36 THE CARNATION. 



the dung of pigeons and poultry in general, of deer 

 arid sheep, blood, soot, lime, gypsum, &c. &c. should, 

 in my humble opinion, be used only in surface or 

 top-dressing of flowers ; as is the case when applied 

 to land, unless you are disposed to wait two or three 

 years, till they have lost much of their strength, and 

 are reduced nearly to mould ; they may then be used 

 as simple ingredients along with loam. 



A few short observations respecting two or three of 

 which, may, perhaps, not prove unacceptable in this 

 place. 



Blood, as a manure, is considered the strongest 

 and most lasting of all, and, when mixed up with 

 mould as a compost, is not fit for use under two com- 

 plete years. The same is the case with night-soil, 

 sugar-baker's scum, pigeon-dung, &c. Soot is of 

 that hot, caustic nature, that it ought always to be 

 used with caution, and in small quantities. The 

 dung of sheep I consider the most fertilizing to all 

 grasses, and I recommend it as an excellent ingre- 

 dient in all composts for Pinks, Carnations, and Au- 

 riculas ; because, in all pastures and meadows, where 



