660 Summary View of the Progress of Gardening, 



seats are noticed in this Volume, as will appear by reference to 

 our Table of Contents. Nothing contributes to improve the taste, 

 as well as the knowledge, of a gardener so much as visiting dif- 

 ferent gardens ; but, to derive this improvement, he must have 

 been previously well instructed in his profession, be naturally 

 fond of it, have a quick eye and an enquiring mind, and be 

 eager to improve himself to the utmost. Every man acquires 

 a great part of his knowledge from experience, but a still 



of temperature, but no remarkably severe frosts were experienced. February 

 was damp, and often foggy; but the amount of rain was somewhat less than 

 usual, and the temperature was fully an average. In March the amount of 

 rain was about half an inch above the average for the month ; but in intervals 

 he drying power of the air was considerable. The temperature was about 

 2° above the average -, the weather being, on the whole, favourable for vege- 

 tation. April was remarkably dry ; it may be said there was only one wet 

 day, the 13th ; and slight showers fell on five others ; the whole amounting to 

 little more than the tenth of an inch. The heat of the sun's rays was greatly 

 counteracted by north and north-east winds, which were by far the most 

 prevalent. The horsechestnut was in leaf as early as the 5th. Sharp frosts 

 occurred on the nights of the 4th, 5th, and 26th. In May the weather was/ 

 very favourable for vegetation, with the exception of a frost on the night of 

 the 2d, which affected the blossoms of apples to some injurious extent. 

 Pears, plums, and cherries were, for the most part, previously out of blossom, 

 and their young fruit was not much affected. June wa3 a very hot month, 

 the thermometer in the shade being frequently above 60°, and even as high 

 as 90° on the 12th and 13th. No rain fell till the 18th ; and, although there 

 was a moderate quantity afterwards, it soon disappeared owing to the great 

 heat and dryness of the ground and of the air. The mean temperature 

 of July was lower than usual, being only equal to the average of that of June ; 

 and it may be observed that, on the contrary, the heat of June in the present 

 season was so much higher than usual as to be equal to the average of July. 

 The amount of rain was nearly an inch deficient of the usual quantity. 

 August was excessively hot, exceeding in this respect any corresponding 

 month in the present century ; the thermometer in the shade was frequently 

 above 80°, and sometimes as high as 93° in the shade. A large quantity of 

 rain fell on the 10th, and towards the end of the month the supply was 

 plentiful. September was rather a wet month, and of average temperature. 

 In situations where the soil was too dry in the preceding months, many 

 kinds of apples and pears were checked in their growth, but now increased con- 

 siderably in size when they ought to have been ripenmg off, and the flavour was 

 in consequence not so good in such cases as might have been expected, or as 

 it would have doubtless proved had the rain been more abundant in summer, 

 and dry sunny weather more prevalent in the present month. The mean 

 temperature of October was G° below the average ; and even in the beginning 

 of the month there were several frosty nights, which had the effect of check- 

 ing, in a great measure, the ripening of grapes on walls. This production, 

 always precarious in the open air in this climate, was not so far matured as 

 is often the case in less remarkably hot summers, and was far short of the 

 perfection it acquired in 1820. On the 20th and 21st as much as 10° and 

 12° of frost were successively experienced; and the beauty of the dahlias and 

 other similarly tender flowers was spoiled for the season. The weather was, 

 however, generally dry, and favourable for garden operations, and such con- 

 tinues to be the case up to the middle of November.'' — N. Nov. 15. 



