Popular Errors respecting Trees. 55 



renewed, the interval between the falling and shooting of the 

 leaves being scarcely sensible. 



The vines around Funchal began to lose their leaves about 

 the 24th of October. The soil of the vineyards in winter 

 offered the singular appearance of being covered with the 

 flowers of Oxalis speciosa (a Cape plant) and of Calendula 

 arvensis. New leaves appeared by the end of March, and 

 by the 8th of April the vines were completely in leaf, with 

 young floral Grapes. The flowers open at the end of April 

 and the beginning of May, and the vintage takes place in 

 September. The repose lasts 157 days. 



It is unnecessary for us to say anything in regard to the 

 climate of Madeira, — so well known to every reader, — situ- 

 ated as it is within 10 degrees of the tropics, where, as M. 

 Heer states, " it is much milder in the winter than it is in 

 several parts of Europe in summer." Yet our common button- 

 wood has a complete rest of 87 days! the beech, 149 days! 

 and our tulip tree, 151 days! — over five months, and nearly 

 as long as in its native climate. The apple does not flower 

 till the 7th of April, while it often flowers here the 7th of May. 



If, then, under an almost tropical sun, trees cannot be 

 started into growth under four or five months, need we have 

 any fears of injurious effects from the warm winter weather 

 in the latitude of 42 degrees ? 



M. Heer, in comparing every tree to a "machine which 

 performs its functions under the influences of external causes, 

 modified by particular internal conditions," has elucidated 

 the whole subject. All plants and trees require a certain 

 amount of rest ; and this they will have, modified only to a 

 certain extent by the application of extraordinary heat and 

 moisture. 



With such evidence, in addition to what we have advanced 

 ourselves, we hope we have succeeded in accomplishing what 

 we promised in the beginning of our article, viz., to show 

 that there was scarcely a possibility of any injury to trees, 

 shrubs or plants, so far as their growth was affected, by the 

 warmest weather we are ever likely to experience in Decem- 

 ber and January. 



