THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
77 
manure, and in the next place, to absorb the 
gasses, so that the soil used for a covering be- 
comes itselt a valuable manure — a point long 
since established by the practice of many en- 
lightened farmers. After remaining a sufScient 
time I cause the whole heap to be caretully and 
completely turned and mixed, throwing on li- 
quid manure as the work progresses. A fer- 
mentation soon takes place, sufficient to destroy 
the vitality of the seeds of such weeds as may 
find their way into the heap. After two turn- 
ings it generally gets completely broken down 
and comminuted. By mixing a small quantity 
of salt to the heap, I have no doubt it would add 
greatly to its fertilizing properties. 
In this way I have added from one hundred 
to one hundred and fifty loads of good manure 
per year. 
I have used with good success bone dust, 
horn shavings, bristles, salt fish and poudrette. 
They are all highly concentrated manures, and 
are valuable for the immediate crop, but for 
after crops and enriching the soil durably, give 
me the compost heaps. 
I once had great laith in the use of gypsum, 
but after several experiments with it, I became 
satisfied that it was of no benefit on my soil, 
and I have therefore abandoned its use altoge- 
ther. C. N. Bement. 
Albany, Feb., 1846. 
General Treatment of Greeuliouse Plants. 
The practice of removing Greenhouse Plants 
into a higher temperature during the period of 
their growth, so well explained by Mr. Wood 
in his various comnrunications, cannot be too 
earnestly recommended. When it is consider- 
ed that in all the countries where they naturally 
grow, the summers are intensely hot, with clear 
sunny days, and heavy dews at night, how much 
quicker the growth of the plants and ripening 
of the young wood must be than can possibly 
happen in our dull, cloudy climate, even wdth 
the aid of glass. The universal custom of turn- 
ing Greenhouse Plants out of doors indis- 
criminately in the month of May, is doubtless 
one of the very worst modes of treatment that 
can possibly be adopted, especially w'hen, as is 
often the case, they are placed in some shady 
situation; at this period many are just begin- 
ning to grow, others have made some progress, 
but few or none are within many weeks of ter- 
minating their growth and ripening their youn? 
shoots, and it is very uncertain whether any of 
them, under such circumstances, even in the 
most favorable seasons, will accomplish their 
growin. consequently when the time arrives for 
housing, it will be founa that three-fourths of 
them are still in a growiisg slate, and now, when 
the short, cold, cloudy days have set in, they 
will continue to grow for weeks, and even 
months alter being brought into the Greenhouse. 
This mode of treatment can only end in dis- 
appointment ; at the lime they ought to be load- 
ed with flowers there may certainly be a few 
solitary blossoms, but anything like a full crop 
is eniirely our of the question. It is remarka- 
ble that Camellias appear to be the only family 
of plants that are righfly treated in this respect ; 
it does not seem to occur to many gardeners that 
all other hard-wooded Greenhouse Plants re- 
quire exactly the same treatment as Camellias ; 
but instead of so doing, at the very time the lat- 
ter are caretully shcii up in a higher tempera- 
ture, to encourage the growth and ripening of 
the youn? shoots, as the means of ensuring a 
fine display of flowers, all, or uearly all, the 
others are turned out of doors to take their 
chance of a hot or a cold summer, as the case 
may be. 
When Greenhouse Plants are housed for the 
winter, then is the time to judge whether they 
have been rightly treated. If such is the case, 
they will mostly have finished their growth ; 
the young shoots will have changed from a 
green to a red or brown color, and of a hard, 
firm texture, and the flower buds of many 
swelling out prominently, ready to start into 
flower with the slightest excitement, rendering 
the forcing them into flower at any lime when 
required an easy and simple matter. Not only 
Camellias, but Acacias, Boronias, Azaleas, 
Epacris, Corraeas, and in fact almost every kind 
of Greenhouse hard-wooded Plant, should be 
at rest, and ready to start into flower when the 
proper period arrives. On reading the reports 
of the London Horticultural Exhibitions we 
are olten surprised at the large dimensions of 
many of the plants therein mentioned, especial- 
ly when we read that many of them are only 
two or three years old! There cannot be a 
doubt thatthis is accomplished by placing them 
in a strong genial heat, at certain periods, and 
w'ill serve to show what can be effected in a 
short time under proper management. 
Although the treatment recommended above 
is applicable to alt hard-wooded plants, there 
are some beautiful things that will not thrive at 
all unless they are annually placed in a higher 
temperature to make their growth, and for want 
of such treatment are rarely seen in good health . 
Crowea saligna is a striking instance of this 
neglect, as it is generally seen starving in 
Greenhouses all the year round; instead ol 
which, it should be removed to the plant or pine 
stove in January, and allowed to remain till 
May or June, when it will grow like a willow, 
making shoots from 8 to 16 inches in length; 
and when removed to the Greenhouse it vimH 
continue to flower all through the summer, a 
perfect gem, with flowers twice the size w'e 
generally see it produce under the ordinary 
treatment it receives. 
As early as the month of January attention 
should.be directed to such plants as have done 
flowering and are beginning to grow; these 
should be removed to a higher temperature 
without delay, and it nece.ssary, it is the best 
time to shift them into larger pots, and when 
the youngshoots have growm twoorthree inches 
in length and taken oft' with a heel, they will 
srrike root better than at any other time. By 
attending to the gradual removal of the plants 
all through the spring months, and when hav- 
ing completed their growth, gradually to hard- 
en them for a week or two, and when ready to 
be placed out of doors lor the summer, they 
may then, with peifect safety, be placed in a 
shady situation, and remain out as long in the 
autumn as they may be safe from severe frost. 
In large establishments a house entirely devoted 
to this purpose would be very useful ; where 
this is not the case vineries, pine-stoves, pits, 
&c., may all be made available, and without 
much inconvenience, for this purpose, and 
even a brick pit without artificial heat, if kept 
pretty close, wouldbe very useful in forwarding 
the growth of palms. I have been induced to 
dwell at some length on the above subject, from 
a firm conviction that it is not so generally or 
extensively put in practice as it deserves to be. 
\_Robt; Reid.} 
Nutritious Food. — A very interesting report 
on the comparative nutritive properties of food 
was lately presented to the French Minister of 
the Interior by Me.ssrs. Percy and Vanquelin, 
twomembeisol the Institute. The result ol 
their experiment is as follows: In bread, every 
hundred pounds’ weight are found to contain 80 
lbs. ol nutritious matter ; butcher meat, avera- 
ging the various sorts, contain only 31 lbs. in 
100 lbs.; French beans, 25 lbs.; peas, 23 lbs. ; 
lentiles, 94 lbs.; greens and turnips, which are 
the most aqueous of all vegetables used lor do- 
mestic purpose', furnish only 8 lbs. ol solid nu- 
tritious substance in 100 lbs. ; carrots 14 lbs.; 
and what is very remarkable, as being in oppo- 
sition to the acknowledged theory, 100 lbs. of 
potatoes onlv yield 35 lbs. of substance valua- 
ble as nutritious. According to this estimate, 
I lb. of good bread, is equal to 2r or 3 ibs. of 
best potatoes ; and 75 lbs. of bread, and 30 lbs. 
of butcher meat are equal to 300 lbs. of potatoes. 
Or, again, 1 lb. ol rice or of broad beans is equal 
to 3 lbs. of potatoes; while I lb. ol potatoes 
is equal to 4 lbs. of cabbage, and to 3 lbs. of 
turnips. This calculation is considered per- 
fectly correct, and may be useful to families 
where the best mode of supporting nature should 
be adopted at the least expense — Chamberis Ed- 
inburgh Jvurnal. 
Draining Lands. — Nothing is more satisfac- 
tory than the demand for the means of draining 
lands as evinced by the constant efforts which are 
making to provide tile-machines w’hich shall 
manufacture them cheaply and well. We have to 
direct the attention of our readers to an adver- 
tisement in last week’s number, which states 
that amachine capable ol delivering SOOfeeloer 
hour of tiles 34 inches by 34 is on exhibition at 
No. 14 South-street, Manchester-square, Lon- 
don, where any one interested in draining land 
may attend and judge of its efficacy. Messrs. 
B. Denton and Charnock, who are connected 
with it, are well known by their useful writings 
on the subject of drainage — English paper. 
Pancakes. — Pancakes are made of eggs, 
flour and milk, in the proportion of a table- 
spoonfull of flour to each egg. To make two 
small pancakes, take two eggs and beat them 
well, and add to them a little milk. Ti en take 
two table-spoonfulls of flour and woik it into 
batter with the egg and milk; add a Itttle salt. 
Set a clean fi ving-pan on the fire, put a piece of 
butter or lard into it. When the butter is quite 
hot, pour in the batter. Shake it frequently to 
prevent it from sticking. When the unaerside 
is of a light brown, turn it. Serve the pan- 
cakes folded, with sugar strewed between the 
folds. This is the way of dre-smg the common, 
pancake: when required to be lighter, use more 
egg and less flour; and grated nutmeg may be 
added. 
Fritters. — Make a baiter of eggs, flour and 
milk, as for pancakes, but with a little more 
flour. Apple fritters are made by cutting large 
pared apples in slices, dipping the slices in the 
batier and fry ing them separately. They are 
done when slightly browned on both sides. 
Another, and perhaps more common wav, is to 
cut the apples in small pieces, and mix them, 
with the batter, frying them, a spoonful in each 
fritter. Fritters may be made v iih currants in 
the same manner. Serve all fritters with sugar 
sprinkled over them. 
Manure FOR Onions. — I have always suc- 
ceeded in the following wav, being the surest 
and most economical : Take oft about 4 
inches of the earth on the surface, the length 
and width ol your bed, so that the ground under 
be solid. Spread stable-dung w'ell over, about 
4 inches in thickness, and then cover the same 
over with the earth taken from the surface. — 
Sow yr iir seeds rough, and you are almost sure 
of an abundant crop; and the land is the best 
for parsnips and carrots the following year. — R. 
J. F. OLtery. 
Egotism. — “When a man knows not what to 
talk ol, it is a hundred chances to one that he 
speaks of himself; it is thus so many good sort 
of people are unconsciously intruding on their 
acquaintances personal concerns and domestic 
details, wholly uninteresting save to their own 
feelings. It is very observable to see when two 
magnates of this class meet, how their pecu- 
liarities clash and strive tor the mastery; nor 
are their subsequent criticisms on the failings 
of each other the least pitiable trait ol the blind- 
ing influence of egotism.” 
A Divf, for a Husb.and. — A young lady was 
told by a married one that she had better pre- 
cipitate herseif off the Niagara Falls, into the 
basin below, than to mar.-y. The young lady 
replied, “I would il I thought 1 could find a 
husband at the bottom.” 
Rum for the Navy. — The distillers, says the 
W'orcester Transcript, have one good customer 
left. The Government, we perceive, has adver- 
tised for sixhj thousand gallons of rum (or the 
navy alone. 
