24 Green Vegetable Manure. 



planation not maintained the truth of his objections by ex- 

 periments with that instrument. 1 reply that, in the first 

 place, my residence in town and my professional avocations, 

 oppose themselves to any experimental attempt of the kind ; 

 and, in the second place, that any experiments on my part 

 are unnecessary, as I admit the accuracy of Mr. Knight's ex- 

 periments, and differ from him only in the conclusions which 

 he has deduced from them. Our premises are the same, but 

 our conclusions are at variance, and, it must remain with others 

 to decide which are the most accurate, and as the discovery 

 of truth is the object of both, the determination will be 

 equally acceptable, whatever may be the decision. 



In the supposition that my opinions of the effects of these 

 manures are correct, it would appear, that the most useful 

 manure may be obtained from a mixture of completely de- 

 cayed stable ox fold litter, and green or fresh vegetable matter ; 

 or perhaps no manure would be more efficient than green 

 vegetable matter spread under the soil, and a top dressing of 

 salt and soot. The completely decayed manure would pro- 

 duce its effect by affording soluble carbonaceous matter and 

 salts as food and stimuli to the growing plants, whilst the heat 

 extrcated by the fermentation of the green-vegetable manure, 

 would supply a sufficiency of that principle which, in con- 

 junction with air and moisture, is absolutely necessary for 

 rousing into activity the vital energies latent in the seed, and 

 maintaining in the future plant the proper exercise of those 

 functions, which enable if to select and absorb its nutriment 

 from the soil, to carry it through its system of vessels and 

 glands ; to concoct and secrete, from it, its proper juices ; and 

 finally to assimilate it into its own peculiar living substance. 



I remain, Dear Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 

 Anthony Todd Thomson. 

 91. Sloane Street, 



30th November, 1825. 



Art. V. 0?i the Life of a Jobbing Gardener. By Mr. 

 Archibald M'Naughton, of Hackney. 



Sir, Hackney, 29th Nov. 1825. 



I am very glad to see your proposal for a Gardener's Ma- 

 gazine, for I have long thought that the gardeners should 

 have an organ to represent them and instruct them, as well as 

 the farmers and mechanics. I have been upwards of fifty 



