SEASON OF PLOWERINa MAT BE CHANGED. 513 



ocufed by exposing the plants to such an amount of dryness 

 d heat as can be obtained by presenting them unwatered, in 

 ts, to the sun at an early period of summer, so as to cause a 

 fficient accumulation of excitability by the end of autumn, 

 stead of the month of May. 



It must be manifest that the operations of the flower- 

 rdener should be regulated by the same principles, although 

 may be confessed that they are often little considered; a 

 ■cumstance the more strange, from the indispensable neces- 

 y of resting fruit-trees being universally known. It is to 

 3 giving their plants the proper kind of rest that some garde- 

 rs owe the magnificent blossoming of their Chinese Azaleas, 

 ,cti, Camellias, and other forced flowers, much more than to 

 y peculiarity in the compost they employ, which is often a 

 int of subordinate interest, although often regarded as of the 

 3t importance. 



If little progress has been made in altering the time of 

 wering of particular races, so as to invert their seasons, this 

 certainly far froia being beyond attainment ; and there is no 

 )re reason why a Chinese Chrysanthemum should not be 

 npelled to flower at midsummer instead of November, or a 

 ihlia at Christmas, than that Vines and Strawberries should 

 len fruit in February. The great difficulty to contend 

 ainst in obtaining winter flowers is want of light and free 

 jess to air; but, by the employment of slender iron sash- 

 rs and large glass, a sufficient amount of light may be 

 tained ia England even at that season of the year ; it is 

 the free admission of warm moist air that gardeners are 

 ficient (see pages 313, &c.). 



It is well known that plants from the northern half of the world, 

 when they have become naturalised in the south, have changed almost 

 entirely the time of their vegetating, blooming, and fruit-bearing, so 

 as entirely to accord with the habits of the indigenous- plants of the 

 country. Thus we find that at the Cape of Good Hope, Oaks, Alders, 

 the Almond, Peach, and Apricot, are in full bloom in August. 



But it is not merely the periodical rest of winter and summer 

 it plants require ; they have also their diurnal repose : night 



