38 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
are several fine varieties, of different colours, both evergreen and 
deciduous. The Alpine and Banksian roses are also climbers, 
and from them several hybrids have been raised. These roses, 
trained on a pyramidal frame, have a fine effect, as single objects, 
on turf or elsewhere. Other hardy climbers, or trailers, are the 
families of Atragene , Clematis, Vitis , Ampelopsis, Aristolochia, 
Jasminnm, Periploca, Passijlora, Hedera, Wistaria , &c. &c. 
AUTUMNAL IJUMIDITY. 
The moist and rainy character of the autumn of 1841, and 
the effects upon vegetation of the moisture thereby communicated 
to the atmosphere, with the results, some of which we have seen, 
and of others we have been informed from authentic sources, 
have led us to offer a few remarks on the influence of an over¬ 
moist atmosphere upon vegetation, not only during the autumnal 
months, but at all seasons of the year. The British islands have 
a more humid climate, or, at all events, a climate more habitually 
humid than any other region on the globe. There are many 
countries "where a greater depth of rain falls in the course oi the 
year ; but there is none in which the air is so habitually charged 
up to nearly the point of saturation, or that at which rain begins 
to fall. The consequence is, that a very slight diminution of 
temperature, or of atmospheric tension, brings on a shower, and 
a still slighter change causes a formation of dew, on the surface of 
the earth, and also on those plants with which it is clothed. The 
result is that the British islands never have a continuous season of 
drought, even equal to that of continental countries situate in the 
same parallel of latitude, and at the same height above the level 
of the sea. 
One year differs much from another, both in the total quantity 
of rain and in the portion which falls during any particular period 
of the year ; but this, instead of rendering the climate in ore 
advantageous to vegetation, only makes the state of things worse. 
The changes from year to year have the same effect upon plants, 
as if these w r ere moved about to different climates, and placed in 
the one, before they were tempered to the other; and the changes 
which take place, at shorter intervals, make the growing of the plants 
very unsteady and irregular. At those times v r hen they would 
