EFFECTS OF MOUNLIUHT ON VEGETATION. 



These few specimens, of a most interesting and curious correspondence, taken 

 almost at random, will serve to exhibit the character of the book, and to affuid 

 the visitor of the gardens reminiscences of its occupant, and of his occupations. 

 Yonnp men must remember that IJartram was self-educated, and that the present 

 times afl'oid a thousand facilities for accpiiring knowledge which were wanting to 

 liartrain; by his knowledge he was introduced to the friendship of the greatest 

 minds of his day; Logan, Franklin, Jelferson, Michaux, Dillcnius, Gironovius, 

 Sir Ilans Sloane, Solander, Philip Miller, Kalm, Fothergill, Catesby, &c. &c., all 

 sought his acquaintance or correspondence, and all sought to benefit him. The 

 whole story is to us the most interesting colonial reminiscence extant, and we 

 again and again congratulate the gardening world that Dr. Darlington was in- 

 trusted to complete a task that will for generations afford pleasure to thousands. 



EFFECTS OF MOONLIGHT ON VEGETATION. 



Professor Lindley, in his new edition of llie Tlteory and Practice of Jlorii- 

 cnliure, a work of the greatest merit, now greatly enlarged and assuming the size 

 of a bulky octavo, makes the following remarks on the effects of moonlight upon 

 vegetation : — 



"As far as is yet known, solar light alone has the power of producing any 

 practical effect upon vegetation. That of the moon has, however, been shown to 

 be not without influence. That the moon has a great mechanical effect upon our 

 globe is undisputed. Of this, we need not say that the perpetually altcrnato 

 ebbing and flowing of the tide affords the most evident proof But, whilst the 

 effects of the moon are admitted to be extremely powerful in this respect, the 

 influence of her light, except as regards illumination, has been often considered 

 by scientific men as inappreciable ; and the proverbs to the contrary, current 

 among the unlearned, have been accordingly estimated as popular errors. It has, 

 however, been at last demonstrated that the moon's rays are very far from power- 

 less. We learn from a note by M. Zantedeschi {Comjytes Eendus, October, 1852), 

 that these rays do affect vegetation. This philosopher states that the influence, 

 physical, chemical, and physiological, of the moon's light, which has hitherto been 

 the object of so much research and speculation amongst scientific and agricultural 

 writers, has been recently investigated by him in consequence of his having had 

 occasion to give a historical summary of the works on the subject. In the course 

 of his inquiries he found it necessary to clear many doubtful points, in doing 

 which his attention was forcibly arrested by the movements exercised in mere 

 moonlight, under certain circumstances, by the organs of plants; and this led 

 him to make the w^hole subject a serious and profound study. His observations 

 were commenced in 1847, in the Botanic Garden at Venice; they were continued 



