398 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



The direct power of the sun's rays, indeed, is now at its maximum, 

 although the radiation of heat from the earth's surface, which decides the 

 temperature of our atmosphere, does not attain its highest point till August. 

 The variation of the temperature is still great, ranging, according to local 

 circumstances, from a few degrees above freezing to 90°, the mean heat being 

 •58°, The average mean temperature at Chiswick, for a period of ten years, 

 at one foot below the sm-face, was 60° ; at two feet, 58° ; and on the surface, 

 60° 45' ; the mean maximum and minimum being respectively 64° 13', 63° 10' ; 

 81° 13' 45° 10'. The drj-ness of the atmosphere is also at its height in 

 our moist climate, and vegetation now depends on the *' Orient pearl ; " the 

 dew, with which the atmosphere is laden, is condensed, and every blade of 

 o-rass and leaf saturated with it an hour or two after sunset and sunrise. 

 Beautiful indeed are the mornings and evenings of June, when the dew hangs 

 upon leaf and blossom, and beautiful the economy of Nature as displayed in 

 this arrangement ; for the formation of dew is an illustration of the law of 

 attraction. The aqueous vapour, held in suspension by the atmosphere 

 coming in contact with leaf or blade of grass, or other non-conducting body 

 ,of a slightly lower temperature than itself, is attracted to it and condensed. 

 The temperature at which this phenomenon occurs is called the dew-point, 

 and the moisture thus deposited is an important portion of the food of plants 

 ;at this period of their growth. 



§ 2.— Flower-Garden and Shrubbery. 



1157. Until the individual plants in the beds are sufficiently grown to meet 

 one another, and intermingle their foliage, the beds cannot be expected to 

 harmonize perfectly ; but this period of their growth is approaching, and 

 some judgment may now be formed of the taste with which their arrange- 

 ment has been carried out. The growth of some of the bedding-plants will 

 be promoted by slight shading from the noonday sun ; others, as the ver- 

 benas, grow faster when exposed to dry cool air ; and all grow faster and 

 fresher when watered occasionally. This should be done in the evening, and 

 copiously, but not too often, stirring the soil amongst calceolarias, pegging 

 down the lateral branches of verbenas, ageratums, petunias, and anagallis, 

 •so as to cover the ground. 



1 158. As soon as the beds, borders, &c., of the flower-garden are finished, 

 the baskets and vases filled, and the general spring planting-out brought to a 

 finish, the remaining stock of bedding-plants should be looked over. A portiou 

 will be required for stock ; and as a considerable number of plants will in all 

 probability be required to make good failures, or to replace beds now occupied 

 with short-blooming plants, and other demands through the season,— these, 

 with few exceptions, had better be kept in pots ; and, therefore, if any 

 unpotted cuttings yet remain, let them be potted off into clean pots. Ee-pot 

 others, also, getting too full of roots, plunging them afterwards in ashes, in a 

 cool shady situation, and pinching off all early or premature blooms : they will 



