Notes on Greenhouse Plants, 6^c. 61 



8 to 10 large berries, of a pleasing acid flavor. Strawberries 

 of American origin, I have not yet had the opportunity of 

 trying, so as to mention the kind best adapted for forcing. 

 Plants started in December, will ripen their fruit the latter 

 end of March, if the weather proves anywise favorable. 

 Wat&'town, Mass., December, 1851. 



Art. IV. Notes on Greenhouse Plants, Soil, Potting; 

 Watering, (^c. By Hortus. 



Soil. — The exact specific relation that exists between the 

 soil and its different vegetable productions, is a subject upon 

 which scientific men have had much controversy, and per- 

 haps there is no question in the whole range of agricultural 

 chemistry and geology of more difficult solution. Since the 

 application of science to these subjects, most important truths 

 have been discovered, errors in practice corrected, and causes 

 of failure made clear, true principles deduced, and results 

 arrived at, which were hitherto considered unattainable ; but 

 the difficulty of arriving at principles of universal applica- 

 bility becomes apparent when we consider the various influ- 

 ences to which the agents of vegetation are subjected, the 

 modifying effects of climate and atmosphere, the diffferent 

 combinations of the elements constituting the soil, and above 

 all, the want of knowledge concerning the laws of vitality, 

 and the influence that vegetable life has in making these 

 elements subservient to its use. 



When the ashes of a plant are analyzed, and the exact 

 quantities of its different constituents clearly ascertained, it 

 forms a pretty safe index to the kind of soil best adapted to 

 its growth, so far as inorganic matter is concerned. Experi- 

 ments have shown, however, the difficulty of establishing 

 accurate data by this means, from the accommodating nature 

 of plants, as their constituent ingredients vary according to 

 the nature of the soil in which they have been grown ; and 



