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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



decided contrast — is the lovely and rich, scarlet- 

 flowered Salvia Gesneriflora. Under the same 

 treatment as the Heliotrope, it thrives equally 

 well; and flowers abundantly during the winter 

 and spring months. Sollya linearis, covering a 

 third pillar, may be classed next it in usefulness 

 for cut bloom, but it is inferior to none of the 

 former in exhibiting a graceful habit, densely 

 studded over with its lovely blue blossoms. It 

 is said to grow best in a mixture of peat and 

 sand. Here, it grows and flowers freely in the 

 border mixture, which originally was loam and 

 leaf mould; but all traces of the latter are gone. 

 The fourth pillar is covered with Cytisus race- 

 moms, with its evergreen garb and fine spikes in 

 yellow bloom, imparting a cheering influence in 

 a dull period of the year. The time required to 

 cover the pillars might be raised as an objec- 

 tion to the use of such slow-growing plants as 

 recommended above. The same objection is 

 applicable to our finest exhibition plants. But 

 who grudges the few years spent in bringing 

 them to that acme" of perfection, as seen in the 

 specimens which adorn the show tables of our 

 metropolitan exhibitions? Or it might be got 

 over by planting a late and rapid-growing Fuchsia 

 at a considerable distance from the pillar, where 

 its roots may not interfere with those plants 

 which are to remain, and carrying its stems 

 under ground to the bottom of the pillar, — clear- 

 ing its branches away, as they clothed the part 

 under it. When covered, it might be removed, 

 or allowed to remain; when it will form a fine 

 umbel and showy head of bloom during the 

 summer and autumn months. — Alex. Roger, 

 Wrotham Park. 



Floods .-their Causes and Effects. — As thorough 

 draining has been stated to be one of the causes 

 of floods, it may be well to correct so erroneous 

 an opinion. The effect of thorough draining is, 

 to cause the rain at all seasons to sink into the 

 ground ; and to prevent any of it from running 

 off the surface. As its descent is gradual, and 

 the drains continue to discharge long after rain 

 has ceased to fall, much more time is occupied in 

 the discharge than in the fall. The tendency of 

 draining, therefore, is to equalise the discharge of 

 rain into the main water-courses; and to lessen 

 the liability to floods. Undrained land at this 

 season, soon becomes saturated with moisture; 

 and then all the rain that falls on it runs off as 

 fast as it comes. It is, in fact, then in the condi- 

 tion of a full sponge, or overflowing basin ; which 

 can take in no more, and throws off all that is 

 poured on to it as fast as it falls. Drained land 

 may be compared to the dry sponge; or cracked 

 basin, which, not holding water, is admitting all 

 that is poured into it at the same time that it is 

 slowly discharging. The true cause of floods is 

 to be found in obstructions (artificial and natural) 

 to the free courses of rivers. The mischief to 

 health, and to adjoining properties, from mill- 

 dams, weirs, and embankments, has been a sub- 

 ject of complaint for very many years. The 

 injury to the public, and loss to adjoining land- 

 owners and occupiers, from these causes, is very 

 poorly represented by the gain to individuals. It 

 is to be hoped that the Boards of Health will 

 rapidly sweep away these obstructions to better 



drainage. But there is another cause of floods 

 that is much more difficult to deal with ; namely, 

 the gradual rise or silting up of the beds of our 

 rivers, from the sluggishness of their courses 

 through flat districts; and where they meet with 

 tidal obstruction, and the consequent loss of the 

 natural drainage of the land beside them. In this 

 way, for instance, the present channel of the 

 Thames has been raised many feet, and may 

 in many parts be said to have hecome artificial; 

 for, were it not for the high banks that keep it to 

 its old channel, it would have long since broken 

 into a fresh course, and, in doing so, would have 

 given drainage to large districts which are now 

 without it. In this way has the drainage of large 

 districts throughout England been destroyed, I 

 see no remedy for the very serious mischief 

 throughout the country, to health and comfort 

 generally, as well as to private property, that this 

 want of drainage causes — save by means of some 

 general measure which shall provide new chan- 

 nels to receive the water from the drainage which 

 is so much wanted, but which cannot be effected 

 without other outfalls than those now available. 

 — Hewitt Davis. 



Development of the Lungs. —Much has been 

 said and written upon diet, eating and drinking; 

 but I do not recollect ever noticing a remark in 

 any writer upon breathing. Multitudes, and 

 especially ladies in easy circumstances, contract 

 a destructive mode of breathing. They suppress 

 their breathing and contract the habit of short 

 quick breathing; not carrying half-way down the 

 chest and scarcely expanding the lower portions 

 of the chest at all. Lacing the bottom of the 

 chest also greatly increases this evil; and con- 

 firms a bad habit of breathing. Children that 

 move about a good deal in the open air, and in 

 no way laced, breathe deep and full to the \ chest, 

 and every part of it. So also with most out-door 

 laborers and persons who take a great deal of 

 exercise in the open air, because the lungs give 

 us the power of action; and the more exercise we 

 take, — especially out of doors, the larger the 

 lungs become, and the less liable to disease. In 

 all occupations that require standing, keep the 

 body straight. If at a table, let it be high and 

 raised up, nearly to the armpits, so as not to re- 

 quire you to stoop; you will find the employ- 

 ment much easier, not one half so fatiguing, 

 whilst the form of the chest, and the symmetry 

 of the figure will remain perfect. You have no- 

 ticed the fact that a vast many tall ladies stoop, 

 whilst a great many short ones are straight. This 

 arises, I think, from the table at which they sit to 

 work or study being medium height ; far too 

 low for a tall person, and about right for a short 

 person. This should be carefully corrected and 

 regarded, so that each lady may occupy herself at 

 a table suited to her, and thus prevent the possi- 

 bility of the necessity of stooping.— J. Fitch, 

 M. D. 



Canary Shows, — the "Bradford" Fancy. — 

 I send you, Mr. Editor, the points and properties 

 considered by the Bradford Club as essential for 

 well-bred yellow and buff canaries. — 1. Round 

 in the back; well-shouldered; a good frill; a 

 long small tail. — 2. Good leg, to show the thigh, 



