41 
I have now described the only soils which are indispensable 
for the amateur, who aims at good culture, in a small greenhouse; 
or at growing window flowers with success. Before leaving this 
division of the subject 1 will, however, just glance at a few 
other articles, which are requisite in the potting shed of a larger 
establishment; these are — 
267 Manures. Amongst these I may mention guano, bone, soot, 
old and well-rotted cow manure, half-rotted leaves, and old tan; 
and, as mechanical agents, pounded crocks of various sizes, 
and pounded stone. Some other things are occasionally used, 
but these constitute the chief articles in general use. Guano 
needs little description ; the Peruvian is the best. This I use 
almost entirely for liquid manure, of which I will say a few 
words under that head, as I conceive no system of plant grow- 
ing complete without a regular mode of making and adminis- 
tering this powerful stimulant. Bone — The kind I use is 
boiled bone; and is, I believe, chiefly composed of phosphate 
of lime. This is of great utility in composts for plants which 
have to remain a considerable time in their pots or tubs, and 
require durable fertilizers. Lumps of bone will continue to 
give out their fertilizing properties for twenty years, at least. 
Soot. — This too is a powerful stimulant; we must not, however, 
trust it to any extent in composts, as it will close up the pores 
or breathing places. It is far the best used as a liquid fertilizer, 
in which state it shall be noticed. Old and well-rotted 
Cow Manure. — This needs little description, it having been in 
use for centuries ; and has ever been a favourite soil with the 
florist, and as being esteemed a “cool manure” I am inclined 
to think that the amateur might rely on this, to the exclusion 
of hotbed manure, in the culture of window flowers. Confined 
as these are to sitting rooms, they have to endure a dry atmos- 
phere, which extracts the moisture from the pots; and this 
points out the propriety of using cool composts. Half-rot- 
ted Leaves. — These are extremely useful for general purposes, 
and I should have placed them in the first section of this paper, 
but that I thought them not at all times within the reach of those 
who cultivate window flowers ; they are, however, somewhat 
capricious in composts as to durability; they are, nevertheless, 
useful in composts for plants of short duration. Old Tan. — 
Old and spent tan, as it comes from the pine pit, is excellent 
26L ACCTAJUU.M. 
