JULY. 203 



Of ]\Ielons there was a fair display ; Mr. Ruffett and Mr. Bailey 

 obtained first prizes for Hybrid Greenflesh sorts ; and Mr. Dawson 

 was first for a Scarlet Hybrid. No second or third prizes were 

 awarded for Scarlet-fleshed sorts, as they were very deficient in 

 flavour. 



Among Miscellaneous Fruits were Plum trees in pots from Mr. 

 Fleming ; on one tree of Jefferson, about two feet high, were a 

 dozen of fruits. Mr. Tillyard had a nice dish of White Currants ; 

 there were also Strawberries in pots from Mr. Drummond. They 

 were British Queens and extremely well flavoured. 



LIGHT : ITS INFLUENCE ON VEGETATION. 

 Having in my last expressed an opinion that where the highest points 

 of cultivation were aimed at, structures specially erected for growing 

 plants would be adopted, in which all the requirements of light, heat, 

 and ventilation could be afforded them, I may notice, as regards the 

 materials of which plant houses and pits should, in my opinion, be 

 constructed, that nothing so well complies with all the wants of the 

 cultivator as metal framework glazed with a good quality of sheet glass, 

 and I consider these materials cheapest in the end ; and as metal bars 

 may be made very slight in comparison with wood ones, the squares of 

 glass need not be so large, whereby a saving is effected when repairs 

 are wanted ; and besides the sashes are really stronger, and there is 

 less danger from breakage than with wooden ones. It is true more 

 shading may be considered necessary — which is, however, not true in 

 the abstract, as I shall notice hereafter. 



It is in the early spring, when the annual growth of most plants 

 commences, that the influence of light is of most importance in producing 

 short joints and healthy leaves, and again during autumn, when the 

 ripening of the wood has to be completed, that the advantages of metal 

 frames, as compared with wooden ones, are made manifest. As regards 

 the opinion on shading offered above, I may observe that plants grown 

 under a free exposure to light from early spring are better able to 

 withstand the brilliant light of a summer's sun than when they have 

 been grown with a less share of it, and consequently do not require 

 more or thicker shading than the latter, by reason of their having been 

 accustomed to more light during their growth ; the same amount of 

 shading will therefore affect both in an equal degree. 



That some plants are more susceptible than others of the influence 

 of light is obvious enough, from an inspection of plants growing in a 

 natural state. On this point let me quote what Dr. Lindley has to say 

 on the subject : — " The capability of plants to bear the action of direct 

 light varies according to their specific nature. One species is organised 

 to suit the atmosphere of a dense wood into which diffused light will 

 only penetrate ; another is planted by nature on the exposed face of a 

 sunburnt rock, upon which the rays of a shadeless sun are daily 

 striking ; in these cases the light which is necessary to the one would 

 be destructive of the other. The organic difference of such species 



