636 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Gloucestershire (1744), Bedfordshire (1715), Kent (1591), Norfolk 

 (1562), and Cheshire (1455). These figures are, however incomplete, 

 owing to the number of persons included under the heading " Other 

 Gardeners (not Domestic)," who would have been classified under one 

 of the two former headings had the returns been more definite. They 

 also fail to represent the total numbers engaged in the cultivation of 

 fruit, vegetables, and flowers, both on account of the impossibility of 

 separating completely such persons from those engaged in ordinary 

 farm work, and on account of the casual labourers (fruit-pickers, 

 pea-pickers, &c.), who would mostly be returned according to 

 the occupations they were following at the date of the Census. 



A. S. 



Populus X generosa, a New Hybrid. By A. Henry {Gard. Chron. 

 October 17, 1914, p. 257 ; with 2 figs, and Latin diagnosis). — A 

 remarkably vigorous large-leaved seedling resulting from the crossing 

 of P. angulata ? and P. trichocarpa <? at Kewin March 1912. A young 

 plant at Glasnevin reached the height of 10 feet in September 

 1914.— A. B. 



Potash, Ashes of Hedge-clippings and Trimmings as a Source of. 



By E. J. Russell {Jour. Bd. Agr. vol. xxi. No. 7, pp. 694-697).— 

 As the main source of potash manures is at present cut off, owing to 

 the war, the value of bonfire ashes has become enhanced. From a 

 series of analyses of the ash of material resulting from hedge trimming 

 and cleaning, it is seen that such ash is nearly as rich in potash as 

 kainit. Thus of four samples analysed the average percentage of 

 potash (K2O) was 10-9 as compared with 12*5, which is the average 

 percentage in kainit. 



Bonfire ashes, to be of any practical use, must be collected at once 

 and not exposed to the rain, for the particular compound of potash 

 present is the carbonate, and is very soluble. Some heaps of ash 

 were left out all one night, during which a certain amount of rain fell. 

 The rain was not particularly heavy — '09 inch — and would not be 

 expected to do a great deal of harm ; but it brought the potash 

 down to one-half the original amount. 



The question arises, is it worth while to trim hedges simply for 

 the sake of the ash from the cuttings ? To obtain information on 

 this point account was kept of the time required to trim measured 

 lengths of hedge, burn the rubbish, and collect the ash, and it was 

 found that the potash would prove very expensive if it were charged 

 with the whole of the cost of the process. The cost, however, would 

 be less per lb. of ash where the trimming and burning have to be 

 done in any case, and where part of the cost is borne by the estate 

 or the nominal establishment account ; and the value of the ash 

 might be a factor in determining whether or not a doubtful piece of 

 work should be done. — A. S 



