THE HAND-BOOK OF GARDENING. 
2o3 
parts of Ireland, and probably of Scotland, tbe slime from potatoes is 
so mixed with the soil, that a good crop of potatoes cannot be had.” 
Heat, Cold, and Shelter.— ‘"Shelter will be most wanted in 
gardens during clear cloudless nights, in spring and autumn; for when 
there are clouds, they prevent a great deal of heat from streaming off 
into the upper air; and hence no dew (which is always caused by 
the moister or vapour in the air loosing its heat) is ever formed on a 
cloudy night; and the same holds for the same reason of hoar-frost. 
As dew will form on the underside of leaves, it is an error to say it 
falls. Snow acts similarly to clouds in preventing the heat of the 
ground from streaming off.” 
“ Tender crops, such as lettuce, may be, on these principles, shel¬ 
tered, during continued frost, by hoops bent over them, and covered 
with mats, straw, or fern leaves. They must, however, always be 
uncovered during the day in open weather to admit light and air.” 
“ Rhubarb, and other plants and flowers whose stems die down, 
ought to have their roots covered over, during the cold season, with 
long dung, straw, or silver fir branches, removing these when the 
leaves shoot up in the spring. 
Plants in pots ought, on the same principle, to be well exposed to 
light, not side light if possible, and air, in the day-time; at least 
when it does not freeze,—but closely housed ever): night; for the 
winter nights, even in open weather, are too cold for geraniums, 
hydrangeas, and other favourite window plants.” 
Seed Sowing. —“In sowing any sort of seed, these four circum¬ 
stances must be carefully attended to. For want of heat, seeds will 
not come up during frost; for want of water, they will not come up 
in dry sand; for want of air, they will not come up if too deep in 
the ground; and if not duly covered, they will not come up from 
having too much light.” 
Planting Potatoes.— -“When uncut potatoes are used, they 
must be planted at greater distances, to give room for the plants to 
get light and air, otherwise they may as well be planted under trees 
or hedges. The eyes or buds nearest the root fibre sprout a week or 
more later than those farthest from it, on the same principle that the 
top shoots of a tree come first into leaf, and therefore, in planting 
uncut sets, the produce will be unequal in size, and ripen at differ¬ 
ent times. In planting cut sets, the two sorts of eyes should be 
planted in separate rows, as is always done in Lancashire. Potatoes 
for planting are found to answer best when procured from a different 
soil, as they seem to like a change of food.” 
