150 



Soils and Manures. — Flower Beds. 



Vol. VI. 



" The opposite effects of caustic and car- 

 bonate lime, is a point too little regarded in 

 experiments made with this article. It is not 

 an uncommon practice to spread lime on the 

 manure heap, with very ditlerent results: 

 for, if the lime is used before exposure, it 

 hastens the decomposition of organic matter; 

 and although some of the gases evolved may 

 be retained by the lime, the probability is, the 

 greater parts are lost. The carbonate, on the 

 other hand, prevents the natural decay, and 

 preserves these qualities from the growth to 

 which they are to be applied ; but if admin- 

 istered in too great quantity, it will retard 

 decomposition beyond the period wlien it is 

 desirable it should take place. Thus, lime is 

 like an edged tool, which, although invalua- 

 ble in the hands of a skilful operator, may 

 prove injurious when wielded by an unprac- 

 tised hand." 



Referring again to the theory propounded 

 by the French agriculturists, I would say, 

 the idea that nature has the power of reno- 

 vation must be self-evident, else she could not 

 be perfect, and would long ago- have been ex- 

 hausted; but it is not to be supposed that the 

 system of top-dressing with straw will ever 

 be found either desirable or economical, for 

 all that can be raised will be required as food 

 or bedding for our cattle, and it would be the 

 height of extravagance and folly to return it 

 to the earth before passing it through the 

 bowels of our cattle, or their stables; so that 

 there is no expectation that the plan of ma- 

 nuring with straw will ever bo adopted by 

 any practical man, under ordinary circum- 

 stances. This, however, does not militate 

 against the new theory of top-dressing; nay, 

 it goes to substantiate the fact, that the sys- 

 tem is natural as well as rational, and may 

 be depended upon in all cases. But it is not 

 less rational to suppose, that the straw of any 

 crop must be greatly enriched by the addition 

 of animal matter, which it acquires in serv- 

 ing as food and bedding for cattle; and it is 

 oaly to ferment it with a duo portion of muck, 

 virgin earth, or other absorbents, in the pro- 

 portion as four to one, and return it to the 

 soil as a top-dressing, relying upon the system 

 adopted by nature herself, for all the benefit 

 that can be realized from such a process. 

 We hear many persons object to the system 

 of top-dressing ploughed land, considering it 

 a wasteful mode of application; but we do 

 not hesitate to practise it on grass land, with- 

 out the least idea of its deterioration from 

 exposure to the "light, air, heat, and mois- 

 ture," so necessary for its proper decompo- 

 sition. James Sutton. 



Nov. 1.5, 1S41. 



It is not money earned that makes a man 

 wealthy : it is what he saves from his earnings. 



Arrangement of Flower Beds. 



The contrast of colours is of the greatest 

 consequence, whether for a good or bad ef- 

 fect; tor, if to dress a brunette beauty in sky 

 blue makes her sallow, or a fair one in orange 

 colour makes her ghastly, or a fresh-coloured 

 girl in white makes her red, so, to place dis- 

 cordant colours near each other produces just 

 as disagreeable eliects, although not quite so 

 personal in a bed of flowers. What are 

 called complimentary colours always suit 

 each other; — the complimentary colour of 

 red being green; of orange, sky blue; of 

 yellow, violet; of indigo, orange yellow; — 

 consequently, blue and orange-coloured flow- 

 ers, yellow and violet, may be placed to- 

 gether, while red and rose-coloured flowers 

 harmonize with their own green leaves. — 

 White suits blues and oranges, and better 

 still, reds and roses; but it tarnishes yellows 

 and violets. In all cases, however, where 

 colours do not agree, the placing white be- 

 tween them restores the effect. The follow- 

 ing combinations are good: Orange yellow 

 with pale blue; greenish yellow with deeo 

 rose; deep red with deep blue; and orange 

 with violet; — white suiting all these combi- 

 nations, more or less. But we should always 

 separate rose from scarlet or orange ; orange 

 from orange yellow; yellow from yellow 

 green; blue from violet blue; and even red 

 from orange, rose from violet, and blue from 

 violet. Applying these conclusions to the dah- 

 lia, the following arrangement of colours is 

 recommended : If in lines, white, reddish scar- 

 let, white, rose lilac, yellow, violet or purple, 

 orange, white, reddish scarlet, purple tinged 

 with green, rose lilac, yellow, violet or pur- 

 ple, orange, white, red scarlet, deep purple, 

 rose lilac, white, yellow, violet or purple, 

 orange, white, &c. To produce the best ef- 

 fect in patches of seven, we may have thus: 

 Orange, with a purple or violet centre; pur- 

 ple or violet, with a yellow centre; yellow, 

 with a purple or violet centre ; scarlet, with 

 a white centre; white, with a scarlet centre; 

 rose colour, with a white centre; black pur- 

 ple, with an orange centre. These conside- 

 rations deserve the notice of those who plant 

 out beds of flowers, for they will be found to 

 affect essentially the display of agreeable 

 colours; and in adjusting stands of flowers, 

 the harmonious contrast of colour should al- 

 ways bo kept in view, and the importance of 

 attending to the effect of complimentary co- 

 lours observed advantageously, remembering 

 always, that the nearer colours are brought 

 together, the more decided is their mutual 

 effiicL—JIort. Ma<r. 



Whatever is false is despicable — no one 

 j ever loved falsehood, even in himself. 



