PRESERVATION OF FLOWER-GARDEN PLANTS IN WINTER. 
183 
»use closed as occasion may require, only contributes towards evolving. Plants 
■eserved under such treatment as the foregoing, would be more favourably situated 
len kept in large cutting-pots or pans, for then they are much less liable to 
; subjected to the alternations of excessive drought and wet, and the little water 
icessary for them, can be given more conveniently at much less risk of it 
casioning the plants injury, or of itself being the origination of evil. 
In cold frames it is seldom thought of keeping any plants but such as are known 
j be hardy ; and even those, from the indiscriminate manner they are watered when 
ey seem to require it, and also from being often exposed, to an unlimited degree, 
the injurious influence of wet, are not found in spring the robust plants in rude 
oalth they ought to be. 
It is not more requisite that plants under shelter should be otherwise than 
irmant, to insure their preservation, when that is the only object in view, than 
ose in the open air ; the latter are kept so, notwithstanding to however great 
tent wet may prevail, by the cold to which they are subject, but tender plants cut 
t from such checks to their vegetative powers being called into action, and being, 
ough for the most part unintentionally, furnished with those conditions favourable 
their developing growth, it is impossible they can continue dormant ; hence is 
oisture, in conjunction with the means taken to protect plants from frost, the chief 
;ent in inducing them to grow, and in that way expending their usefulness, at the 
me time rendering them peculiarly open to injury from frost, and by its presence 
cilitating freezing attacks taking effect. 
A very convincing and instructive proof of how little actual fluid is necessary for 
e support of vegetable life in winter, is sometimes accidentally afforded by a branch 
some evergreen, often a very small portion, observable in a living, perfectly 
3sk condition, upon the surface of the ground, throughout the whole autumn and 
nter ; the same ldnd of evidence may be seen in the circumstance of shoots of 
Allows and other easily-rooting things striking after similar and equal exposure, 
erbaceous plants, too, which furnish a hard argument in favour of our ideas, may 
iquently be met with ; those in light soil, and perhaps accidentally sheltered from 
in by an adjoining friendly bush, by their strength and formidable readiness to 
sk into growth in spring, strongly contrast with such as are unfortunate enough 
be located on a border of heavy soil, and consequently one wonderfully retentive 
moisture, and exposed to all that falls, their whole organization continually 
ifeebling, and perishing by degrees, and the blanched vegetation they endeavour to 
it forth when the season for activity again returns. Instances might be greatly 
ultiplied which would illustrate the point in question : take further the hardy 
ialth and general sturdiness of plants on high and rocky ground, and even wholly 
i rocks, and it will be found they are seemingly active, and even growing, in pro- 
>rtion as they are free from moisture ; the vivid hue of evergreens growing in a 
y situation, compared with the yellow appearance and sickly aspect of such as are 
jured by the superabundance of moisture they happen to be in contact with, &c. 
