified representations of the Fungus Parasite in different stages of growth and maturity. o, Showing it in the young state; p, fullgrown; q, two plants bursting and shedding their seeds when under water in the microscope; r, two plants bursting in a dry place; s, apparently abortive; t, seeds in a dry state; u, a small part of the bottom of a pore with some of the parasitic fungi growing upon it. PLATE 3. p. 139. Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, and Millet. a, b, c, d, Varieties of Barley. e, White, or Common Oat. f, Siberian or Tartarian Oat. h, Tartarian Buckwheat. 1, Commcn Millet. tions. The first group exhibits the Tall Hay-Grasses of temporary duration; the second group, Tall Hay-Grasses of permanent duration; the third group, Grasses adapted to particular soils and situations. a, Ray or Rye-Grass (Lolium perenne), Perennial Darnel, Perennial Rye-Grass. b, Orchard Grass, or Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata). c, Woolly or Creeping Soft Grass (Holcus mollis). cc, Tall Oat-like Soft Grass, Andes Grass (Holcus avenaceus). d, Meadow Barley-Grass (Hordeum pratense). dd, Meadow, or Fertile Fescue (Festuca pratensis). e, Tall, or Infertile Fescue (Festuca elatior). f, Spiked, or Darnel Fescue Grass (Festuca loliacea). g, Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis). h, Great, or Smooth-stalked Meadow Grass, Spear-Grass (Poa pratensis). i, Rough-stalked Meadow Grass (Poa tr vialis). k, Timothy, or Meadow Cat's-tail (Phleum pratense). 1, Floating Fescue (Festuca fluitans). PLATE 6. p. 576. Grasses. The first group exhibits the Early Pasture Grasses; the second and third groups Pasture Grasses adapted to particular soils and situations. a, Sweet-scented Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum). b, Downy Oat-Grass (Avena pubescens). f, Dog's-tail Grass (Cynosurus cristatus). c, Furze or Whin (Uex Europaus). g, Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). i, Long-awned Fescue (Festuca hordeiformis). k, Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina). 1, Alpine Meadow Grass (Poa alpina). m, Turfy Hair Grass (Aira cæspitosa). N, Common Quaking Grass, or Ladies' Tresses (Briza media). PLATE 7. p. 577. Grasses, &c., found in Fields and Meadows. a, Field Brome Grass (Bromus arvensis). b, Soft Brome (Bromus mollis). c, Darnel (Lolium temulentum). The Chess or Cheat of Europe. d, White Darnel (Lolium arvense). e, Welsh Fescue (Festuca Cambrica). f, Crab, or Finger Grass (Digitaria sangui nalis). g, Red Top (Tricuspis). h, Blue Grass (Poa compressa). i, Creeping Soft Grass, or Couch Grass. k, Creeping Dog's Tooth (Cynodon dactylon). 1, Upright Sea Lime Grass, Star, or Bent (Elymus arenarius). m, Matt Grass (Psamma arenarium). n, Gama Grass. o, Scott's Grass (Panicum hirtellum). p, Guinea Grass (Panicum polygamum). q, Cow Wheat (Melampyrum pratense). r, Tare, or Common Vetch (Vicia sativa). t, Chick-Pea (Cicer arietinum). v, Canadian Lentil (Vicia pisiformis). w, White Lupine (Lupinus albus.) PLATE 8. p. 339. Plants cultivated for Hay or Herbage. a,White,or Creeping Clover (Trifolium repens). k, Yarrow (Millefeuille, Fr.). PLATE 10. p. 1108. Weeds and Plants troublesome to the Farmer. a, Cockle, or Corn Campion (Agrostemma Githago). b, Mellilot Clover (Trifolium officinalis). c, Tares. Smooth Tare (Ervum tetraspermum). d, Black Bindweed (Polygonum Convolvulus). e, Dodder (Cuscuta Europaa). f, Mellilot trefoil of Switzerland. g, Charlock, or Wild Radish (Raphans Raphanistrum). h, Hariff, Cleavers, &c. (Galium Aperine). n, Black Foxtail (Alopecurus agrestis). p, Hedge Parsley, or Dill (Torilis infesta). r, Bawd-Money. Fennel. (Meum bunias). t, Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus). u, Blue Bottle. Ragged Robin. (Centaurea Cyanus). v, Mayweed. themis Cotula). Stinking Chamomile. (An v, v, St. John's Wort (Hypericum). w, Ox-eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum). w w, Chamomile Feverfew (Matricaria Cha momilla). x, Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis vel vulgaris). xx, Yellow Toad-Flax (Linaria vulgaris). y, Cinquefoil (Potentilla Pennsylvanica). yy, Soap Wort. Bouncing Bet. (Saponaria officinalis). PLATE 11. p. 628. b, Common Red, or Biennial Clover (Trifo- Russian Bee-Hive and Echium vulgare, called lium pratense). c, Meadow, or Cow Clover (Trifolium medium). d, Yellow, or Shamrock Clover (Trifolium procumbens). e, Lupuline Clover (Medicago lupulina). f, Flesh-coloured, or Roussillon Clover (Trifolium incarnatum). g, Saintfoin (the Bourgogne or Esparcette of the French). h, Lucern (Medicago sativa). i, Yellow Lucern (Medicago falcata). k, Long-rooted Clover (Trifolium macrokizum). PLATE 9. p. 619. Inferior Herbage, Plants occasionally cultivated. a, Burnet (Poterium Sanguisorba). b. Spurry (Spergula arvensis). in Russian Ciniak. 1, The Hive with the upper door removed so as to show the interior, and arrangement of the honey frames. a, Movable doors; b, wooden pegs; c, movable pieces on which the doors are supported; d, slats separating the comb from the doors; e, frames in which the honey is deposited; f, entrances with slides. 2, One of the Honey Frames drawn out. 3, Grating, or Adapter. 4, Movable Board for separating. 5, A Transverse Section of the Hive, showing, at f, the places of entrance; at a, the depth to which the frames extend; and at c, one of the combs. 6, The Echium vulgare, or Ciniak, with its Root, Efflorescence, and nut-like Fruit. 4, Cucumber Fea (Haltica striolata). Mag nified. See pages 172 and 173. 5, May Beetle, or Dor Bug (Phyllophaga quercina) See pages 172, 173. A 6, Pine Tree Weevil (Hylobius pales). most destructive insect to the Southern pine forests. See WEEVILS. 7, Moth of the Corn Cut-Worm (Agrotis clandestina). See CUT-WORM. 8, Female Fly of the Peach Tree Worm (Egeria exitiosa). See PEAR TREE BORER. 9, Bee, or Wax Moth (Gallerea cereana). See page 168. The three insects which follow are to be regarded as friendly to the interests of man, as they prey upon those which are destructive. 10, Caravus Gorgi, one of a large family which preys upon caterpillars, &o 11, Lady Bird, or Lady Bug (Coccinella borealis). This insect lives upon plant-lice and other injurious insects. 12, Trogus Fulvis, an insect of the Ichneumon Family, which commit great havoc among caterpillars and grubs. See ICHNEUMON FLIES. N. B. Most of the subjects of this plate were furnished expressly for this work by Professor Haldeman, of Marietta, Pennsylvania, and drawn under his inspection by Miss Lawson, of Philadelphia. |