184 
FLORICULTURAL (ECONOMICS. 
of immense benefit to great numbers of flowering plants. And as flower-garden ! 
ornaments are required to accomplish an abundant growth in a short time, theory 
assumes that they must be peculiarly advantaged by manure, and experience fully 
supports the assumption. 
We therefore again strenuously advise that both manure and fresh soil be 
liberally furnished to the flower-beds, wherever the appearance of the old earth, or 
the nature of the plants to be next cultivated upon it, will at all justify the 
application. 
FLORICULTURAL (ECONOMICS. 
Many persons of liberal dispositions, who shrink from the very mention of the 
word economy, are yet greatly influenced in their respect for a gardener by the 
magnitude of his yearly financial accounts, and esteem him all the better if these 
are kept moderate. Hence the importance to a gardener of studying well both 
the principles and details of real economy. 
Others, however, — and these constitute by far the larger class, — are pleased 
with any scheme, and ready to follow any advice, which is recommended on the 
score of economy ; and thus an additional and stronger necessity is pressed upon 
the gardener to give his strictest attention to this subject. A man who can bring 
about the same results at a considerably less expense, is unquestionably best calcu- 
lated to work himself into a respectable position. 
We offer these remarks here, because we wish, in again turning to this ques- 
tion, to bring it more prominently before the gardening profession. Where 
a gardener is persevering, and possesses a tolerable share of shrewdness and tact, 
he may do a great deal with small means at his command ; and while an achieve- 
ment of this character entitles him to all the more merit, it should be remembered 
that, instead of inducing a spirit of parsimoniousness in his employer, it is likely 
to yield results of a directly contrary nature : for where a gentleman sees an indi- 
vidual accomplishing great things with little resources, he is almost necessarily 
inclined to give him greater encouragement. 
Probably in none of the minor departments of floriculture is there more money 
needlessly expended than in procuring soil for composts. The heath-mould, espe- 
cially, which enters so largely into the composts used for most potted plants, and 
also into the earth prepared for some tribes of hardy shrubs, is commonly obtained 
from a great distance, and often has to be paid for in addition to the expense of 
cartage. Much of the heath-mould used in some places is of that description which 
is easily reduced to a finely pulverized state, when, being itself partly composed of 
sand, and having a good portion of the same mixed with it artificially, it becomes 
positively unfit for maintaining any plant with a moderate share of foliage. We 
are acquainted with a nursery celebrated for the healthiness and beauty of the 
young heaths which are sent out from it ; but the older specimens seldom maintain 
