GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



April 



as easy as a sneer at a man, and each is the usually cheap refuge of 



baffled impotence. . 



Fortunatus envied, and, recalling one maxim of the Old Chief for 

 the young fuchsia, I threw out a suggestion of phosphates. The anxious 

 cultivater stared. Phosphates for fuchsias ! He had never read that, 

 and, rather alarmed at the unknown thing, raised seven or eight objections, 

 but the seven or eight-feet fuchsias in the photograph silenced them all. 

 The mixture was prepared as follows: From the loam store was drawn 

 three parts, chopped up, not sifted. The selected portions were full of fertile 

 fibre well-decayed and fat with sustenance. From the spent mushroom 

 bed was taken one part-dry, friable, crumbly stuff, as full of nutriment as 

 the loam. This was lightly rubbed through an inch-meshed sieve, but 

 not powdered. From the leaf-mould heap was drawn one part more, and 

 it was treated exactly the same as the mushroom manure. To a heaped 

 barrowload of these three ingredients were added one quart of wood 

 ashes and one quart of superphosphate. Fortunatus began to get more 

 comfortable as the heap progressed, for he liked the look of it ; in fact, the 

 gusto with which he set about the task of mixing was pleasant to witness. 

 By the time he had done he had more than a glimmering of the why and 

 wherefore of it all, for, as he administered the finishing touch, he remarked 

 quietly, "There's another ingredient in this here mixture, and that's 

 brains." 



We won't stay to argue whether it was the loam, or the manure, or the 

 leaf mould, or the wood ash, or the superphosphate, or the brains which 

 suited the fuchsias ; but something did, for they throve amazingly. Such 

 mats of fibre did they push into the sweet and firmly-compressed soil that 

 they were asking for a larger pot and yet another, before the neighbouring 

 plants had made a fair start. The delighted grower watched the exten- 

 sion of healthy, succulent shoots— whole sheaves of them — with a beaming 

 eye. It need hardly be said that this exuberance received watchful atten- 

 tion ; that it was judiciously restrained and controlled, never being per- 

 mitted to develop into rampant barrenness. In the course of one short 

 season, the fuchsias, very moderate material when first taken in hand, 

 were stately pyramids nearly six feet from the base of the pot and full of 

 flowering wood. It was evident that in the heavy task before them a 

 little extra help was needed. Fortunatus obviously yearned to hear the 

 word "phosphates " once again. He had taken a fancy to it It repre- 

 sented a mysterious thing that fuchsia growers had unaccountably over- 

 looked, and was at the bottom, he believed, of all his success. When, 

 therefore, I said u nitrates " instead of " phosphates " he was crestfallen. 

 But I explained that the nitrates in the fibre were much more likely to be 

 exhausted than the rich store of phosphates, and prescribed a top-dressing 

 of finer mould with a small admixture of powdered fowl manure ; sup- 

 plemented by applications, made twice a'week, of a nitrate of soda solution, 

 nalf-an-ounce to the gallon of water. 



The flowering of the plants was the event ot the season. They 

 bloomed magnificently. People seeing the noble pillars of lustrous grace 

 asked each other if the modern objection to large things because they are 

 large and irrespective of their intrinsic beauty, is well founded— whether, 

 in short, we are not making too many concessions to the ladylike " sweet 

 and small " school. Be that as it may, the plants came triumphantly 

 through the exhibition ordeal. The name under which praise was given 

 to them by the reporters of the gardening press was not that at the head 

 of this article, but in every other respect each reference and statement is 

 perfectly accurate. I say this to answer a possible criticism that because 

 the form of the present communication is not quite similar to the orthodox 

 style it must necessarily be more than half fiction— a criticism not the 

 less unlikely because so very foolish. 



But the history of Fortunatus and his fuchsias is not quite told. When 

 the next season came and with it the time to survey the framework of the 

 dormant plants, hope sprang lightly in the exhibitor's breast Could he 

 but clothe these skeletons as they had been clothed the year before, they 

 would, with the natural development and expansion of greater maturity, 

 be such plants as the world never saw. Unhappily, however, the phos- 

 phates and nitrates still haunted him. He relegated the loam and the 

 leaf-mould, and the manure, and the wood ash (and with them the brains), 

 to a subordinate position, and crammed the phosphates and the nitrates 

 in. But although the head loomed big the roots dwindled, and at a 

 crucial moment the magnificent superstructure collapsed. 



It may help the ingenious reader to take the moral which I had in 

 mind in the beginning if 1 hint that public applause and sensational 

 curiosity no more suffice to make strong National societies than phos- 

 phates and nitrates do plants, but that a loamy reserve and fertile working 

 balance mingled with brains, give a sure foundation. Beyond this I can 

 only say that if the moral does not show itself, perhaps the hint given 

 with regard to the compost may be a justification for what is herewith 

 written. After all, a seven-foot fuchsia is as good as an attenuated 

 moral, so if the latter remains obscure try the soil mixture and see if the 

 brains are there. J \y p £A 



more , urtiXly in eufi/S 2" 8°°. r » alwa * s with US > and *** 50 dest ™tive, 

 destru^on^c iU£%£ 2*™ that any neW SU SC«*»» for their 

 are especially i!^tS LiiT^ * A method ° f destro >' in g these P«s f which 

 Thel£tructiv2 TSaSSk^ * ? Agriculture. 



the plan is to spray these esrv^IrP* In arge numbers m h^ges and shrubs, and 

 of the leaves of deciduous shru^^u the K round ' and before the appearance 



vitriol, or blu«onc)?X a Weak solution of sul P hate of 

 evening is the bes %* r ?£ h . not exceeding four per cent. 



An Evening 



Dose. 



I DO not so much mind 



RASPBERRY CULTURE. 



ind "Lux's" wplo-hfir 



weighty condemnation nf 

 " Modem Raspberry Culture," but I certainly have good cause to "a m * 00 

 the note of warning as to Peter's non-approval of my methods of r» u Upon 

 this seemed a case of two to one I began to think either " Lux " or P*r V 

 were affected by the cold unseasonable weather coming after the o V ^ 

 experienced before the advent of the Spring Number of the 



greatly troubled when they relate to myself and Peter joins the fray 

 " Lux" says I deprecate trenching, and that on such light soils tre 



spnog 



- GARDENER? 



an y rate, I had 

 notes, but air 



needed. 



trenching 



that the 



lost 



raspberry 



benefit, as the drains would take much of the good food dug in. Peter should k 

 the good soil nearer the surface, and he will have better results than if it be put out 

 of the reach of the roots. At Syon the soil is shallow, only twelve to fifteen inches 

 deep in some parts, and resting on gravel. If we trenched such ground in the usual 

 way our raspberries would cut a sorry figure. I may be told one need not bury the 

 good soil, or that I might take out the gravel and put in good soil, but this would 

 not be profitable where large quantities of raspberries are grown. My advice is 

 feed from the surface rather than from below, for the roots are not at the depth 

 " Lux 91 advises. 



Now for the second instalment. From the labour point of view "Lux* 

 deprecates my advice as to cutting out old canes as soon as the fruits are cleared, 

 because there is not time to do the work at the proper season. Are we to ruin our 

 prospects of splendid new canes and big crops because of the time it takes to 

 remove old ones? Really I expected better things from " Lux." We do not hesitate 

 to summer-prune fruit trees even if time and labour are scarce at that season 

 We are much too fond, as gardeners, of excusing ourselves 11 because there was 

 not time to do this or that." The removal of old raspberry canes does not take 

 a great while, and as to the results of the system, it is patent to all that crowded 

 plants cannot finish up the new growths for next year's fruit like those given plenty 

 of air and light. By this system the whole energy of the plant goes to the up- 

 building of fruiting canes and not to useless ones ; 11 Lux " should also remember 

 that the roots of raspberries are severely taxed if all canes are left till leaf-fall In 

 light soils, after a dry summer, the plants look none too well if they have borne a 

 heavy crop and so have to be relieved as much as possible. With regard to 

 economy I can assure 11 Lux " that in these days of high pressure piactically every 

 gardener has to study it ; the private gardener has often more worry than the 

 large market grower. I have never been fortunate or unfortunate enough to life 

 in any garden where economy had not to be considered. I only wish we could 

 have that same influence in the matter of outlay that Peter appears to have with 

 " Lux." I conclude by hoping to retain " Lux's" good opinion though we may 

 differ on raspberry culture. —G. Wythes, Syon Gardens. 



SUGGESTIONS. 



Having read with great interest the " Morning Mixtures " in the Gardeners 

 Magazine, I have come to the conclusion that Peter is an indispensable part of it 

 Indeed, so prominent has this interesting and mysterious person become that the 

 Mixture would be dry without him. It is not every lover of horticulture that 

 possesses such a treasure, and perhaps that is why " Lux " is so proud of him ; ha 

 type, however, is fast becoming extinct. It is all very well telling us what I eier 

 does and when he does it, but what we gardeners of modern times want to know 

 is, how he does it. How entertaining would be an illustration of Peter up-endinj 

 his potatos, or of " Lux " hiding behind him after being 11 egged on. One all 

 imagine that when trouble is about Peter receives an extra " Well, what ? to help 



the righteous indignation that pours in, while his master bravely sneUers 

 it his back. I wonder if " Lux " is allowed to roam about Peter s am 

 domains without being overshadowed by a sense of trespassing. It ^ ould j~ 

 not, for I think if Peter would only consent " Lux " would yet be induced to raw* 

 a box of ferns from Mr. Druery, for deep down in the Luxian heart there b sew* 

 admiration for the lovely ferns, which far outshines the coldness of the ormog 

 horticulturist ; he states that some of the crested forms are exquisite, but * \nm 

 because Peter's form is crested, and " Lux " dare not say any other? vknaiw 

 Peter's ideas concerning good ferns,— and will " Lux " induce him to give bis iw 



swallov 

 himself 



Lady Gardeners 



Foi. 



I NOTICE that 



,^ fc% ..„ page . . 



not more gardeners read gardening papers ? " I have no J^^jSlW 

 great many in the profession who donot read the papers devoted to J^J" 



and for various reasons. 



J ^/\- V/l 4 



properly fulfil my duties. . , _ 



Gardeners' Magazine, but I also preserve 



not be afraid 

 ourselves, str 



fothas 



above raxing iuv — Va^« f 



nd information on the dife* 



■ - «* - -t tt'SSASgj 



page book or insert* 



maps, may af>P«" 

 can with con«W» 

 ,t the room to » 

 sible from wh» !e ™ 

 is to the profe*^; 



reasonable questions of those older anu • r jnio0 

 o our duty in every detail, and aim high. I am 



tk» 



i almo** 



really in the work/and as soon'as they are away from it g^«T* \ n ^J** 

 last thing that would be thought of until the next morning, ino r ^ „ 

 positions with a number of young men under them should ao a ^g.- 

 encourage readme so that minds may be cultivated as wen 



D. Burridge, Wellingborough. 



Laxton s Noble v. Royal Sovereign » l ™^r" f ^ t nigbt ta^S 



former on the fir<=f a*-.* ~* lL /v„.„ v„or nn<l the latter a ion"* . ««B 



reign Strawberry 



I started * 



best tim» f„. ^ • 1 exceeding lour per cent 



SsSiST 2 ' and Ac wails will be I 

 rf JmSf^^phrte of copper by itself becomes 



\r • xt ui — wv , 1,101 UI tne new ; \f rt , r h 20 



Morning or Noble was ready on March 13 and Royal Sovereign on March , 20 

 ►fiiiv iniiAH remarkable c ~ 1 * ehnrt in ujc 



injurious 



*"rS*km*n* (sulohate of cod£. a . "i' ~* > 



d vi^r. f ^ ^toonate of soda dissolved in equal 



1 vigorously Into the midst of the bushes p «i 



parts) 



covered walls it will s 

 bottom of the walls only 



season 



seasonT Noble is rather short j« ^^gocd Jg 



,he pot, while Koyal ^vaci^~^ rf ^ NJ 

 istinct advantage, l^^f^^il*^ 



naturally 



can we ex 



when 



to* 4 



10 uul ucxt oaten, 



too hard or too early in the 



season 



Cook 



