FOREIGN NOTICES. 



185 



rank will be the corn crop there, that in spite of 

 two or three flagfrings, it is ahuost sure to go down 

 and spoil. I find burned earth exceedin<rly useful 

 for clampinp; potatoes, Swedes, Mangold, he.; but 

 it is essential to allow roots to remain in a heap 

 covered with straw three or four weeks previous to 

 doing this, or they are apt to heat and rot, espe- 

 cially early raised potatoes. The reasons why 

 earth burned must be beneficial are sufficiently ex- 

 plained by Drs. Liebig and Playfair. Of its cheap- 

 ness as a manure there can be no question, for 

 whilst it only costs 7d. a cubic yard on the spot, 

 the mere cartage of London dung from our nearest 

 port would be 2s. per cubic yard, nearly four times 

 the cost of the earth itself. It is much to be wished 

 that tenants had permission to cut down all old 

 pollard trees, burning them on the spot with earth 

 close at hand. Such pollards when carted home 

 seldom clear Is. eiich, after deducting expenses, 

 whilst it is to be feared they damage the growing 

 crops annually to that extent at least- I should 

 say that at 5d. per yard my men average (including 

 occasional night-work) about 15s. or 16s. per week 

 in dry weather. J. J. Mecki. E7ig. Agricultural 

 Soc. Journal. 



Bone Dust a Good Manure for Shrubs — 

 A day or two ago, I was remarking on the great 

 growth of the shrubbery of a clergyman in this 

 neighborhood, (lately deceased,) and expressing 

 my astonishment at the luxuriance which the 

 shrubs had attained in a short space of time since 

 they were planted- The person said that the cler- 

 gyman had told him that " he had superintended 

 the planting himself, and that he had put a handful 

 of bone dust under every tree and shrub, (which 

 amount to some thousands,) and to which alone he 

 attributed the great growth they had made." I 

 planted about 700 ornamental shrubs and trees 

 myself, about the same time ; and although I 

 spared no trouble or expense in my work, (having 

 drained and thoroughly trenched, and made my 

 "round so that I couid easily thrust a stick full 2a 

 feet deep in good open soil, and also superintended 

 myself every tree and shrub planted, for which I 

 am now amply rewarded by the great growth and 

 beauty of tlie entire shrubbery, which is the admi- 

 ration of every one who sees it ;) still, I think that 

 my shrubs are full a good year's growth, in point of 

 size, behind those to which I allude, which had 

 bone dust used with them, and with equal advan- 

 tage as to soil and situation also. And I should 

 state that mine are nearly double the size of some 

 of my neighbors, planted about the same time. 

 Now, as I intend planting to some extent in Sep- 

 tember, I have ventured to trouble you with this, 

 to ask your opinion as to the advantages of using 

 bone dust, or any other material likely to accele- 

 rate the growth of shrubs ; and to ask you to state 

 which is the most desirable way of using it ; whe- 

 Hher it should be put under the roots, or thrown in 

 amongst them while planting, or mixed up with 

 the top soil after the planting is completed. j1 

 Subscriber. {There is no doubt about the advan- 

 tages of bones dissolved in acid ; we have frequently 

 recommended super-phosphate of lime, which is the 

 s,a.me thing.] Gard. Ckron. 



Vol. III. 12 



Effects of Stopping and Thinning. — Scarce- 

 ly an annual exists, which usually dies at the close 

 of the season, after ripening its seed, but may be 

 made to retain a vigorous existence if its inflores- 

 cence be removed as soon as formed. Mignonette 

 is a very familiar example, for this may be al- 

 lowed to bloom ; but if its flower stalks be cut 

 down before its seed vessels are perfected, it be- 

 comes woody and shrubby, and will live and bloom 

 for three or more successive years. If allowed to 

 ripen its seed, it dies the same year. The com- 

 mon nasturtium is an annual ; but the double nas- 

 turtium has become a perennial, because its flow- 

 ers, deprived of the faculty of producing seeds, do 

 not exhaust the plant ; and it is probable that every 

 annual, rendered double by cultivation, will become 

 a perennial. 



This explains why fruit trees are weakened, or 

 rendered temporarily unproductive, and even killed, 

 by being allowed to ripen too large a crop of fruit ; 

 or to over-bear themselves, as it is emphatically 

 termed by the gardener. The thinning of fruit is, 

 consequently, one of the most important operations 

 of the garden, though one of the last generally 

 practiced. On the weaker branches of the necta- 

 rine and peach, an average space of nine inches 

 should be left between each brace of fruit ; and on 

 the most vigorous wood of the most healthy trees, 

 they should not be nearer than six inches. This 

 enforcement of the importance of thinning fruit is 

 not intended to be confined to the two trees speci- 

 fied ; it is equally important to be attended to in 

 all other fruit bearers ; but especially the vine, 

 apricot, apple, and pear. It should be done with 

 a bold, fearless hand ; and the perfection of that 

 which is allowed to remain will amply reward the 

 grower in the harvest time for the apparent sacri- 

 fice now made. But he will not reap his reward 

 only in this year ; for the trees thus kept unweak- 

 ened by over-production, will be able to ripen their 

 wood, and deposit that store of inspissated sap in 

 their vessels, so absolutely necessary for their fruit- 

 fulness next season. Juhnson's Principles of Gar- 

 dening. • . . • 



Rose Insects — I have made a discovery during 

 the last week, which I think must be useful to all 

 who grow roses extensively. I have long kept my 

 rose trees quite clear of green fly and spring ver- 

 min by using a mixture, the receipt of which was 

 communicated to my employer by Mr. Paul, the 

 well known nurseryman and rose grower of Ches- 

 hunt. The recipe is this : — to 12 gallons of cold 

 water add 1 bushel of soot, and about half a peck 

 of unslaked lime ; stir and mix. Let the mixture 

 stand for 24 hours. The soot will have come to 

 the surface ; skim it off. It may be afterwards 

 used several times. Syringe the roses with it from 

 a hand syringe or a garden engine. 



But though this mixture is perfectly efficient 

 during the spring, yet, about this time of the year, 

 an enemy appears on whom it has no effect. This 

 is a small white grub, with a scaly brown head, 

 the scales of which are of a surprising hardness 

 and strength. It destroys the fleshy part of the 

 leaves, leaving them skeletons of fibres, not unlike 

 fine lace. Though curious, these destroyed leaves 

 are in a mass unsightly. I need hardy add, that 



