May.'] ROOMS — observations. 297 



on the foliage or wood, have it cleaned directly before the 

 heat increases the one^ and to get clear of the disagreeable 

 appearance of the other. 



MAY. 



All the plants will be able to withstand exposure^ in the 

 general state of the seasons, about the tenth of the month. 

 Begin about the first to take out the hardiest^ such as Laii- 

 restinus^ Hi/drangeas^ Roses, PrimroseSj Polyantlius, &c., and 

 thus allow the others to stand more free and become hard- 

 ened to exposure. The reason that plants are so often seen 

 brown, stunted, and almost half dead during summer, is from 

 the exposed situation they are placed in, with the direct sun 

 upon them, and too frequently from being so sparingly wa- 

 tered. There are no shrubby plants cultivated in pots that 

 are benefited by full exposure to the hot sun from this pe- 

 riod to September. A north-eastern aspect is the best for 

 every plant except Cactus, Aloe, Mesemhrycmtliemum, and 

 such as go under the name of succulents, which may be fully 

 exposed to the sun, but not to long and continued rains. 

 Where there are only a few plants, they should be conve- 

 niently placed, to allow water from a pot with a rose mouth 

 to be poured frequently over them, which is the best substi- 

 tute for the syringe. DajDhne, Coronilla, Fuchsia, Camel- 

 lia, Primrose and Polyanthus, do not agree with bright sun 

 through the summer. There has been a general question 

 what is the cause of the death of so many of the Daphne 

 odora. It may be observed that the first place that shows 

 symptoms of decay is at the surface of the soil, and this 

 takes place a few weeks before there are evident efi*ects of it. 

 The cause is from the efi'ect of heat or sun and water, act- 

 ing on the stem at least. If the soil is drawn in the form 

 of a cone round the stem, to throw off the water to the 

 edges of the pot^ that the stem may be dry above the roots, 

 mortification does not take place, neither do they die prema- 

 turely when thus treated. For further remarks^ see Green- 

 house this month. 



