JULY 7. : 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



123 



to become too full, as it will interfere 

 with the drawing off of the clear liq- 

 uid. 



To keep our tank in operation in this 

 manner it has a daily capacity of 300 

 gallons clear liquid manure. Of course 

 this- is much diluted, but amply strong, 

 and for reasons stated before much 

 more preferable and safer than when 

 stronger. We use it mostly in our 

 carnation houses every week and 

 sometimes oftener, but where and 

 whenever we use it, it takes the place 

 of a good watering. 



Now as to the material we use. Fresh 

 clean cow manure furnishes the base, 

 and of this we use the most; next in 

 small quantities we use hen manure. 

 Sheep manure is undoubtedly an ex- 

 cellent material, but as It is a strong 

 manure, must be used carefully the 

 same as hen manure. Next we use 

 bone meal and sulphate of potassium. 

 Good care must be taken so no lime 

 will get in with it. consequently no 

 ashes can be used, as the lime will 

 set the ammonia free, and one of the 

 most powerful parts be lost. To sup- 

 ply the potash wanted, we use sulphate 

 of potassium, which besides has the 

 property of binding the ammonia. All 

 animal fertilizers we use fresh in or- 

 der to get the whole strength. This 

 is the material that we generally use, 

 but there are many other fertilizers 

 that could be used to advantage; in 



be used judiciously, in quantities ac- 

 cording to their relative nature and 

 strength. We use the above mentioned 

 manures in about the following pro- 

 portionate quantities. Say with one 

 barrel of clean fresh cow manure we 



of dried blood and bone, and find a 5 

 or 6-inch pot full once in a while very 

 efficient. 



There are othei little things facili- 

 tating the work that will bear men- 

 tion. In order to stir up and at the 





same time fill up the tank with water 

 previous to a drawing oft', we use a 

 piece of %-inch pipe long enough to 

 reach conveniently to the bottom, with 

 an L on one end and attachment to 

 connect a hose. With this pipe we run 

 the water to the bottom of the tank 

 and it proves a very effective stirrer, 

 especially if there is much pressure 

 behind it. For to break the mass on 

 top we use a hoe or the stream of wa- 

 ter direct from the hose. When we 

 draw off we hold a common wire skim- 

 mer, as is used in the kitchen, at- 

 tached to a long handle over the pipe 

 in the upper tank for a strainer to 

 prevent any floating pieces slipping 

 through that may cause trouble in the 

 pump. The connecting pipe is closed 

 with a wooden stopper, that is easily 

 removed and replaced again. It will 

 bear repeating that a warm tempera- 

 ture is required to keep the tank in 

 operation. FRED DORNER. 



Geo. Wittbold's New Store, Chicago. 



fact, everything that will decompose 

 and can be converted into plant food. 

 Commercial fertilizers can also be 

 used, especially if it is desired to make 

 the liquid stronger, and I believe when 

 used in combination with the common 

 manures, will lose much of their harsh 

 and often injurious effects, at least in 

 inexperienced hands. 

 Of course all these materials have to 



use about a half bushel of strong hen 

 manure, an 8-inch pot of bone mea! 

 and a 3i^-inch pot of sulphate of po- 

 tassium. This may be nearly enough 

 for the beginning, then add while in 

 operation one-fourth or one-flfth of 

 this in proportionate quantities. Wo 

 also use a fertilizer manufactured 

 here In Lafayette from the offals of 

 a slaughter house, consisting mostly 



HERBACEOUS PLANT NOTES. 



Though this summer has so far been 

 remarkably dry with us, the hardy 

 pentstemons are in excellent shape 

 since the middle of June and being so 

 very floriferous they are conspicuous 

 in the borders even in June and July, 

 when hardy flowers of every descrip- 

 tion are so very plentiful. P. barba- 

 tus hybridus in its various colors, 

 ranging from very light red and scar- 

 let to deep purplish carmine, has the 

 same habit and vigorous growth as the 

 old P. harbatus, but the size of the 

 flower is greatly improved. The long 

 tapering panicle with its many 



