422 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



I Jnte 1, 1816. 



jected other than that resultiDg of the mechanical action of the 

 water is not so clear as the necessity of a moist atmosphere. 



It is necessary that the npper surface of the leaves bo kept 

 free of dnst or the foliage will become unhealthy, losing its 

 power of evaporation — of digestion, respiration, and secretion ; 

 for though these functions may be mainly performed by the 

 organs on the under surface of the leaves the prompting of 

 thtir activity is determined by the exposure of their upper 

 surface to light ; hence Nature has so bountifully provided 

 for the cleansing of the upper surface of the leaves by rain 

 that nothing, not even an insect, can obtain a lodgement 

 thereon. In nature, however, the wetting of the leaves is not 

 nearly so frequent as the drenching of plants with a syringe, 

 This long-continuance of water upon the leaves of plants cer- 

 tainly does no good, often doing considerable injury, as is evi- 

 denced by the browned ends and margins and blotches over 

 the leaf surface — destructive of the digestive power and dis- 

 figuring the plant. 



I do not profess to insist on water having no other effect upon 

 the upper surface of the leaves than what is purely mechanical, 

 for that would be the ignoring of the beneficial action of dew, 

 which may induce a more complete cessation of evaporation 

 than would be the case upon the withdrawal of light. Were 

 it not for dew falling, vegetation in a dry period would be 

 constantly perspiring, as are plants in the dry atmosphere of 

 rooms, which proves so injutious to them. With plants in 

 an artificially heated atmosphere it is certain that we obtain 

 no deposit of moisture upon the foliage during the night. 

 For this to take place the accumulated heat of the day must 

 be allowed to cool during the night. The allowing of the 

 temperature of plant and fruit houses to gradually cool during 

 the night is much insisted on as securing to the plants a 

 more complete rest than could be had by the maintaining of a 

 high night temperature, for it is the latter which causes growth. 

 A high night temperature when accompanied by dryness is 

 only wasting the energies of the plant, causing its permanent 

 injury. A low but safe night temperature with moisture is 

 the way to provide the plant with a full stomach; the stem, 

 root, and branch being replete with the nutriment necessary 

 for perfect health. 



There is a difference in the application of water to the foliage 

 which it may not be undesirable to note. Usually in nature 

 rain is most frequent with a continued clouded sky, the sun 

 being wholly or partially obscured, though not unfrequently 

 showers alternate with gleams of sunshine, which do not have 

 the power of scorching the leaves of plants, as is the case with 

 the sun's rays falling powerfully upon the leaves when wet 

 from syringing under glass. This may be accounted for from 

 the foliage of plants outdoors having air constantly passing 

 over their surfaces, whilst those under glass have a still atmo- 

 sphere, the water, from the motion of the leaves caused by the 

 wind, sooner freeing their surfaces, whilst the current itself 

 prevents the water being so highly heated as to injure the 

 leaves. This may, of course, be obviated under glass by 

 shading or early air-giving, so as to prevent scorching. 



Then we are not all in a position to employ water for syring- 

 ing with in so pure a state as that had from the clouds. Almost 

 all water conveyed in pipes from, or had direct out of tanks or 

 reservoirs, even rain water, from its mode of collection, the 

 rain falling upon surfaces more or less dirty, appropriating 

 considerable solid matter, as is seen by the sediment which 

 forms, and the certainty of the foliage from frequent syringing 

 with water apparently clear Leiog coated with foreign matter, 

 marring the appearance of the leaves, and preventing them 

 performing their natural functions. Some water is so obnoxi- 

 ous from containing sedimentary matter as to be more hurtful 

 for syringing purposes than beneficial, it being preferable to 

 omit the syringing altogether in such cases than to coat the 

 leaves with the substances that do not pass off by evaporation. 

 The health of the plant demands that the leaves be kept 

 clean, a dirty leaf soon assuming a sickly hue — often quite 

 yellow when the dirt is removed. 



From many years' observation and experience I know that 

 except as an agent in freeing the foliage of dust or filth there 

 is no necessity for the common practice of violent eyricgings, 

 but much for the recommendation of its discontinuance in a 

 majority of cases. 



Every needful requirement of plants in the way of moisture 

 can be afforded by the sprinkling of all available surfaces with 

 water, keeping them wet, especially during the day, when eva- 

 poration is greatest, less sufficing at night, because the air ia 

 closer, colder, and the evaporation consequently less ; and yet. 



as before stated, in a dry atmosphere plants perspire in dark- 

 ness, it ia important that the atmosphere be moist at night, aa 

 it wUl, by thoroughly sprinkling at the usual time of closing, 

 or from 5 to 6 p,5i in summer, along with the moisture given 

 off from the evaporation troughs, and with this at night, and 

 moisture available by day for evaporation, it is diflicult to 

 make out what more ia required in the way of atmospheric 

 moisture, or what benefit results from the leaves of a plant at 

 night and for a considerable part of the early day, and in dull 

 days, being kept dripping with water ? Surely the evidence of 

 its not being requisite is had from plants in a vigorous state 

 throwing off the water accumulating during the night, disposed 

 like drops at the margin of the leaves, as well as in minute 

 specks over the leaf surface, clearly showing the inutility of 

 wetting the leaves to saturation. — G. Abbey. 



E03E SHOWS— A SUGGESTION. 



EosE GEOWERS and Eose-lovers are alike indebted to the 

 correspondents of the Journal for their communications about 

 the queen of flowers. To the influence of Hose shows much 

 of the popularity of our national flower is undoubtedly due, 

 and it behoves all who can to render them every assistance. 

 Aa in most other cases, there are two points of view as to Rose 

 shows — that of the exhibitors and that of the committees of 

 management. From the exhibitors' standpoint two-day shows 

 are, without question, to be condemned ; but most committees 

 of management know from painful experience that a one-day 

 show is rarely remunerative, and it is this consideration alone 

 which in a majority of cases has caused the prolongation of 

 the exhibition over two days. Nowhere, I believe, have Rose 

 shows been better managed than at Birmingham ; and yet 

 with a vast population, many enthusiastic amateurs, an exhi- 

 bition hall unsurpassed in proportions and suitableness, it has 

 never been possible to obtain enough money in one day to 

 cover expenses ; and even with a two-day show and a liberal 

 subscription list it has been just as much as the committee 

 could do to make both ends meet. Exhibitors will do well to 

 bear this in mind in agitating for a curtailment of the period 

 during which shows should last, lest in their eagerness to gain 

 their end they cause the extinction of Kose shows. 



A number of proposals have been made to overcome the 

 difficulty. One of them was warmly urged by its suggestor, 

 who, as he was one of the founders of the Birmingham Rose 

 Show, it ia only fair to credit with a well-considered desire for 

 the welfare of the Show, and it was to this effect : that in- 

 stead of trusting to the general public for support, reliance 

 should be placed on subscribers only ; by this plan a very 

 large part of the ordinary expenditure would be rendered need- 

 less. Thus, looking at the balanee-sheet of one of these 

 shows it would be found that the amount subscribed — about 

 £100 — would be sufficient to pay prizes, cost of printing 

 schedules, and other incidental expenses. In such a case a 

 single-day show might be held which would pay its way and 

 enable better prizes to be paid ; for, startling as it may be, it 

 is yet a fact that the heavy expenditure incurred in decorating, 

 music, printing, bill-posting, and advertising for company — 

 expenses incurred to induce the attendance of the general 

 public, has rarely or never drawn a sufficient attendance to 

 cover the outlay, and consequently part of the subscriptions 

 have been expended in paying for what the true rosarian has 

 no interest in whatever. 



After a good deal of experience I feel justified in saying 

 that the general public is quite apathetic on the subject of 

 Roses at an exhibition. Their criticisms, with which many 

 who read these lines are probably familiar, show an utter 

 ignorance of the essential excellencies of a Rose. They who 

 attend those shows merely for their love of the flower, and 

 because they wish to gain knowledge concerning new kinds, 

 are all or mainly Rose-growers, and I feel sure an adoption of 

 such a plan as ia above indicated would meet their views and 

 tell on the prosperity of the exhibition. The public who come 

 merely for a lounge are iu the way of those who want to gain 

 information, and the public, as far as my experience goes, 

 does not come in sufficient numbers to make financially any 

 amends for the inconvenience of their presence. I would 

 therefore suggest for the consideration of those show com- 

 mittees whether it would not be worth while to limit the 

 attendance at Rose shows to those who possess Bubsoribere' 

 tiokets, and to make Rose shows more interesting to rosarians 

 by making them more select, and less expensive by avoiding the 

 expenditure now incurred to attract the general public, which 



