484 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



bined aninionialias now to be ascertained, wliich 

 is done by adding to the tjuano contained in the 

 test-tube about an equal bulk of caustic lime in 

 fine powder, and mixing well by agitation ; then 

 connecting the apparatus as before, and expo- 

 sing the test-tube to a low red iieat, all the am- 

 monia is expelled and combines with the cop- 

 per salt contained in the upper tube, and, as be- 

 fore, it is determined by direct weighing. It is 

 very easy to judge ■\\'hen all the ammonia is ex- 

 pelled and when the operation should be conclu- 

 ded, as the ammonia, in combining with the cop- 

 per salt, gives it, as it proceeds up the the tube, 



a magnificent blue color, which, when it does, 

 not extend any higher up the tube, indicates ttie 

 conclusion of the o[icration. In the case of any 

 other manure, where the ammonia has to be 

 found, the operation is precisely similar to the 

 example of guano which I have here taken. I 

 have no doubt that with some modifications, the 

 condensation of ammonia by a .salt of copper 

 would be found of use in organic analysis for 

 the determination of the nitrogen ; and in one 

 or two cases where I have tried it, the results 

 closely approximated to those obtained by cal- 

 culation. [D. Forbes, Esq. in the Chem. Gaz. 



GENERAL TREATMENT OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



The practice of removing Greenhouse Plants 

 into a higher temperature during the period of 

 their growth, so well explained by Mr. Wood 

 La his various communications, cannot be too 

 earnestly recommended. When it is consid- 

 ered that in all the countries where they natur- 

 ally grow, the summers are intensely hot, with 

 clear sunny days, and heavy dews at night, how 

 much quicker the growth of the plants and 

 ripening of the young wood must be than can 

 po.ssibly happen in our dull, cloudy climate, 

 even with the aid of gla.ss, the universal custom 

 of turning Greenhouse Plants out of doors indis- 

 criminately in the month of Maj% is doubtless 

 one of the very worst modes of treatment that 

 can possibly be adopted, especially when, as is 

 often the case, they are placed in some shady 

 situation ; at this period many are just begin- 

 ning to gro\\% others have made some progres.s, 

 but few or none are within many weeks of ter- 

 minating their growth and ripening their young 

 shoots, and it is very uncertain whether any of 

 them, under such circum.stances, even in the 

 most favorable seasons, will accompli-sh their 

 growth, consequently when the lime arrives for 

 housing, it will be found that three-fourths of 

 them are still in a growing state, and now, when 

 the short, cold, cloudy days have set in, they 

 vrill continue to grow for weeks, and even 

 months after being brought into the Greenhouse. 



This mode of treatment can only end in dis- 

 appointment ; at the time they ought to be load- 

 ed with flowers there may certainly be a few 

 solitary blossoms, but anything like a full crop 

 i.s entirely out of the question. It is remarkable 

 that Camellias appear to be the only family of 

 plants that are rightly treated in this respect ; 

 it does not seem to occur to many gardeners 

 liiat all other hard-wooded Greenhouse Plants 

 require exactly the same treatment as Camel- 

 lias ; but instead of so doing, at the very time 

 the latter are carefully shut up in a higher tem- 

 perature, to encourage the growth and ripen- 

 ifig of the young shoots, as the means of ensuring 

 a fine display of flowers, all, or nearly all, the oth- 

 ers are turned out of doors to take their chance 

 of a hot or a cold summer, as the case may be. 



When Greenhouse Plants are housed for the 

 winter, then is the time to judge whether they 

 have been rightly treated. If such is the case, 

 iLey will mostly have finished their growth ; 

 the young shoots will have changed from a green 

 t* a red or brown color, and of a hard, firm tex- 

 ture, and the flower buds of many swelling out 

 pronainently, ready to start into flower wi»h the 

 slightest excitement, rendering the forcing them 

 into flower at any time vvhen required an easy 

 and simple matter. Not only Camellias, but 

 Acacias, Boronias, Azaleas, Epacris, Gorra)as, 

 (1008) 



and in fact almost cvbry kind of Greenhouse 

 hard-wooded Plant, should be at lest, and ready 

 to start into flower when the proper period ar- 

 rives. On reading the Reports of the London 

 Horticultural E.xhibitions we are often sur- 

 prised at the large dimensions of many of the 

 plants therein mentioned, especially when we 

 read tliat many of them are only two or three 

 years old ! There cannot be a doubt that this is 

 accomplished by placing them in a strong genial 

 heat, at certain periods, and %vill serve to .show 

 what can be eHx:cted in a short time under 

 proper management. 



Although the treatment recommended above 

 is applicable to all hard-wooded plants, there 

 are some beautiful things that will not thrive at 

 all unless they are annually placed in a higher 

 temperature to make their growth, and for want 

 of such treatment are rarely seen in good health. 

 Crowea saligna is a striking instance of this 

 neglect, as it is generally .seen starving in Green- 

 hou.scs all the year round ; instead of which it 

 should be removed to the plant or pine-stove in 

 January, and allowed to remain till May or 

 June, when it will grow like a willow, making 

 shoots from 8 to Iti inches in length ; and when 

 removed to the Greenhouse it will continue to 

 flower all through the summer, a perfect gem, 

 with flowers twice the size we generally see it 

 produce under the ordinary treatment it receives. 



As early as the month of January attention 

 should be directed to such plants as have done 

 flowering and are beginning to grow ; these 

 .should be removed to a higher temperature 

 without delay, and if necessary, it is the best 

 time to shift them into larger pots, and when 

 the young .shoots have grown two or three inches 

 in length and taken off with a heel, they will 

 strike root better than at any other time. By 

 attending to the gradual removal of the plants 

 all through thb spring months, and when having 

 completed their growth, gradually to harden 

 them for a week or two, and when ready to bo 

 placed out of doors for the summer, they may 

 then, with perfect safety, be placed in a shady 

 situation, and remain out as long in the autumn 

 as they may be safe from severe frost. In large 

 establishments a house entirely devoted to this 

 purpose would be very useful ; where this is 

 not the case vineries, pine stoves, pits, &;c. may 

 all be made available, and without much incon- 

 venience, for this purpose, and even a brick pit 

 without artificial heat, if kept pretty close, would 

 be very useful in forwarding the growth of 

 palms. I have been induced to dwell at some 

 length on the above subject, from a firm convic- 

 tion that it is not so generally or extensively put 

 in practice as it deserves to be. 



Kob;. Reid, Noble Thorp. 



