278 General Notices. 



duced by their use in cultivation. Bog often runs very deep, peat suitable 

 for plant purposes never — sometimes not more than two inches deep on a 

 gravelly subsoil. The best, however, is that which is full of fibre from 

 decayed heath-roots and moss, from four to six inches deep, on a sandy, 

 pebbly stratum, resting on gravel. This should also be carted home in dry 

 ■weather, and stacked the same as directed for loam. Leaf Mould : This 

 soil in its importance to plant growers is second to none. It should never 

 be used under three years old, and four is better. The first year the leaves 

 should be thrown together in a large heap to ferment, and we grow vegeta- 

 ble marrows on it to great advantage. The next year it is removed to the 

 soil department, and kept aerated by frequent turnings ; and the third year 

 it may be used, but is better the next. Rotted stable manure is another 

 important soil, which must also be prepared by frequent turnings and aera- 

 tion for use the third and fourth year. Nightsoil must also be prepared by 

 the foregoing category, and mixed with peat charcoal : the third year it 

 may be handled for potting purposes — by the non-fastidious. Cow-dung, 

 sheep's-dung, and pigeon's-dung should be prepared by the same routine, 

 and, although not indispensable, are highly useful to be kept in stock Avhere 

 a strong luxuriant growth is desired. Another most important ingredient 

 is Charred Earth, No plant growers should be without this most important 

 ingredient in soils, as there is hardly any tree-growing plants but delight in 

 a portion of it mixed with the compost. We use it with great success for 

 calceolarias, pelargoniums, picotees, carnations, cinerarias, fuchsias, and a 

 variety of soft-wooded plants. It is not difficult to procure, as there is 

 always a great quantity of rubbishing wood, the prunings of trees and 

 shrubs, every season. They should be collected in a suitable place, and 

 once a-year, if not oftener, a great bonfire made, so as to lay a good foun- 

 dation, and afterwards heap on alternate layers of wood and soil, and it 

 will smoulder away for weeks, and is fit for use as soon as cold. Road-dirt, 

 or the scrapings of roads, formed of gritty sandstone, is another very impor- 

 tant soil, and if carefully collected will be highly impregnated with the 

 droppings of horses and other beasts of traffic. Charcoal, whether pur- 

 chased or home-made, must be kept in stock, being useful for many pur- 

 poses, but principally so for mixing with the drainage of flower-pots. Silver 

 sand must not be forgotten, and with plenty of moss and crocks for drain- 

 age, will complete the list of requisites for good cultivation, Avhere an 

 extensive cultivation of plants is kept up. The proper application of these 

 different soils can only be learned by practice and experience. As a gen- 

 eral rule, all soft- wooded, free rooting plants, should have strong ingredients 

 to assist the growth. Heaths and most hard-wooded greenhouse plants of 

 a like nature will flourish best in pure peat. Some, however, which both 

 grow and root freely, will bear the addition of a trifle of loam and leaf 

 mould ; a small portion of charcoal mixed with both soil and drainage is 

 also very useful to these plants. Soil for seeds may be sifted, but for 

 growing plants never do more than chop it finer or coarser, according to the 

 size of the shift — for a large shift let the compost be used very rough. It 

 is needless now to amplify on this subject, as I hope to be able to point out 

 a few applications by and bye. — ( Gard. Jour., 1852, p. 293.) 



