[25].
If the heat and evaporation of a gardener’s pocket for several
days be sufficient to render the seeds of melons and gourds
productive of plants of earlier maturity, that is less disposed to
extension and more to reproduction,—what may be expected
from kiln-drying fir-cones?
[26].
The full ripening of the seeds of some cultivated varieties of
vegetables, and also the drying of the seeds severely without artificial
heat, are found to have considerable influence upon the
germination of the seeds, and even some impression upon the
character of
the resulting plant.
[27].
Covered drains are not adapted for woods, as the matted
fibres of the roots, especially of the semi-aquatic trees, very soon
enter them and form obstructions.
[28].
Laburnum (Cytisus) is the most valuable timber this country
produces. It is equally deep in colour, and takes as fine a
polish as rose-wood, having also something slightly pellucid
in the polished surface. From its extreme hardness, it
is much better adapted for use than mahogany, not being
indented or injured by blows or rough treatment. We are
acquainted with no other timber of home produce so little
liable to decay. The large-leaved variety in rich warm
soils acquires a diameter of a foot or a foot and a-half,
and grows rapidly till it fall into seed-bearing. Its usual
very stunted growth is partly owing to less valuable faster
growing trees overtopping it: Were it planted alone, and
trained to proper curve, it might be profitably reared for
the upper timbers (the part where decay commences) of small
vessels: it has the thinnest covering of sap wood of any of
our timber trees. The extreme beauty and richness of its
clustered depending blossoms is a considerable injury to its
growth, as it is often broken and despoiled of the branches
on this account. The small-leaved Laburnum, though producing
the most beautiful timber, is of such puny growth as not
to rank as a forest tree. There is a peculiarity, at least
seldom occurring in other trees, attending the growth of the
small-leaved variety: a branch frequently gives up feeding
the connected trunk and roots, drawing supply of nourishment
from these upward, without returning much or any of the
digested matter downward. This branch above the place of the
stagnation of the bark vessels becomes enlarged, running
into numerous shoots, which are generally unnaturally thick
and unhealthy, approaching to dropsical—often, however,
beautifully pendant down to the ground, from their weight
and the smallness of the supporting branch. We do not know
whether this is an awkward effort towards increase—that
these branches, under the influence of a not entirely matured
instinct or faculty, droop in search of earth to root, and
extend by layers, in conformity to a habit of some tribes of
trees, in which this mode of increase is efficient, or that
it is a disease unconnected with design or final cause. These
overgrown branches of the small-leaved laburnum are generally
thrown out by trees, which, owing to circumstances, are
little disposed to seeding.
[29].
Let us compare the wealth of the British landholder with
that of the like grade on the Continent. It is the unrivalled skill
and industry of our manufacturers and traders which have laid
every shore under contribution for the immense riches which has
poured in upon our landholders, and which, from juxtaposition,
will continue to do so, in a certain degree, under the fullest freedom
of trade. It is now absurd to talk of duties on foreign products,
to counterbalance home taxation—taxation now bears
lightly on home agricultural production, more so than in many
parts of the Continent, and our manufacturers, under the same or
greater taxation, compete with and outstrip all the world in
cheapness of production.
[30].
The dread of change in Catholic countries—the proscription
of almost every new work treating of science—the complete
submission of the mind to the religious authorities, bearded
men “becoming little children” even to the letter—the
consequent general abandonment to sensual enjoyment—the
immense number of holidays—and the shoals of meddling
priests, are a great bar to improvement—an insurmountable
one to manufacturing pre-eminence. We need not say that all
this is subordinate to climate. Effect, however, soon turns
to cause.
[31].
Our industrious operatives, rendered trebly more productive
by recent machinery improvements, fabricate three times more
commodity than our landed and other population can with their
present habits consume. Few other nations can give else but
food in exchange for this overplus; our landholders have enacted
laws to exclude food, and our operatives are being starved down
to the requisite number
for home supply.
[32].
The same polity under which Britain has acquired supremacy,
will not now serve to continue it. A knowledge of the
interests of nations is abroad, and if we will not suffer our country
to be the emporium of the
world, another will.
[34].
The price of any article raised at home, when any part requires
to be imported, of course rises to the whole cost (prime
cost, duty and freight)
of the foreign.
[35].
The chance of loss by wreck, damage from sea-water, and
pilfering, being much less in British than in foreign bottoms, enables
the British to obtain a higher freight
than the foreign.