1879.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



275 



their usual functions, and life and health con- 

 tinue. But should the separated water be re- 

 moved, death occurs from the dryness of the 

 tissues. With i-apid thawing the water runs 

 away instead of becoming absorbed. With a 

 small amount of ice-formation, and so little 

 disturbance of the fluids, recovery upon thawing 

 is easy, but becomes more and more hazardous 

 the lower the temperature to which the plant 

 has been exposed. In like manner the same 

 degree of cold has very different effects, accord- 

 ing to the proportional amount of water in the 

 plant. When very much, as in most rapidly- 

 growing parts, freezing occurs sooner and pro- 

 gresses to a greater extent than when the rela- 

 tive amount of water is less, as in the Winter 

 condition of trees. 



Every school-boy knows that when ordinary 

 black ink freezes, and subsequently thaws, it is 

 no longer the homogeneous fluid it was before, 

 but consists of water and separated particles of 

 pigment; so starch-paste frozen and thawed 

 loses its adhesiveness, the water and solid por- 

 tions not again uniting. Eggs behave in the 

 same manner. 



Just so it is with plants. Having passed a 

 given point in the disturbance of the normal 

 composition of the semi-fluids, varying with the 

 species, the primary condition is no longer re- 

 gained when thawed. Sap is no longer sap, but 

 consists more or less of solid particles and water. 

 As the roots cease to perform their functions 

 when exposed to a given amount of cold, death 

 may take place from the fact that while the dry- 

 ing effect of freezing proceeds above, the re- 

 quired corresponding supply is cut off" below. 

 Hence trees deeply planted and well established 

 would not theoretically be so liable to injury by 

 freezing, though the trunk and limbs be equally 

 exposed, as those whose roots lie near the sur- 

 face, or are in any way defective. It is said that 

 the English ivy is capable of withstanding our 

 winters if the roots are set below the frost line 

 in the earth, and on the northern side of a build- 

 ing. It is certain that a vine has occasionally 

 survived among the many that have perished, 

 and this may be the explanation. As the roots 

 of our ordinary cultivated plants are not adapted 

 for healthful action in water itself, but only in a 

 moist soil, another argument for deep drainage 

 is presented. Soil drained at least three or four 

 feet deep, naturally or artificially, appears to be 

 necessary to preserve the tops of trees from in- 

 jury by frost, and six to ten feet would be still 



better as a safeguard. Early maturity and per- 

 fect ripening of wood are well known as the 

 best prophylactics in this line at our command. 



CARNIVOROUS PLANTS. 



BY JAMES TAPLIN, MAYWOOD, N. J. 



Although I am not a believer in feeding plants 

 with raw flesh, I am of a different opinion as 

 regards the vapor from ammonia, having em- 

 ployed it years ago in various plant houses with 

 good results by sprinkling the floors and filling 

 the evaporating troughs on hot water pipes with 

 strong liquid manure, when the houses were 

 shut up in the afternoon. 



I used it in vineries, peach houses, cucumber 

 and melon houses, and pine stoves, and also in 

 Orchid houses. In all cases it improved the 

 color and size of the leaves, and also the fruit 

 and flowers. Of course, it requires discretion as 

 to time of using it. I employed it during the 

 time of most vigorous growth, not when the 

 fruit was ripening or the plants in flower. 



There is nothing new in my plan, for many 

 years ago, before hot water was employed for 

 heating houses, excellent cucumbers and pine- 

 apples were grown by the heat of fermenting 

 manure, in which the ammonia generated acted 

 no small part. There was far less trouble then 

 to keep down red spider and thrips, than since 

 fire heat has been generally used, and the crops 

 were generally good; in fact, one of the best 

 crops of melons and pineapples I ever saw was 

 in the Royal Garden at Frogmore, grown by 

 dung heat. No doubt the regular moisture given 

 off" by this system did much towards success, but 

 the vapor being charged with ammonia was the 

 secret. 



The direct feeding of raw meat to the foliage 

 is much like the principle advocated many j'ears 

 ago of burning dead horses in new vine borders. 

 For a time the results appeared in wonderful 

 foliage and large fruit ; but when the carrion be- 

 came decomposed, all the roots decayed and 

 the border became a soapy mass, through which 

 no air or warmth could pass, and the vines and 

 borders had to be removed. I removed one 

 such border, and saw the results. No doubt 

 some will say that this is not a parallel case to 

 feeding plants through the leaves ; but my expe- 

 rience with Dionfea has been that when a large 

 insect was caught and began to decay, the leaves 

 which held the insect decayed also ; and when a 

 number of flies, etc., were caught in Sarracenias 



