1900 SUPPLEMENT—RECENT INTRODUCTIONS, 
&c. 361 
Farmyard and Stable Manure—continued. 
and exposed a sufficient amount of green-leaf surface to the 
atmosphere to render it independent of soil supplies of 
carbonic acid, 
In many cases it is believed that these benefits are a 
fall equivalent for the less soluble characters of the fertilis- 
ing constituents of Farmyard or Stable Manure, as compared 
with commercial fertilisers. When the soil has a reasonable 
amonnt of ayailable plant-food within it, the foregoing state- 
ment may be correct ; but as the ultimate welfare of garden 
plants depends so much ona healthy and vigorous start, with 
an abundant root-development, it becomes a question whether 
the more quickly-acting commercial manures may not be 
more yaluable than the slowly-acting animal manures, 
whenever the soil is deficient in readily available plant-food. 
Then, again, Farmyard Mannre, with its slow, nitrifying 
roperties, may furnish sufficient nitrogenous food for all 
ate crops in the garden, or those haying a long period of 
growth ; but for early crops or very rapidly-growing plants 
some easily soluble nitrogenous manure, such as guano, 
nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, &c., will be found of 
great advantage. A tonof Farmyard or Stable Manure, when 
applied to the soil, will add about 605lb. of organic matter, 
which will yield from 9b. to 15lb. of nitrogen. But the 
large amount of carbon in combination with the nitrogen 
causes it to nitrify with comparative slowness,and the nitri- 
fying process is essential before dung becomes available for 
plants. The ton of dung will also add 67lb. of ash or 
mineral constituents, supplying from 4lb. to 10lb. of 
phosphoric acid, and from 5lb. to 13lb. of potash. 
In some experiments of Sir John Lawes, at Rothamsted, 
Hertfordshire, with Potatoes grown year after year on the 
same land, it was shown that in the first year of the 
application of 14 tons of Farmyard Manure per acre an 
increase of 8 ewt. of Potatoes only was obtained oyer the 
plot which received no mannre at all; while in the next four 
years of the application of the same quantity of Farmyard 
Manure the increase of Potatoes averaged 2 tons 17 ewt. per 
acre oyer the unmannred plot, pointing clearly to the slow 
action of the dung, and showing that it rarely produces 
much effect in the first year of its application. 
Further, it was found that when 200lb. of nitrogen was 
applied to the Potato crop in the form of Farmyard Manure, 
which also contributed a very large amount of mineral 
constituents, in no case was the increased yield of the crop 
so great as was obtained by an artificial mixture of minerals 
and nitrogenous manure supplying only 86lb. of nitrogen, 
but in a more readily available condition. Nor was the 
increased assimilation of any one of the individual con- 
stituents so great under the influence of Farmyard Manure 
as when these were applied in the rapidly ayailable 
condition, as in the artificial mixtures. 
In the case of several other crops it bas also been found 
that only a small proportion of the nitrogen of Farmyard 
Manure was taken up in the first year of the application. 
In ordinary garden practice Farmyard and Stable Manure 
are not only araely relied upon for the growth of most 
crops, but are applied in considerable quantities. It is 
probable, therefore, that independently of the liberal supply 
of all necessary constituents of plant-food, the beneficial 
effects of this manure are in a considerable degree due to its 
influence on the mechanical condition of the soil, rendering 
it more porous and easily permeable to the surface-roots, 
upon the deyelopment of which the success of so many 
garden plants greatly depends. Then, again, something 
may be due to an increased temperature of the surface-soil, 
engendered by the decomposition of so large an amount of 
organic matter within it ; whilst the carbonic acid evolved 
in the decomposition will, with the aid of moisture, serve to 
render the mineral resources of the soil more soluble. 
There are several practical considerations which count in 
fayour of using well-rotted manures, especially when not 
used in conjunction with an artificial fertiliser. It is 
especially worthy of observation that, whilst the insoluble 
organic matter of dung is much reduced in quantity during 
the fermentation, the insoluble organic matter which 
remains is richer in nitrogen than an equal quantity of the 
same substance from fresh dung. Therefore, weight for 
weight, well-rotted Farmyard Mannre is richer in soluble 
fertilising constituents than fresh dung, and contains 
especially more readily available nitrogen, and hence 
produces a more immediate and powerful effect on vege- 
tation. Many practical gardeners have urged that fresh 
manure, even if it does not actually injure the crop to which 
Vol. V. 
Farmyard and Stable Manure—continued. 
it is applied, may still tend to the production of stems and 
leaves rather than of seeds and fruits. The rankness, 
however, of fresh dung and urine could be controlled and 
utilised by applying the manure in small quantities, and 
supplementing it with artificial fertilisers of kinds appro- 
priate to the crops or individual plants that are to be 
grown. See also Animal Manures. 
FARNESIA. Included under Acacia (which see). 
FASCIATION. A condition consisting of a banding 
together of stems and inflorescences, or of a lateral 
widening and banding of the former, as in the case of the 
Garden Cockscomb. Recently some interesting experi- 
ments have been conducted by M. L. Geneau de Lamarliére 
with the object of producing Fasciation in the stems and 
inflorescences of plants. Barkhausia tarazxacifolia was the 
species selected experimentally for producing the desired 
malformations. It was found that mutilations practised 
upon the principal stems and branches fayoured the 
formation and development of dormant abnormal buds, and 
thus gave rise to branches and inflorescences more or less 
Fasciated. Mutilation of the principal axes, then, we are 
told, is a cause of teratological growths ; an indirect cause 
certainly, but none the less effectual. 
FATSIA. Only three species are included in this 
genus—those described on p. 3, Vol. II. Flowers her- 
maphrodite or polygamons ; petals four to six, membranons, 
valyate ; stamens four to six ; filaments filiform; umbellets 
paniculate or racemose, all perfect, or the lateral ones 
male. Leayes ample, palmately cleft, glabrous, bristly, 
or woolly beneath. 
F. japonica is one of the best of room plants if its foliage 
be kept free from dust and due attention be paid to 
watering in late spring and early sammer. Where so many 
fail with this plant in rooms is in assigning it a sunny 
position. Itisashade lover, and this cannot be too well 
remembered. 
FEABERRY. A name locally applied to the Goose- 
berry (which see). 
FEDIA. To the species described on p. 4, Vol. II., 
the following varieties should be added: 
F., Cornucopiz candidissima (whitish). This variety differs 
4 the type and from floribunda-plena in having white flowers. 
1885. 
F. C. floribunda-plena (abundantly double flowered). A hand- 
some, tufted variety, producing its pretty, reddish-pink, double 
flowers in such profusion as to almost entirely hide the leaves. 
1886. (R. G. 1218.) 
FEDIA (of Adanson). A synonym of Patrinia 
(which see). 
FEDIA (of Gertner). 
Valerianella (which see). 
FEIJOA (named in honour of Don J. da Silva Feijo, 
Director of the Natural History Museum at San 
Sebastian), Syn. Orthostemon. ORD. Myrtacee. A small 
genus (two species) of stove or greenhouse shrubs, natives 
of Brazil, and only distinguished from Psidiwm in the 
elongated ovary, in the filaments being erect in bud (in 
which it differs from all other plants of the order), and in 
the hairy anthers. F. Sellowiana, the only species 
introduced, probably requires warm greenhouse treatment, 
and may perhaps be increased by layering. 
F. Sellowiana (Sellow’s). 1. solitary, axillary; petals fawn- 
coloured outside, purplish-crimson within. jr. yellowish-green, 
egg-shaped, Guava-like, richly perfumed, and of a ‘‘ delicious, 
aromatic, spicy” flavour. J. 2in. to 3in. long, opposite, shortly 
petiolate, oblong, obtuse, er een shining. 1698. An erect 
shrub or small tree. (B. M. 7620; G. C. 1898, ii., p. 451, f. 134-5; 
R. H. 1898, p. 264.) 
FELICIA. Including Agathza (in part, not A. sylves- 
tris). To -the species described on p. 4, Vol. II., the 
following should be added : 
F. abyssinica (Abyssinian). l.-heads lilac, hemispherical, 
solitary, terminal, on peduncles lin. to 2in. long. J. closely 
alternate, linear, sessile, entire or minutely setulose-ciliated, 4in. 
to Zin. long. h. 4in. to 12in. Tropical Africa, 1896. A tufted, 
half-hardy, much-branched shrub. 
F. fragilis (fragile).* jl.-heads of a pale violet-blue with a 
yellow centre, about fin. in diameter. July to September. 
3A 
In part synonymous with 
