114 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
tion to tropical heat, a remarkable occurrence at so early a period of the 
season ; but as this great heat of the atmosphere during the day was occasioned 
by surface reflection, the earth itself was deprived of that benefit of the solar 
beams which it would have received, had there been less of their action re¬ 
flected into the air, and more left to penetrate into the soil; for it is the portion 
so penetrating that is especially beneficial to everything that grows. One can 
readily understand this upon considering that finely polished metal, a looking- 
glass, or even a concave mirror, the concentrated rays in the focus of which 
are powerful enough to turn or melt very stubborn materials, remains cool all 
the while. 
"When the rain came in the latter end of April, it, together with the heated 
atmosphere, gave a sudden start to vegetation of all kinds ; and in consequence 
of this, and the rankness of the forced herbage which it drew up, there was very 
serious disease among cattle, especially in those districts where dry and wiry 
grass was instantly followed by over-succulent produce of this unnatural 
forcing. There was, however, no heat in the earth to keep up this great 
vegetable action, and the result was, that the evaporation soon reduced the 
temperature to below what it is in ordinary years. This has told more or less 
upon all herbaceous plants in the open ground, more especially upon the more 
delicate bulbous and tuberous ones; and there is considerable danger that 
anemonies, ranunculuses, lilies, and various others, will have received injuries 
that may require more than one year before they are repaired. Hard dry 
weather soon followed, and was succeeded by occasional showers, as we men¬ 
tioned in our notice for June. The same desciiption of weather as to drought 
and moisture—the former predominating on the whole—continued through 
July ; and as the day atmosphere was often clouded when no rain fell, the 
temperature was very low. In the shade it hardly ever exceeded 67°, and the 
average in the sun was full 20° lower than in April; while the nights were 
generally chilly, and the lowest temperature not on the average much above 
50°. About the middle of the month the temperature at the coldest time 
sunk below 48° ; and on the 13th there were violent hail-storms on some of 
the heights. Neither these nor the showers of rain were, however, followed by 
that kindly and refreshing warmth, which in ordinary seasons follows summer 
showers ; and the moisture had scarcely evaporated before the wind became as 
unkindly as before. Upon the whole the month, though there has been a very 
seasonable succession of dry and wet, has been as unfavourable in respect of 
temperature, as a month of July could well be. The grand cause of this is the 
saturation of the earth to a much greater depth than usual by the long pro¬ 
tracted rains of the preceding autumn, winter, and early spring. In a year, 
which has scarcely a parallel in recent times, it would be dangerous for any 
one, except those who pretend to be licensed by the stars, and more particu¬ 
larly by the moon, to predict what is to happen ; but a pretty heavy fall of 
snow during the ensuing winter may not unnaturally be expected ; and it 
would be the best means of restoring the soil generally to its usual tone. The 
cultivator of flowers will also require to exercise more than ordinary care in 
his autumnal treatment of them, so as to provide against the chance of a severe 
winter. To enter upon that during the present month would, however, be rather 
premature. 
