a 
a 
| 
* 1843. H 
GARD VERS TRON 
require from 20 to 30 years to come to perfection, and 
were all the property of the native governments within 
whose territories they grew. When cut down they were 
brought to the public servant, whose office it was to sell to 
the merchant or contractor, who divided the wood into 
three different kinds, according to size and quality. Dr. 
Buchanan states that the merchants sometimes divide 
Sandal-wood into red, yellow, and white; but these, he 
says, are all different shades of the same colour. The 
i t 
50 to GOlbs. of carbon are required. It is also quite 
certain that the albumen and vegetable gluten of Rape- 
cake are of the greatest importance for Corn crops, because 
of the supply of nitrogen which they afford. ‘The Wheat 
crop of an acre contains, at the most, 30 Ibs. nitrogen 5 
but as 600 Ibs. of cake convey to the soil 32 to 38 lbs. 
of nitrogen, this will be not only sufficient for the 
Wheat, but will also leave a small surplus for the suc- 
ceeding crop. 
R 1 
largest pieces are sent to China, and the middling 0 
The chips and fragments answer best for the 
India. 
Arabian market, as from them the essential oil is 
distilled. It is times said that Sandal dis buried 
in the ground to enhance its value; but this seems to be 
done for the purpose of concealment, as individuals cutting 
down trees conceal them in the ground until a favourable 
opportunity occurs for smuggling them into a neighbouring 
territory. Sometimes, also, Dr. B. says, this may be use- 
ful in enabling the white ants to destroy the white and 
sappy part of the wood, which is devoid of smell. The 
quantity procurable from the different forests it is difficult 
to estimate ; from 1700 to 2200 candies, each of 560 lbs., 
used to be obtained from Tippoo Saib’s eastern forests. 
Coorg used to yield a further supply, as well as the central 
forests of Mysore. 
Besides these, a less valuable, but larger-sized Sandal- 
wood is obtained from the more northern districts of 
Onore, which is produced in the low tract which lies 
between the ghauts and the sea-shore. Though this, like 
all other Sandal-wood grown in similar situations, is less 
fragrant, it becomes a larger tree, from being more freely 
grown; and is interesting as being easily accessible, and 
from Onore having been one of the early ports, might 
have been known to and obtained by foreign merchants 
resorting to this coast. 
The Chinese, besides being supplied from India, obtain. 
a still larger quantity of Sandal-wood from Timor, the 
Feejee, and Marquesas islands. This was long supposed 
to be yielded by the same, that is, the common Indian, 
species; M. Gaudichaud, however, considers it to bea 
distinct species, which he has figured and described from 
the Sandwich Island, and has named S. Freycinetianum. 
The Chinese, besides manufacturing various articles from 
this Sandal-wood, make use of the fragments, &c., by 
reducing the whole to sawdust, which they mix up with 
Rice paste, and make into slender candles. These are 
burnt as incense in their houses and temples. 
We shall pursue the historical part of this fragrant wood 
in a future communication. —R. 
VEGETABLE REFUSE AS A MANURE. 
(By Proressor Cuartes Sprencut. Translated from 
the German.) 
[The common Magdeburg acre consists of 180 square roods, 
or 25,920 feet Prussian, which is about ,°, of an English acre.] 
The principal vegetable refuse used in manuring fields 
and meadows consists of oil-cake, malt-dust, fruit and Vine 
husks, and stubble. 
1. Oil-Cake.—The oil-cake of Rape has not been so 
much used in Germany as in Belgium and England, where, 
for some years past, it is in such demand as a very strong 
manure, that the importation of it is yearly increasing. It 
is, indeed, so powerful, that we must take care not to use 
too much, or the crops of all Corn will be laid. Oil- 
cake affords the most convincing proof that the animaliza~ 
tion of food, on which so much stress was formerly laid, 
is not so very important, for here we find that vegetable 
_ matter which has not passed’ through the bodies of ani- 
mals, is a more powerful fertilizer than any equal quantity 
of animal manure. The effect of oil-cake is, however, 
transient, for (in the quantity in which it can be safely 
used) it lasts but one year. ‘This is owing to its chemical 
constitution, and to the fact that the substances of which 
it is composed are easily decomposed, and very soluble in 
Water, It consists chiefly of albumen, vegetable gluten, 
gum, and mucilage, so much so, that out of 1000 parts 
of oil-cake, 350 are soluble in water without the aid of 
lecomposition. According to my analysis, 1000 Ibs. of 
Oil-cake consist of 
80.5 lbs. of water in fluid form 
54.5  ,, nitrogen 
2.5 ,, potash 
1.5 ,, soda 
15.0 ,, lime 
0.1 ,, magnesia 
1.9 ,, sulphuric acid 
15.5 ,, phosphoric acid 
0.5 x chlorine 
550.0 ,, carbon: 
278.5 ,, hydrogen, oxygen, Silica (13.5), and 
traces of alumina, oxide of iron, and 
fires manganese. 
000.0 Ibs. 
me PROS 1000 Ibs. are brought on the Magdeburg 
Sibi land (and this is a strong dose), the quantity of 
Tr ee above mentioned will be conveyed to the soil. 
rie POU Oley be doubted, that it is the carbon and 
ee of the oil-cake which act so powerfully, with the 
has b of phosphoric acid and lime. ‘ 
acts’ Baia een often asserted, that Rape-cake principally 
but Heer anure, in consequence of the oil it contains, 
Admittin A 2 my experiments, this is not the case. 
Ibs. of eat oe ape-cake contains 5 per cent. of oil—600 
land, will © 5 ich is what is mostly used for one acre of 
oil, Mohn ini Convey to that acre more than 30 lbs. of 
substance a3 ie the whole about 23 lbs. of carbon, the 
to be ace wich the manuring quality of oil is chiefly 
great infin ed. But 23 Ibs. of carbon cannot produce any 
evident tence on the crops of one acre of land, as is 
When we consider that to form 100 Ibs, of ‘straw, 
will be always most effective in light soil, 
because the roots of Corn can, in such‘land, search most 
readily for the manuring particles contained in the cake, 
or produced from it. If, on the contrary, clayey land is 
manured with cake, its fertilizing substances cannot 
penetrate the soil, and will evaporate without producing 
good effects. A clayey soil, therefore, must always have 
somewhat more manure in order to obtain the same effect. 
In England the dust of Rape-cake is usually drilled into 
the ridges at the sante time that Wheat, Turnips, &c., are 
sown. By these means the manure is brought close to 
the plants, which not only occasions a saving of cake 
but prevents the danger of the manuring substances 
being lost by evaporation, which always will be the case 
if it is strewn merely on the top, or even harrowed in. 
For winter crops 600lbs. are used per acre. TI have 
found by experiment that in light land 1000 Ibs. will 
be so strong, that the crop will be easily injured ; such a 
quantity, however, also acts the second year. If Rape- 
dust is put in the holes where Potatoes are planted, 
care must be taken that the dust does not come in contact 
with them, or the eyes will be destroyed, especially in dry 
weather. This is caused by the albumen and gluten of 
Rape-cake developing a great quantity of ammonia, 
which, as we know, kills all vegetable sprouts. For this 
reason Rape-cake will be most useful in wet weather, 
because in that case the ammonia which is developed will 
be diluted and distributed in the soil and neutralized by 
the humic acid. If oil-cake is applied in dry seasons to 
summer crops, it will be of little value, especially if used 
asa top-dressing or just harrowed in. In such a case, all 
the best parts of the manuring substances will be con- 
verted into gas. 
In Belgium the dust of Rape-cake is often added to 
sinks of urine: water is added, and the whole is left rotting 
for five or six days. Although such a manure will be 
very powerful, yet I cannot recommend it, because a part 
of the ammonia will be always lost. But itis more common, 
even in Belgium, to strew it in the autumn over the Rye 
and Wheat crops, or it is harrowed in with the seed for 
summer crops. The Belgian practice (which cannot be 
too much recommended) is, not to use much of this 
manure at one time, but rather to repeat it every year, or 
at least every alternate year: they consequently take at 
one time not more than 250 to 300 Ibs. of cake for a Mag- 
deburg acre. In some places the dust of oil-cake is also 
mixed (8 or 10 days previously to using it) with 1-7th 
part of its volume of slaked lime; I, however, think that 
this operation always causes a loss of nitrogen, because the 
lime will induce the vegetable substances containing 
nitrogen to form ammonia, which will escape as gas. 
Tt is said that on fields manured with oil-cake the mole. 
cricket (gryllotalpa) will disappear ; this, if true, would 
be of some consequence, for these insects often injure Rye 
to a great extent. = 
Linseed-cake is seldom used as manure, because it is 
thought better to give it to cattle as food. In Belgium, 
Linseed cake is used in manuring Flax, which succeeds 
very well after it. 
2, Malt-dust.—In countries like England, where an 
immense quantity of beer is brewed, Malt-dust is also 
used as manure. It acts nearly as powerfully as oil-cake, 
and its effects are equally fugitive. 800 to 1000 Ibs. are 
applied to an acre as a top-dressing for sickly winter crops, 
or are harrowed in with the seed of summer crops. 
‘According to my analysis 1000 lbs. of dry Malt-dust 
mtai 
i 40-0 lbs. of nitrogen (probably). 
20:0 5, “potash and soda. 
14:0 ,, lime. | 
2:0 ,, magnesia. 
7-2 ,, phosphoric acid. 
60 ,, sulphuric acid. 
30 ,, chlorine. 
550°0 4, carbon. ae 
357°8 ,, hydrogen, oxygen, silica (very much), 
piss [alumina, oxide of iron, and manganese. 
1000-0 Ib. 
Tt is evident that Malt-dust derives its manuring quality 
from carbon, and especially nitrogen ; for the 20 lbs. of 
potash and soda, and the 14 lbs. of lime, &c., which 
1.000 Ibs. convey to the land cannot produce much effect. 
3. Husks of ‘Fruit.—In countries where Apples, Pears, 
or Grapes are grown for the sake of making wine or cider, 
these are used as manure 5 but they are of little value. 
They are mixed with lime until they are putrified. 
Stubble.—In farming very clayey land, it may 
be advantageous to leave a long stubble, because it will 
(when ploughed in) loosen the soil for some time. As a 
manure, however, it is (as the analysis shows) of no great 
value, In dry sandy lands, long stubble does more harm 
than good, for it makes the soil still looser and drier, while 
the want of moisture will prevent its rotting. In such soil 
it is much better to collect the stubble into heaps, and to 
i he spot. : 
fare ee eamincine this chapter, I may as well mention 
a manure which the French have much praised. The ~H 
M. Jauffret made a compound of stubble—Thistles, Heath, 
" and sand, and poured over it a sort of hot ley 
ition of which he kept secret), and thus 
10 or 12 days that it was fit for immediate’ use. It is, 
however, obvious, that this was nothing more than well- 
known compost, brought more speedily into a state of fer- 
mentation and decomposition by the hot ley, which was 
probably made of wood-ashes, or perhaps urine. It is, 
however, now exploded. 
ON HEATING HORTICULTURAL BUILDINGS. 
Tue recent discoveries of Bude and Boccius for ren- 
dering gas-light pure and brilliant, and the known value of 
light in addition to heat in the proper treatment of plants 
jntroduced into this country from tropical or warm clim- 
ates, so as to ensure their uninterrupted enjoyment of 
health, and the production of magnificent, rich, and vivid- 
coloured flowers, equal to those borne by the same spe- 
cies in their own unclouded, bright, and sunny lands, 
suggest the application of gas as an eligible medium to 
attain this most desirable end in conservatories and other 
buildings devoted to Horticultural purposes in the vari- 
able and trying climate of our sea-girt island. 
The Great Being who governs the world has shown in 
the wonderful works of creation his Almighty power, and 
has given to various lands their varied charms, both of 
animated and inanimate nature. In the human race, 
especially in this highly-civilised country, he has implanted 
a more than ordinary affection for the beauteous produc- 
tions of the soil; and many a happy hour is spent in 
nursing and tending them, and in watching their progress 
from the time the minute seed is committed to the earth, 
until it germinates’and becomes a pleasing object, pro- 
ducing beautiful flowers, or until it forms a handsome 
shrub or magnificent tree, clothed with the richest tints, 
in many instances bearing delicious fruit, gratifying to the 
eye, pleasant to the taste, and adding to the enjoyment of 
mortals. 
On examining the harmonious system of nature, and 
the almost invariable rules by which certain results are 
accomplished, it is evident that the present modes of 
heating Horticultural buildings, although eminently suc- 
cessful under the able management and unceasing atten- 
tion of the highly intelligent class to whose charge they 
are confined, are not in accordance with the laws by 
which nature appears to be governed. As anjillustration, 
it may be observed, that on entering the great majority of 
these buildings in this country for the protection or pro- 
pagation of foreign plants, the respiration of the human 
frame is materially impeded, owing to the impurity of the 
air occasioned by the requisite heat being communicated 
through the medium of iron or metal pipes, disengaging 
from these substances a subtle and invisible kind of gas, 
which renders the air as dry and intolerable as it could be 
found in the sandy deserts of Africa. The same effects are 
experienced in churches and public buildings heated on 
the same principles ; and it is only by the aid of a profuse 
evaporation of water that these places become at all 
endurable. When these effects take place on the naturally 
strong constitution of the human race, their action on the 
tender fibres of plants must be either to entirely destroy 
them or prevent their assuming the fine form or the bril- 
Hiant and cheerful colours which they put on when enjoy- 
ing the pure air of the open country, with the delightful 
and cooling breezes of heaven. 
The introduction of gas, either in the form of Bude or 
Boccius lights, or argand or jet burners, as might be 
most approved of for heating Horticultural buildings, 
after experiments being made to ascertain their respective 
advantages, would probably not incur a greater expense 
than is entailed by the present system, especially when 
required on a large scale. When only needed on a small 
scale, a sufficient supply of gas may be always obtained 
extensive scale, such as would be requisite for the splendid 
conservatory of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth, or 
forthatin the Horticultural Society’s Garden at Chiswick, it 
would be advisable to have gas-works exclusively attached 
to them : and these works, now that means have been 
discovered for consuming the smoke and thoroughly puri- 
fying the gas, might be made|highly ornamental instead of 
being considered a nuisance, as when first introduced. 
It is much easier for the Beste ie eet 
i ildi heate: as 2 
beauty of Horticultural buildings he eee h und py 
< ne ian Nights ter~ 
lamps of Aladdin, described in the ee Tioiettont 
i .. the pages of the Gardeners’ Chronicle. The heat 
tion is, however, worthy of a trial, as the following w: 
show : Several years ago, the writer had a 
canary birds, and the place in which their cage was 
placed being within a few feet of an Argand gas-burner, 
lighted at sunset, and allowed to burn until 8 o clock, 
P.M. 3 these birds continued to breed during the whole of 
e winter, 
guite healthy. It did not occur at the time that this un- 
natural mode of conducting themselves in this country 
might have taken placejin consequence of their proximity 
to the gaslight ; but it is now evident this was in reality 
the cause which produced the effect stated, as the mate 
never ceased to sing, nor the birds to be as lively, and to 
eat and drink as well during the evening, until the gas was 
put out, as they were during the day. In the same 
window where the gas-burner was placed, were several 
Pelargoniums, which continued in a remarkably healthy 
state throughout the winter ; and on reflecting on their 
appearance, although it is many years since, it is easy to 
remember the tender leaves of an evening turning to re- 
ceive the full rays of light from the Argand gas-burner. 
The introduction of hot water in tanks or troughs for 
heating Horticultural buildings is a decided improvement, 
and must be far more congenial to the plants than heat 
obtained a manure which was_s0 much after 
d through metal pipes; and were the tanks con- 
in the vicinity’of almost every town in the kingdom. Onan — 
