572 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
[Aue. 19, 
be regarded as an herbaceous perennial plant, requiring 
an annua lated i t quently shou 
be kept throughout the wiater months in a partial state of 
rest, until March or April, when, after being again excited 
by a partial development of its buds, its previous season’s 
growth should be partly cut back, to test its amount of 
vitality, and when this is proved by a vigorous flow of sap, 
it may then be disrooted and reshifted back to a pot com- 
mensurate in size to the vigour of the plant or to the 
ability of the cultivator in this department of his profes- 
sion. When thus established in its first pot or shift the 
whole of its remaining stems of last season’s growth should 
be removed. Its ultimate vigour and fertility will be pro- 
portionate to the accumulated development of its growth 
from the root or base of the stem. Paxton, in the 
“Magazine of Botany,” speaks of its bloom being in- 
creased in ratio to its lateral shoots or branches; but 
thus treating it as a semi-shrubby plant, either by retain- 
ing a portion of its previously-matured growth, or by 
causing axillary or sid ts, would result ly in 
the production of inferior flower-stems, as the only legiti- 
mate substitute for the amplitude and splendour of per- 
fected growth. The principle upon which the practice of 
obtaining the greatest number of axillary or side-shoots 
is founded, as the only legitimate mode of obtaining the 
greatest amount of bloom, is more strictly applicable to 
plants of a shrubby and branching habit than to those 
which incline to be perennial and herbaceous, or of Juxu- 
riant and spare development; the latter requiring, gene- 
rally, an accumulated vigour at the root, to insure an 
ultimate bloom. 
The present species, being rigid in its growth, and 
latent in the foliation of its buds, excepting under the 
most fayourable circumstances, requires a tolerable bottom 
drainage, and the dried siftings of heath-mould, divested 
of its strong, fibrous portion, may be advantageously used 
as a substratum, or intermediate drainage, upon the 
potsherds, The most suitable compost is equal portions 
of yellow loam and dried Jeaf-mould, adding a sixth part 
of white sand. The application of heath-mould as a com- 
ponent part of the compost, should, in this, as in most 
others for plants of soft-wooded growth, be entirely regu- 
lated by its open and well-pulverised quality; without 
such a preparation, heath-mould is generally too retentive 
of moisture for those plants requiring a rapid circulation. 
By the foregoing management, S. splendens will amply 
repay the attention bestowed upon it by its terminal spikes 
of brilliant scarlet flowers, from nine to twelve inches in 
Jength, which, whether regarded for their long continuance 
in bloom or gracefulness of habit, will not fail to recom- 
mend it as one of the most elegant and interesting of our 
autumnal flowering house-plants.—Surrejanus. 
— 
= 
AMATEUR’S GARDEN.—No. XXXIII. 
Sivcz I wrote my last week’s article, I have seen two 
other scarlet Pelargoniums, which are very deserving of 
notice, viz., Pullen’s Scarlet and Smith’s Superb. The 
first is rather a shy flowerer, but is very large and of 
robust habit ; and of Smith’s Superb it is sufficient to say, 
it is an improvement upon the same person’s Emperor, 
and therefore perhaps the finest variety in cultivation. 
The prevailing opinion that these scarlets are too strong 
for beds is an error, for if they are occasionally pegged 
Hydrangeas. For 
sufficient stock of the large, I would never grow another 
plant of the dwarf kinds; and, at any rate, a great 
majority of them will be discarded by me this season. 
Of the finer varieties of Pelargonium (a name awarded 
to them, by the way, more by courtesy than any superior 
merit), some very good ones for bedding out were noticed 
by Mr. Beaton last week ; and the truth is, that so many 
of these kinds flower freely when planted out, that it would 
be more difficult to [name those that are not adapted for 
bedding out, than those that are. Of the old dwarf 
kinds, there is a beautiful little variety called Moore’s 
Victory, which makes an elegant bed; and there is 
also another of the same habit, with a light flower, 
but which I have not seen for a long time, and 
which we used to call Fair Ellen; and there are 
also many more old varicties in this way which 
should much like to see again in cultivation for the 
flower-garden. From France we have some singular 
and free-flowering kinds—of these Sidonia is perhaps 
the finest, being of a rich velvety texture, and very deli- 
eately pencilled, Diad , and Diad t rube- 
scens, are also good kinds, as is, likewise, a very dark 
variety called Mulatto. Jehu is curious, and blooms 
profusely, and the Jew and Jewess make beautiful beds. 
Oliver Twist is an orange scarlet, of profuse habit, and 
Wildfire, Fire Fly, Orange Boven, Rival Queen, and 
Queen Superb, may be classed with it, Gauntlet is a dis. 
tinct colour, which is only surpassed by Rising Sun and 
Sun-rise ; these with Priory Queen, would make a lovely 
group. Lady Carlisle, Emily, Firebrand, Florence, Sylph, 
Vulcan, Chef d’ceuvre, Lady Murfay, Lady Denbigh, 
Alexandrina, rectum, Matilda, and Fosteri Roseum, are 
all distinct kinds, which make most excellent beds. The 
great advantage of bedding these kinds out is the pro- 
longation of the Pelargonium season, as they are just be- 
ginning to bloom when the house plants are over. The 
treatment which these varieties require for turning out, 
is to store them, four or five’ plants, in a 48-sized pot 
through the winter, in poor soil; pot them off into 60s in 
February or the beginning 0 ch, and take great care 
to keep them welly stopped eo the middle of April, to 
make them dwarf and. bushy, and likewise to prevent them 
en wane PANE blished 
a3 \ 
4 
blooming after” being 
AINOUNS 
planted out. As a general rule, the ground should be 
rather poor than otherwise for Pelargoniums, and if it is 
of rather a gravelly nature, it. will be all the better. 
I am obliged to “ Omega” for his hint relative to the 
pairing of Roses ; but I was aware that strong-growing 
kinds would starve the weaker ones, if budded on the same 
branch, and it was for that reason that I recommended 
the weak-growing varieties to he placed in the most cle- 
vated positions on the branch, as the difference of eleva- 
tion places the weak and strong-growing varieties almost 
on an equilibrium; at least, so I have found it. Iam 
gratified to find that “* Omega’ is, from experiment, so 
convinced of the excellency of my plan, that he is about 
to bud a wall of the Sempervirens, 214 feet long, with 
Bourbon and Noisette Roses,” and I hope next year to 
hear of his complete success. — 7. P. Ayres, Brooklands. 
RENDLE’S SYSTEM OF TANK-HEATING. 
I FIND in reference to the Chronicle, that the new 
system of heating lately brought into notice by myself is 
attracting the attention of Horticulturists, and it is my 
firm opinion that as soon as it gets properly understood, 
it will be universally adopted wherever bottom-heat is 
required. At p. 501, Mr. Sherwood has written a long 
letter on the subject, and endeavours to throw cold water 
on my plan, by stating that “it can never be made available 
for Horticultural purposes to the extent that I anticipate, 
nor anything like it;” and his reason for so doing, is 
because he does not sce how the atmosphere is to be 
heated, irrespective of the bottom-heat, This will be 
readily explained by the annexed drawing :— 
——S= = eae 
a 
The water enters the tank at a, and by means of plugs 
or valves (at the apertures p) can be made to circulate 
round the tank and pipes, or be made to pass through the 
tank or pipes separately. This is easily explained, and I 
trust, therefore, that Mr. S. will not be prejudiced against’ 
my plan, but will forthwith adopt the ‘tank system.” 
He may be assured that he will be more than pleased with 
it in the time and trouble saved, and his employer will be 
still more pleased in the saving of expense that would be 
effected. The accompanying drawing represents the 
section and perspective view of the interior of a propa- 
gating-house, heated on the tank system :— 
At p. 460 there is a letter from the Rev. J. Huyshe 
on the “ Tank-system,’’ which I should have answered 
before, but have been too busily engaged. Mr. HH. seems, 
from the tenor of his letter, to claim for himself an im- 
provement on my plan, and, to use his own words, states, 
that ‘the most material point in which I differ from Mr. 
Rendle is in the depth of the tanks; instead of being four 
inches in depth (as he advises, p. 15), mine are 18 ins. in 
depth.” On referring to my treatise (p. 32), he will find 
the following advice :—‘* I would recommend the tank to 
be at least 12 ins. in depth, so as to contain a very large 
body of water, for the larger the body of water the larger 
the continuance of heat.’? What Mr. H. alludes to at 
p- 15 is the depth of the’tank I erected for the purpose of 
experiment, and not advice to others. This, “ the material 
point,’’ is explained ; the other differences, as to the thick- 
ness of the slate, or the exact position in which the boards 
ought to be placed, do not seem to callfor observation, 
further than to state that I recommend the best articles to 
be used in the best possible manner. If a superior slate 
cannot be procured, an inferior quality must be used ; but 
still it must be acknowledged that the firmer the quality 
of the slate the more capable it is of enduring the heat 
of the water.—IV. EL. Rendle, F.H.S., Plymouth. 
SPRENGEL ON VEGETABLE MANURES. 
(Continued from page 500.) 
11. Saw-dust.—It is known that saw-dust is one of the 
worst litters, being almost entirely composed of woody 
fibre. Like the different kinds of straw, sawdust varies in 
value according to the sorts of timber which produce it. 
The value of sawdust depends—like all other litter, on its 
mineral contents and its nitrogen ; the amount of the 
latter is not known’; but I have analyzed certain kinds so 
as to determine their mineral substances, as will be seen 
by the following Table :— 
100,000 parts of red Beech contain of mineral sub- 
stances :— 
19 parts of silica 
100 me 
” 
Dae wrys 
Seay, 
ce ary 
50 
Zonas 
Pilg 
Oa 
magnesia 
iron, manganese, and alumina 
sulphuric acid 
phosphoric acid 
chlorine 
350 parts of mineral substances. 
100,000 parts of Oak sawdust contain of mineral 
substances :— 
56 parts of silica 
36 i 
” 
eh 
GGL fy; 
Les Sy 
Lata, 
ahs 
4 
5» 
ime 
magnesia 
potash 
soda 
iron, manganese, and alumina 
sulphuric acid 
phosphoric acid 
chlorine 
208 parts of mineral Carlin. 
Oak sawdust contains much tannin. 
100,000 parts of Fir sawdust contain of mineral 
substances :— 
13 parts of silica 
13. i 
ay ime 
1S Soy magnesia 
13° 4, ‘potash 
eter, aeRO! 
53 ,, iron, manganese, and alumina 
3 ,, sulphuric acid 
7 ‘4, phosphoric acid 
a chlorine 
0,250 parts of mineral substances. 
100,000 parts of Scotch Pine (?) ( 
iefern) contain of 
mineral substances :-— 
18 parts of silica 
is a): 
Shey 
6 
T Rigg 
480% 5 
7» 
Ceres 
Bow 
lime (carbonate of) 
magnesia (carbonate of) 
potash 
soda 
iron, manganese, and alumina 
sulphuric acid 
phosphoric acid 
chlorine 
0,270 parts of mineral substances. 
100,000 parts of Elm sawdust contain of mineral 
substances :— 
14 parts of silica 
569 
38719 
pigs, 
ert 
AL 55 
9 
Acoshhs 
5-4 
1,882 parts of mineral substances 
100,000 parts of Ash sawdust contai 
stances :— 
and Elm, will contain somewhat more nitrog 
of Pines and Firs, on-which account the 70? 
able; but in either case its amount Js insig ee 
not equal even to that of Rye-straw. 
dust may be as litter, it is prefera 
and Hemp, for the latter not on 
matter, but are altogether de: 
(To be co. 
oe ee 
HOME CORRESPONDENCE. 
Atp 
upon the rot i 
wood of the tree, 2) 
moisture in the soil upon w 
the experience of a corresp 
ime 
iron, manganese, and alumina 
sulphuric acid 
phosphoric acid 
chlorine 
fn of mineral sub- 
18 parts of silica. 
Vs lim 
” 
mr magnesia. 
i potash, 
# soda. 
iron, manganese, and alumina. 
sulphuric acid. 
ps phosphoric acid. 
46 chlorine. 
art must 
la therefore be 
ghly rotten, 
into large 
will be accel- 
h liquid manure 
Beech, Ashy 
en than that 
refer= 
as saw- 
fuse of Flax 
ble to the re! mineral 
ly contain less 
stitute of nitrogen. 
tinued.) 
. 542, 1 observed some ren 
TEL 
ey a 
