138 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
of the wall for the plants, and this aspect eventually proved the 
only difficulty we had to contend with. f)uring the succeeding 
two months the plants were several times subjected to severe 
frosts, with only a slight additional covering occasionally at 
night (which we have since thought unnecessary), still they 
retained their foliage and flower-buds, only two of the whole 
number falling off. The screen was continued before them 
until the flowers began to expand, which, from the constant 
shade afforded, was deferred till the middle of April, and then 
it was, the real and only difficulty presented itself. The sun 
having great power at that time, forced the flowers open quickly, 
and of course it was out of the question to continue the shading 
longer, and thus hide their beauties; but so soon as the full 
power of the solar heat fell on them, the flowers opened and 
were scorched up directly, scarcely one lasting in any thing 
like perfection more than a day: this wtis vexatious, and there 
appeared to be no remedy but in a change of aspect, for it was 
not possible to protect them from this scorching influence 
without obstructing the view of the flowers ; but had they been 
in any other situation with respect to the sun, it is easily seen 
the direct rays would have been broken, and the intensity con¬ 
sequently dissipated and softened down to a vivifying warmth, 
and therefore, in all future operations of the kind, we shall 
prefer a situation that receives but little sunshine, indeed, we 
think the less the better ; for without its effects, the necessity 
for protection will be done away with, except in instances of 
the opposite extreme in the temperature of the air. The plants 
are now making a healthy growth of a medium size. 
Thus w T e add another instance of the assimilation of the 
period of growth to our seasons being necessary to the acclima¬ 
tising exotics: the great obstacle we had to surmount was the 
natural excitability of the plants, which, had they not been 
shaded in the early part of the season, wquld have induced 
them to open their buds full a month sooner, and as the new 
wood follows immediately after the flowers, in all probability it 
would have appeared and directly been cut oft by frost. YV e 
are persuaded henceforth that this assimilation is the funda¬ 
mental principle to be observed, and that the idea of imparting 
a more robust character to the plant by means of seed raised in 
this country, is erroneous, the object gained by this process* 
being referred more correctly to the adaptation of the growth 
