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TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Liquid Manure.—^. H. W. — Any manurifil matters can be, to a more or less 

 extent, dissolved in water for the production of liquid manure, and the strength of 

 the material used must regulate the quantity of water applied, and the nature of the 

 plants to be fed with it. The following are generally u-efiil mixtures : — One part 

 by weight of fresh cow dung, to six parts by weight of water ; stir and leave it some 

 liours to settle ; nse only the clear liquid. The drainage from the stable and cow- 

 house is a most valuable basis for liquid manure ; add to it eight times its bulk of 

 water. The brown liquid that flows from new dungheaps is to be used in the same 

 way. One part of fowl's dung to eight parts of water. One peck of fre.sh sheep's 

 dung to thirty gallons of water. Sulphate of ammonia, half an ounce to every 

 gallon of water. Guano, half an ounce to the gallon of water. The best of the 

 ])repared manures is "Standen's Gardener's Friend," sold by Barr and Sugden, and 

 the best way to use it is to sprinkle it on the surface of the soil, that the watering 

 may wash it down to the roots. In all cases it is best to give liquid manures weak, 

 and especially at first. If it is intended to give a plant strong doses, a few weak 

 ones should be given first to prepare it, but to be always weak is much safer and 

 inore beneficial in the end, for an overdose will cause the leaves to fall or to become 

 blotched, and do other injuries that need not be enumerated. 



Raphanus Caudatus. — W.B. — The rat-tailed radish is both interesting and 

 useful. It grows to the height of two to four feet, and produces numerous slender 

 purple pods that attain a length of from one to three feet. We have at the present 

 time a considerable number of plants bearing pods eighteen inches long, and still 

 growing. These pods are described as delicious eating ; and as the plant is a 

 favourite in Java, India, and America, no doubt it will be esteemed here. If you 

 wish to grow a few, we advise you to sow the seed in small pots, and when the 

 plants have filled those pots with roots, transplant them to a rich, sheltered border, 

 and give abundance of water, until the pods are fully grown. If grown under 

 glass, the pods do not attain so great a size, nor are the plants so healthy. 



Statices, Etc. — J. L. — We cannot imagine what is the matter with your 

 statices. A genial greenhouse temperature is needful to keep S. Holfordii in health. 

 Yours may be too hot or too cold. The next best thing to hot-water pipes for heat- 

 ing is a furnace and brick flue. The best stove to place inside the house is made by 

 Musgrave, Brothers, Belfast. It requires no setting, and will burn twelve hours 

 without attention. 



EiBES Sanguinea Bonsoik. — This shrub does not require pruning at all, and it 

 shows great discretion on the part of your trees to die as soon as they have been 

 pruned. In future keep the knife out of their sight. The only way to insure a 

 good bloom of violets is to raise young plants annually as described in Mr. Barnes's 

 article. You shall have an article on evergreens shortly. 



Vines, Tacsonia Molis.sima. — Sudbrook — You probably keep the soil and the 

 atmosphere too dry, for meally-bug usually infests plants that are not growing 

 freely. You ought to have painted the stems of the vines before the leaves 

 appeared with the following mixture : — Soft soap, 2 lb. ; flowers of sulphur, 2 lb. ; 

 tobacco, 1 lb. ; and a wine-glass of spirit and turpentine. The tobacco to be 

 boiled lor an hour in a small quantity of water. Soap, sulphur, and turps to be 

 mixed first, then the tobacco-water added, lastly five gallons of water. This you 

 may apply vow to the woody parts, and not to the young shoots. These last had 

 better be painted with thick starch paste, which is to be washed off in a few days. 

 Cease to prune your tacsonia, let it grow as it likes, train it full length, and it will 

 flower freely. 



Camellias — S. G., IN'etw Cross— Youi- camellias are covered with thrips. It is 

 evident you do not keep the air of the house sufiiciently moist, and you probably 

 starve the roots. Remove and burn the discoloured leaves, shut the plants up 

 rather close, and shade them, and give them plenty of water overhead and at the 

 root. Probably they want repotting ; if so, let it be done at once. 



Stipa Pennata.— T. r., South Alilford— The queries respecting shrubs for your 

 soil shall have attention. How many seeds of Stipa pennata did you sow, aud how 

 many plants did you get up ? 



