144 
HORTICULTURAL NOTES. 
as autumn ; but if, as we almost always 
see, the tubers shoot, and on opening a pit 
bushels of the white shoots may be found, the 
tuber cannot be so strong as if it had not shot 
or grown at all ; therefore one essential being 
the retaining of the whole strength of the 
tuber for growth of the planting, we say it 
matters but little what is the period of plant- 
ing, so this necessary .condition be secured. 
But certain it is, that one half — perhaps nine- 
tenths of the disease in potatoes, and failure of 
the crops — may be attributed to the condition 
of the tuber when planted, and not to the 
season of planting, nor the nature of the soil. 
The objection to autumn planting is the 
danger of early growth and spring frosts; but 
if the mildness of early spring bring them up 
prematurely, it is only required that a few 
hands be set on, to earth up the rows well, 
and cover the tops. Nevertheless, find a mode 
of keeping the tuber without growing, and 
then the later it is planted the better. Au- 
tumn planting, in some situations, is a choice 
of evils. 
Ranunculuses. — It has been seriously 
recommended by a gentleman who has been 
supposed to understand the growth of these 
very beautiful flowers, that "fresh cow ma- 
nure " should be stirred in water, " the thick- 
ness of thin pea-soup," to saturate the ground 
in which these roots are to grow. We shall 
always be anxious to caution young growers 
against dangerous practices. What may be 
the effect where there are no cows, and the 
manure must be brought from a great dis- 
tance, we know not. The fly, which causes 
myriads of maggots to breed in cow-dung, 
may not be present in the neighbourhood, but 
it is the most dangerous and tempting in- 
vitation to hosts of enemies that ever man 
could think of; and he who adojots this plan, 
will probably have his collection destroyed. 
We say again, it may not be fatal under 
some circumstances, but it is one of the old 
nasty plans which may be coupled with the 
delicacies recommended in old Auricula books 
for the culture of that flower. We doubt much 
if there be anything better than thoroughly 
decomposed cow-dung ; or anything much 
worse than the same article while new or 
fresh. 
Self-Manuring. — At the Derby Arbore- 
tum I observed the mowings of the grass 
swept into the little circular bed which each 
tree stood on and there it was left to rot, and 
other mowings were swept on half-dried or de- 
cayed grass of the sweep before. I wanted to 
know the reason for this strange practice, and 
was told that it was always intended for the 
Arboretum to manure itself. I said I thought 
it a very dangerous plan ; that being thus 
choked up with decaying vegetable would kill 
many things ; and I pointed out a number 
that were dying or dead, not by any sudden 
cause, for there was canker and mildew, and 
every symptom of ill health and gradual decay. 
The man said the instructions were positive, 
and at the fall every tree had its leaves swept 
together round the stump, and there they de- 
cayed; and he added, "it's the most natural ma- 
nure, and all they get in their native forests ;" 
but I asked him whether anybody took pains 
to sweep the leaves from where they did some 
good, into heaps round the stumps, where they 
did no good ; and also whether he considered 
the rotting and fermenting mowings of the 
grass were at all akin to the leaves of the 
trees themselves ? He evidently had not hia 
lesson perfect, but he fell into a sort of con- 
clusion — " Well, sir, them's my instructions, 
and I've nothing to do but follow 'em ;" after 
which I merely requested him to turn over 
the apparently half-dry grass in one of the 
clumps. The bottom was soddened and close, 
perfectly impervious to air, and completely 
shut it away from the root of the plant. I said, 
by way of parting words, " when I call again, 
the plant and twenty more will be dead, if 
this pernicious practice be not discontinued." 
I called afterwards ; I found it had been 
modified a little in some cases, for there were 
vacancies in the clumps. They were not quite 
covered over, but a good deal too much. If 
these things be for nourishment, rake them 
into a heap, and when they are rotted into 
mould, wheel them in and spread it over the 
surface. — P. P. 
Training Heaths. — Mr. Campbell, of War- 
minster, trains many of his heaths into pyra- 
mids, which he places along each side of a 
wide path in his conservatory. The effect 
is somewhat novel, and in such situations 
very good. He merely selects a strong leading 
shoot, and keeps the remainder constantly cut 
back. The following sorts he has been suc- 
cessful with: — Erica Linnasa nova, E. Mela- 
stoma, E. Grandinosa, E. Laxa, E. Spumosa, 
E. Colorans, E. Coloran^ verna, E. Densa, 
E. Ventricosa breviflora, E. Nigrita, E. Se- 
bana, E. Linnasoides superba, E. Sparsa, E. 
Persolata, E. Hyemalis, and E. Wilmoreana. 
Propagation ny Leaves. — This has been 
the subject of some leading articles in the 
Gardeners' Chronicle. From what has been 
advanced, it appears that, besides the leaves of 
succulent and herbaceous plants, such as the 
Gloxinias, Mr. Neumann, of the Jardin des 
Plantes, at Paris, has propagated Theophrasta 
in this way; and even when the leaf has been 
divided, both the top and the bottom end 
have grown. If such plants as Theophrasta, 
with rigid leaves and woody stem, can be 
multiplied so, there is no knowing what plants 
may not be thus increased. 
