Moi-ch 28, 1672. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



been Icnowii to produce on some occasions a large quantity per 

 acre; and sandy soils will ^-iekl, if well tUled and properly 

 treated, as many as 4 to 7 tons. A piece of old sward, broken 

 up before the winter and ploughed deep, so as to have the sod 

 well rotted, generally grows a very deep crop, and a very deru-- 

 able one, as their cultivation has a peculiar tendency to free the 

 fresh laud from grubs and wireworms, with which it is gene- 

 rally infested. Any kind of land which can be ploughed a 

 sufficient depth, and which is well drained, can grow a crop of 

 Potatoes occasionally to advantage. For manures he found 

 what most Potato growers have discovered — that well rotted 

 farmyard manure is the best, say from 10 to 15 tons per acre, 

 added to which from 3 to 5 ewts. per acre of a mixture of guano 

 and rape nuts. He found April the best month for planting. 



If we go farther north we find the great growers of this crop 

 as decided in favour of artificial additions to farmyard manure 

 as those of Yorkshu'e. This important question not long since 

 engaged the attention of the Western Koss Farmers' Society 

 [Farmer-i' Maq., vol. Ixiv., p. 66). It was at one of their meet- 

 ings that ilr. Adam remarked : — " Of aU crops, the most mai-ked 

 results of top-dressing are produced on Potatoes. He found 

 last year, by actual experiment, that it increases the crop by 

 oue-fifth ; and, in talking the other day to a farmer (who has 

 been a regular grower of Potatoes for years l, as to the quantity 

 he gave to his Potatoes, he told me he never used less than 



cwt. per acre, and he believed it would pay to give n\ore." 

 He found Peruvian guauo 1 cwt., potash 1 cwt., and best dis- 

 solved bones 2 cwt., to suit him best ; 2 J cwt. put down when 

 planting, and h cwt. when earthing-up. 



.\nd now let us proceed to the valuable experiments instituted 

 by Professor Voelcker, in the season of 1870, and carried out 

 by ilessrs. HuU & Coleman, at Escrick, near York {Jour. Boy. 

 .ill. Soc, n. s., vol. vii., p. 379). The soil a sandy loam in a 

 fair agricultural condition. The manures employed, and the 

 weight of the tubers per acre will he found in the following 

 table. 



Manm-G^ use.t per Aero. Protluce per Acre. 



Cwts. Tons c\Tt<!. ll)s. 



Xoraanme : 3 17 33 



I^rinei-al superphosphate "1 4 \ .... 



and I 



Pota* salts '- 2 :- .... 8 19 03 



and 1 1 



Sulphate of ammonia I 2 ) .... 



ton-, 

 Gt)1 iMtten flun^ 2i) .... 2 .'3 



C'TVtS. 



Mineral superphosphate 1 4 ) 



and - ■ .... S 10 GO 



Potash salts ) 4 ) 



No manm-e : - . 4 "2 



Tvlinei-al snpei-phosphate \ 4 \ 



and I 



Potash salt ." - 2 ,- 



an! I .... .S l.-j 111 



?Ni:rate of soda .) 2 J 



PeruviBn gnano 4 .... 5 2 5u 



Mineral saporpuosphate ) 4 \ 



en I ' ... 4 « 24 



Common salt i 4 f 



t.ms 



Good rollen dung 20 .... 11 6 OS 



Xo manure • ■ ■ . H 3 104 



Upon the.ss valuable experiments the Professor remai'ks : — 

 " Ina diy se.ason rotten dung produces the most luxmiant crop. 

 In such a season, however, very nearly the same increase may 

 be obtained if, instead of dung, a mixture of 4 cwts. of mineral 

 superphosphate, 2 cwts. of potash salts, and 2 cwts. of sulphate 

 of ammonia or nitrate of soda, be used per acre as a Potato 

 manure. Relj"ing on the experience of the past three seasons, 



1 can confidently recommend this mixture as an excellent and 

 well-paHng Potato manure for Ught soUs, when dung cannot be 

 employed in sufficient quantity for that crop." 



The gener.il result of these experiments leads to one con- 

 clusion — that we have yet much to learn as to the most profit- 

 able employment of artificial fertiiisers to om- Potato crops. 



three varieties were almost as plump and perfect as when first 

 ripened. Each bunch was divided between six or eight persons, 

 but there was no difference in opinion, tlie verdict was unani- 

 nious in favour of Mrs. Pince. — J. R. Peaksox, ChiUccU. 



IIks. Piece's Black MrscAi Gkape. — Jlr. Hill, of Keele Hall 

 Gardens, sent me three bimches of Grapes to taste — viz.. Black 

 Alicante, L.ady Downe's, and Mrs. Pince. One hardly expects 

 to see Grapes in perfection later than the 3rd of March, the 

 day on v.'liich I tasted these. Having always thought well of 

 Mrs. Pince, I was glad to find this famous Grape-grower agree- 

 ing with me that the flavour of this much-abused varietj' was 

 very superior to that of Lady Downe's, whilst Black Alicante 

 could not be compared with either of these kinds. All the 



EUCHAEIS AMAZONICA. 



This pla:ir , v-.iown to botanists as Euch,aris grandiflora) has 

 become most deservedly popular dm-ing the past few years. A 

 walk at this season thi-ough the grand row of Covent Garden 

 Market would be sufficient to prove the fact, even to those who 

 have no opportunities for seeing and knowing the extent to 

 which the plant is grown in private establishments — not that 

 it has become a market plant, nor do I imagine it will ever 

 become such, but the cut blooms are sent there in considerable 

 numbers, yet not so abundantly as to render them everybody's 

 flower, for I have frequently during winter paid Is. for a single 

 bloom. Certainly, it is scarcely possible to conceive a more 

 beautiful object for vases, or for the centre of a hand-bouquet ; 

 I am particular in saying the centre, because, except in a large 

 bouquet, the flowers are too large for other places, but if a large 

 and massive bouquet is to be made, they have a beautiful effect 

 as an outer edge. 



Eucharis is a genus of AmaryUidacefe containing but few 

 species, the present being, perhaps, the most beautiful and 

 useful of the whole family, although I hold E. Candida in great 

 estimation, for, on account of its producing smaller blooms, it 

 is even more useful (if that is possible) for bouquet-making 

 than E. amazouica ; but still as a plant it lacks that majestic 

 appearance which is such a distinguishing character of the latter 

 species. 



Eucharis amazoniea is a native of the low moist regions on 

 the borders of the river Amazon, and upon this knowledge of its 

 natural habit I base my treatment ; for it seems to me that if 

 the plant inhabits such places m a state of nature, the roots 

 will seldom or never become dry at any season. I have grown 

 this plant in considerable quantities, both as large specimens, 

 and as small plants suitable for placing in ornamental vases 

 for the embellishment of the drawing-room and boudob, and 

 under my system they have proved almost perpetual bloomers. 

 I must, however, in common fairness allow that, although I 

 cannot agi-ee with my friends who practise the drying-off 

 system, I cannot but admit that they do produce good crops of 

 flowers ; but still I maintain that their plants -n-iU never prove 

 such perpetual bloomers as mine, and, moreover, that my 

 plants not only produce a much gi'eater number of flowers 

 during the season, but they are always handsome and present- 

 able — a feature v.-hich cannot be claimed by those who put them 

 to rest at certain periods. The soU for the successful culture 

 of E. amazoniea should be turfy loam, fibrous peat, and good, 

 rich, but thoroughlv decomposed manure in about equal parts, 

 to which must be added a fair proportion of sharp river sand. 

 The plant enjoys liberal supplies of water and strong moist 

 heat to any degree, thirefore the drainage must be kept in 

 thorough working order to prevent any stagnation. I am not 

 an advocate for very much pot-room, but prefer renev.-iug the 

 sm-face soU, s.ay once or twice during the season, and feeding 

 the plants frequently with artificial manm-e, and by uo means 

 aUowuig them to suffer from the v.-aut of either heat or water 

 In order to mamtain a succession of these noble Narciss-like 

 flowers it will be well to place the plants as they pass out of 

 bloom in a somewhat cool stove,' or in some situation where 

 the temperature is lower than that of the house in which they 

 are grown ; but do not keep them dry. 



The bulbs of Eucharis amazoniea must be planted below 

 the soil. From these bulbs the leaves usually arise in pairs ; 

 they are ovate, spreading, somewhat fleshy or leatheiy in 

 texture, from 12 to 18 inches long, and of a very dark gi-een ; 

 the flower-spike is stout and erect, usually attaining the same 

 height as the leaves, and bearing upon the summit some five 

 or SIX delicately fragrant pure white flowers, which last a long 

 time upon the plant. When cut and placed in water, and 

 set in a vase with a few sprays of Maiden-hau: Fem, the 

 flower is a gem of the first water, being at once chaste and 

 effective. — Espekio Ckede. 



TREE LIFTING.— No. 2. 



If you lift a large tree which has not been previously taken 

 up, a somewhat wider ch-cle must be dug out, leaving about 

 one-third of the roots, or nearly so, undistm-bed. The turnmg- 

 oyerwillbe a little difficult, but maybe mere easily efteeted 



