134 MORE POT-POURRI 



a red hot-house become in a given time four times as 

 big as those exposed to ordinary sunlight. The poorest 

 development, practically amounting to failure, was under 

 blue glass; and lettuces grown under green glass did 

 badly. It would be interesting to try experiments. I 

 wonder if it would answer to colour red the stuff sold 

 for painting the glass of greenhouses as a shade in 

 summer ? 



We have done a great deal of pruning this year of our 

 old Apple-trees, sawing out large branches in the middle to 

 let in air. The trees have been shortened back so much 

 that they bear far too many apples, and none come to any 

 size. 



December 18th. We have never been very successful 

 here with the growing of Mushrooms. We have no Mush- 

 room house, and have to try what can be done in various 

 sheds and outhouses. I am told the most essential 

 point to remember is that the horses must have no 

 green food or carrots during the time that the droppings 

 are being collected. My own belief is that our beds 

 have been kept too dry, and that this is the reason of our 

 failure, in spite of making up the beds with the greatest care 

 according to the directions in the excellent little books 

 which are sold everywhere, and which always represent 

 mushroom culture as the easiest thing in the world. Also 

 it may be that when the beds were watered it was not 

 with rain-water. Our soil is so sandy that even when 

 mixed with anything that is put to it, it dries more easily 

 than any ordinary garden soil. This winter my gardener has 

 tried, with marked and satisfactory success, a bed under 

 the greenhouse stage. It is made up in the ordinary way, 

 and darkened and saved from the drip of the plants above 

 by a sheet or two of that invaluable corrugated iron which 

 I mentioned before, and which I find more and more 

 useful for protection at night, protection for pot-plants 



