NOVEMBER. 
253 
OUR MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
November bids fair, if we may judge by 
the weather with which it is ushered in, to 
maintain this year its title of “ gloomy No¬ 
vember.” For the last fortnight rain has been 
the order of the day—rain not in heavy 
showers, but a steady fall of small drops, 
and during that time, near London, at least, 
the sun has rarely shone. After the long- 
continued heat and drought the thirsty earth 
drank in the moisture with avidity, and the 
soil from being dust-dry is now saturated. 
The to'al fall of rain since this wet period 
set in amounts (up to October 25th) to nearly 
4£ inches of rain, or roughly four hundred and 
fifty tons per acre. Meadows and lawns that 
were browned have resumed their verdant 
hue, and crops that had been sown and planted 
for winter and spring use, and which had been 
brought to a standstill by the drought, have 
again begun to grow. From all parts of the 
country we hear of the extraordinary effects 
of the late hot weather—of Pears that have 
bloomed again, of Strawberries bearing a 
second crop, and of Horse-chestnuts flowering 
in autumn, with many other strange and 
u modern instances ”—deviations from the 
ordinary course of vegetation. Asparagus 
and Strawberries, not, however, in quantity, 
were to be had very lately in Co vent Garden, 
being the second production of beds out of 
doors. What will be the effect of the almost 
tropical heat which prevailed so late in the 
season, and for such a length of time, followed 
now by a heavy rainfall ? Will it be favour¬ 
able or the reverse to the prospects of next 
year’s crops ? These are questions to which 
time alone can give a satisfactory answer; but 
we believe that the effects of the heat and 
drought will be beneficial rather than other¬ 
wise, at least in the majority of cases, to 
fruit trees, by securing the thorough ripening 
of the wood and buds ; whilst the great rain¬ 
fall, coming at a time when the leaves are off 
the trees, will sink into the earth to a depth 
which it could never reach in summer, when 
the leaves throw it qff or evaporate it almost 
as fast as it falls. In the valley of the Thames 
the complaint of fruit-growers for the last few 
years has been want of water—that their trees 
are always too dry at the root. Perhaps this 
may arise in some measure from the dimin¬ 
ished volume of water which the river con¬ 
tains at low water, causing the springs to fall 
below the level which they otherwise would 
do, as well as from these being tapped by 
sewers and the other subterranean ways which 
are extending in all directions round London. 
By the market-gardeners, then, except those 
in low-lying situations, the heavy rains will 
he regarded as a boon. 
The old writers on gardening considered 
that the gardener’s year began in November, 
and such was indeed the case in their days, 
when bedding plants were not cultivated. 
Now, however, when these have to be propa¬ 
gated by the thousand in August, that month 
has some claim to be considered the beginning 
of the year in the floral department; for active 
operations for the embellishment of the 
flower garden in the following season are 
then first commenced. As regards the fruit 
and kitchen garden, however, November is 
still the beginning of the year, and in both 
the ornamental and the useful departments of 
the garden it is then that anxieties begin to 
be multiplied—anxieties which will continue 
with but brief intermission till the same 
month come round again. 
The approach of winter has now to be 
provided for, and all sorts of contrivances 
have to be resorted to in order to afford 
warmth and shelter to a multitude of plants, 
and for forwarding crops to produce before 
their natural season. The earth in this month 
is usually wanner than the air, and moisture 
rises from its surface, and is either condensed 
as rain, or remains suspended in the atmo¬ 
sphere as fog. Evaporation is checked from 
this moist condition of the air, as well as 
from its diminished temperature; and it there¬ 
fore becomes the duty of the cultivator to 
guard against mildew and damping, which 
are almost the certain consequences of too 
much moisture in the soil or air of the places 
where plants are growing. The supply of 
water must therefore be greatly reduced, 
and as much ventilation given as possible, 
in order that the atmosphere of frames and 
other structures may be in the most favour¬ 
able condition for preserving the foliage in 
a healthy condition. Plants when in a damp 
soil or atmosphere are also much more 
liable to injury from frost than when kept 
dry. 
Gigantic Tulip Tbee.— Growing on a 
farm at Monmouth, New Jersey, was a gigan¬ 
tic Tulip Tree, which has been recently cut 
down. It stood upon the most elevated part 
of an open field, unsheltered since the original 
forests were cleared away, probably more 
than 150 years ago. The older inhabitants 
assert that formerly a similar one grew near 
it, but, struck by lightning, died. A few years 
ago this gigantic tree exhibited a vigorous 
growth with its large Tulip-shaped flowers 
and green foliage. The trunk, the limbs, and 
top w< re all of proportionate size, so as greatly 
to deceive the eye in regard to its real magni¬ 
tude, until a near approach discovered its 
immense dimensions. It was cut down in 
April last, the trunk perfectly round and 
straight, and near the ground, much enlarged; 
its roots occupied a space of 52 feet in circum¬ 
ference, or a diameter of 17 feet 4 inches. 
Above, it slightly and gradually tapered to the 
