DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



291 



nest shoe can enjoy the conservatory, with as lit- 

 tle danger of wet feet as in a drawing-room j and 

 breathing m pore an atmosphere as in the open air. 

 How different from Mr. Leuchabs' treatment, 

 where a person must necessarily be near their an- 

 kle^ in water, and in a suffocating atmosphere near 

 the point of saturation* It is not unfrequent to 

 see those "'Honorable exceptions" when failing 

 t ) fulfil the duties ot their station, to ascribe their 

 insurmountable difficulties to some extraordinary 

 phenomena, or some irremediable cause, and in the 

 end, make a meat fuss about nothing. I see no 

 more difficulty in the summer management <>t 

 green-houses under the bright sun of North Ame- 

 rica, (with proper blinds and ventilation) than in 

 the cool climate of Britain. 



In his second letter, (summer treatment of 

 plants) he objects to evening watering, because 

 he says it cools the surface excessively, and chills 

 the roots of plants. He prefers the early port of 

 the morning for watering all plants out of doors, 

 and about noon to water those in the houses. By 

 treating these particulars in a philosophical point 

 of view, your readers will be better able to judge 

 of his scientific principles. Where, in any quar- 

 ter of the globe, whether in the frigid, temperate 

 or torrid zones, has nature excluded a plant from 

 the wholesome breezes of day, as Mr. Lettchabs 

 has done ? 'Tis with the combined action of light 

 and air, that plants will harden their texture. If 

 kept in a high temperature and damp atmosphere 

 without air, their wood is soft and of a pale colour 

 from the superabundance of indigested sap. Nei- 

 ther will the night air restore the plants to their 

 usual greenness, for the carbonic acid and water 

 ■which has been absorbed by the leaves and by the 

 roots, ceases to be decomposed on the departure 

 of light. The plants during the night re-absorb 

 oxygen from the atmosphere, and re-combine it with 

 the matter they contain, to be again liberated at 

 the return of light. And Dr. Lindley observes 

 that no plants can long exist in which this alter- 

 nate action is prevented, unless perhaps fungals 

 and brown parasites. 



Mr. Leuchars' objection to evening watering, 

 is the cooling of the surface excessively, and chil- 

 ling the roots of the plants ; but I cannot perceive 

 how his early morning and mioVday watering can 

 better his condition. I submit it to the considera- 

 tion of your readers, that water when exposed to 

 the sun and air during the day, will be better ap- 

 plied after 4 o'clock in the evening than at any 

 other time; for then the heat of the sun's rays is 

 decreasing, and the temperature of the soil may 

 be a little modified also; nor do I think there is 

 any great difference betwixt the morning and eve- 

 ning temperature of the soil, in our warm summer 

 months, whilst that of the water must be decided- 

 ly ■ great, as is obvious from the water being nine 

 or ten hours without the influence of the sun's 

 rays. 



I think reason and science justify the practice 

 of evening watering, not aa Mr. Leuchars insinu- 



ated that the majority of people, by a sort of 



Bent, adhere to it without baring any 



well determined notions whether it is right or 

 wrong] but each person taking the example of 

 bis neighbor as a very good reason why lie should 

 do it himself. Now the great advantage of even- 

 ing watering and syringing, and t he reason why it 

 should be adhered to in summer, is already given; 

 but which I might for further elucidation, reassert 

 here — it is simply that tin- oxygen the plants absorb' 

 ed the previous night was restored to the afm< s- 

 phere during the day. Therefore, water applied in 

 the evening, whether to the roots, to the leaves, or 

 surrounding surface, will increase the quantity of 

 oxyaen to be re-absorbed during 'he night, and 

 a^'in liberated with the return of light. 



With the exception of those passages to which 

 I have particularly alluded. Mr. Leuchars' letters 

 are worthy the attentii n of every American read- 

 er, and J hope he will in future devote his talents 

 to some subject more advantageous to the com- 

 munity, than villifying European irardeners in this 

 country. I remain sir. respectfully yours, M. C. 

 Williamsburgh, N. Y., Nov., 1849. * 



Dried Pie-plant. — A. J. Downing, Esq. 

 Dear Sir ; A very respectable colored man of this 

 place, Manseield Herbert, called on me a few 

 days sinee, and stated that he had been in the hab- 

 it of raising Rhubarb plant for sale; but that hav- 

 ing lost his market last summer in consequence of 

 the prevalence of cholera, he had tried the expe- 

 riment of drying it lor winter use. In this he con- 

 I sidered he had been entirely successful; and he 

 j brought me samples both of the dried plant and 

 the pie made with it. 



He thinks it a new thing and considers it quite 

 important, both for those who have a partieular 

 relish for that kind of pies, and for ships going to 

 sea on long voyages. 



It is new to me, but perhaps may not be so to 

 you. However, at nay suggestion, he bos sent you 

 the specimens contained in the accompanying box. 

 He recommends that the plant be cut into small 

 pieces and put into water over night. In the 

 morning, drain off the water in which they have 

 been soaked and they ore ready for use. Yours 

 respectfully, Wm. P. Sherman. Trenton, N. J.. 

 Nov. 18, 1849. 



[We have tried the dried Rhubarb stalks (which 

 came very nicely preserved and packed in a box.) 

 and having put them to trial, eon bear testimony 

 to. their making an excellent tart. Ed.] 



Warming and Ventilating. — We have had 



1 letters lately asking advice as to the best 



mode of worming ami ventilating houses — a most 



important matter, but little understood in this 



country. 



We have prepared some remarks on this subject 

 in our work on Country Houses, now going through 

 the press. In thfl mean time, we recommend 

 those who wish immediately to set about warming 



