55 



these pages all the knowledge we can obtain upon 

 each subject, we subjoin a detail of the composts used 

 by the three florists who wrote upon the culture about 

 a quarter of a century now passed. We warn our 

 readers that all these composts are too stimulating, — 

 Mr. Maddock's the least so, and Mr. Emmerton's 

 being the most objectionable. 



The compost recommended by Mr. Maddock con- 

 sists of the following ingredients : — 1-half rotten cow- 

 dung, two years old; l-6th fresh sound earth, of an 

 open texture; l-8th earth of rotten leaves; l-12th 

 coarse sea or river sand; l-24th soft decayed willow- 

 wood ; l-24th peaty or moory earth; l-24th ashes 

 of burnt vegetables. In order to procure the last ar- 

 ticle with very little trouble, any weeds, sticks, straw, 

 or old mats, that are of no other value, may be col- 

 lected together in a heap, and consumed by fire in 

 the open air, till their ashes become white ; they will 

 contain a small portion of alkaline salts, and should 

 be spread upon the surface of the other ingredients. 

 The compost is to be placed in an open situation, per- 

 fectly exposed to the action of both air and sun, from 

 the influence of which it will derive great benefit : it 

 should be turned over once or twice, and as often pass 

 through a coarse screen, or sieve, that it may be well 

 mixed and incorporated ; it should then be laid in a 

 regular heap, or mass, from 15 to 18 inches thick, 

 but not more ; in this state it may remain a year be- 



