BOOK VIII. 



CHAPTER ON SOILS, MANURES, ETC. 



The technical terms used for the various descriptions 

 of soils are frequently misunderstood, and this some- 

 times proves detrimental instead of being an advan- 

 tage. Peat, for instance, is a term much misunderstood, 

 even by young gardeners. Peat has three distinct 

 meanings, and this fact makes a material difference 

 when applied to the cultivation of plants, especially 

 those that really refuse to grow in two of the three 

 sorts of peat ; so that it is of more consequence 

 to know what good peat is than it may at first appear. 

 There is that which is procured from bogs ; but this 

 has nothing to do with the peat referred to in this 

 work, nor in any of my books. Some recommend this 

 kind, but it is of little or no use for plant-growing, 

 except for some Orchids. Few things indeed will do 

 any good in it. It is so soured that no good plants 

 will grow freely in it, and even such as Heaths, New 

 Holland plants, and Camellias will pine away. Again, 

 there are two other kinds of peat, one of which is not 

 good ; this is composed of minerals very detrimental 

 to some choice plants. I found this out by experience 

 before I was well aware of the thing, and paid for it 

 bitterly. This peat appears to be good, but possesses 

 more or less mundic, and is obtained from mining dis- 

 tricts, such as Dartmoor and other mineral localities. 



