THE PHILOSOPHY OF DEW. 



bench, the scions are then brought from the plants which it is desirable to increase. Each 

 scion used is not more than one and half or tM'O inches in length, and is the point of a shoot 

 formed during the bj'gone summer. Its base is cut in the form of a wedge, and inserted 

 in the crown of the finger-like tuber just noticed. This is tied up or clayed round in the 

 usual way, and the operation is completed. When a large number of plants have been 

 prepared in this manner, the}' are taken to the nursery, where thej' are planted in rows 

 about a foot and a half apart, and the same distance between the rows. In planting, the 

 bud or point of the scion is the onl^' part which is left above ground; the point between 

 the stock and scion, where the union is destined to take place, is always buried beneath 

 the surface. Ksempfer states that the Chinese propagate the Moutan by budding; but this 

 must have been a mistake, as budding is never practiced in the country, and is not under- 

 stood. He was probably deceived by the small portion of scion which is employed, 

 and which generally has only a single bud at its apex. 



Man}' thousands of plants are grafted in this manner every autumn, and the few vacant 

 spaces which one sees in the rows, attests the success which attends the system; indeed, 

 it is rare that a graft fails to grow. In about a fortnight the union between the root and 

 the scion is complete, and in the following spring the plants are well established and strong. 

 They frequently bloom the first spring, and arc rarely later than the second, when they 

 are dug up and taken to the markets for sale, in the manner I have described. When 

 each has only one stem and one flower bud, it is of more value in the eyes of the Shanghae 

 nurserymen, than when it becomes larger. In this state it is more saleable, it produces a 

 very large flower, and it is easily dug up and carried to the market. I could alwaj'S buy 

 large plants at a cheaper rate than small ones, owing to these circumstances. 



In the gardens of the Mandarins it is not unusual to meet with the Tree Paiony of great 

 size. There was one plant near Shanghae which produced between 300 and 400 blooms 

 every year. The proprietor was as careful of it as the Tulip fencier is of his bed of Tulips. 

 When in bloom it was carefully shaded from the bright rays of the sun by a canvas awn- 

 ing, and a seat was placed in front on which the visitor could sit down and enjoy the sight 

 of its gorgeous flowers. On this seat the old gentleman himself used to sit for hours every 

 day, smoking pipe after pipe of tobacco, and drinking cup after cup of tea, while all the 

 time he Avas gazing on the beauties of his favorite " ^loutan wha." It was certainly a no- 

 ble plant, and well worthy of the old man's admiration; long may he live to sit under his 

 awning and enjoy such a sight. — Gardeners'' Chronicle. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF DEW. 



BY M. MELLONI. 



[There are few more beautiful processes in nature than the formation of dew, and few 

 which are so generally misunderstood — " The falling dew" being in fact only a piece of 

 pure poetry. The following interesting explanation by M. Melloni, a European savan 

 of distinction, is the latest and best that we have seen. It was originally published in the 

 Compta JRendus, in a more elaborate form, but has been condensed and translated by Dr. 

 Lindlet, in the following letters. Ed.] 



EiRST letter. 

 M the experiments undertaken by Wells to explain the true cause of dew, it seems 

 clear, I think, that dew neither rises from the earth nor falls from the sky, but is 



