326 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Manures continued. 



materially assists to keep down the larvae of destructive 

 insects. 



Woollen Rags or Refuse. In some places, these are used 

 with great success as a fertiliser for Potatoes and all green 

 crops ; but, as they are slow in decomposing, the effect 

 produced is extended over a considerable period. The 

 Rags should be chopped up in small pieces, and buried 

 in the soil. 



II. Inorganic Manures. 



Ammonia. One of the chief component parts of 

 Manures, and one which has a powerful stimulating 

 action on the growth of plants. It is formed by the 

 decay of organic matter in the soil, and also in the air; 

 and, being very soluble in water, is rapidly brought 

 to a suitable state for assisting vegetation, by a plentiful 

 supply of nitrogen. Ammonia may be supplied to plants 

 by the application of organic Manures capable -of forming 

 it, or by the use of ammoniacal salts. These latter 

 must be cautiously employed, as they are extremely 

 powerful, and their effects are almost immediate. As a 

 dressing for land, they may be applied at the rate of 

 about 2|cwt. per acre, in moist weather, or just before 

 rain, which will quickly carry them into the earth. 



Ashes. Wood Ashes, and any small pieces of Char- 

 coal that may be left as the remains of a fire, form ex- 

 cellent Manures, suitable for applying by themselves, or 

 intermixing with others which are of a stronger nature. 

 Wood ashes, being usually rich in potash, are specially 

 valuable to plants requiring this element ; but they will 

 not supply the want of organic Manure. Charcoal has 

 the important property of absorbing ammonia and other 

 gases, and again giving them off for the nourishment 

 of plants On this account, it is valuable as a deo- 

 dorizer. Coal Ashes are valuable as manure in some 

 cases, although inferior to the ashes obtained from 

 wood and vegetables. If they contain many cinders, 

 from not having been thoroughly burned, they are more 

 suited to heavy than to light soils, as they tend to 

 mechanical division, which, though beneficial to the 

 former, may be injurious to the latter. Peat Ashes 

 are also of great benefit. The peat must be thrown 

 out, dried, and then burnt until it becomes charred 

 through, and reduced to cinders. These latter form a 

 valuable dressing for the soil. 



Gypsum, or Sulphate of Lime, has been applied with 

 success to crops of Turnips, Potatoes, &c., in quantities 

 of one bushel on sandy, to five or six bushels on clay 

 soil. It acts most beneficially on soils which are 

 naturally dry, or have been made so by artificial 

 drainage. It is not much employed as a Manure in 

 this country. 



Lime is a valuable Manure for some soils and plants ; 

 but to others its application proves very injurious. See 

 Lime. 



Liquor of Ammonia, at the rate of loz. to 4 gallons of 

 water, has also a beneficial effect; but, as the strength 

 varies, it should not be applied in larger quantities. 



Marls. These are composed of carbonate of lime, 

 mixed with clay, sand, or loam, and frequently with 

 sulphate and phosphate of lime. They are adapted to 

 the improvement of soils which are not already suffi- 

 ciently charged with lime. Marl is improved by exposure 

 to the sun, and especially to the frosts of winter, before 

 spreading it on the land. 



Nitrate of Soda. A powerful Manure, used to a con- 

 siderable extent, and deemed especially beneficial to 

 grain crops; it is found in large quantities, in beds, and 

 as an incrustation on the soil in some parts of South 

 America. It is imported into this country as a chemical 

 Manure, and also for manufacturing purposes. Its 

 effects are rapid, and very similar to those produced 

 by ammonia. 



Manures continued. 



Salt. On some soils no apparent benefit is derived 

 from the use of Salt. Such lands as are near the sea- 

 coast, and occasionally receive deposits from the salt 

 spray, which is often carried far inland by storms ; or 

 such as contain chlorine and soda in any other form, 

 and in sufficient abundance for meeting the requirements 

 of crops, are not affected by it. But in other situations, 

 when used at the rate of five to ten bushels per acre, 

 very material results have followed. Its great affinity 

 for water has the effect of attracting dews and atmo- 

 spheric vapour to the growing vegetation. Salt is also 

 useful for destroying slugs, worms, and larvae. 



MAPLE. The common name for Acer campestre 

 (which see). 



MAFFA. Included under Macaranga (which see). 

 MARAJA PALM. See Bactris Maraja. 

 MARANTA (named after Barthol. Maranti, a Vene- 

 tian botanist, who died in 1754). Arrow-root. OED. 

 ScitaminecB. A genus comprising about ten species (with 

 numerous varieties) of stove herbaceous perennials, with 

 tuberous or creeping rhizomes. They are natives of 

 tropical America, but are cultivated in the East and 

 West Indies, Sierra Leone, &c. Inflorescence terminal, 

 loosely dichotomous; branchlets few-flowered; pedicels 

 short, one-flowered, often twin, ebracteolate. Leaves 

 sheathed, with or without petioles. Stems sometimes 

 short, few-leaved ; sometimes tall, branched, occasionally 

 rather woody at base. The Arrowroot of commerce is 

 extracted from the tubers of several species of this 

 genus. A number of species formerly included under 

 Maranta are now removed to Calathea. Marantas 

 thrive in a compost of two-thirds good turfy loam and 

 one-third leaf mould and sand, and like abundance of 

 water, heat, and atmospheric moisture when growing. 

 As soon as growth is furnished, the plants should be 

 kept rather dry until the following spring, when they 

 must be shaken out and repotted. The general remarks 

 under Calathea (which see) apply equally well to 

 Marantas. 

 M. albo-lineata (white-lined). A synonym of Calathea ornata 



albo Uiieata. 



M. angnstifolia (narrow-leaved), ft. pale bluish, in a lax, zigzag 

 panicle. July. I, smaller than those of M. arundmacea, ana 

 narrowed at the base. Trinidad. A smaller plant than M. arun- 

 dinacea. (B. M. 2398.) 



M. arundinacea (reed-like). Indian Arrowroot /I. white, very 

 fugitive. July and August, i. ovate-lanceolate, rather pilose 

 below. Culm branched, h. 6ft. to 10ft. Tropical America, 

 before 1732. (B. M. 2307.) 



M. bioolor (two-coloured).* I. orbicular, ground colour pale 

 glaucous-green, with irregular-shaped blotches of polished dark 

 olive midway between the midrib and margin ; under surface 

 rosy-purple, h. 1ft. Brazil, 1823. An old but pretty spreading 

 species. (B. R. 786 ; L. B. C. 921.) 



M. chimboracensis (Chimborazo). I. 6in. to 12in. or more in 

 length, ground colour light green, having a zigzag zone of olive- 

 green traversing the entire length, a little distance from the mid- 

 rib, the outer edge of the zone bordered with white. Ecuador, 

 1869. An elegant species, with a dwarf and distinct habit. SY.N. 

 Calathea chimboracensis. 



M. concinna (neat).* fl. yellow, on short radical scapes. I. 



obliquely ovate, pale bright green, the base of the principal veins 



marked by an oblong blotch of deep green. South America, 1874. 



A neat, dwarf, tufted perennial. 



M. coriifolia (Coris-leaved). A synonym of Calathea oriiata 



regalia. 

 M. depressa (depressed). I. pale green in the centre, with brown 



blotches. Brazil, 1880. 

 M. leuconeura (white-veined). A synonym of Calathea leuco- 



iieu.ru. 

 M. L Kerchovlana (Kerchove's). A synonym of Calathea Ker- 



choriana. 

 M. majestica (majestic). A synonym of Calathea ornata 



majeatica. 



M. Mazellii (Maxell's). I. shining, broad, rotundate, green at 

 centre and margin, and marked with two broad grey bands. 

 South America, 1871. A fine plant. 



M. nltens (shining). 1. palish green, glossy, barred with dark 

 green lines. Brazil, 1880. An elegant ornamental plant. 



