Jose 30, 1861. ] 



JOUR\AL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



481 



matters are not separated from the fluid it is very difficult 

 to judge of the strength. Cesspool sewage, when the 

 solid matters are for the most part removed, should be 

 diluted with fully six times its volume of water. On the 

 other hand, when no part of the solid matter is removed, 

 twelve times the bulk of water is not too much. In all 

 cases the contents of the tank should be stirred to the very 

 bottom. This liquid may be poured between the rows of 

 growing crops, but not until the crop, whatever it be, is well 

 rooted. 



Mixed Sewage from household offices, stables, &c., is 

 highly fertilising. It is usual for the water from the laundry 

 and rain to enter the tanks. Sometimes the sewage is very 

 strong, at others weak, and it is difScult to .judge of its 

 strength. Sometimes it may be used undiluted, being little 

 better than so much soapy or greasy water ; at others it 

 requires to be much diluted, and this is the greatest draw- 

 back to its use, as there is ever a danger of applying it too 

 strong. 



I have now stated the three forms in which I have used 

 liquid manure, and I have had three times as much ex- 

 perience with the first as the other two. I have not, in 

 fact, used house-sewage or manure water containing it to 

 other than the common kinds of plants, and for fruit and 

 vegetable growing, and to these it has been applied with 

 advantage. In using liquid manure give a thorough soak- 

 ing, and at distant intervals. In the case of stone fruit 

 trees a good drenching after the fruit is set enables them to 

 swell famously, and another in ten days or a fortnight is 

 all that is needed before the fruit stones, unless the weather 

 prove dry, when its application may be continued every ten 

 days or a fortnight, always bearing in mind that the oftener 

 it is given the weaker it must be. Three good waterings 

 — viz., one when the fruit is fairly set and swelling, the 

 second in the first dry weather afterwards, and the third 

 just when the fruit takes its second swelliug, will be found 

 ample in the majority of seasons for trees in the open garden. 

 These waterings are for Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 

 Plums, and Cherries. 



With regard to Pears, it does not matter how much liquid 

 you give them in dry soils, but on naturally strong soils 

 they are not much benefitted by more than a soaking the 

 first dry weather after the fruit is set, and again when it 

 is about half swelled. Apples, like Pears, should have mois- 

 ture in dry soils, but need less on retentive loams. Straw- 

 berries flourish with a thorough soaking just when going out 

 of bloom, and twice a-week until the fruit is gathered. A 

 moderately rich, deep, and firm soil, and plenty of nourish- 

 ment when flowering and fruiting, seems to me all that is 

 necessary to have plenty of Strawberries. Raspberries will 

 swell and set their fruit finer than usual if deluged with 

 sewage just when they are going out of bloom, and once 

 a-week during the period of fruiting. Manure Raspberries, 

 and they will give plenty of fruit and very strong canes for 

 another year ; but never dig the soil deeply round them, 

 nor give much manure, except when they are fruiting. 

 Gooseberries and Currants may have a dose when the buds 

 first begin to swell, another when the fruit begins to swell 

 after setting, a third when rather more than half-grown, and 

 another when the fruit begins to colour. The leaves will 

 be all the greener, and the fruit will not turn yellow and 

 drop after setting, but will swell well. 



In applying sewage to fruit trees, the ground at some dis- 

 tance from the stem should be watered, as well as that near 

 the stem, and the same remarks apply to vegetable crops. 

 It should be poured along the rows of Peas on both sides, 

 and is one of the best means for obtaining plenty of tender 

 Peas during liot weather. It may be poured between the 

 rows of all the Cabbage tribe — CauUaowers especially; it 

 prevents them running to seed, and assists in rendering 

 the head large, close, and firm. A thorough soakiug once 

 a-week during dry weather, or twice if very dry, v.'ill prove 

 beneficial. Celery can hardly have too much, twice a-week 

 will prevent woodiness. Kidney Beans, which succeed better 

 than most vegetables in dry weather, continue mueli longer 

 in bearing if supplied with liquid manure, and Potato"es, 

 which are generally small in dry seasons, attain a larger 

 size ; but in this case it need not be given until the haulm 

 is fuUy grown, for they usually make enough of this. Of 

 course, if dry weather set in prior to the haulm attaining 



its full size or flowering, then sewage may be given advan- 

 tageously. One or two drenchings between the rows during 

 dry weather will mostly be enough for Potatoes. Aspara- 

 gus, which it is always desirable to have large and fine, may 

 be watered twice a-week during dry weather, from April to 

 August. In short, there is not a crop which is not benefited 

 by the application of sewage in large but not strong doses. 

 The necessity is greater for its use during dry weather; but 

 in showery periods sewage enriches the soil, and the crop 

 shows the good effects. I imagine, that after the appli- 

 cation of sewage the ground remains longer moist than 

 after an equal watering with water, and crops appear to do 

 better when the sewage is given a few days before rain. It 

 is hardly possible to apply it at a wrong time where bulk is 

 wanted, but it should not be given when crops are not 

 growing, or to those that ai-e already ton luxuriant. During 

 wet weather it may be poured in an undiluted state on ground 

 before cropping, and it then answers the same purpose as 

 manure. Any smell is soon gone. After applying manure 

 water great benefit is derived from hoeing or stirring the 

 surface so as to admit air into the soil. 



In addition to using manure to the crops already enume- 

 rated, I have applied it to Roses, Dahlias, Asters, Calceo- 

 larias, Hollyhocks, and many other plants from the time of 

 their commencing to grow to that of their going out of 

 bloom; once a-week in damp periods, and twice a-week 

 during very dry weather. Some plants and trees do not 

 appear to be benefited by liquid manure. This is more or 

 less the case with the Pine and Fir tribe, though they grow 

 better on manured than unmanured ground. Heaths will 

 not bear it, and all bog plants seem to be improved neither 

 in foliage nor flower, even by weak applications. These plants 

 appear to require vegetable and not animal manures. Hollies 

 care nothing for manure water. Laurels are improved by it, 

 but Tews do not make one twig more though they gio^i the 

 better of manure. Ferns, whilst they luxuriate in dficaying 

 vegetable matter, are not improved by solutions of solid 

 manures, and perish under powerful doses. — G. Abeet. 



THE DUG DE MALAEOFF STEAWBEEEY. 



I PLANTED last August some runner? (fine plants) of the 

 Due de Malakofi' Strawberry; these are, at present, very 

 healthy, but show no sign of producing flowers. Will you- 

 inform me whether it is usual for this variety of Strawberry 

 not to produce fruit the first season after it is planted, and 

 if not, what means should be taken to induce fruit-bearing ? 

 — R. T. C. 



[The Due de Malakofi' is a fine juicy and vinous berry in 

 the line of Ajax and Ambrosia, but better than either. I 

 had them all three side-by-side some years ago, and did not 

 find any of them crop satisfactorily on the whole. Some 

 plants of the Duo de Malakoff cropped well, but four plants 

 out of six had nothing, alter having had a previous summer 

 to gain strength, being deprived of flowers and runners, so I 

 discharged it. I cannot, therefore, say what it would have 

 done in the future. I believe that this severe spring the 

 flowers of many Strawberries were cut oif, or, being set, 

 were stopped by the frosts. No doubt many of mine will 

 not come to maturity from the above reason. Mr. Turner 

 in his letter of this morning (June 10th) says — " Straw- 

 berries generally are but Vjadly bloomed." Here, on the 

 whole, I shall have good crops, deducting even many fail- 

 ing berries. I have excellent crops of the following : — Sir 

 J. Pa.'cton, ripe on Whit-Sunday, large, handsome, and good, 

 a valuable early sort; Rivers' Eliza, which I am now pick- 

 ing; Wonderful; .John Powell, very delicious ; Scarlet Pine, 

 very delicious ; Eclipse, very good ; Royal Hautbois, the 

 best Hautbois ; Eugenie, a large and useful sort; and Frog- 

 more Pine, a mo»t noble sort. I have eaten ripe berries of 

 all these, except the last, to-day (June 10th), and have sent 

 a mixed basket of Sir J. Paxton and Eliza to-day to my 

 kind friend Mr. Sturt of Critchill. Still, though with un- 

 wearied watering, I shall have fine and superabundant crops, 

 I can fancy that some berries that are " set " will come to 

 " nil." I have added 800 yards of netting to my previous 

 stock to keep off birds, which, if this dry weather last, will 

 soon make a raid on our gardens. I would advise your 

 readers to keep runners off their Strawberry plants and • 



