133 
familiar to every body, and mentioned a law upon which it is 
founded, which is within the comprehension of all. The young 
shoots, at this season, will have attained sufficient maturity to 
render their suffering from removal, or from the aridity of the 
season, very trifling; as the whole plant will contain enough of 
the active sap to propel fresh spongioles when located ; so that, 
after a copious watering, the general appearance of the plant 
will have sustained little change. The preceding statement 
may be rather loose; still, my recommendation is founded on 
some degree of reason, as in practice it has proved successful. 
I may just add that, if it does not render the contending, and 
apparently somewhat anomalous, opinions held on this subject 
reducible into one regular and rational mode of proceeding, it 
may, at least, have a tendency to that end. 
158 Leaf-moulu, as a substitute for Peat-soil. In a for- 
mer section of the Auctarium we reminded our readers that 
Leaf-mould was a valuable ingredient in composts for garden 
uses. We shall now extract some useful hints and directions 
from Haynes’s Essay on Soils and Composts. The subject is 
one of primary interest to every cultivator of a garden, and one 
which has not met with corresponding attention. The author 
recommends decayed leaves as a substitute for Peat-soil ; and 
when properly mixed with sand it will generally not inappro- 
priately supply its place. ‘ In this preparation, the decayed 
leaves of deciduous trees are a principal ingredient. These 
may be readily obtained, and at an easy expense, in most situ- 
ations. In October the general fall usually commences, and 
immediately after the first frost they will come down plenti- 
fully ; when, if there is no wind, those fallen near the trees may 
be readily gathered into heaps. Previous, however, to forming 
the leaves into large heaps, it will be necessary to give the 
leaves an ample watering, whilst putting them together, in or- 
der to promote an early heat or sweating throughout the whole 
heap ; such warmth being most essential to their rotting fully 
down, and by which they will the more speedily decay. There 
will also be no danger of their being disturbed or removed by the 
wind, if they are abundantly watered on being first put together, 
as they will immediately heat and turn to decay ; requiring no 
other watering, except on the top, should the weather continue 
extremely dry. Having thus compleated a large heap, thrust 
167 AOCTAEICM. 
