Adgost 6, isca. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND OOTTAGK GARDENER. 



95 



The nnmber of epecies of plants was but little chanj^cd on thoHO 

 ©xporiiueutul piftta in the park to whicli a couiplox bat jiur^ly mineral 

 mauare v/oa upplieil, oouHii^tini; of suits uf potash, soda, uiuguetjiu, 

 and Hulphiito auJ phonpbiito of lime. 



On the other haud. Hiilts of amin^nia. nitrate of soda, appliotl by 

 themselves, or tha addition of nitro^enouH inaunres to niiuBral for- 

 tilism^ matters, groatly dimiuished tho uambur of spucius ia tbu 

 herbage. 



Acconlinj^ to tho particular kind of nitrogenoas maunro used, and 

 the quantity and combination with other fei-tili3in<; matters in which 

 nitropjGuons manures wen* emplnyed, tho diminution in the number of 

 specitis vari-^d, but iu all cases it was Htrikiu^ly apparent, and in some 

 instances ainonnted to about ouu-half of the species iu tlie herba<;e 

 from the nnmannrod part of the park, or those parts dressed ^vith 

 purely mineral manures. 



Attention was further directed to the fiiot. that not only the weight 

 of the pro<hire reapf^d per acre was much intlueucod by the description 

 of the manures which were put on the dilTereut experimental plats, 

 but that likewise the relative pnportions of {H'arainaceous and of 

 le^minous and miscellaneous ]>Iant:i in tho produce were found to 

 vary considerably with the manures employed. 



Thus, to cite only a few examples, tho weight of the cro-ralnaceous 

 plants in tho produce from tho nuinauurod plat^, and those drets*ed 

 vith purely mineral mannres. in rouiid numbers amounted to about 

 60 per cent, of tha whole produce. Dressed with salts of ammonia 

 or nitrate of soda, and other purely nitrogenous manures, tho herbiip'ii 

 yielded from 70 to 80 per cent, of the whole weight of prodaco in 

 graminaceou-i plants, and in somu instances in which an abundance of 

 both nitrofTcnous and mineral manures ware employed toj^ether. tho 

 weight of the f^ramuaaceous plants in the whole produce amounted to 

 nearly 95 per cent. 



The effect of nitritKanon^i manures in eneouragini^ the fjrowth of 

 true Grasses, and raising the weight of jijraminaceous produce and the 

 eorrespouding dimtnntt<>n of tho weiglit of the leguminous and mis- 

 «ellaneoa3 plants in the produce, was strikingly exemplitied in these 

 experimentf^. 



On the other hand, it was found that purely mineral manures, such 

 aa salts of potash and phoaphato of lime, favoured materially tho 

 growth of the Clover tribes, and greatly increased the per-ccutage by 

 weight of the leguminous plants in the whole produce of the pormauout 

 pasture. 



A wish having been expres-ied by several members of the Committee 

 to inspect the interesting and highly important experiments which for 

 a anccession of years have been carried out and are annually iu progress 

 at Rothamatead Park. Mr. Lawes kindly isjiued an invitation, of which 

 several of the members were able to avail themselves. 



The remarkable character of the results obtained in experiments on 

 permanent pasture, and othwr no less interesting results, having 

 reference to the fjrowth of Wheat, Barley, Beans, and other crops, 

 highly impressed the visitors with thw im[>ortance of the experimental 

 inqoiries instituted at Itothamstcad iu relation to many physiological 

 and horticultural problems. 



At a subsequent Committee Meeting it was agreed to call togetber 

 thft Chemical Sub-Committee, who, regarding the co-operation of 

 botanists and others interestt-d in vegetable physiology, were joined by 

 Dr. Masters, Dr. Hogg, Mr. Murray. Major Trevor Clarke, and Mr. 

 Miers ; Dr. Hooker and Mr. Bentham expressing regret at being 

 unable to attend the meetings of the Sub-Committee. 



Accordingly tho Sub -Committee met on Thursday, June 18tb, the 

 following members being present :— Profe^-sor Abel, Mr. G. F. Wilson, 

 Dr. Masters, Dr. Gilbert, Mr. A. Murray, Dr. Voelcker. 



Dr. Gilbert invited the botanical members of the Sub-Committee to 

 examine the herbage reaped this season on the several experimental 

 plats of the permanent pasture in llothamstead Park, and promised 

 to famish them with the requisite materials for such, a botanical ex- 

 amination. 



The Snb-Committo© next fully discussed the manner in which ma- 

 nuring experiments on graminaceous and other plants occurring in 

 pastures might with advantage be instituted, and considered it advis- 

 able to investigate rather the more strictly scientific physiologieal 

 'qnestions, which no doubt will suggest themselves in the course of the 

 experiments, than to bear in mind the purely agricultural and economic 

 points of interest whii-h they may present. 



Instead of growing together a number of plants snch as are common 

 in pastures, it was deemed desirable to study the infiuence of various 

 manures on particular species, grown separately in wooden boxes 2 feet 

 square and IS inches deep, filled with poor soil, such as is found in 

 unmanured and rather exhausted soils of our fields, and not with good 

 garden mould. 



The boxes are conveniently sunk in the land, level with its surface, 

 in order to protect the soil iu them from excessive evaporation. 



It is suggested that the experiments be carried out in the Society's 

 gardens at Chiswick, aud also at Ivjthamstead by Mr. Lawes and Dr. 

 Gilbert, as well as by any gentleman who feels disposed to undertake 

 them. 



In each set of experimeuU the same kind of soil should be employpd, 

 but as tho nature of the onmannred soil must exercise its due influ- 

 ence on the growth of the plants submitted to experiments, it will be 

 desirable, if possible, to try one series of experiments on rather light 

 sandy soil, and another on more heavy clayey soil. Dr. Voelcker will 



willingly undertake the chemical analysis of any soils that may be 



empbjyed for tho experiments. 



After due deliberation the Chemical Committee have aolcoted the 

 following plants for experiments : — 



8. Lotus comicnlatns (porenne), 



I{ira'.s-f..ot Trefoil. 



9. Trifnlium roftcns (porenne), 



White or Dutch Clover. 



10. Plantiij^u lanuirolatu. 



11. Achillea mi tie folium. 



12. Carumcarui. 



1. Oactylis F^lomorata. 



2. Anthoxanthuin odoratum, 

 ;i. Lolium peronuo. 



4. Poll pratouwiH. 



5. Poa trivialis. 

 t). Ilromus mollis. 

 7. Trif()liuni pratense (perenne), 



Kcd Clover. 



It will be seen that of the dozen plants recommended for experi' 

 ment, six are true Grasses, three Clovers, and three common weeds in 

 pastures. 



For each of tho preceding plants, sis boxes, each 2 feet each wid« 

 and 18 inches deep, are recommended. " * 



1. One box to b^ left nnmannre(5. 



2. „ jiianurod wiMi a purely mineral mixture. 



3. „ „ with ammonia only. 



4. „ „ with nitrate of HOfla onlv. 



5. ., „ with Hramonii and mineral manuroB. 



6. „ „ with nitrate uf soda aud mineral manures. 



The following mannres andqnantities are recommended : — 



lbs. 

 For box 2. 1.47 oz. of sulphate of potash, or at the rate of l,0)i) per aortt. 



1.47 oz. of carbonate of limo 1,'^ '1 ,« 



.iri oz. of chloride of Rodium 100 „ 



( 1.47 oz. of bone nwh treated with 1,000 „ 



1 1.10 07.. of sulphuric acid 1^ u 



For box 8. .SO oz. of sulphate of ammonia 400 ^ 



.59 oz. of chloride of ammonia 400 „ 



For box 4. 1.62 oz. of uitriite of soda 1,100 „ 



For box 5. The manures used in 2 and 3. 

 For box 6. The manures uiied la 2 aud 4. 



Tho amount of nitrogen in the preceding quantity of nitrate of soda 

 recommended for box 4, it may be observed, is the same as that in Um 

 snlphate of ammonia and chloriile of ammonia, employed in box 3. 



Dr. Gilbert has kindly promised to furnish the preceding mannres. 

 which should be intimately incorporated with the whole of the soil in 

 the several boxes. 



When necessary, the plants nnder experiments should be watered 

 with soft pure water, and otherwise attended, and their progress be 

 watched and recorded. 



A sample of water to be retained for examination when distilled 

 water can [not ?] be used. 



It may, perhaps, also bo desirable to fill moderate -sized flower-pots 

 with soil from each of the experimental boxes, and to grow in each a 

 single and strong plant, side by side with the more numerous speci- 

 mens in the several boxes. 



The preceding experiments cannot be nndertaken withont a good 

 deal of trouble, but it is confidently expected that they will throw 

 light on the conditions most conducive to the rapid development of 

 various orders or species of plants, as regards some of the moro 

 characteristic manuring elements present in complex mannres, and 

 they may lead to a more systematic and certain mode of treatment of 

 not only these but also of other plants as regards manuring. 



Some of the mannres recommended in the fore:;oing scheme are 

 known to favour early maturity ; it is therefore likely that the eiperi- 

 ments will suggest others which maybe of much value to fruitgrowers. 



M. SOUCHET'S GLADIOLUSES. 



I HAVB just heard from my friend M. Souchet, and send an 

 extract from his letter. 



" The drought having contiuued with extraordinary iDtenBity, 

 the bloom of the Gladioluses, which I had expected to be very 

 brilliant, is up to the present time a complete failure; it will 

 be, perhaps, better from the lOih to 25ih of the present month, 

 we hope so, although not counting upon it. I am greatly 

 grieved at this want of success. Will you be good enough to 

 communicate this sad news to any who may be interested 

 in it?" 



There can be no belter way of complying with his wishes 

 than to ask for your insertion of this extract. It quite confirms 

 me in my judgment, that it was better to postpone the 

 Gladiolus Exhibition for another year. — D., DeaL 



MR. CRIPPS'S NURSERY. TUNBRIDGE WELLS. 



I DERIVED much pleasure from a hasty viwit to this well- 

 known nursery. The seedling Clematises particularly attracted 

 my attention; for form and beauty they cannot be equalled. 

 A white variety named Madame Van Houtte, and a purple one 

 called Crippsii, were superb. Although for abundance of fiowers 

 they may not equal some of the new and leading varieties, tho 



