THE FLORIST. 
143 
ments, it was always found as I anticipated, that less injury resulted 
to the foliage when water was cast over the whole with the rose of 
the watering-pan, than when poured only between the rows. “ Prac¬ 
tical” men attribute the effect to the water “burning” or “ scalding” 
the leaves, although the operation is performed at eventide. They 
reflect not that the smartest thunder-shower injures not a leaflet. 
The reason why many plants suffer from being supplied with 
water during the continuance of hot, sunny weather, seems to be the 
absorption of a large quantity of fluid by their roots, and the conse¬ 
quent excited and increased exhalation of it by their leaves; which 
finally induces exhaustion of their functions, and death. Yet, there 
are peculiarities in many varieties of the Ranunculus, in which water¬ 
ing seems to effect the injury in a different way. For I have ob¬ 
served that the foliage acquires during the prevalence of hot, droughty 
weather, a peculiar bright, shining, and polished appearance—a con¬ 
dition preventive of, and, indeed, a provision against, free exhalation. 
I conceive, therefore, that in such instances, the water, which is 
abundantly absorbed by the succulent roots, meeting a hindrance to 
its being freely carried off, a state of over-repletion is induced, and 
consequent decay. And this explanation finds corroboration from the 
fact, that the leaves and leaf-stalks are not in these cases dried up 
and withered, but are rather found in a condition of damp or moist 
decay. If, however, sand be employed as a covering in the manner 
I have pointed out, and the other conditions of the bed be attended 
to as before advised, as to the retentive nature of the soil, and its 
being left undisturbed from a few inches below the surface, artificial 
watering will be wholly unnecessary, and hence no extra space should 
be left between the rows, as previously shewn, for such purpose. 
When the plants are in flower, an awning should be erected, as 
in a tulip-bed, to preserve them from the effects of the sun, rain, 
&c. As soon as the perfection of the bloom is past, let it be at once 
removed, and the bed freely exposed to the weather. 
A most important operation yet remains to be stated—the taking 
up of the roots. If too long delayed, they again issue forth new 
fibres ; an untoward circumstance, which either prevents their flower¬ 
ing the following year, or which destroys them altogether. On the 
other hand, if they are harvested too soon, the roots pine and shrivel, 
and bloom weakly ; yet, of the two, this is the lesser evil. As soon 
as the foliage, together with the flower-stems, have turned yellow 
and withered, they are ready for taking up ; and, rather than any 
risk of their new grov’^th should be incurred, it is better at once to 
remove those which present this appearance than to defer the opera¬ 
tion till the whole are ready. It is a useful and necessary precau¬ 
tion, when the weather, two or three weeks after their flowering, 
becomes warm and showery, to replace the top awning, leaving the 
sides exposed, as by thus keeping off the wet, their disposition to 
new growth is counteracted. 
In conclusion, I may observe, that I was led to adopt the prac¬ 
tice of using fresh cow manure in summer, from having found that, 
when the soil of the bed was well watered, a short time before 
