40 Cfe^ iardtwr's Jttonthlg. 



clay subsoil, yet we are just as free from disease on 

 the Verbena here as there, proving satisfactorily 

 enough that the variety of soil has got nothing to do 

 with it, provided it is kept rich enough, so that the 

 plant is not exhausted nor interrupted in its growth. 

 I have long contended that we have few specifics 

 against disease among plants, and that our test 

 remedies were preventive ones ; acting on this 

 belief, and being satisfied that the interruption of 

 the free circulation of the sap was the predisposing 

 cause of mildew, I last spring for the first time 

 plunged my pot roses, so as to keep a more uniform 

 degree of moisture to the roots, the result of this 

 experiment was so entirely satisfactory, that 1 will 

 detail the plan pursued, trusting that it will be 

 equally satisfactory to any who may try it: 



The plunging material used was the refuse hops 

 from the Breweries, which was turned two or three 

 times before using, so as to exhaust the violent heat ; 

 the pots were then plunged in it up to the rim, 

 giving a depth to the hops of 5 or 6 inches, this of 

 course was not sufficient to give heat, that not being 

 desired, but merely a medium to surround the pot, 

 keeping it more regularly moist and of a more uni- 

 form temperature. In about two weeks after beini: 

 thus plunged, the Roses began to start unusually 

 strong and vigorous, and so continued throughout the 

 whole season, until the development of their flower- 

 buds, when they exceeded in health and beauty 

 any thing we had ever seen. There were over 15.000 

 plants thus treated, embracing about 200 varieties, of 

 all classes, but not a speck of mildew was visible, 

 until the latter part of May, when a few of the refuse 

 plants remair'ing unsold, slight indications, owing no 

 doubt to the neglect in watering during the hurried 

 season. I am certain that the Roses thus treated 

 sold for 25 per cent higher than if they had not been 

 plunged, but that was not the only gain, it gave us 

 abundance of healthy shoots to propagate from, 

 which rooted as freely as the Fuchsia, so that another 

 result was a vigorous and healthy progeny. 



I have long prized refuse hops as a valuable fertili- 

 zer for all kinds of Garden products, but was astonish- 

 ed to observe its wonderful effects on Roses ; and I 

 attribute their unusual vigor and escape from mildew 

 entirely owing to its use. But whether its qualities 

 as a preventive of mildew are positive or negative, 

 I am not yet prepared to sa,y, though I am inclined 

 to belive the former ; for we know that mildew dis- 

 likes an atmosphere charged with ammonia, and that 

 Ammonia is the fertilizing principle in the refuse 

 hops there is but little doubt ; but be it as it is may, 

 the practice is an excellent one which I will not soon 

 discont.nue, it not only lessens the labor of growing 



Roses in pots one half, but has the effect of producing 

 a peculiar net-work of healthy roots, which well 

 accounts for the unusual vigor of the plants. This 

 net-work of roots around .the sides of the pots much 

 more resembling those of a Grape vine than a Rose, 

 was undoubtedly caused by the absorption of ammo- 

 nia, or other fertilizing quality, contained in the 

 hops, through the pores of the pot. 



Following up this idea, I placed in June a mulch- 

 ing of 4 inches of hops on the border of my trellis 

 containing some twenty varieties of hardy Grapes, 

 the experiment was again equally gratifying : scarce- 

 ly a leaf was touched by mildew, and all presented a 

 fine healthy appearance, though my soil and location 

 are both uncongenial to the Grape. May not the 

 mulching with this material, (when it can be had 

 in quantity) in Vineyards be worthy a trial ? 



As a fertilizer refuse hops are considered by our 

 most experienced market gardeners here to be, 

 weight for weight, of about one-third more value 

 than stable manure ; they are slow to decompose and 

 consequently are also of great value in keeping open 

 and pulverizing stiff soils. 



REMARKS ON THE LATTER PART OP 

 MR. HENDERSON'S ARTICLE IN THE 

 DECEMBER NUMBER. 



BY W. N. BARNETT, WEST HAVEN, CONN. 



Mr. Peter Henderson, of South Bergen, N. J., 



