262 
OF THE RELATION OF VEGETATION TO SEASONS. 
were wanted in Europe —many of them fictitious certainly, but by 
getting what lie might conceive them to be, some good things might by 
such means be accidentally introduced to our collections. 
The hope of returning once more to China was a pleasing dream, 
and was some consolation to us under our then uneasy feelings of dis¬ 
appointment. We had, however, still some good things under our 
care, and we could only continue to treat them in the same manner as 
we had hitherto done. 
The fleet w T as now proceeding gaily and rapidly towards St. Helena, 
wafted by the south-east trade-wind, and under a beautiful sky sprin¬ 
kled with light fleecy clouds. On the evening of the 18th of June, the 
last signal made by the Commodore was to shorten sail during the 
night. “ Right/’ said our commander, when he ordered the signal to 
be answered in the affirmative ;—“ right, because we shall be at anchor 
before ten o’clock to-morrow morning.” 
(To be continued .) 
Of the Relation of Vegetation to Seasons. Extracted 
from the part Botany, published under the superintendence of the 
Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, attributed to the pen 
of Dr. Lindley . 
“ Repose from growth seems periodically necessary to most plants, 
and accordingly we find there is no country without a season of growth 
and a season of rest, whether they are called by the name of winter and 
summer, or rainy season and dry season. This fact is connected with 
several considerations, to which it may be necessary to advert. What 
is about to be said has reference to the seasons of the north of Europe : 
it is left to the reader to apply the observations to the climate of other 
parts of the world. 
“ In the winter, we commonly say that all vegetation is at rest—that 
the sap ceases to flow, new parts to be developed, and old parts to 
enlarge; but this is not exactly true. It appears from experiment that 
vegetation is at all times more or less active, and that we ought to 
say that it is languid in winter, and energetic in the spring and 
summer. The fact of many plants retaining their leaves, of others 
swelling their buds, and of all forming an addition more or less con¬ 
siderable to the points of their roots during winter, sufficiently attest the 
movement of the fluids, and the existence of vegetation even at that 
season. This is further proved by the well-known fact, that trees 
planted in the autumn become turgid with the fluid absorbed by their 
roots during winter; and a M. Biot has succeeded in obtaining a 
