48 QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



ment of the Supreme Being in giving it such weight that it shi 

 fall to the ground, and be absorbed by that portion of organic 

 ture to supply whose wants it has been created. 



Some twelve months since I gave to Mr. Maynard, who kee 

 a raultiflora garden in Brooklyn, a number of papers, each o 

 taining from one to three scruples of supercarbonate of ammoni 

 and requested him to apply them to his greenhouse plants; t<» 

 small pot one scruple, to the largest three scruples, and to info: 

 me of the result. In a short time he called on me to notice 

 effects on a hydrangea. I found the leaves were of a deeper gr 

 and larger than any others, that the flowers were larger, of a richi 

 color, and every way superior to all others. The contrast w^as 

 striking, that all who saw it were desirous of purchasing that ph 

 at an increased price. Now as one pound of supercarbonate 

 ammonia can be bought at tw^enty cents, and is sufficient for o 

 hundred and twenty-two plants, I know of no application that 

 cheaper, and certainly none so efficacious. This fertilizer y) 

 stirred into the soil — a proof that the carbonic gas w^as taken 

 by the roots — thereby producing its rapid and beautiful eSi 

 This salt contains about fifty-five per cent of carbonic gas. 



Mr. Steane, apothecary and chemist, 184 Fulton street, Broi 

 lyn, informed me that he applied some to a rose plant, which i 

 peared to be drooping, and that he could see the spongioles of 1 

 roots come up to the surface and take it down. My attention v 

 first drawn to this effective fertilizer by an observation made 

 Mr. Steane. 



I requested Mr. Leeds, an amateur in greenhouse plants, dru 

 <Tist, corner of Atlantic and Court streets, Brooklyn, to apply spj 

 of the salt, in solution, to a rose plant that appeared in the 1 

 stage of decay, having lost its leaves, and collected a large < 

 crescence at the roots. He dissolved about two scruples of l 

 supercarbonate in an eight ounce phial of water, and gave I 

 plant a little every day. In a short time the buds began to apper 

 and the last time I saw it the plant had produced some full gro i 

 leaves, and a great many buds were putting forth. 



Mr. Leeds has had a monthly rose in a large glass jar, plan> 

 in the usual soil. This jar is hermetically sealed, and yet ' 

 plant has flourished, its leaves being of a healthy green, and 

 grew faster and blossomed sooner than any similar plants expos 



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