A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

CLI 15c C L I
climates, which, as we have already noticed,
are pretty much the same over
the whole earth. But the summer is
shorter in the southern hemisphere, because
the motion of the earth in her
perigee is more rapid. The summer
is there also colder, because the
greater quantity of ice over the vast
extent of sea requires more heat for dis-
solving it than can be obtained ;
as also
because the sunbeams are not reflected
in such quantity from the clear surface
of the sea water, as to afford the proper
degree of heat. It thence happens that
in the southern hemisphere the Flora of
the pole extends nearer the equator,
than in the northern. Under the 53d
and 54th degrees of latitude, we meet
with plants which correspond with the
Arctic Flora. In Magellan's Land, and
in Terra del Fuego, Betula antarctica
corresponds with Betula nana in Lapland
; Empctrum rubrum with Empetrum
nigrum—Arnica oporina with Arnica
montana—Geum Magellanica with
Geum rivale in England— Saxifraga
Magellanica with Saxifraga rivularis in
Finmark. Instead of Andromeda tetragona
and hypnoides of Lapland, Terra !
del Fucgo produces Andromeda myrsinites
; in place of Arbutus alpina and
{
Uva ursi of the Arctic polar circle,'
Terra del Fuego produces Arbutus mucronata,
microphylla, and pumila. Aria
antarctica reminds us of the Ilolcus alpina
of Wahlenburgh ; and Pinguicula
antarctica recalls
Pinguicula alpina.
to our recollection
We must recollect,
however, that in South America the
great mountain chains of the Andes
stretch from the tropical regions, almost
without interruption, to the Straits
of Magellan (from the 52d to the 53d
degree of S. lat.), and that, on this account,
tropical forms are seen in that
'
frigid southern zone, because the tract
of mountains everywhere determines
vegetation. It is hence that the straits
of Magellan are prolific of Coronaria;,
Onagra;, Dorstenia;, and Heliotropia;,
which in other parts of the world grow
only within the tropics, or in their
neighbourhood. In general the vege-
tation of the southern hemisphere is
very different from that of the northern;
and there is a certain correspondence
between the Floras of Southern Africa,
America, and New Holland, ^^st of
the trees are woody with stiff llaves,
blossoms sometimes magnificent, but
fruit of little flavour. In Southern Af^
rica, as well as in New Holland, it is
the form of the Protea; which prevails,
as if appropriated to these regions. Instead
of the South American Erica;, we
find the Epacrida; of New Holland ; Lobelia;,
Diosma;, and a great number of
rare forms of compound blossoms and
of umbellata;, are common to all these
southern regions."
Now, the reason for these differences
is, that the countries thus contrasted
differ in climate—that is, they differ in
the intensity and duration of light and
heat they enjoy—they differ in the contrast
of their day and night temperatures—they
differ in the relative length
of the day and night—they differ in the
length of their summer and winter, or,
which is synonymous, in the relative
length of their periods of vegetable activity
and rest—they differ also in the
amount of rain which falls, not only annually,
but at particular seasons—they
differ in having much atmospheric moisture
deposited in the form of rain or
dew, or snow, at different periods of
vegetable activity or rest. Now, what-
ever these differences are, whatever
the peculiarities of a climate are from
which a plant comes, the gardener cannot
cultivate it successfully unless he
secures to that plant those climatal differences
and peculiarities.
CLIMBERS are plants which attach
themselves to supporters by their natural
appendages, as either by their tendrils
or by their hooks.
CLINO PODIUM. Three species.
Hardy herbaceous perennials. Division
or seeds. Common soil.
CLINTONIA. Two species. Annuals.
C. elegans may be sown where
it is to remain in the open borders, but
C. pulchella requires its seedlings to be
raised in a green-house or under a
frame.— " If it is sown as soon as the
seed is ripe, in two-thirds leaf mould,
and one-third common soil, with a little
sand, care being taken to make the soil
firm enough to prevent the seed from
being dislodged in watering ;
where it
is intended to have beds of it in the
flower garden, it may be planted out in
the beginning of March : none of the
frosts that happen after that time will
injure it.
" If the seedlings were planted out
in the autumn, early enough to take
root in the soil before the winter, there