146 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



N 



AND THEIR US 



IN THE G 



Ir islathcr an interesting fact that the importance of nitrates for plants 

 has long been recognised ; also that the growth of plants is considerably 

 promoted when this element of food is present in the soil. Nitrous food 

 may exist as nitrate of potash, nitrate of lime, nitrate of soda, and 

 nitrate of ammonia. Recent investigations have established the fact 

 that for most green-leaved plants the nitrates are capable of supplying 

 all the nitrogen which is needed for their growth. Nitric acid, therefore, 

 may be regarded for all practical purposes as the final form of nitrogen 

 for most horticultural plants, and that all other forms must first be con- 

 verted into it ere they become available as plant food. Even ammonia 

 must be converted into nitrates before plants can use it. 



When nitrate of soda, or any of the other nitrate compounds, is 

 used as manure, its nitrogen does not enter into fixed combinations 

 within the soil, but nitrate is dissolved in the soil water, and unless taken 

 up by vegetation, much of it passes into the drains or into the subsoil 

 beyond the reach of the roots of the plants. When salts of ammonia are 

 used as manure, part of the ammonia is temporarily taken up by the soil, 

 but it is more or less rapidly (according to the character of the soil, and 

 of the season) converted into nitrates, and is then subject to loss by 

 drainage, as when nitrate of soda or any other nitrate is used. 



A ton of farmyard or stable manure will rarely contain more than 

 from ten to fourteen pounds of nitrogen, and that in an organic form. 

 Now plants are unable to feed upon nitrogen in an organic form — that is 

 to say, in the condition in which it exists in the decaying matters of soils 

 and of farmyard manure. Such organic nitrogen only becomes useful 



for plant food after it has been converted into nitric-nitrogen or nitrates 

 by a process more or less slow and interrupted, which is termed " nitrifi- 

 cation," and which will only take place in the upper layers of the soil 

 when there is a plentiful supply of atmospheric oxygen ; a certain amount 

 of warmth and moisture are also necessary, as well as the presence of 

 organic matter, lime, and certain other mineral ingredients. That in 

 proportion as those conditions are fulfilled, so will be the rapidity of its 

 development. The absence or presence in excessive quantity of water 

 or organic matter will prove fatal to nitrification. 



If a soil contains a very large percentage of putrefying organic matter 

 nitrification will not take place, for the reason that so long as there is such 

 a demand for oxygen, the air present in the soil will be all used up in 

 oxidising the organic matter. This is why nitrates will never be found 

 except in the merest traces in fresh farmyard or stable dung, or in old 

 kitchen garden soils very rich in organic matter. In general, it may be 

 sai j that an abundant supply of phosphoric acid, potash, and lime tends, 

 in plants, to increase fruitfulness, hardness, and firmness of stems and 

 leaves 



lu: 



while an abundance of nitrogen has a tendency to produce 

 of wood and foliage. But while plants cannot be at their 

 best without a suitable supply of nitrates, it is an important fact to re- 

 member that those plants which are grown chiefly for their flowers and 

 fruits may be easily injured by an amount only slightly exceeding a suffi- 

 ciency. 



Thus, when certain crops, such as those of the cabbage tribe, 

 lettuce, asparagus, potatos, onions, parsnips, celery, beet, rhubarb, ferns 

 and foliage plants, &c, which are valued mainly for their stems and 

 leaves, are considered, there may be no danger from an abundant supply 

 of available nitrogen, always provided the mineral constituents are not 

 deficient in the soil. On the other hand, plants that are raised for their 

 (lowers and fruits exclusively should be liberally fed with mineral 

 ingredients, especially potash and phosphates, and with but a minimum 

 quantity of nitrogenous food. 



In one sense farmyard or stable dung is the best of all manures for 

 the garden, because it is a safe and a complete manure, bringing to the 

 soil, together with the mineral substances indispensable to the nourish- 

 ment of the plants, the organic matter which, when changed into humus, 

 is of such value m mellowing the surface soil. It also allows an excess 

 of moisture to pass easily away, while in dry seasons the humus assists 

 in holding a supply of moisture till the rain comes. 



It has been explained that the nitrogen of manure must be changed 

 into nitrates before it is available as plant food. For the growth of early 

 vegetables it is found necessary to use enormous quantities of manure, 

 far in excess of the amount of plant food removed in the crop. Gardeners 

 who make a speciality of growing large areas of early cabbages, potatos, 

 turnips, lettuce, rhubarb, &c, find it almost impossible to make the land 

 rich enough the first year. They find the second or third crops grown 

 and manured every year on the same land, are better and earlier than 

 the first crop ; this is owing to the slowness of the formation of nitrates 

 that takes place in the manure. 



For early potatos as much as forty tons of stable manure and ten cwts 

 ot artificial manures per acre, the latter consisting of guano, dissolved 

 bones superphosphate, and kainit salt, are frequently used, and only 

 about four or five tons of produce is obtained. While for a late crop of 

 potatos, the manure may range from fifteen to thirty tons, with 

 from eight cwts. per acre of artificial fertilisers, and the crop obtained 

 may average six to eight tons of tubers per acre. 



ida^t" r " ,ff ^^!!^ en J he requirements of an early 



Mar « » S, 1898. 



produce the whole of their useful effects only when the soil 

 are applied contains a sufficient proportion, and in a bromfe • the ? 

 condition, of the mineral constituents required by the nlant u t. im,labl * 



the obiect of the gardener is to grow maximum 

 way furnish his plants with nitrates. If he 



^ops he SSSSl 

 . , ™es. it tie uses guano drieHKi V° me 



bones, stable manure, night soil, or manures of any other Va ^ 

 nitrogen contained in these substances must first be com. a tbe 

 nitrates before the plants can assimilate it. n verted mto 



One of the best and cheapest forms in which nitrates can be 

 to the soil is in nitrate of soda. When this manure is used in th SUpplle<1 

 it is sometimes desirable to apply it in solution. The quantity e f gar(ien 

 that can safely be used in a gallon of water depends very much 

 amount of moisture in the soil. If the soil is saturated with water itrf 

 not matter how strong the solution is, provided the proper Quamit r 

 nitrate, which may range from one to three hundredweight per ar 2 

 ground, is used. The drier the soil the weaker should be the solu? 

 A teaspoonful of nitrate, or one half ounce to two gallons of water 

 safely be employed in the garden or greenhouse. The dark colour oft2 

 leaves will indicate when the plants have had enough. 



The advantages to the horticulturist of the uses of nitrates may th 

 be summarised : (1) Nitrate ot soda serves directly as food for plants* 

 not having to undergo any change in the soil, it acts more rapidly than 

 any nitrogenous manure of organic origin, such as farmyard or stable 

 dung, guano, blood, fish, rape cake, &c, as the action of these is 

 dependent on their undergoing nitrification. (2) The rapidity with which 

 the nitrate is absorbed by plants, quickly puts them into a state which 

 by the vigour of their development they can the better resist disease 

 insect attack, and parasitic growths. (3) In seasons following a severe 

 winter, or for early productions of vegetables, nitrate supplied in the 

 spring repairs the lateness caused by climatic disadvantages. (4) Young 

 plants take up nitrates so rapidly, and send their roots into the soil so 

 quickly, that the nitrates cannot escape them, even if washed down b 

 heavy rains. 



Harpenden 



J. J. WlLLK 



A Famous Vine. 



It matters not in which way you look, there is at Harewood more than 

 sufficient to please the eye and interest the mind of those who are con- 

 cerned with gardening and appreciate beautiful scenery. The stately 

 mansion is one of the finest examples of Corinthian architecture in this 

 country, and the landscape in which it forms so conspicuous an object 

 is of surpassing beauty. The history of Harewood was so admirably 

 told, and the more important features so fully described by Mr. Gordon 

 in the special supplement issued with the Gardeners' MAGAZINE ol 

 April 25, 1896, that I need not refer to the domain generally in giving a 

 few particulars of the famous Muscat of Alexandria vine. 



The old Muscat vine at Harewood was planted in the year 1783, and 

 the house enlarged in 1839, according to the inscription on a stone which 

 is built into the back wall of the vinery. The structure is sixty feet Ion, 

 twenty feet wide, and seventeen feet high at the back. It is what one 

 might term a rather large old-fashioned lean-to house. It is heated with 

 four five-inch pipes, and two four-inch mains which run through to heat 

 some houses beyond. The roots of this vine occupy a border twenty- 

 seven feet wide and the same length as the house. The stem of the 

 plant, which is twenty-seven inches in circumference, enters the vinery 

 near the middle, then branches right and left, and from these leaders 



instead of being interspersed all over the roof. These wires have been 

 supplemented by others running from end to end of the vinery in the 

 ordinary way, consequently both wood and fruit ripen better m the 

 autumn. When the change was made the roots claimed attention as 

 well as the branches, it being evident that something was at fault that 

 was not due to the close training on the roof. The young canes that 

 were run up on temporary wires placed under the sashes ripened 

 indifferently in 1893, which, as we all know, was a grand season. I then 

 decided on having the border and drainage renewed. A good dram *as 

 placed .along the extreme south side of the border, with junctions Of 

 which drains could be connected as the border was being renewed, wfticn 

 has been done in portions in early autumn. Lifting the roots intact ou 

 of the old soil was a tedious affair. Those found among the old Jrainag 

 were quite dead, and were removed, but the live ones were carefully 

 aside and covered with damp mats until placed in the fresh com Pr£ 

 which consisted of good fresh loam with plenty of old lime J ^ J 

 broken bricks, at the rate of one cartload to three of soil. Flcnj) 

 active fibrous roots are now to be found not very far from the J surt JJ tf 

 the border, and they absorb great quantities of water during the sum 

 months. When the border is moist, liquid manure is applied. , 



For the last two seasons the vine has borne excellent fruit, many 

 the bunches turning the scales at one and a half pounds, f^^J 

 finished, and no shanking to be seen. It is a grand keeper, and tne« 

 whether on the vine or bottled, keeps plump and fresh till E ebruarv ^ 



and a late crop. Roth require the Tsa™ fnnA *2h XTZ ™ u- Y wiie \ her 0n the vine or b °»led, keeps plump and fresh till f t0 



the larger, wants the most Cd. Vet m actual' pract ce i is foZ S" g W °° d ° f ^ vinC annuaI1 y increases in strength, and ?™™* *?^ 

 1nt#>lv npr MM «, f~ r„ ct m ac 5 ual P ra( t,ce » is found abso- carrv a frood rmn r>f * ^ o~oc™ Tn tKot t carried a heavy ^ 



free bearer 



Snfc^SJH!!?^*^!^ 0ur common horticultural plants take 

 up their nitrogen in the form of nitric acid or nitrates. No matter how 



much nitrogen the soil or the manure mav mntain it Wnm« a^i-ui?? " ,c f ur P ose 01 indicating the mgn quaiuy ui „ i «. 



plant food only after it has been SSSted^^nSS^KSS VmC P roduces «»ce its renovation, and not for self-glorification J » 



. Farmyard manure, with its slo" nUrifv in? Droned' 1,^ ^ T^™ that with three b ™ches cut from it I was successful in oWJg 



nitrates for the later rmnc k„» e mtruying properties, will furnish the nremier 9nr o,^ ~* ^ ■ r-u~~ n ~*v>- m „ m <;V>nw in 1890. 

 trenous mamir* * {ot earI y crops some easily soluble ni'ro- 



■ m J 



ndicating 



would 



the premier award at the Leeds Chrysanthemum Show in 



genous manure such as ei — »-i«K a sumu casuy aouiDie ni'ro- 



found of great' advantage TC^bL^ «St **** Sg ^ « ™cn .merest to visitors, we hope « may ton. 



subsmutes for other tires ^^T^bTAtl 'm^ll * "™ V lh flaV ° Ured "** 



patriarchal and productive grape vine is so great a favourite — ^ 

 a t ff ords so much interest to visitors, we hope it may long continue 



J. JE F 



KK 



