]29 
LITMUS. — A blue dye prepared from ‘R.occella tinctoria and some other 
Lichens, by maceration and occasional agitation in a mixture of urine, lime, 
and potash. A kind of fermentation takes place, and the lichen becomes 
first reddish and then blue. AVhen dried it has, when rubbed \\ith the nail, 
a coppery tint like indijco. Litmus is of great importance to chemists, as it 
affords a delicate test for acids and alkalies, since blue litmus acquires from 
acid a red tint, wLicli is restored by alkalies. For this purpose paper is 
steeped in a solution of litmus, and then dried and bound up in x>ackets ; 
when so pit pared, it is sold tmder the name of test-paper. 
MANDRES. — Ino7'ganic — The principal inorganic manures are ashes, 
lime, the marls, gypsum, bones, salt, charcoal, soot, and guano. Organic — 
The principal organic mantircs are the dang of animals, human excrements, 
urine, flesh, blooiJ, fish, swamp muck, seaweed, and decayed leaves, hay, 
straw, and wood. Guano, though an animal product, contains so large a 
proportion of salt, and is so deficient in the characteristics of recent animal 
matter, that it is generally classed with inorganic manures, 
MUDDING OE. PUDDLING. — Dipping the roots of young trees, 
f-hrubs, and other plants in a thin mud or puddle, previous to being packed 
for sending a distance. ILe following is considered to form a good puddle 
for the purpose— say, 3lb. of garden soil, 1 oz. of salt, 8 oz. of coal soot, and 
1 gallon of water. 
MULCHING. — Short moist stable litter makes the best mulching, and 
this, whenever possible, should be placed round all newly planted trees and 
shrubs, especially w'hcn such plants may require watering. 
NODULES. — A name given to knots of wood which ai*e foxind in the 
bark of various trees. They vary both in shape and size, being from the 
size of a pin’s head to over a foot in diameter, and from globular to so 
irregular in form as to rcscini)le a rhizome of ginger. They are supposed 
to be born in the pnrencliymatous tissue, and at first conipdetely free and 
isolated in tlie bark, with a peculiar bark of their own. When in progress 
of develoiiraent the.se nodules are brouglit in contact with the wood of the 
tree which bears them, the intermediate bark may be destroyed by the 
pressure to whicli it is subjected, and then the wood of the nodule may 
become adherent to the wood of the tree; these curious formations arc found 
very largo in the bark of onr Lunya trees, and quite free. Tlie wood of the 
nodule is arranged in concentric zones aroiina a eonimon centre, and has 
both pith and medullary rays, and however irregular, the form is evidently 
in all cases a genuine sphere ; it has all the elements of orgauisation found 
in the trunk of the tree, but arranged differently'. In the Cedar of Lebanon 
and the Olive these nodules are often ahnndant, and in the latter have been 
seen to produce a small branch from the summi', and we find it stated that 
the Olive may be and is at times propagated by this means, the name of 
Uovoli being given to them whe>n used for propagation. 1 have, however, 
always failed u\ obiuiuing roots from such cuttings, altliough tliey may have 
kept alive in the propagation-frames for one, two, or more years. Even 
bottom heat failed to induce rooting. 
PAPAW dUICE. — There is said to be a growing demand for this in a 
concrete state. The iiieibod of prep>ai’ation as given in tli(‘ I'/urm, Jvitrn., 
Deceml)er,18fl2,is to cut lines across the fnnt,nnd allow the juice to drop upon 
sheets of glass, where it is allowed to dry; this i.s nil the preparation 
required. 
ETEEllE. — A French term, used by the English gardener to denote 
a- small enclosure or flower garden, laid out in beds oi' cliflerent si.^cs and 
shapes. This kind of planting produces a pleasant effect only when the 
colour of the flowers are well considei'ed; therefore, as all nersons l ave not 
tliat nice perception of the fitness of tilings which is required, an extract is 
given, for their guidance, out of a European publication. 1st. The three 
I 
