POPULAR GARDENING. 



T91 



l)lante(l in open jLtrmiiid till the Hy is done 

 laying the first lirooil of eKKS, after whieh 

 little (liiniaee is done by the niajinots. 



A rich, moist bnt not wet soil, and moist, 

 tool atmosphere are essential forgood Canli- 

 flower. Where these cimditions, or at least 

 some of them, are not found, it is almost 

 useless to try to raise the crop, espeeially 

 for market, as it is shii)i)ed largely from 

 loeations where it succeeds well to every 

 market of importance. 



In general, its culture is similar to that of 

 Ca-l>bage, except that richer soil and some- 

 times irrigation can be given it to advantage. 

 If planted in rows both ways about three 

 feet apart it can easily be kept clean. It 

 should not be cultivated too late in the .sea- 

 son, as its roots come close to the surface of 

 the ground. It is sometimes mulched with 

 old straw, corn stalks, or marsh hay. 



In the final stages of growth about one- 

 half of the leaves should be tied together 

 above the head as soon as there is danger of 

 its being colored by thesun. In cool, cloudy 

 weather this needs little attention compared 

 with hot, drying weather, when it is very 

 difficult to get perfectly white heads of good 

 size, as the leaves seem to wilt slightly and 

 let the light in between them. 



Successful Fruit Culture Demands 

 Attention. 



WM. H. YEOMAN.S, TALLAND CO., CONN. 



In the case of fruits, these are not classed 

 ius cultivated crops in the general under- 

 standing of that term, and in far too many 

 cases they are not considered so in actual 

 practice, and so far as the necessity for a 

 use of implements for tillage is concerned, 

 the idea may be in a sense correct, but when 

 it covers the question of neglect the case is 

 different. 



When any extent of surface is set to trees 

 bearing fruit, or even otherwise, the growth 

 and development of the tree requires a cer- 

 tain amount of nourishment, which must be 

 supplied from the soil through which the 

 roots extend. In order then that this de- 

 mand may be reduced to a minimum, and 

 that there be no misappropriation of soil 

 fertility, a careful watch should be kept over 

 the trees, and any superfluous or unneces- 

 sai7 growth of branches should be prevented 

 by timely pruning; in that way the growth 

 is directed in desired channels and where 

 some benefit may be expected to result. In 

 the development of fruit, its perfection de- 

 pends upon the supply of its nutrient princi- 

 ples, and if the tree itself is lacking in vigor 

 no desirable fruit can be hoped for. Then, 

 besides attention to pruning, which is in 

 one sense essential to vigor, there should be 

 a care for a supply of fertilizing material 

 applied to the soil bearing the trees. 



Probably there is nothing better than wood 

 ashes liberally applied. This mode of fertil- 

 izing is preferable to plowing and the culti- 

 vation of crops, for the injury done to the 

 trees In the destruction of roots is often 

 greater than the advantage gained by the 

 fertilizer applied for the production of the 

 cultivated crop. 



The natural method is for trees to grow 

 without cultivation, while their fertilization 

 comes from the decay of leaves and fallen 

 branches, which are left for that purpose; 

 but in orchards these are conditions that 

 seldom occur, and besides, a crop nf hay is 

 usually removed, occasioning a double draw 

 upon the fertility. Is it any wonder under 

 such unfavorable conilitidus that there 

 should be a limited crop of inferiiir fruit ? 



And yet, failing to stop to consider the 

 real cause, the farmer will exclaim " I don"t 

 see what ails my fruit trees that they do not 

 do better; I don't seem to have any luck at 

 all with fruit." 



There is no effect without a cause, and 

 when poor fruit is harvested It is safe to 



conclude at once that something needs at- 

 tent ion, and a remedy for the evil is in order. 



M an ures;Their Composition and Use. 



In the Transac'ions of the Highland and 

 AgricnlturalSocietyofi^cotland.Dr. Ailken, 

 chemist to the .society, gives the following 

 description of manures and their use:— 



Niri;.\TK OF S()i).\.— The most valuable 

 nitrogenous manure. Perfectly soluble and 

 immediately available for the nourishment 

 of the plant. Feebly retained by the soil. 

 Hapidly goes down to the .subsoil, and im- 

 proves its texture. Henetits deeply-rooting 

 plants. Increases leaf and straw more than 

 grain. Good samples contain TO per cent, or 

 upwards of pure nitrate of .soda, eciuivalent 

 to about in per cent, of ammonia. Five 

 partsof nitrateof sodaequal one of ammonia. 

 .SrLi'ii.\TK OF AMMONt,\.— A more concen- 

 trated nitrogenous manure than the preced- 

 ing, but not (piite .so valuable to the farmer. 

 Perfectly soluble, but not so rapid in its 

 action as nitrate of soda. It is somewhat 

 firmly retained by the soil, and not so liable 

 as nitrate of soda to be washed out by heavy 

 rains. It is, therefore, more suitable than 

 nitrate for wet districts. Increases leaf and 

 stem more than grain. Applied to gi-ass, it 

 checks the growth of clover and leguminous 

 plants. (t(ioi1 samples contain !»S per cent, 

 or more of pure sulphate of ammonia, equiv- 

 alent to fiom 'M to a.5 per cent, of ammonia. 

 About four iJarts of sulphate of ammonia 

 equal one of ammonia. 



DiUEii Blood. — A nitrogenous manure, 

 which differs from the above in being insolu- 

 ble. It must be decomposed in the soil 

 before it yields up its nitrogen to the plant, 

 and this it does only slowly. The nitrogen 

 is in the form of albumen, and is capable of 

 yielding from 13 to 16 per cent, of ammonia. 

 Horn Di'st. — An insoluble nitrogenous 

 manure, capable of yielding l(i to 18 per 

 cent, of ammonia. When ih the form of 

 fine sawdust it decomposes easily, and is a 

 good nitrogenous manure even for cereals. 

 Horn, when in the form of chips or coarse 

 shavings, decomposes extremely slowly, and 

 is not suitable for manure. 



Shodhv 01: Wool Waste. — An insoluble 

 nitrogenous material used by manure manu- 

 facturers as a source of ammonia in dissolved 

 manures. It is capable of yielding from 5 

 to 10 per cent, of ammonia, but it is unsuit- 

 able for direct application as a manure. 



Le.\tuer.— A very insoluble nitrogenous 

 material, yielding about 9 per cent, of am- 

 monia, u.sed by manure manufacturers, but 

 possessing no interest for the farmer. 



Perivian Guano.— The manure of fish- 

 eating birds, and containing nitrogenous 

 compoimds, phosphates, and potash. High- 

 class guano is rich in nitrogenous matter, a 

 large proportion of which is soluble. As 

 now imported, it is capable of yielding from 

 8 to 13 per cent, of ammonia, part of which 

 is derived from ammonia salts, and part 

 (less than 1 per cent.) from nitrates. Phos- 

 phates are low, seldom exceeding 30 per 

 cent., but from one-quarter to one-half of 

 the phosphate is soluble. The amount of 

 potash is small, usually from 3 to .5 per cent. 

 Low-class Peruvian guano as now imported 

 is poor in nitrogenous matter, yielding only 

 from 3 to .T per cent, of ammonia. The phos- 

 phates are correspondingly high— viz., from 

 Wi to 50 per cent., b)it the proportion of solu- 

 ble phosphate is much smaller than in high- 

 class Peruvian guano. Potash occurs to a 

 very small extent— viz.. about 1 to 3 per cent. 

 Low-class guanos are formed from high-class 

 guanos, by the washing out of soluble con- 

 stituents by rain, etc.. and their composition 

 varies greatly according to the amount of 

 washings they have undergone. Genuine 

 Peruvian guano frequently contains a large 

 proportion of stony insoluble matter. 



Kisii (Juano.- Derived from lish-cui;ing 

 yards, and consisting of the heads and offal 

 of fish, dried and ground. Properly speak- 

 ing, it is not a gnano. The name guano is 

 properly applied only to the dung of birds. 

 High-class lish guano contains nitrogenous 

 matter, yielding from 10 to 13 per cent, of 

 ammonia, but it is in the form of insoluble 

 albuminous compoun<ls, which decompose 

 and become- available as plant food very 

 slowly. The phosphates range from IK to 30 

 per cent., and are all insoluble. Low-class 

 fish guanos are substances like the preceding, 

 but contain less nitrogenous matter and 

 more phosphates. They are simply bone 

 manures, with somewhat more ammonia 

 and less phosphate than ordinary bone meal, 

 and having no real resemblance to a guano. 

 Fish guanos are usually impregnated with 

 lish oil, which detracts from the value of the 

 manure. The oil varies from 3to lOpercent. 

 Bone Meal. — Chiefly a j)ho.sphatic ma- 

 nure, but containing also nitrogenous mat- 

 ter. Phosphates range from 44 to 53 per 

 cent, afcording to the purity of the bones, 

 and are insoluble. The nitrogenous matter 

 is capable of yielding from 4 to 5 per cent, 

 ammonia, and is also insoluble. There is 

 usually 3 per cent, or more of oil in bones, 

 and this retards its action as a manure. The 

 finer ground it is, the sooner its action. 



Bone Dust.— A coarser ground bone than 

 the preceding. Crushed bones are still 

 coarser ground. 



Steam Bone Flour.— Bones which have 

 been subjected to steam at high pressure 

 for the extraction of glue or gelatine. The 

 residue contains from .56 to (>5 per cent, phos- 

 phates, and from 1 to 3 per cent, ammonia. 

 It is friable, and can be crushed with the 

 hand. It is able to be— and ought to be — 

 ground to a fine flour. Owing to this latter 

 character, it is the most active form of bone 

 manure. 



Pure Dissolved Bones.— Bones dissolved 

 in sulphuric acid and dried with bone ash 

 or bone char, or other bone material. It 

 contains usually less than 30 per cent, solu- 

 ble phosphate, about 10 per cent, or upwards 

 of insoluble phosphates, and yields from 2}4 

 to 3Vo per cent, ammonia. 



Dissolved Bones.— A compound manure, 

 consisting of any kind of mixture of phos- 

 phatic and nitrogenous materials which can 

 be dissolved with (or without) an admixture 

 of bone, so as to produce a manure contain- 

 ing from 15 to 30 percent, .soluble phosphate, 

 and from 1 to 3 per cent, ammonia. 



Vitriolated Bones.— Bones which have 

 been moistened with sulphuric acid, and 

 thereafter allowed to heat in large heaps for 

 a long time. Good samples contain from 6 

 to 13 per cent, soluble phosphate, with from 

 .30 to 40 per cent, insoluble phosphate, and 

 yield from 3 to 4 per cent, ammonia. 



SUPERPH0SPH.\TES.— Phosphates dissolved 

 with sulphiu-ic acid. Their composition 

 varies according to the richness of the phos- 

 phate from which they are made, and the 

 extent to which they have been dissolved. 

 High-class superphosphates are made from 

 phosphates containing a high percentage of 

 phosphate of Ume, and are very thoroughly 

 dis.solved. They should contain between .30 

 and 40 per cent, soluble pho.sphate. and very 

 little insoluble phosphate. Medium super- 

 phosphates contain at lea.st 33 per cent, solu- 

 ble phosphate, and below that are low-class 

 superphosphates made from minerals poor 

 in phosphate of lime, or insufficiently dis- 

 solved. Mineral phosphates exist in great 

 variety, and contain very various i)roportions 

 of phosphate of lime— viz., from 30 to 90 per 

 cent. They are of use as manures only 

 when they are ground to the finest flour. 

 Even when ground very finely, some are so 

 hard and insoluble as to be of no use as 

 manures. 



(To be Concluded.) 



