Srcrri:Mi!KR 25, 1SS9.] 



Garden and Forest. 



463 



Fig. 130. — The SI. ell-bark Hickory. — See page 460. 



ill a measure, the effect of special and general manures on 

 foliage plants and on flowers. In the first place, two lots of 

 Colcus-, one being red and the other green, received special 

 application of mineral fertilizers. Five hundred milligrams 

 (about 7,7 grains) of each of the following fertilizers were ap- 

 plied to a plant at intervals : (i) nitrate of soda ; (2) sulphate 

 of iron ; (3) acid phosphate ; (4) muriate of potash ; (5) a com- 

 plete fertilizer. The last three had been analyzed in the labo- 

 ratory, and were good specimens of fertilizers ; the other two 

 were standard brands. 



In beginning the experiment, six plants were selected for 

 each manure as nearly alike as possible, excepting that three 

 were red and three green. The plants were small, not having 

 more than two nodes each ; they had been cut back twice, 

 and were in three-inch pots. They occupied a bench on the 

 south side of the green-house, and had good sun exposure. 

 Water from the same source was used in watering each set of 

 plants. The soil the plants were grown in was as even in char- 

 acter as I could secure. The most striking effect from the 

 fertilizers was seen .in the application of nitrate of soda. The 



I'jlants treated with this became either 

 very dark red or green in color and as- 

 sumed a robust growth of unmistakable 

 character. Tlie complete fertilizer had 

 an effect almost as marked, and pro- 

 duced deep color and strong growth. 

 To my surprise the sulphate of iron 

 did not give tlie depth of color that 

 otlierexperiments would seem to have 

 warranted us to expect in this case. 

 The plants appeared strong and healthy, 

 but there was nothing unusual in their 

 color. I think that the min-iate of potash 

 ranked third in effectiveness. The acii.1 

 phosphate was not effecti\-e. The color 

 of the foliage remained light, and the 

 plants did not make a growth equal to 

 those treated with the soda, potash and 

 comjjlete fertilizer. The iron and phos- 

 phoric acid had much the same effect. 

 These fertilizers made themseh'es 

 felt for a few weeks, when theii" influ- 

 ence appeared to wear off, and all the 

 plants Ijegan to once more take on a 

 similar foliaceous coloring. Again the 

 applications were made, and once 

 more the same effect of the different 

 plant-foods was made manifest. Future 

 experiments were repetitions of the 

 first two ; whenever these fertilizers' 

 were applied tiiesame results followed. 

 To me, the most pertinent application 

 of what I saw in this, was the benefit 

 to be derived from the use of sodium 

 nitrate in bringing out strong foliace- 

 ous coloring, and especially in plants 

 with bright -colored leaves. If the 

 beauty of a Coleus-bed lies in its color 

 of leaf, its effectiveness, in my opinion, 

 may be materially heightened by the 

 use of proper fertilizers. 



In another direction I experimented 

 with manures on roses. I procured 

 sixteen two-year-old La France Roses 

 of as nearly the same size as possible. 

 These were separated into four lots of 

 four plants each. Before planting, the 

 soil was carefullv washed from the 

 roots of each plant. Lot one was plant- 

 ed in pure, washed river-sand, and 

 fertilized once a week with liqviid cow 

 manure. Lot two was planted in sand 

 like one, and treated once a week with 

 liquid horse manure. Lot three was 

 planted like lots one and two, and fed 

 Fioralis (a preparation procured from 

 J. M. Thorburn & Co.) once a weelc. 

 Lot fom- was planted in our regular 

 rose-potting soil, and fertilized weekly 

 with liquid cow manure, such as was 

 used with lot one. All of these plants 

 were placed in eight-inch pots. 



First and most important, the plants 

 grown in ordinary soil thrived best and 

 produced the greatest number of buds. 

 Attliis writing thev will average larger to a noticeable degree 

 than will the other's. The effect of the Fioralis was injurious 

 at first, but because too strong in application, though direc- 

 tions were followed ; as a result one plant was killed, and the 

 foliage removed from all. However, with reduced applica- 

 tion, three renewed their growth and, before the season was 

 over, yielded a fair showing of l)uds. In both lots where cow 

 manure was used, more Roses were secured than from the 

 others. The flowers were extra flne in all cases, Init I have 

 not at my disposal, the number of blooms produced by each lot. 

 The reason whv sand was used in tlu'ee lots was to see if 

 the effect of manure could be better shown, where the soil 

 was comparatively clear of fertilizing matter at the start. In 

 each case, the amount of liquid manure applied was as nearly 

 of the same quantity and quality as I could make it. The 

 manure used was comparatively new and free from straw. 

 This work is still in progress, and will be further reported on, 

 so as to be accessible to tliose interested. 



I cannot close without referring to another fertilizer test, on 

 a morp practical basis, if you please. A portion of one of our 



