September i7i l8 98- 



GARDENERS' MA GAZINE. 



611 



5ay that it JT^ZL ^ the rate of a million tons a year ; but'at the rate required to 

 ^ment the world's supply of wheat to the point demanded thirty years hence, it 



will equal in quantity that from the richer quality, the supply may last, ROYAL CALEDON 



H 



Society 



au 



tt m not last more than four years. For years past we have been spending fixed 

 •l ^n at a culpably extravagant rate, heedless of the fact that it is fixed with 

 Se slowness and difficulty, while its liberation in the free state takes place 

 T Lq with rapidity and sometimes with explosive violence. There is a gleam of 



always wiu ^f, j j_v_^^„„ t« cfofo nifrrntrm ic one nf the 



In its free state nitrogen is one of the 



Every square yard 



light amid this darkness of despondency. In its free state m 

 most abundant and pervading bodies on the face of the earth, 

 nf the earth's surface has nitrogen gas pressing down on it to the extent of about 

 •even tons- but this is in the free state, and wheat demands it fixed. To convey 

 this idea in an object lesson, I may tell you that, previous to its destruction by fire, 

 Colston Hall, measuring 146 ft. by 80 ft. by 70 ft., contained 27 tons weight 

 of nitrogen in its atmosphere; it also contained one-third of a ton of argon. 

 In the free gaseous state this nitrogen is worthless ; combined in the form of 

 nitrate of soda it would be worth about £2,000. For years past attempts have 

 been made to effect the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and some ^ of the pro- 

 cesses have met with sufficient partial success to warrant experimentalists in push- 

 ing their trials still further ; but I think I am right in saying that no process has 

 yet been brought to the notice of scientific or commercial men which can be con- 

 sidered successful either as regards cost or yield of product. 



Fixation of Atmospheric Nitrogen. 



The fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, therefore, is one of the great discoveries 

 awaiting the ingenuity of chemists. The fixation of nitrogen is vital to the pro- 

 gress of civilised humanity. Other discoveries minister to our increased intellectual 

 comfort, luxury, or convenience ; they serve to make life easier, to hasten the 

 acquisition of wealth, or to save time, health, or worry. The fixation of nitrogen 

 is a question of the not far distant future. Let me see if it is not possible even 

 now to solve the momentous problem. As far back as 1 892 I exhibited at one of 

 the soirks of the Royal \ Society, an experiment on " The Flame of Burning 

 Nitrogen." I showed that nitrogen is a combustible gas, and the reason why when 

 once ignited the flame does not spread through the atmosphere and deluge the 

 world in a sea of nitric acid is that its igniting point is higher than the temperature 

 of its flame— not, therefore, hot enough to set fire to the adjacent mixture. But 

 by passing a strong induction current between terminals the air takes fire and con- 

 tinues to iburn with a powerful flame, producing nitrous and nitric acid. This 

 inconsiderable experiment may not unlikely lead to the development of a mighty 

 industry, destined to solve the great food problem. With the object of burning 

 out nitrogen from air so as to leave argon behind, Lord Rayleigh fitted up 

 apparatus for performing the operation on a larger scale, and succeeded in effecting 

 the union of 29 '4 grammes of mixed nitrogen and oxygen at an expenditure of one 

 horse-power. Following these figures it would require one Board of Trade unit to 

 form 74 grammes of nitrate of soda, and therefore 14,000 units to form one ton. 

 To generate electricity in the ordinary way with steam engines and dynamos, it is 

 now possible with a steady load night and day, and engines working at a maximum 

 efficiency, to produce current at a cost of one-third of a penny per Board of Trade 

 unit. At this rate one ton of nitrate of soda would cost £26. But electricity from 

 coal and steam engines is too costly for large industrial purposes ; at Niagara, 

 where water power is used, electricity can be sold at a profit for one-seventeenth 

 of a penny per Board of Trade unit. At this rate nitrate of soda would not cost 



more than £$ per ton. But nitrate of soda is limited in quantity, and will soon be 

 exhausted. 



Human ingenuity can contend even with these apparently hopeless difficulties, 

 titrate can be produced artificially by the combustion of the atmosphere. Here 

 we come to finality in one direction ; our stores are inexhaustible. But how about 

 electricity ? Can we generate enough energy to produce 12,000,000 tons of nitrate 

 ot soda annually ? A preliminary calculation shows that there need be no fear on 

 tnat score ; Niagara alone is capable of supplying the required electric energy 

 wiinout much lessening its mighty flow. The future can take care of itself. The 

 wunciai production of nitrate is clearly within view, and by its aid the land 



to com l ° i [ Can 1x5 brou S ht U P to the 30 bushels per acre standard. In days 

 txirrZ^ W r Cn the , demand m ay again overtake supply, we may safely leave our 

 tinr ; ? *? P a PP Ie with the tremendous food problem. And in the next genera- 

 we mni! w °u t iV 1StlDg mainly to foodstuff s which flourish in temperate climates, 

 where Z y T r trust more and more to the exl *berant foodstuffs of the tropics, 

 leant? rW C , ° f ° De yearl y sober ^rvest, jeopardised by any shrinkage of the 

 annuallv L ru mer ™™ thtT > 01 of the few ste ady inches of rainfall, Nature 

 foodstuft 5n PP V s ^ and Water enou e h to "P en tw <> or three successive crops of 

 from X n r - a ° mary . abundance - To mention one plant alone, Humboldt- 

 Product en,- / ^ u 1SUCS I know not-computed that, acre for acre, the food- 

 "* stard It rL * e , 1 ? inana 15 J 33 times that of wheat— the unripe banana, before 

 '*e these m * l d mt ? S ? gar ' is ^ to make excellent bread. Considerations 

 'he fate of r^;!? ♦ tn £\ determine the ran ge and avenues of commerce, perhaps 

 *ust utilise W L W , e must devel °P and guide Nature's latent energies, we 

 and B™*ii T° st , work \ ho P s > we must call into commercial existence Central 

 urazil to redress the balance of Odessa and Chieago. 



l!ll^^L HER DURING THE WEEK ENDING 



MBER 10. 1898 



Stat 



ions. 



Temperature of the Air 



Highest. Lowest. 



Fahrenheit. 



Mean 



Fahren- 

 heit. 











"■viol 



JwwKh 



?/*twgWm 



if?PooJ - 



SSJWiekl 



ift?**d ... 



Haa : 



Centi- 

 grade. 



Rainfal 



In 



Inches. 



In Centi 

 metres. 



92' r 



^9*5 



81*4 



82*0 

 80-3 



89-0 

 86-6 



78*3 

 8j'o 



78*0 



56-i 



53*5 

 58*2 



5t-o 

 47'8 



50 'o 

 49-8 



53*5 

 53*2 



56-4 



1^ ^^^f^^I^^ n;-5above the week's average to the "50 years 

 •^i'fc 1 ^ W< * k> avera^!^ movement of the & being 



m tl * week was 59 - 7 k ' * 1 m * 6 yearS ""GSR The duration of registered bright 



w / nours. No rain was measured during the week. 



70*4 

 6 9 " 2 

 68 -o 



65*7 

 64*1 



66 7 

 66*8 



64*5 

 6 4 -6 



6 5 '8 



21*33 



20*67 



20'00 



18-72 

 I7*83 



19*28 



I 9'33 

 18*06 



18*11 

 18-78* 



o 00 

 o 00 

 o'oo 

 o'oo 

 o'oo 

 o'oo 

 o'oo 

 o'i6 



0*05 



0*02 



000 

 0*00 

 o'oo 

 0*00 

 0*00 

 o'oo 

 0*00 



0-41 



0-13 



005 



and that 



stillati 



***** °^nce° f T?J c ? der , is «> important industry in some of the Alpine 



Wghly satisfa^rt^u 11 S A 1 ^ 11 ^ 011 ^ J* ust ^ n completed, and is 

 / wisractory, the yield of essential oil being 1 r m 



bribed 



as 



I he leading horticultural society of Scotland held its annual display of flowers, 

 truits, and vegetables in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh, on September 14 and 15, 

 and the opinion of those fully competent to judge was that on no previous occasion 

 had there been a better show, either as regards quality or quantity of exhibits. 

 It certainly was an exceedingly fine display, and one worthy of the Royal Cale- 

 donian Society. The arrangements throughout were of the best, so far as the 

 council and the energetic and genial secretary, Mr. P. Murray Thomson, are con- 

 cerned, but it seemed to us that not a few of the exhibitors have yet to learn that 

 a horticultural society is not wholly and solely a money-making concern, but is, if 

 it fulfils its highest duty, an educational medium. If exhibitors fail largely to 

 label their exhibits, then one of the chief educational features is lost. So far as 

 fruit is concerned we have nothing to complain about in the labelling, but we refer 

 more particularly to the plants and cut flowers ; the nurserymen naturally under- 

 stand the value of labelling their goods. The number of entries on this occasion 

 fell short of last year by about a hundred and fifty, but as so very few were unful- 

 filled the show was really larger than usual, and more tabling and stagiDg space 

 was occupied than ever before. To those fond of statistics, we may state that 

 there were 2 dessert tables, 11 collections of fruit, 184 entries of grapes, 135 of 

 peaches, apricots, &c, 438 of apples, 129 of pears, 62 of small fruits, 212 of 

 plants, 388 of cut flowers, 446 of vegetables, 9 of nurserymen's displays, 

 and 120 of nurseymen's cut flowers ; making, in the competitive classes, a grand 

 total of 2,136 entries. The Caledonian Society is doing a great work, and 

 each year sees its exhibitions improving and the attendance increasing, 

 as the merits of the displays deserve. It has a magnificent exhibition hall in the 

 Waverley Market, and if a few groups of the Cypher-cum-Shrewsbury class could 

 be introduced there would be room for the display of more artistic ability than 

 there is now, and the show would be improved thereby from a spectacular and 

 other points of view. Among those who particularly associate themselves with 

 these fine Edinburgh shows we cannot help but mention Messrs. D. P. Laird, J. 

 Methven and Malcolm Dunn. 



Groups and Plants. 



There were several competitors in the class for a table of plants arranged for 

 effect on a space of twelve feet diameter, and here the first prize was won by Mr. 

 G. Wood, gardener to J. Buchanan, Esq., Oswald Road, Edinburgh, who made 

 about as effective a display as is possible on such a table. He had crotons, cocos 

 palms, and Lilium speciosum in variety, with long arching spikes of Oacidium 

 incurvum for his tallest examples ; and under these was a good assortment of 

 stove plants of various kinds, with nerines, pancratiums, cypnpediums, Begonia 

 Glorie de Lorraine, Clerodendron fallax, and some anthuriums and streptocarpus 

 dotted here and there. Ferns, asparagus, pannicum, and Ficus repens provided 

 the necessary finish and drapery for the margin. Mr. J. Mclntyre, gardener to 

 Mrs. Gurney Pease, Darlington, second, using large crotons, palms, and lilies ; 

 Mr. J. Cocker, gardener to J. Clayton, Esq., Himshaugh, third. 



There was a very keen competition in the class for six table plants, the whole 

 class producing an excellent display ; Mr. J. Mclntyre was a good first with piirs 

 of crotons, aralias and dracsenas, Dracaena D. P. Laird being very fine in colour 

 and shape; Mr. D. Mackay, gardener to A. Hope, Esq., Kingston Grange, 

 Liberton, second, and Mr. E. Palmer, gardener to Miss Moir, Alloa, third. The 

 best half dozen ferns in forty-eight sized pots, suitable for table decoration, were 

 those grown and staged by Mr. T. Lunt, gardener to A. Stirling, Esq., Keir 

 Gardens, Dumblane ; the second award was secured by Mr. J. Pearson, gardener 

 to Lady Lucy Dandus, Birchwood, Murrayfield ; Mr. J. Mitchell, gardener to 

 J.Wilson, Esq., Falkirk, third; adiantums, gymnogrammas, nephrolepis, and 

 pteris were chiefly shown. Mr. J. Crocker, The Chesters Gardens, Himshaugh, 

 secured first prize for four exotic ferns with well-grown specimens, each about 

 five feet across, of Davallia Mooreana, D.- fijiensis piumosa, Microlepia hirta 

 cristata, and Gymnogramma decomposita ; Mr. J. H. Pearson, gardener to P. N. 

 Fraser, Esq., Murrayfield, came second, his set containing large examples of 

 Davallia polyantha. and Goniophlebium subauriculatum ; Mr. G. Wood, third. 

 The best four adiantums were shown by Mr. J. H. Pearson, who had very fresh 

 and clean specimens of A. Williamsi, A. concinnum Flemingi, and A. digitatum ; 

 Mr. T. Crocker was a close second, while Mr. Pearson came third. Mr. J . 

 Mclntyre showed the best pair of gleichenias, staging a large example of G. 



1^1 deli 



The best four orchids were exhibited by Mr. F. Nicol, Perth, his plants being 

 neat specimens of Cattleya Dowiana aurea, Odontoglossum crispum, O. Harryanum, 

 and Oncidium incurvum ; Mr. W. Sharp, gardener to C. L. Wood, Esq., Free- 

 second, showing Vanda teres, Odontoglossum grande, U. 



land, Forgandenny, 

 Pescatorei, and Cattleya gigas. 



Mr. J. Mitchell, gardener to J. Wilson, Esq., 



alkirk was easily nrst ior rnree cypnpcuiums, v^. i^^au*, 

 being 'very good ; Mr. Sharp came second with C. Curtisi, C. 



and C. Chamberlainianum ; Mr. G. Wood, third, hi* 



Mr. Sharp was a good first for one orchi i 

 Pescatorei, an unspotted form with 



tallies inserted in the pots 



Harrisianum superbum 

 C. Charlesworthi being a good variety 

 with a large and well-grown Odontoglossu 

 nine spikes ; Mr. Mitchell, second ; and Mr. Nicol, third. 



Ornamental-leaved Plants, 



m r T T nnt was the chief prizewinner in the class for six foliage plants, his 

 • -Li i IvtmnU heinfr the now Utile seen Campylobotr ys refulgens, Alocasia 

 P TnS ^AnrS^^^^ •> DOt a «nglc pi ant was labelled, and 



such an old ^^?K^ lights to failure in the same way, and very materially 



^'^^^^hMuon; Mr. W. Stewart, gardener to Sir Wilfred 

 reduces the value j>f an ««« came second- ^ had the usua , woodtn 



but not accessible to the general public. Mr. Lunt 

 m _ a class for larger specimens than the former, showir g 

 refulgens, Heliconia illustris, Anthurium Warocqueanum, 



mTklc^'^^^ : Croa11 ' ' Southfi€ld - Libertoa » ** ond ; aud - 



M x 6 MacC y King S ton Grange, Liberton third 

 Mr. D. w «* a / >* d we ii. C oloured bushes ; Mr. J. 



crotons with huge third. Mr. J. Mclntyre led for a specimen 



v C °u I frLnnka a well-nowered plant For six selaginellas, Mr. G. Chaplin, 

 Eucharis "^^^ St . Leonards, was a good first with flat specimens, 

 gardener to Mrs. I . JNeiso remarkably well grown ; Mr. T. Gibb, 



m ° St ? W f« Sr of dSU Mr. Lunt was first with what appeared to be 

 second. For a pair 01 ^ M. Mclntyre, gardener to Sir C. Tennant , 



? ? 0 K£ii?n second Mr. G. Wood had the finest caladiums, large speci- 

 Bart., Inn " le " he °' S X first for a pair of coleus, with handsomely-coloured 

 mens, an J bracketed with Mr. D. Mackay for the premier honours. The 

 pyramids, duc w „ reen house plant in flower was Stephanotis floribunda, 



best specimen stove or f ^ £ cond> ^ a fine 



being labelled ; 



, j, second ; and 



Mr. Lunt scored for a pair of 

 McCartney, Liberton, 



