seme sep 
——y_-— 
1843.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
587 
Now ready, price 4s. 6d., 
RURAL CG HEMET S40k ae Ys 
“ By Epwarp Souty, Esq., Sey 
Experimental Chemist to the Horticultural Society of London, 
em. of the Royal Agricultural Society, and Lecturer 
on Chemistry at the Royal Institution. 
London: 3, Charles-street, Covent Garden. 
Che Gardeners’ Chronicie. 
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 1843. 
MEETINGS FOR THE TWO FOLLOWING WEERS. 
Friday, September1 . . . Botanical. . . 8 Pat 
Tuesday, September 5, era cola “as 
++ Bem, 
Floricultural + 7RM 
Country Sxow.—September 2 + Limerick Practical. 
In q) of a stat which we made a 
few weeks since, directing the attention of our corres- 
Pondents to the difficulty experienced in the cultiva- 
tion of Myatt’s most excellent Pine Strawberry, we 
have been favoured with ications 
small one 
(though last year they bore most abund- 
antly), I am disposed to think that plants of Myatt’s 
Pine will only bear two crops of fine fruit, and that 
they ought to be destroyed after the second crop. By 
adopting this kind of biennial treatment, I have 
cultivated this kind very successfully. My crops last 
year, as well as those of the present, have been most 
abundant, and the fruit very large. It will not 
succeed in a low, damp situation.” 
Mr. Reid, the intelligent gardener at Noblethorpe, 
recommends that a fresh bed should be made every 
season, and the old ones destroyed. After mentioning 
that he'always obtains excellent crops by the method 
recommended at p. 491 of last year’s Chronicle, viz., 
by allowing the runners to strike into an inch or two 
of rotten manure slightly covered with soil, and making 
a new bed every season, he continues—* Whoever 
adopted this plan last autumn will not be able to see 
the result before next summer, as the runners are onl 
now growing for next year’s crop. I am still of 
opinion that failure is owing more to the treatment 
than the soil, because if the soil in this garden suited 
them, why should I not have a crop from them, under 
upon the subject, the substance of which we now 
Proceed to place before our readers, 
pon this, as upon most other questions of a similar 
Nature, the statements are very conflicting, some per- 
Sons asserting that the variety is only indifferent, or 
Not superior to the Old Pine,—others contending that 
It is the most valuable of all kinds ; some writers 
Stating that it isa most uncertain, others that it is 
® Most prolific bearer. On one point most of our 
correspondents seem to agree, and that is, that it 
delights in a highly manured soil. In a letter from 
Mr. R. Saunderson, of Ravenswood, is the following 
Statement upon this point :— 
“Let the ground be trenched to the depth of two 
feet, and throw in an abundance of dung during the 
operation, as this kind of Strawberry can hardly have 
too much, from the fact that it doex not run to leaf, 
like many other sorts. The plants should be arranged 
4n rows 18 inches apart, in beds four feet wide. 
tiend of mine has thus obtained them upwards of an 
Ounce in weight. They bear to the amount of twenty 
or iad on the bunch, and although we cultivate the 
ritish Queen, iza, which are good 
to Myatt’s Pine, 
one great advantage of which is that ae eettanee 
an open space of ground, which I trench to the depth 
of eighteen inches or two feet, throwing dung into 
of three 
; Beds four feet wide are then formed 
With alleys between them two feet in width, and I 
depth of 
h on each 
I he manure which I use is rotten dung. If 
Roe get ashes I spread some on the surface of the 
ie me pout the middle of November, a little manure 
eRe ed in about the plants, which stand eighteen 
es apart between the rows and one foot from 
Plant to plant.” 
nother writer, under the signature of “J.W. CY? 
Us kitchen-garden is on a piece 
0; 
® and the great luxuriance of sbey vegetable that 
N it is quite astonishing. The Strawberries 
n grow in rows, edging the walks ; they 
Year, “ar fine fruit for more than two months last 
This isa f, é ame this year, 
to Myat? ao well worth attention, without reference 
land reclai Ine ; for it shows the high value of bog- 
Micra noes OY, judicious means. 
‘i is one more point upon which several Writers 
should yebich is, that Myatt’s Pine Strawberry 
r crop. With this statement some 0 
eoincidg Pondents of last year (pp. 491 and pos 
thi ; © give the remarks of “ Hibernicus” upon 
oe as being most to the purpose. 
dearin pe sequence of the beds made last August 
Magnificent”, 2 moderate crop, and those of 1841 a 
one, while those made in 1840 had but a 
the same igement as other sorts? This I have never 
been able to obtain. Being convinced that Myatt’s 
Pine will not produce a crop under the ordinary 
method of transplanting, I adopted the following plan 
for moving them : I filled a number of pots (large 60s) 
with good rich soil, without putting anything over 
the hole at the bottom, and these I placed round the 
bed, laying a runner or two on each pot, with a 
small stone above them to keep them down till they 
rooted in the soil. I watered them regularly, and in 
less than three weeks they were fit for removal, which 
was done carefully by keeping the balls entire. I thus 
obtained sufficient to plant six rows across a border 
12 feet wide, the plants being a foot apart, and four 
feet between the rows. They grew very strong before 
winter, and many of them’ threw out fresh runners. 
These rows are now producing as heavy a crop as can 
be desired, and finer fruit than I ever saw before. 
The runners have nearly covered the four-feet space 
betwixt each row, and will make complete four-feet 
beds for next summer's crop. As there is still plenty 
of time to try this method, I hope many of your 
readers will do so, as I have no doubt of their success. 
I ought to mention, that, as soon as the rows have 
done bearing, or at least some time before winter, I 
cut them clean out; the space where they grew will 
serve for alleys for the young beds. The soil in this 
garden is a very. stiff eavy loam, cracking in all 
directions in dry weather, with strong clay at the 
bottom.” 
“ Discipulus,” another correspondent, states that 
with him this kind succeeds as well 
under ordinary treatment. 
strong, and he covers down 
for the double purpose of keeping the soil moist and 
rich, and the fruit clean. 
quence of the ravages of the Crane-fl 3 and these 
plants have borne fruit this season as well as the rest. 
He states, in conclusion, that “ as far as his experience 
‘oes, he finds Myatt’s Pine easy enough to cultivate, 
and by far the easiest to separate, as there are always 
an abundance of young roots at the upper part of the old 
lants, and the offsets thus taken off make very vigor- 
ous plants. A rich border, dry in winter, is certainly 
preferable for it.” 
It may be as well to observe that the dryness of the 
beds in winter appears to be of essential consequence ; 
and this may probably be the reason why Myatt’s 
Pine succeeds so well with some persons when grown 
‘a 
on a gentle slope. This is particularly observable 
at Mrs. Marryatt’s, of Wimbledon, where it is 
cultivated in loam, and dressed over in spring with 
dung, to keep the roots moist.—* D. Z.;" upon. this 
point, writes thus :—*T, last ear, had occasion to 
make a new bed of this kind, and I selected for the 
purpose a south-east border, 6 feet wide with a wall 
24 feet high at the back. As my soil is light, I first 
covered the border about two inches thick with a 
tender loam, and upon that I laid pigeon’s dung, four 
inches thick. I trenched the border two feet deep, 
carefully mixing in the ‘dung, and I also took care to 
have the border elevated towards the back at an angle 
of seven degrees. On the 26th of October, I planted 
the border with second runners, a foot apart, and the 
same distance from row to row. I believe it is rarely 
that such runners bring any fruit to perfection the 
following season; but to my surprise they have 
matured some very good fruit, and at this time, the 
plants are growing freely.” : ‘We would therefore 
suggest that in retentive soils the bottom of the 
trenches, when the ground is being prepared, should 
be covered several inches thick with brick rubbish, and 
that the surface of the beds should slope gently 
towards the south-east; this would keep the subsoil 
dry in winter, and partially secure the surface from 
the parching rays of the mid-day sun in summer. 
It may be as well, in conclusion, to mention a 
remark made by Mr. R. Saunderson, that “in gather- 
ing this sort 
one side, 
SE SRT: 
From the first appearance of the manure called 
Potter's Guano, we have expressed an opinion that it 
would necessarily prove one of the most useful of 
fertilizing agents; and experience proves us to haye 
been right. In addition to the published accounts of 
last year we are now able to state that on Asparagus 
and other Kitchen Garden produce its action has 
been most beneficial during this summer. Little 
worn-out suburban gardens, where, for obvious reasons, 
manure cannot be applied, have been restored to 
fertility by two or three dressings; and have been 
crowded with flowers where plants could scarce} 
grow at all before. It has, also, like the superphos- 
phate of lime, the great merit of not doing mischief 
in unskilful hands. In short, we regard these two 
substances as the best materials that have yet been 
provided as substitutes for manure; and we are 
therefore glad to find that Potter's Guano has expe- 
rienced such a reduction in price as will induce both 
farmers and gardeners to avail themselves of it. 
Wuew we have got a piece of good loamy land 
lying on a dry subsoil, or well drained, it is our own 
fault if we.have not geod crops, or if the vicissitudes 
of the seasons affect us to any great extent. The two 
last years have been trying years for bad farmers; 
and we may look upon it as a warning to keep opr 
land dry in winter. Whoever has observed the 
difference between the produce of two fields, both of 
nearly the same quality, but the one drained and 
subsoil-ploughed, and the other merely ploughed up in 
high and narrow stetches, must be fully convinced 
that the capital laid out in thorough-draining often 
pays a better interest, without risk, than the most 
usurious discounter of short bills could have the 
conscience to desire. This year it has been 100 per 
cent. and more, in some heavy wet soils, now laid dry. 
Draining, in the best manner, seldom costs more than 
6l. per acre, and it can be done effectually for half 
that sum. Without being drained the cold wet lands 
which abound in England will not average 16 bushels 
of Wheat per acre, taking into the account the great 
many fields which failed entirely. The same soil 
properly drained, with the same labour and manure, 
will average 80 bushels, with double the guantity of 
straw, and more than a bushel per acre of seed may 
be saved. Here, then, is a difference of 15 bushels 
per acre, which, at six shillings, amounts to 4/. 10s., 
and allowing a load of straw more than on the 
undrained land, worth 1/. 10s., we have just the cost 
of the draining, or cent. upon cent., on the capital. 
We have ourselves realised this difference; and we 
have 10 acres of Wheat in a drained field, and eight 
acres in another of equal quality, but not drained, of 
which the first will average by estimate 36 bushels 
per acre, while we do not expect more than 20 or 22 
from the other. The poorer crop has been the most 
€xpensive, owing to the constant hoeing and weeding 
required to keep it clean. After this, can any pro- 
prietor or tenant hesitate to have his heavy and wet 
Jands drained? If neither the one nor the other have 
Money to spare, Jet them borrow it, if they can, at five 
or six or more per cent. They will soon be enabled 
to pay off the debt; but every prudent landlord should 
urge his tenants to drain, and offer to find tiles on 
receiving 5 per cent. additional rent for the cost of 
them. He should erect a tile-kiln on his estate, if it 
is of any extent. Where the land requires draining, 
there is always brick-earth at hand, or clay, which can 
be readily tempered. Machines are invented every day 
by the use of which the expense of tiles is gradually 
reduced, so that half the sum formerly required to lay 
a field dry may be saved. For the last Number or 
half-volume of the “ Journal of the Royal Agricul- 
tural Society of England,” Mr. Pusey has collected a 
variety of useful information on thorough-draining,— 
not new plans or theories, but the practice of genera. 
tions gone by, reaching to 150 years back,—so true ig 
it that in Agriculture there is nothin 8 hew,except those 
things which rest on late discoveries in the arts and 
sciences; and in these there is not yet that certaint 
which would produce universal adoption: time alone 
proves all things. Giving due credit to those who 
have brought the subject of draining more 
before the farmers, we must not suppose that it is a 
were by means of ditches and sluices, and by lowering 
the general level of the waters in a flat country: but 
ditches take up much ground, and hollow drains will 
carry off the water equally well. Once arrived at this 
Point, it is only a step to the increase of hollow drains 
