37 



Gardening for Amateurs 



pensive. Wood ashes supply potash, and 

 as they consist of most of the manures which 

 the tree has absorbed they are, therefore, a 

 valuable semi-natural fertiliser. 



Rules for Applying and Mixing. 

 Manures should always be as finely pul- 

 verised as possible before application ; 

 scatter them evenly on the surface, and in 

 nearly all cases incorporate them thoroughly 

 with the soil soon after they are applied. 



Ammonia manures must never be mixed 

 with lime, basic superphosphate, or basic 

 slag, else much nitrogen will be lost. Ni- 

 trate of soda and of lime, when mixed with 

 superphosphate, guano, or dissolved bones, 

 becomes moist and sticky, while a small 

 amount of nitrogen is lost. Superphosphate 

 and dissolved bones also react chemically 

 with basic slag, and the soluble phosphates 

 are so changed that they only become avail- 

 able after some time. Mixtures containing 

 potash manures should always be sown 

 within a few hours after mixing, otherwise 

 they become moist and difficult to spread 

 evenly on the soil. In brief, all mixtures 

 should be applied to the soil as soon as 

 possible after they are prepared. 



Prepared Mixtures. Dozens of mix- 

 tures are made up by horticultural specialists 

 and sold in air-tight tins ready for use. 

 These are excellent for the amateur with a 

 small garden, and we have no hesitation in 

 recommending them. For more experimental 

 gardeners we give below good average 

 mixtures for some common crops. They 

 should be used more as guides than fixed 

 recipes, and the various components revised 

 or altered to suit the garden and the 

 locality. 



ARTIFICIAL MANURES FOR FLOWERS 

 Rose. Plenty of good straw manure 

 mulched round the roots in autumn ; 3 

 parts bone meal or hop manure, 1 part sul- 

 phate of potash, 1 part sulphate of am- 

 monia, and | part sulphate of iron at the 

 rate of 2 to 3 oz. per bush in February. 

 Feed, if advisable, in summer with 3 parts 

 superphosphate, 1 part sulphate of ammonia, 

 and i part Epsom salts at the rate of 

 2 oz. per bush. Tonks' manure for Hoses 

 is made up as follows : Superphosphate 12 

 parts, saltpetre 10 parts, Epsom salts or 



sulphate of magnesia 2 parts, sulphate of 

 iron 1 part, gypsum 8 parts ; apply | lb. 

 per square yard in February. 



Sweet Pea. Dig 1 barrowload of manure 

 into every 8 to 10 yards of trench. Add 

 1| lb. basic slag, \ lb. sulphate or muriate 

 of potash, and \ lb. nitrolim in January or 

 February. Feed the plants with a tea- 

 spoonful of a mixture of equal parts of phos- 

 phate of potash and nitrate of lime per 

 gallon of water for strong growth and large 

 flowers. 



Chrysanthemum. Manure the soil well 

 with good horse manure. In spring add 

 4 oz. per square yard of a mixture of 2 

 parts bone meal, 2 parts kainit, 1 part 

 nitrate of potash. Stir into the soil in 

 July a little nitrate of soda and super- 

 phosphate, or water the plants with liquid 

 manure. 



Carnation. Leaf-mould and cow manure 

 should be worked into the soil if the 

 ground is light and sandy, since they supply 

 necessary humus ; water during the season 

 with a teaspoonful each of superphosphate, 

 kainit, and sulphate of ammonia per 3 gals. 

 of water, or scatter these manures on the 

 soil. 



Geranium. Four parts superphosphate, 1 

 part nitrate of potash, 1 part sulphate of 

 ammonia used at the rate of \ oz. to 1 oz. 

 per gallon of water. 



Dahlia. Manure with organics in 

 autumn. Dress the soil at 3 oz. per square 

 yard with guano 3 parts, superphosphate 

 or dissolved bones 1 part, and nitrate of 

 soda \ part. 



Herbaceous Border. Spread over the 

 soil some good decayed dung in winter and 

 dig it in during April. Guano or dried hen 

 manure at 4 oz. per square yard is a good 

 manure for the flowers. 



Annuals. Manure the soil well in autumn 

 or winter, add lime in spring, and no further 

 manuring is necessary. If desired, 3 parts 

 superphosphate, 2 parts kainit, and 1 part 

 sulphate of ammonia at 3 oz. per square yard 

 is a suitable mixture of artificials. Nastur- 

 tiums grow and flower best in a barren 

 soil ; some flowers, like Xigellas, benefit from 

 a little sulphate of iron ; Lupins, Mignonette, 

 Sweet Peas, etc., do best in the presence 

 of lime. 



