October 9, 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
23 
i IiavG not clone so well as expected; the growth of the 
I wet season (July) was followed by an abundance of 
j bloom in August, but that was sooner over than usual 
with us; and the exceeding dryness of the weather has 
i prevented more bloom forming, so- that they are far 
; from gay at the present moment; neither have they acl- 
j vanced much in growth since the end of August, which 
! is remarkable, as the Scarlet Geranium requires less 
i moisture than anything else in the flower-garden. 
Calceolarias have suflered, likewise, the half-herbaceous 
kinds especially, and the shrubby ones are not so good 
as usual; the fact being, that where I'.lantshavc not had 
a considerable share of moisture, nor a deep soil in which 
to find it, they have done badly this hot weather; but I 
have seen some flower-beds, in a moist situation, where 
their roots may bo supposed to dip into a stratum on 
a level with the adjacent water, than which nothing 
could bo finer ; and they give promise to last the season. 
These facts confirm the necessity for having a good 
depth of tillnge-ground for all purposes where luxuriance 
is wanted, for it is surprising how deep some plants will 
search for their food. On trenohing-up some ground, 
a few days ago, which had been Onions the present 
season, the ground was tolerably closely matted with 
their roots for nearly the depth of two i'eet, and occa¬ 
sional roots much deeper than that, the crop being very 
good. However, as some remedies may be applied in a 
dry season, or preventive means used to secure a crop, 
a glance at a few may not be out of place. 
On very dry soils, a deep cultivation is more wanted 
than on any other; for even the dry, barren substratum 
which forms the subsoil, will, if broken up in time, be¬ 
come fertile, by receiving the drainage from the work¬ 
ing part above. Dung and other manures being more 
or less plentifully placed on the top part, become filtered 
by heavy rains, their juices running into the substratum, 
and thereby being lost, unless the roots of plants have 
access there. When, thereforej no additional matter can 
be placed on so as to increase the depth of good mould, 
which, in many cases, cannot be done, the subsoil must 
be broken up, but not brought to the top ; this will 
enable roots of tender plants to penetrate deeper than 
usual; for, however uncongenial the material may he to 
the wants and well-being of vegetation, it will, in time, 
become more fertile, and plants will, at length, send their 
roots into it with avidity. 
The result most to be feared in a dry, warm autumn, 
like the present one, is the after-growth of vegetables, 
and of tender or half-hardy plants, which is likely to 
take place when we do have rain; for, unless it be 
very late indeed, the warmth of the ground is such that 
rain is sure to start many things into a growing state 
again ; and a rapid or hasty growth in the latter part of 
October or November is not the way to secure a plant 
against the attacks of frost; on the contrary, such young 
growths are sure to fall a victim to them, and a corres¬ 
ponding loss, or injury, will follow; but this may be 
modified by the gradual approach of cold weather, 
checking the growth and hardening the tissues of the 
plants; so that we may, after all, not suffer so much ns 
we apprehend. 
Amongst plants which have benefited rather than 
otherwise by the warm weather setting in when it did, I 
believe none felt it more than the Potato, which, though 
not attacked with disease until late, yet showed undis- 
putable tokens of it in the early part of August; but 
dry weather setting in soon after, the disease appears to 
have ceased altogether, for I do not hear of it advancing 
any further; and, certainly, around here its ravages 
have been less this season than for many years past; 
but the crop has not been an abundant one, the tubers 
being, generally, smaller than usual. A good crop of 
Potatoes being at all times an important item in the 
general bill of fare, it is somewhat fortunate for cottagers 
and others, the present season, when provisions are so 
dear, that they should be more plentiful than at other 
times. Wbat have been taken up seem also to keep 
well, the disease a])pearing to be arrested prior to taking 
up, or the vital energies of the plant to have triumphed 
over it; certain it is, the crop is not materially hurt by 
it this season in many places around here. 
A dry autumn affords an excellent opportunity for 
pushing on many of those improvements or alterations 
which, from time to time, become necessary; and though 
the ground be dry, still the heavy dews we have will 
feed and encourage Evergreens to grow in roost situa¬ 
tions they may be removed into; while the early 
ripening of deciduous trees will speedily render their 
removal a more certain source of success than if left 
until later; while all works involving the shifting Of 
largo quantities of earth, or other material, cannot be 
better done than in dry weather; and the season is so 
far advanced now that we may reasonably expect turf 
not to suffer when taken up and relaid again, even 
without the aid of water, wdiich, in a dry autumn, is 
not always the most abundant thing in the world. 
The breaking up and re-forming of Walks might also 
he done now, or new ones made, or any trenching or 
other ground-work might be proceeded with, as tlie case 
requires. In planting out such things as Cauliflower, 
Cabbage, Lettuce, and the like, a little water given at 
the time is all that "is required; for the autumn dews, 
with such moisture as the ground always contains, will 
suffice to keep the plants growing until rain sets in; 
and as the operation of planting ean be accomplished 
without that poaching of the ground which takes place 
when wet; besides which, a dry autumn exercises a 
useful influence over the soil, in pulverising it, and 
rendering it much the same service as a sharp frost 
does, with the additional advantage, that it often pene¬ 
trates deeper, and does not at any time impede opera¬ 
tions thereon. 
Although it is possible rain may set in before these 
pages reach the reader, yet appearances so far bespeak a 
dry season, which, if so, the results above will, no doubt, 
have been felt by many having a dry soil to work on,— 
one not sufficiently deep to allow the roots of plants to 
descend for that moisture denied them above. This, as 
well as many other reasons, calls aloud for the energetic 
cultivator to deepen, by some means or other, his 
tillage. 
J. Robson. 
NOTES FROlkl PARIS. 
THE HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION.—Sicrr. 25. 
In tlie ornamental department of the Horticultural Ex¬ 
hibition here,thereis amode of arranging cut flowers, such as 
Gladiolus, which claims a passing notice, not only because 
of its novelty, but also because of its excellent effect; at least, 
when the work is well done. 
As I formerly noticed, there are several round tents, the 
bottom of which is filled with loose soil in the form of a 
mound, and it is chiefly in these tents that we see the 
aiTangement in question. In the centre is placed a large 
oinamental plant, as a Ean Palm; then so many common 
bottles are partly embedded in the soil round the centre, and 
at about six inches from one another. Three or four branches 
of Asparagus are placed in each bottle, and so many spikes 
of Gladiolus are added. In the same way, other circles are 
continued to the circumference, which is formed by a broad 
border of China Asters, or other flow'ers contrasting with the 
Gladioli. Between the circles there is sufficient space for 
the w'orkmen to obtain a footing, and the bottles ai-e re¬ 
plenished from time to time, as may be necessary. Though 
the idea did not occur to me at the moment, I should sup¬ 
pose these bottles are also filled with w'ater; but, in any 
case, they form excellent supports for long, branchy flowers. 
No doubt the Asparagus branches are intended to conceal 
them; but they also help much to increase the effect of the 
