ON THE NATURALIZATION OF rLANTS. 147 



calculations need not be carried to the greateft degree of cor- 

 rectnefs, as we know that, if we except a few, plants have a 

 contiderable range of latitude ; thofe which cannot bear froft, but with con- 

 being found to extend from the northern to the fouthern verge f u d ^ rable latl " 

 of the torrid zone, and many of thofe which grow on the 

 fouthern limits of the temperate, to approach the borders of 

 the frozen zone. Thus of the Lapland plants near three hun* 

 dred are found in the environs of Paris *, many of them much 

 farther fouth, and fome, as the water lillies (nymphaa) , fundew 

 (drofera), arrow-head (fagittaria), &c. even natives of India f . 



In the latitude 44-° on the European, and 34° on the Ame- plants do greatly 



rican continent J, it is not unufual for water to be frozen in accommodate 

 T * r r r i r i themfelves to th« 



January; and as lome iealons are much more levere than C nm a te. 



others, plants growing confiderably farther to the fouthward 



would be liable to fufFer by cold in fuch feafons, if nature had 



not provided a remedy by their manner of growing, which 



enables them to refift the cold of fuch rigorous feafons; and 



on this account many of them will be found to thrive, when 



tranfplanted nine or ten degrees further north than their native 



jftations. 



From ancient authors it appears that Italy formerly expe- Inftances in the 

 rienced the fame degree of cold as the American continent 3ncien * and P re * 

 under the fame parallel of latitude does at prefent. Therefore Italy* 

 it is highly probable, that Italian plants not introduced into 

 Italy fince that time, might in a feries of years be changed 

 from their now tender to their once hardy Hate. 



But in conducting fuch an experiment as the naturalization 

 ©f plants from a fouthern to a northern climate, fo many mi- 

 nute circumftances require our attention, that few people have 

 either time or patience to reach the withed for goal. 



But a careful attention to the characters which the plants 

 themfelves prefent, will enable us to proceed with more cer- 

 tainty, and hopes of having our endeavours crowned with 

 fuccefs. 



By the appearance of the roots and leaves we may nearly In naturalizing 



determine in what kind of foil the plant is raoft likely to thrive. p i ants . P artic i* r 

 ^ , _ r J attention muft be 



Kobuft roots and flefhy or rigid leaves require a dry foil, ac-paid to the foil. 



* See Flora Lapponica & Thuillier's Flore des Environs de Paris, 

 f See Hunters Evlyns Sylva, p. 552. 



J See Kirwan on the Temperature of different Latitudes, p. 50. 



L 2 wording 





