PROCK1DINC8 OF TIIK IIOK l irULTURAL SUt IKTV OK LONDON. 



|)otting. or striking them from cuttings in charcoal ; or by mixiui; 

 it in variinis proportions in the soil in which they were to he ti;rown. 

 From what had hecn pubUshed on this .subject in " Licbii^'s Or- 

 tranic ( hcnustry" and rlsewhere, I had been led to expect some 

 very derided results, but after varyintr the experiments in many 

 ditTcrent ways, nothiui:: has happened whicli proves Charcoal to be 

 useful as a clumical agent in the growth of plants. When 

 pouniled and used by itself, it is very apt to get too dry, and then 

 runs together and sets very hard. Some Orchidaceous plants, 

 Ciloxinias and Cacti, were potted in it, but they did not succeed, 

 evidently from these causes above mentioned. 



When mixed with the soil, in the proportion of two-thirds of 

 charcoal to one-third of soil, and also in smaller quantities, such 

 plants as oranges, Ipomopa scabra, CJesneras and ( acti grew 

 very well in the mixture, but not better than others which were 

 treatcxl in the common way. 



Cuttings of the common Caper, Ficus elastica, Euphorbia 

 .Tacquiniflora, Ipomoea, and various other kinds were planted 

 both in pounded charcoal and in different proportions mixed 

 with sand ; but the results were not more favourable to the char- 

 coal than to the common sand usually employed for that purpose. 

 The caper rooted freely in both ways, but the others did best in 

 the sand. Many cuttings, when planted in pure charcoal, or even 

 where that formed a principal part of the mixture, threw off their 

 leaves in a short time and rotted at the biise. 



From what has come under my observation during these 

 experiments, I would not recommend this substance to be used 

 by itself for the growth of plants or for striking cuttings j and 

 if it does produce any good chemical eflfects when mixed with 

 soil, these will probably depend in a great degree upon the 

 constitution of the soil, in the same way as lime and chalk are 

 only good manures for certain lands. But it is very possible 

 that these effects are only mechanical, tending to keep the ground 

 open ; in the manner which renders ashes so beneficial to stiff soils. 



Robert Fortune. 



A solution of Nitrate of Soda is found to be very effectual for 

 killing slugs, of which the ground is this season so full, that the 

 entire crop of some kinds of vegetables has been destroyed in 

 the market gardens near London. The solution of Nitrate of 

 Soda is more efficacious than lime-water where it can be ap- 

 plied without touching the foliage. 



Robert Thompson. 



