2.—1846.] THE 
GARDENERS' 
CHRONICLE. ' 19 
MLOXINIA PASSINGHAMII. — This intensely 
rich and highly valuable variety will be found figured in 
*'* Paxton's Magazine of Botany" for the present month; short 
extract, see folio 968, “G. Passinghamii p s a vigorous 
habit, very prolific bloom, and large highly-coloured flowers of 
jet, and all the proper that can render one of 
ing farhily valuable. It is a genuine importation 
ica). Plants 
i 
ch. If three plants 
over. The stock 
red early in May at 10s. 
are ordered by the trade, one will be 
o given 
* being limited, early orders are requested.— WinnrAM E. RENDLE 
Co., Plymouth, 
The Garwenery’ 
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1846. 
MEETINGS FOR THE TWO FOLLOWING WEEKS. 
WxowssoA, Jan, 14—Mieroscopical, — . 
E e ee iun. on te End 
Linne k 8 ra. 
= 
"T'oxepAv, 
We had not proposed this week to resume the 
subject of Pormarse Hearine, but the eagerness of 
‘correspondents induces us to say a very few words 
More upon one or two points connected with it. 
We have already stated that we believe it to be an 
, important move in the:right direction; but it does 
not follow that it is incapable of improvement, or 
that it is applicable to all purposes. Mr. Murray, 
of Polmaise, has proved that it answers perfectly 
for a Vinery ; he has shown in what way he effects 
his object, and no doubt can exist that if a Vinery 
is constructed exactly as his is, it will do exactly 
what his does. Consequently no risk of failure can 
attend a house so constructed : in fact the Polmaise 
Grapes were this year of such excellence, that the 
neighbouring gardeners, thinking that Mn. Mur- 
Ray’s would be exhibited, and feeling that they had 
no chance of equalling them, withheld from shewing 
at the Stirling exhibition. We should: therefore 
say to those who are anxious for immediate trial, do 
as Mn. Murray has done, and not otherwise. To 
others, who can wait, we would suggest the propri- 
ety of pausing, until the results of various experi 
ments, which will no doubt be put in operation, 
shall have been made known. 
In the meanwhile the following points may at 
once be borne in mind. 
1. The furnace must be so placed as to be com- 
pelled to derive its fresh air from the drain beneath 
it. If it is able to obtain air from the house itself, 
or from the external atmosphere, the proper action 
of the currents will be more or less interfered with. 
2. The opening in the wall, through which the 
Warm air enters, must be covered by a cloth, or a 
Screen of some kind, so as to turn aside the hot air, 
and direct it to the extremities of the house. To 
make this intelligible, let the lines A B and C D 
represent the foundation of the back wall of a 
Vinery, BC be the opening, and O the furnace. 
d hen the heated air from O passes between B C 
ES the bouse, it must strike against the woollen 
Ro E F, which forces it right and left, so that 
d a small portion finds its way through the 
and E EF ; but the principal part enters at FD 
tio SA. Experience has shown that this precau- 
n may not be neglected. Mr. Murray informs 
us that in one; instance a Fig tree planted at FD 
Was withered by the hot-air which struck it there. 
R These points demand especial attention, and 
ne Ving been determined: experimentally do not 
aoe to be re-examined. à Other matters, such as 
i e best direction of the drains, the number of them, 
E € manner in which they can be most advanta- 
Seously connected with the external air, and the 
Most economical kind of stove, are among the 
Eus upon which experience has to be sought. 
i ne meanwhile it is obvious that for greenhouses 
le method is perfectly applicable; and we enter- 
ES ubt that means will. speedily be found for 
ove | pn ci omia as a Joycr’s stove, or a 
» or any other simple form of furnace, to the 
Ps a E of cold from pits and small build- 
is i bx hitherto presented great difficulty 
Pom Eon for if they were warmed by a hot 
» app 5 they were certainly fitted up at an 
Xpense incommensurate with the end to be gained, 
were employed, it has been 
and, whatever meang 
found to be practically extremely difficult to avoid 
: Siving them more heat than the plants could safely 
ear. 
Have any of our corres i 
5 s pondents any experience 
to give the public upon this interesting subject ? 
We feel somewhat blameable for i 
pud directed the attention of ^ and de 
moe Importance of Guano as a manure for every- 
. «ng with which they have todo. We have left 
9 our correspondents a task which rather belonged 
just what matters are rec 
to ourselves. ` The consequence, however, is not 
disadvantageous,: for all that we now have to say 
has so entirely the sanction of experience, tbat 
nothing is left for theory to speculate upon. 
And yet there are those who cannot find in guano 
the virtues that belong to it. One man uses it too 
strong, and says it kills his plants; another applies 
it at the wrong time of year and gets no result : ano- 
ther buys his guano cheap, of some swindling dealer 
who digs it on Epping Common, and condemns the 
manure forthwith as utterly worthless; he should 
have condemned his own folly for dealing with 
rogues, 
Not a doubt can now exist that guano, of good 
quality, properly appiied, is of all known agents the 
most valuable for manuring purposes. It contains 
nired by plants for their 
food in just the right state; and although Mr. 
Lawes’s superphosphate of lime may beat it in Tur- 
nip growing, yet the statement we have just made 
is strictly true ; for superphosphate of lime is not, 
like guano, of universal application. : 
Another merit in gvano is, ‘that it is not bulky, 
nor disagreeable to use, nor attended by any of the 
nuisances which in small gardens are so great with 
stable dung. bag of it, which can be brought 
home in the carrier’s cart, is as useful as a cart- 
load of farm manure. It is true that it will not 
produce the same mechanical effect upon land; but 
so far as manuring qualities go it is unrivalled, and 
the mechanical effects may be otherwise obtained ; 
as, for example, with chopped straw. 
Ithas this great advantage too, that as it varies 
much in quality the buyer can never be at loss what 
to purchase, for the dearest is always the best, 
therefore the cheapest; so that the market price, if 
respectable men are dealt with, will form a sure 
index to the true value of this commodity. 
People say, What shall I do with it? I have 
bought Peruvian guano, and don’t know how to use 
it. Is it good for Peas? or Roses? or trees? or 
Cabbages? or Asparagus? or what? It would be 
well if all answers could be as explicit. Guano is 
good for allthings which require manure, and if 
Mr. TESCHEMACHER is right, for other things also, 
for he tells us* that it is good for Silver Firs, and 
consequently for Conifers generally, which farm- 
yard inanure invariably kills. 
The main thing is the manner of applying it. 
We have reason to think that for gardeners the 
best plan is to steep it in cow’s urine, to pour off 
the clear fluid as a liquid manure, antl to use the 
residue, from time’ to time, in the kitchen garden. 
But it may also be mixed with any dry soil and ap- 
plied broadcast. 
The time for using it is obviously, in small. quan- 
tity,when a plant begins to grow, in larger quantity 
when the new growth is active, and in much larger 
quantity when vegetation is in full career. The 
Peruvians, says Mr. Tescarmacuen, use it for their 
Maize in the following manner :—“ Each crop has 
usually three applications of guano; the first, in 
small quantity, at the time of sowing the seed ; the 
second, a larger application, when the plant is Jess 
than half grown; and the third, just previous to the 
commencement of ripening the seed. After each 
application, the land is irrigated—that is, watered. 
From this latter circumstance it will be seen that 
the first application is of the nature of a steep in 
guano liquor, which, no doubt, accelerates the ger- 
mination of the seed, while the dilution of the guano 
prevents the embryo from being injured by the 
action of the manure, and also causes the com- 
ofits d position, rendering it imme- 
diately available to the growth of the young plant. 
The volatile ammoniacal salts of the first application 
being exhausted,the second becomes necessary for 
the increased roots forming; and this, no doubt, 
enters largely into the substance of the plant, pro- 
moting in every way its growth, luxuriance, and 
production of seed. Of the benefit of the third 
application, I confess I am unable to judge ; never 
having tried it, because I was unable to see before- 
hand the use of it. Nevertheless, I think that the 
common practice of a people who have used guano 
for centuries should not be slightly rejected without 
experiment, and it certainly shall be tried.” : 
All we have to do is to imitate their practice 
thoughtfully and cautiously. i 
Mr. Trscuemacuer gives the following very in- 
teresting results of his experience in the United 
States; we copy them without abridgment, because 
of their great practical value :— 
Lawns—“In several cases, where sods have 
been laid down for lawns or embankments round 
houses, the most surprising growth has been ob- 
tained by strewing the surface with guano previous 
to laying on the sod. The manure is then brought 
into contact with the roots, which—being strong 
and old, not tender and young, like the sprout and 
Tw Essay on Guano, 1845, : 
—— 
root of a seed—take immediate hold, and this effect 
is produced without injury.” 
Vines.—" Here my individual experience is small, 
having only. planted two Vines, last autumn, ma- 
nüred with guano, which are growing vigorously. 
But many others have tried it on them with the 
greatest possible success, both as to growth of stem 
and fruit. This plant is a gross feeder, and will 
bear a great quantity of this manure without injury. 
Viues grown in pots will make a surprising growth 
if watered with a solution of guano; but, for the 
reasons given under the head of Indian corn, I think 
that the guano itself, containing the phosphate of 
lime, will give greater and better produce. The 
well-known success of others with this plant renders 
any evidence from me unnecessary. The best 
method of application is the same as for trees, 
which follows.” 
"T'rees.—* The experiments with guano on trees 
which have come under my observation, including 
exotics, number about one hundred and fifty., The 
action has invariably been. to produce large foliage, 
of a deep, healthy green, or with plants, usually 
covered with a white powder, called glaucous, to 
increase this appearance, and to shorten the joints 
or intervals from leafto leaf. This last action, as 
respects fruit-trees, is of the utmost importance ; 
every.one being aware that long-drawn, long-jointed 
shoots are the least valuable or productive, and that 
the fruit-bearing spurs on trees are but branches 
with shortened joints. Hence the production of 
short-jointed, stocky branches is the production of 
so mach fruitful wood ; and i£ by proper pruning, 
the sun and air are admitted so as to ripen: the 
wood, a plentiful crop must be the result, The best 
mode of application to fruit-trees seems to be, first, 
to consider where are the young feeding roots,— 
that is, at what distance from the stem, and what 
depth in the ground,—then to place the guano as 
near them and as much. around them as «possible, 
without being in absolute contact. For instance, 
round an Apple-tree of ten years’ standing, dig a 
trench, one or one and a half foot deep, at about 
the same distance from the stem that the branches 
extend ; let this trench be about one foot wide; 
then put at the bottom one and a half inch À 
guano, dig it wellin, and incorporate it 
soil ; then cover up carefully, and press the earth 
down. The effect of this application will unques- 
tionably be felt for several years. Iam rather in- 
clined to attribute this shortening of the joints 
chiefly to the action of the soluble portions ofthe 
guano; as the Pelargonium, the Orange, and many 
other plants which exhibited this appearance, had 
only been watered with its solution. But, in all 
applications to fruit-trees, I recommend the guano 
itself, as the insoluble portion contains the chief 
materials of the seed, to protect and cover which 
fruit is formed. Where young trees are to be 
manured, a little guano, dug -in at the surface 
around the tree, as well as in a trench, will be ad- 
vantageous. ‘The use of guano for trees probably 
combines another advantage of inestimable value 7 
this is, the destruction of the insect tribe which are 
buried in the earth, and emerge from thence with 
the warmth of spring. The coverings of these in- 
sects, when they first come out of the ground, are 
not hardened ; and, in this tender state, the contact 
with a-moderately strong solution destroys them. 
I have tried experiments on about eight or ten vari- 
ous caterpillars, and some other insects, and have, 
invariably found a solution of guano Kill them 
quickly, except when in.an advanced state ; then it 
took a longer time and a stronger solution. Salt 
and oil-soap are both apt to be injurious to vegeta- 
tion ; but, by strewing guano around the trees, and 
turning it in a little depth, the plant will be bene- 
fited, and the insects at the same time destroyed. 
My experiments on this subject, although perfectly 
convincing and satisfactory to myself, have, for 
want of time, not been conducted with that care 
and precision which should authorize me to lay 
them before the public with requisite confidence. 
My last experiment was with the destructive grub, 
melolontha, so well known to subsist on the roots 
of Grass, of which a friend kindly sent me a box. 
Six of these white grubs were placed in a saucer 
half full of water, in which a teaspoonful of African 
guano had been put and well stirred. They imme- 
diately began to feel uneasy, and, in about two 
hours, the whole six were dead.” 
Peas.—* The kinds on which I experimented 
were Prince Albert, Shilling’s Early Grotto, (a 
dwarf Pea,) Blue Imperial, and Marrowfat. The 
method I.adopted with all was.to draw a deep 
trench with a’ hoe, to strew guano in the trench. 
mix it up with the soil, over this put about one men 
and a half of earth, then sow the seed, and cover 
up. In this way, I calculated that the young 
sprouts of the seed, both root ani embryo, could 
“not be injured by coming into immediate contact 
