By the Rev. William Williamson. 377 



mentioned, that it was a hoar-frost, which is not so prejudi- 

 cial to many plants as what is termed a black frost, though 

 its absolute severity may be much greater. A great majority 

 of these roots were seedlings, which I find are more able to 

 endure hard weather than our older varieties; they were 

 totally unprotected, and many rows were planted so near the 

 surface, that their crowns were distinctly visible. When the 

 roots decay, it is not in general during the winter, but late 

 in the spring, after the vernal rains ; it therefore seems ex- 

 tremely probable, that were they protected in the winter and 

 spring during heavy and continued rains, by a covering of 

 sail-cloth raised to some distance from the ground, they 

 might be exposed to the severity of frost without fear of 

 losing them. This is, however, only a conjecture; but it 

 merits a trial; for if they are planted before the winter, and 

 survive it, they not only bloom earlier and finer, but the 

 roots are more increased both in number and size. 



As to the most proper time of taking up the roots, I am 

 again constrained to dissent from general opinion : I consi- 

 der that we usually suffer them to remain too long in the 

 ground after the bloom is over. If the sap of the present year 

 is to afTord nourishment for the foliage and bloom of the 

 next we ought to accumulate the sap as much as possible in 

 the root : now the fibres of the root must begin to decay, be- 

 fore the foliage changes at all, for one is the consequence of 

 the other ; reason therefore seems to point out to us the pro- 

 priety of taking up the roots immediately that the foliage 

 begins to change, that the sap which is contained in the leaves 

 may remain in the root and not pass into the earth through the 

 fibres that still are attached to it. For the sake of neatness 



