GENERAL REMAEK3. 21 



from excess of rain. Lima Beans, for instance, have often 

 to be replanted three or four times in the month of May, 

 before any will stand. Melons, Cucumbers, Egg Plants, 

 Tomato Plants, &c.. are also often cut off by variableness of 

 the weather ; indeed it is unreasonable to expect natives of 

 tropical climates to thrive or even live in a climate adverse to 

 that in which nature first produced them, unless protected 

 or nursed in unpropitious seasons, as recommended under 

 the head forcing vegetables. Those who plant tender 

 things in open gardens early in the season, must reconcile 

 themselves to loss in the event of unfavourable weather, 

 instead of throwing blame on the seedsman. 



The fourth class, embracing such species and varieties, 

 as from their nature are apt to vegetate quickly, are very 

 liable to be devoured by insects before they make any show 

 on the surface. Turnip seed, for instance, will sprout 

 within forty-eight hours after being sown ; and under fa- 

 TOurable circumstances, most of the species of this class 

 will come up within a week; but if insects attack the seed 

 beds in dry weather, a total loss of crops will be the conse- 

 quence. Every experienced farmer is convinced of this 

 fact, by having frequently to sow his turnip ground three or 

 four times before he can get any to stand. 



Sometimes a sudden shower of rain will cause plants to 

 grow out of the reach of insects, but every good gardener 

 should have his remedies at hand to apply to seed beds in 

 general, and especially to those in which plants are raised for 

 the purpose of being transplanted. 



Those species and varieties, embraced in the fifth and sixth 

 columns, often take from two to three or four weeks to 

 vegetate in unfavourable seasons. Some plants are retarded 

 by cold, others by excess of dry weather ; and at such times, 

 seed may fail to vegetate for want of pressure. In the event 

 of drought after heavy rains, seed and young plants often 

 perish through incrustation of the soil, and from other unto- 

 ward circumstances which can neither be controlled or accoun- 

 ted for, even by the most assiduous and precise gardener. It 

 must, however, be conceded, that failures often occur, through 



