May 1, 1902.1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
fioation. When the new tissues have gained a predo- 
minance over the petrifiad ones, the vital activity is 
strong, and the tree glows again undar normal cojdi- 
tions. iVlaugau rse applied as a fertiliser exdroisas its 
oxidising action -lud prooures the free circulation of ^h^ 
sap- The tree cm abo be bsheided but before doing 
this a hola ma:t be m\de through the trunk about 
twelve feet from the sammit and a cylinder of wood in- 
serted so as to protiule on each side. Round this 
mast then be fixed plauty of soil and minure which 
must be kapt coatiaually moist for about a year. The 
top part will then have sent out roots aud can be 
planted just in the same way ag a young tcea. Should 
a date tree by any accident have its crowQ broken o3 or 
core damaged it may shoot oat again if the top be 
covered with clay to keep in the sap. The process of 
grafting described some time ago by '■ AppelU " in the 
correspondence columns of the Egyptian Gazette, does 
not seem to be known either in Egypt or the Soudan, 
though trees have been known to bear branches and 
shoots throughout the stem where they have been 
neglected. Some are to be seen at Ab Ain el Wadi in 
the Iddaila Oasis. — Egyptian Oazstte. 
♦ 
THE VALUE OP CHEMICAL 
MANURES. 
Under the auspices of the Bristol and a District Gxr- 
deners' Mutual'Improvament Association, a most inE- 
tructive lecture was given in St. Jolin's Booms ou 
Thursday, January 9, by Mr. P. W. E. Shriveil, F.L.S. 
F RH.S., of Golden Green, Tonbridge. His subject 
was " Chemical Manures in the Kitchen and Fruit 
Garden," and was based upon the results of seven 
year' sexperimental work carried out in conjunction 
with Dr. Bernard Dyer, E I.C. F-L.S. F.O.S. il. Gary 
Batte Esq. President of the Association, presided over 
a good attendance, and was accompanied by Mrs. fl. 
Gary Batten, who also takes a deep interest in the 
work of the society. The president, introducing the 
lecturer , alluded to the great importance of the subject 
to the district, where so much attention was devoted 
to agriculture and horticulture. 
Mr. Shriveil, who illustrated his remarks by a 
series of diagrams, explained that for many years dung 
was the chief manure both for the farm and garden, 
but they were now trying, by means of a series of 
experiments at Tonbridge, to discover whether it 
was better to use large quantities of dung, or to use a 
smaller quantity with chemical manure, or to use 
chemicals entirely. With regard to the system upon 
which their experiments were conducted, the land on 
which eaah vegetable or fruit was grown was divided 
into sections, each being in area a filtieth of an acre. 
One section was manured with heavy dressing of dung; 
a second with light dressings of dung ; a third with 
chemicals only ; and tlie other thr. e witii a light 
dressing of dung, an or linary dressing of phosphatio 
manure (either basic slag or superphosphate of lime) 
and varying quantities of nitrate of soda. Diagrams 
were shown, proving that utter seven years' experi- 
ments, the best result was obtained by employing a 
small|qaautity of dung with the use of chemical nianuro, 
this being specially noticeable in the case of Broccoli, 
Potatoes, <&c. Nitrogen, phosph ates and potash were 
the elements of farmyard manure. The value of 
dnng was that it was such a marvellous mechanical 
agent. On light sandy oil, for instance, in dry 
weather it tended to keep moisture in the ground and 
prevented evaporation, In the clay soils it tended to 
lighten it and aerate it to a very considerable extent. 
That was the great advantage of farmyard manure or 
what was ordinary called dung. But it had a great 
disadvantage, and that was its cost. Speaking. 
WITH REGARD TO FltUII 
the lecturer said experiments had been made by treat- 
ing its culture in the same way as the vegetables 
were treated — heavy dressings of dung,]light dressings 
pf dung, plus chemicals, and chemicals alone. He 
had expanm^nfced on Gooseberries, Black Garrants 
B,3d Oirrants, Rispberries, and Plums with light 
dressiuj of d-.iog, plus chemicals, and with chemicals 
aioue; and in-lu^^d so,in3 interes ing inforraitioa upon, 
tne^eff wt? on the different fruits. For the nurpose of 
bash fiu!t3— 0 urrants, Rispberries, Gooseberries, &c., 
thi q i in'.ities for 100 square yards (broadcast) should 
ba 101b. superphosphate, 10 lb k iinit, to be applied 
duriag autumn or winter, and in early spring 7 lb to 
10 lb nitrate of sodi. With regard to strawberries, 
expanments showed that they could not grow Straw- 
berries entirely by ths aid of chemicals, but that 
with a lieht dressiug of dung added to chemicals, they 
would be much mora satisfactory to the grower. 
Chemical manures ware also useful for the purposes 
of growing Onions, Biet, and Celery. With reg*rd 
tj the latter, he knew thit mist gardeners were ranch 
in favour of sewage, whea they could obtain it, 
bat he strongly advisad them never to me sawage, 
for there w»,3 a great obj action to its asa in growing 
any vegetable that was eaten raw. Sewage should 
never be used for anything that was not cooked. By 
its use in this respect, they were apt to spread such 
diseasss as typhoid and diphtheria. In the use of 
chemical mannre for Celery, they would have to use 
discretion, but they would tiud tnat a small quantity 
judiciously used wouM ensure a splendid crop. Then, 
again, they could make a good liquid manure for 
Cucumbers and Melons. One ounje of nitrate of 
soda in a gallon of water used ouce or twice a week 
would considerably assist them in growing these. 
Chrysanthemums again ware the most diflioult plants 
to deal with ; a light liquid manure of half-ounce of 
nitrate to one gallon of water, might be used when 
the buds began to form, but they should stop to use 
it when the buds began to break, in the kitchen gar- 
den, chemicals for lOJ square yards, with half a load 
of farmyard maaure, should be used thus : Superphos- 
phate, 14 lb. kainit, 10 lb. This should ba dag in with 
the manure in autumn or early spring ; and later on 
they should sow on the surface 10 lb of nitrate soda in 
two or more dressings. 
After referring to the dressings for herbaceous bor- 
ders (basic slag, 14 lb ; kainit, 8 lb, prickad in in 
autumn ; and nitrate of soda 8 lb, in March aud April 
to the 100 square yards, Mr. Shriveil spoke on another 
subject which he said was important, and especially 
to the professional gardeners. This was 
THE SUBJECT OF LAWN'S. 
He knew that many gardeners were troubled with 
Daisies and different weeds on lawns. He thought 
that wherever they had got a ground with a tremen- 
dous quantity of weed on it, that told the tile that the 
groimd was really very poor. If he gave them some- 
thing to make their lawns grow, they should not 
grumble at him if they had to cut the grass more often; 
There was a suggested dressing for a lawn of 100 
square yards — 14 lb of basic slag with 9 lb kainit, and 
a later ilressing of 5 lb of nitrate of soda. This com- 
bination was a plant food to produce the finer Grasses 
and Clover, while it would do away with the D-iisiea 
and commoner weeds in a lawn. It did not follow 
that if they put this on one year that they need put 
it on the next. The basic slag and kainit had a ten- 
dency to stimulate the growth of Clovers : and if they 
did not want Clovers, thsy niuat keep these two away ; 
but if they wanted a little Clover or Trefoil, put it on. 
That would do away with the Daisies. VVhenever 
they saw a meadow full of Daisies and Buttercups 
they kuew perfectly well that, as a rule, it was a poor 
meidow. They must use nitrate alone if they did not 
wish to grow Clover. His own feeling went to the 
b ilanced manure. It was very rarely that lawns had 
a dressing, the only thing they ever got was a little 
lawn manure, which was simply sand plus nitrogenous 
manure. The lecturer gave many other iosta ices of 
the value of chemicals, and concluded his address 
amid applause, 
(We must apologise to the Bristol gardeners for 
having held over this iaterestingjand^valuable reports, 
