Jaly 4, 1866. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



There are certain cases in which it is desirable to further 



Rrowth by copious manure waterint^s, and particularly iloos 

 this apply to fine-foliaj;oil plants. CaladiuniK would, I bi'licvc, 

 live with their roots in a manure tank : I liavc known Caladium 

 argjTites treated as an aquatic, planted in water fully 3 inches 

 deejp, and it throve amazingly. All tlie Caladiums like liipiid 

 manure, and a brisk heat, with slight sluide. .Mocasins revel 

 in moisture and liquid manure when growing. JIarantas, aiul 

 all that have thick and fleshy roots, as Dracaenas, the I'alnis 

 generally, .\ralias, Kieuses, Coleus, Uillbergia (though half 

 epiphytal, some quite so), .Echmens, I'andanus, Sic, though 

 many have fibrous roots, are improved in foliage by hquid 

 manure when growing. There are indeed few plants to which 

 it may not be given with advantage, but they must be in a 

 healthy state — not necessarily vigorous, for then it is not 

 needed, but having henltby roots. It benetits those most, 

 however, that form thick roots, and those especially that 

 require a loamy soil wholly or in jiart. Those jilants that 

 never form such roots, as Heaths, I'imeleas, Leschenaultias, 

 Eriostemons, Correas, .\zaleas, and Uhododendrons, it does 

 not seem to improve n)uch if at all, and unless given very 

 weak, it is certain destruction to many of them if jiersistently 

 applied, and that even wlien weak. I fancied Azaleas had 

 finer flowers, and made finer wood with a little weak hquid 

 manure than others supi)lied with water only, but I am not 

 certain, and would therefore advise others to be cautious in 

 applying licpiid manure to any plant that requires peat soil 

 for its successful growth. Their roots are so very delicate 

 as to be soon destroyed ; Camellias, how(^ver, care nothing 

 about it, except when healthy, they like it botli when the buds 

 are swelling in winter or si)ring, and again when making their 

 wood. It is necessary, however, that the soil be well drained 

 and porous, and the roots healthy. It is useless giving strong 

 food to a sickly person without an appetite, and so with plants. 

 Weak but uoiirishing food is required by sickly plants ; a sweet 

 soil and atmosjihere, and thorough cleauhness, are what they 

 require until tliey gain strength, and are able to take and 

 make the most of stronger food. 



Annual plants as Balsams and Cockscombs, succeed better 

 with liquid mamu'e than with very rich soil, and so do Gloxinias, 

 Gesneras, Achimenes, &c., from the time of their first showing 

 their buds to that of their coming into bloom. 



I have an impression that Ferns, Mosses, and the lower 

 orders of plants are no finer in consequence of the application 

 of liqmd manure, or indeed manure in any form. Though 

 many of them will grow and appear none the worse of weak 

 doses, not too frequently given, say once a-week, they do not 

 seem to grow any better, and they are not improved, nor can I 

 say injured in a " manured atmosphere," whilst Orchids 

 become more luxuriant, aiul have healthier and better-coloured 

 foliage in such an atmosphere. 



Now draiuings of the dunghill will do wonders in a garden 

 during a dry season. The Roses will bloom finer in consequence 

 of watering them with it, from the time of the buds forming to 

 that of the flowers expanding, applying it cool, though it 

 would be none the worse of being boiled to destroy the eggs 

 and larvaj of insects, even if allowed to cool afterwards. Roses 

 in hot weather hke the liquid cool, and so do all plants that 

 are required to grow slowly and remain long in bloom. It may 

 not be generally known that cold pump water will cause a 

 plant to continue longer in bloom than were it watered with 

 water exposed to the air. It is best, therefore, to use the liquid 

 at 90' when we wish to forward, and cool when we desire to 

 retard the flowei-ing, fniiting, or perfection of vegetables. The 

 liquid may be given to all out-door plants when diluted with an 

 equal quantity of water. 



Whether is hard or rain water the better ? This is a question 

 well worth considering. We frequently see rain water recom- 

 mended as the best for watering. I have known a large 

 establishment successfully managed with no water except 

 pump water, and no matter how dry the summer there never 

 was any scarcity of water. I think a pump and a deep well 

 capital things in a garden. Spring water is the best of agents 

 for keeping the roots of plants cool, and, much as I like soft 

 water, it is a fact that plants in a hot summer do better with 

 pump than with warm or aired soft water, particularly those 

 dehghting in coolness and moisture, as Roses, Calceolarias, 

 and any others of which we wish to prolong the blooming. 

 It is also good for Strawberries in hot seasons. I may add that 

 pump water is soon aired by pumping it into an open cistern, 

 and if this be elevated the water can be run where wanted by 

 means of pipes, and hose to distribute it \vill obviate much of 



the drudgery of watering. For tender plants pump water is 



not good, or rather rain water is better. 



To return. The drainings of a dunghill may be given to all 

 out-door plants that are healthy, though weak, whilst growing, 

 which it is desired to invigorate ; the Uquid being diluted with 

 an eipial (juantity of water for the strong, and with four times- 

 that ([uantity for the less-growing kinds of plants, except such 

 as KhodoiU'ndrons, A/aleas, Kalniias, Andromedas, Ericas, &e. 

 There nvv. otlur exceptions, as the majority of the Conifers. Of 

 all plants to which I have used li(iuid manure, tree I'scouies 

 are those wliich show the beneficial elTects perhaps more than 

 any other, an application being afforded twice a-week from the 

 time the buds are first visible up to flowering. 



Passing on to fruits, I may say they all like copious water- 

 ings with licpiid manure. I water Pines regularly with it, from 

 the time that the suckers become well rooted up to fruiting — in 

 fact from March to October. We water them with half 

 drainings of the dunghill and half soft water, at a temperature 

 of from DO*-' to 10(1". During the winter months they are 

 watered sebhun, aiul with aired soft water only. To Vines 

 in pots the liipiid numure is given at every alternate watering, 

 from the time of the buds breaking uj> to that of the fruit 

 riiieniug ; to Figs in pots, fi'om the leaves appearing till these 

 change colour — but it should be borne in mind that our Figs 

 are always under-potted, for if Figs are liberally treated with 

 pot room they grow too freely, and cast their fruit ; and aU 

 stone fruits, from their setting up to ripening, are freely 

 supplied with liquid manure. Musas in pots and tubs may 

 have li(iuid manure every day when growing freely ; Oranges 

 too, may receive it when making new wood, and throughout 

 the summer once or twice a-week. There is not a fruit tree 

 grown in pots that is not benefited by frequent and copious 

 waterings of liquid manure whilst in active growth, always 

 excepting those of which the gi'owths are already too luxuriant, 

 or gross to an extent that interferes with their bearing. 



Pines in beds are watered with liquid mamu-e the same as 

 those in pots ; Figs, also, if the borders are filled with roots, 

 and other fruit trees in borders, at every alternate watering. 

 It ought to be borne in mind that, so long as the border is 

 sufficiently rich to furnish strong wood and good crops of fruit, 

 liquid manure is not likely to improve ; for, though it might 

 render the crop larger, it might produce rank growth, and im- 

 perfectly ripened wood. On the other hand, it may safely be 

 given to trees whose growths are fruitful, the wood strong and 

 close-jointed ; and it may be given advantageously to those 

 that are weak from want of nourishment in the soil, always 

 making sure that the roots are in a healthy state. I was 

 formerly of opinion that roots were more freely formed, and 

 ran more readily through poor soil than rich. This, I find, is 

 only in part correct ; for, if we plant a tree m rich soil, roots 

 will not be so readily emitted as when it is planted in poor 

 ground ; but when once emitted they ramify and extend more 

 rapidly in rich than in poor soil. It is really astonishing how 

 the roots will rise in pots surface-dressed with rich soil, even 

 up into the top-di-essiug itself. I have nothing to urge against 

 liquid manure, but I very much question whether it is as safe as 

 top-tlressings of manm-e. After the fruit has set, top-dress a 

 fruit tree — say a Peach in a 1,5-iuch pot — with an inch of fi'esh 

 cowdung, so as to form a depression to hold water, and fill 

 this with about two quarts of water every day, and renew the 

 dressing of cowdung, an inch each time, at iuten'als of six 

 weeks, up to the fruit taking its last swelling ; give another tree 

 an equal quantity of liquid maniue daily, up to the same period, 

 and which will be the healthier tree, and yield the finer fruit ? 



Of other liquids, I have used guano, at the rate of 2 ozs. to 

 a gallon of water, for plants in the open air, and not frequently 

 watered, or, if in pots, at the rate of 1 oz. to the gallon ; and 

 this last is the strength used for all plants of Umited root- 

 action in pots, tubs, and borders. The guano is best dissolved 

 in a wooden tub, pouring the water upon it the night before 

 using it. If pl.aced in a watering-pot it quickly brings the 

 paint oft', and corrodes the iron. A peck of fresh sheep's-dung, 

 mixed with forty gallons of water, was a favomite Uquid with the 

 man in charge of the houses where fruit and vegetable forcing 

 was carried on, whilst cowdung — a peck to twenty gallons of 

 water — was much valued by the flower gardener. Horse- 

 droppings, in the same proportion, were not thought much of^ 

 Soot-water, made by pouring, or rather pumping — for all the 

 tubs were in a shed at the back of the forcing-houses, and a 

 pump in the rain-water tank enabled all the barrels to be filled 

 by the simple turning and shutting on or off of the water — 

 forty gallons of water over a peck of soot, was much used.. 



