Novombor 38, 1868, ] JODENAL OF HOUTIO0LTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



401 



to which, of oonrse, the term subtropioal cannot bo applied. 

 Bat as this article is more to assist those of limited means 

 than to suggest fresh subjects to those already conversant with 

 the matter, plants more diflicuU of increase need not be men- 

 tioned hero ; neither in it necessary to enter upon the lower- 

 {»rowing class of plants, some of which become green when 

 planted out, and consequeutly lose all beauty, which, however, 

 is not the case with Tradescantia zebrina. 



To mention Indiarubber plants, Dracn^nas, Crotona, Ma- 

 rantas, Caladiums, and other stove plants would only be tempt- 

 ing persons possessed of limited means to devote too much 

 attention to a description of gardening which an adverse season 

 would render a pitiable feature ; and it is to be feared that the 

 past unusually hot summer, which has favoured the growth of 

 30 many tender plants, may tempt some to extend their culti- 

 vation in another year, which, perhaps, may be diametrically 

 the opposite of this in respect to the heat and sunshine, and 

 disappointment will be the result. — iJohn Eobson. 



KEEPING APPLES FROM FROST. 



Is it correct, that if pans of water are placed in a room where 

 Apples are stored, they are never affected by frost ? A dealer 

 who purchases very largely for the markets, states it to be a 

 fact.— L. B. 



[There is no doubt that water in a room checks the tem- 

 perature of that room falling below 32°, the freezing point of 

 water, for the water in cooling, and in freezing, gives out heat. 

 But when the water is frozen, and the temperature of the room 

 is below the freezing point, it would not prevent the Apples 

 being frozen. — Eds.] 



THE USES AND MAKING OF CHARCOAL. 



So extremely useful to the gardener is charcoal, that he can 

 hardly be said to have all his necessaries about him when it is 

 absent. It is, first of all, invaluable as a manurial agent, there 

 being few soils, or rather plants, which are not benefited by its 

 application. Who has not noticed how lovingly the rootlets of 

 a potted Strawberry twine round and hug the little bits of it 

 which have been put within their reach '.' or how those of pot 

 Vines which have been top-dressed with a rich compost in 

 which some of it has been mixed, will, trout-like, come almost 

 to the surface to grasp the savoury morsels ? 



As is well known, charcoal is carbon in a more or less im- 

 pure state, and as carbon forms rather more than half of the 

 constituent parts of woody fibre, it would at first sight appear 

 obvious that plants will find in it abundance of wood-forming 

 material ready for use ; but those who peer into these curious 

 subjects, and tell us what they see, say that before it can be- 

 come vegetable food it must be turned into carbonic acid, and 

 that charcoal under such circumstances as being simply mixed 

 with soil is never so transformed, but remains insoluble though 

 reduced to the finest powder. Its undoubted nutritive qualities 

 are, notwithstanding, accounted for by its very slowly forming 

 carbonic acid when buried in the soil ; partly also by its che- 

 mical power of absorbing and retaining ammoniacal gas, as 

 well as moisture, in its pores, thus making each piece a little 

 pantry full of all the good things of vegetable life ; but in what- 

 ever way it acts is not of much consequence bo long as we reap 

 the benefits. 



Used as a mulching material, either in summer to prevent 

 eraporation, or in autumn to keep in heat, it is most efficient, 

 as it is one of the worst conductors of heat known ; it has also 

 the advantage over many other materials so used, of being not 

 nnsightly, and if roughly powdered, of being somewhat harrow- 

 ing to the slimy sensibilities of our enemies, the snails. 

 Strewed over the surface of the soil, and frequently renewed, it 

 protects from damp such crops as Lettuce, Endive, Cauliflower, 

 &c., wintering in frames ; and sprinkled over boxes of Pelar- 

 goniums which have been stumped in, and are hybernating, 

 a la Fish, in a dry loft, I have more than once seen it do good 

 service. Being a powerful absorbent it acts as a trap for mois- 

 ture, of which it is also very retentive, parting with it only at a 

 high temperature, or on exposure to currents of dry air. Hence 

 the ease with which gunpowder gets damp, and the difficulty 

 of again thoroughly drying it. 



Charcoal dust, and in an interior degree both wood and peat 

 ashes also, greatly assist the germination of small seeds, and 

 the subsequent development of the young plants ; and this, too, 

 no doubt, results from their power of absorbing moisture. The 



ploughing-in of peat ashes along with artificial manures, before 

 sowing Turnips in dry weather, is sometimes practised by 

 farmers in this part of the country, where, unfortunately, an 

 unlimited supply is always to be had for the burning. 



In the formation of Vine borders charcoal seems to be less 

 employed now than it was some years ago, owing, perhaps, to 

 the more liberal use of bones ; but setting aside the question 

 of expense, where it cannot be made at home, there can be 

 little doubt about its being greatly superior to lime rubbish. 



In making charcoal for any of these, or for potting purposes, 

 where there is a choice, the lighter woods should be preferred 

 for the simple reason that they are more porous, those of an 

 opposite character being generally selected when it is to be used 

 for fuel. The professional charcoal burner cuts the wood up 

 into short lengths, and splitting these carefully into pieces of 

 nearly equal thickness, piles them up in a conical form, each 

 piece lying in a nearly horizontal position ; but the whole of 

 the work can be done in a rough-and-ready way with half the 

 labour, something in the following manner :— Collect a lot of 

 wood, rejecting nothing thicker than an ordinary arm, or that 

 has not had its fibre destroyed by decay. Cut it into lengths 

 varying from 3 to 7 or 8 feet, and, having fixed upon a suitable 

 spot, proceed to bnild the kiln. In doing this, place first two 

 or three bundles of dry Spruce branches where the centre of it 

 is to be, over these put a barrowload of coals in such away that 

 any good hothouse stoker will be sure of their igniting ; then, 

 beginning with the shortest lengths of wood, set them on their 

 ends around, and leaning against the faggots and coals, and 

 continue thus packing them closely together, and keeping the 

 base within as small a circumference as possible, until the 

 wood is all piled up. Two spaces filled with faggots, opposite 

 each other, and communicating with the centre, must also be 

 left. The next operation is to cover the whole, except the top, 

 with thick turves or sods, and in most cases the procuring of 

 these is the most difficult part of the business. Where there is 

 a farm near the difficulty can be easily surmounted, by making 

 the kiln in the comer of a pasture field, which has either just 

 been, or is about to be ploughed ; but if this cannot be done, 

 and if there is no suitable place about the grounds or woods, 

 then the next best place to select is somewhere in the vicinity 

 of the rubbish-heap. Here the whilom glories of the flower 

 garden will likely be rotting in cartloads, and they answer 

 pretty well if put thickly on, although it does entail a little loss 

 in manure. 



When the heap has been fired, and after the coals are burnt, 

 and it is found that the flames have entirely pervaded the heap, 

 cover up the holes at both top and bottom, and continue to put 

 on more turves or rubbish wherever the flame attempts to break 

 out, as the less air we admit, the less ashes, and the more 

 charcoal we shall have. When burnt out, cooling may be ac- 

 celerated by throwing a few pailsful of water over the heap, but 

 so as not to saturate the charcoal, which should be stored in r 

 dry shed, and sifted into various sizes ready for use. — Ayeshibe 

 Gakdenee. ^^_^ 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



Mk. FonsYTH's, Bkunswiok Nurseey, Stoke Newington. — 

 No one, probably, has been more successful than Mr. Forsyth 

 as a cultivator of specimen plants of the Chrysanthemum, 

 both large-flowering and Pompon ; and the largo, admirably 

 grown and flowered specimens which he has exhibited so suc- 

 cessfully at the various shows, have won for him a high re- 

 putation as well as many prizes. His show-house at present 

 contains a large collection of the best varieties, some trained 

 in the bush form, others as standards, and many more (massed 

 in the centre of the house), in the usual manner for furnishing 

 large blooms for exhibition. Ranged on the side shelves are 

 the specimens trained in the roundish bush-form, and among 

 them a plant of Mrs. George Puindle is especially remarkable 

 for its fine growth and the abundance of its pure white flowers. 

 Dr. Sharpe, crimson, another new variety of 1SC7, also forms 

 very fine specimens, and among older kinds Christine, Golden 

 Christine, and Annie Salter, all of which are well known, are 

 represented by large plants in beautiful bloom. 



Among new varieties of 180!^, Bronze Jardin des Plantes 

 and Princess Beatrice, the former bronzed oiange, the latter, 

 large, lilac tipped with blush, are especially worthv of note ; 

 also Mrs. Sharpe, pink with a silvery tinge, and Le Grand, 

 rosy peach. Of the previous years' flowers the most notiteable 

 besides those already referred to, are Fingal, very large and 

 fine ; Dr. Lindley ; Lard Stanley, orange amber ; Lady Tal- 



