January 15, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
57 
no more difficu'ty in growing Tuberous Begonias than they have in growing 
Zonal Pelargoniums or Calceolaiiis. We suspect your method of culture is 
faulty in some respect. That the soil is not the sole cause of failure is 
apparent from your statement that your “seedlings after transplanting did 
no good, though they did moderately in the seed-pan in the same sort of 
earth.” You do not state either the temperature or conditions under which 
your plants failed. You observe that some persons condemn and others 
recommend peat ; no doubt that is so, and both may be right, because some 
kinds of peat may be suitable, while others may be poisonous. The con¬ 
flicting opinions as regards liquid manure may not really clash. To give 
such stimulants to plants in their early stages may be injurious, but to 
plants that have filled the pots in which they are to flower with roots— 
plants varying from 3 to G feet in diameter with stems as thick as walking 
sticks, and covered with large flowers, we know that clear liquid manure 
is of the greatest service. But to the soil: we do not use peat; the seed¬ 
lings are raised in equal parts of sandy loam and leaf soil, sifted, kept moist, 
and covered with a square of glass in a temperature of about 65°. They 
are pricked off into boxes of the same kind of soil, and kept in the same 
temperature and not in a dry atmosphere. When potted a mixture of two 
parts turfy loam, not sifted, one part leaf soil and one part dried cowdung, 
the two latter passed through a sieve, adding sand to render the whole 
porous. In this they grow luxuriantly in a temperature of 55® to 60°, the 
pots stood, not on a dry open stage, but on a moist stand of fibre or ashes, 
and the plants are watered carefully, yet sufficiently at all times. Dry heat, 
dry soil, and a draughty atmosphere will nullify the effects of the best soil 
that could possibly be prepared. The tubers start well in cocoa-nut fibre 
refuse, and this may be mixed with the soil in the absence of leaf mould. 
If you need further information please state your conveniences for growing 
the plants, and the temperature and nature of the structures in which you 
have hitherto failed. 
Vegetables for Market ( E.B .).—By good management you may annu¬ 
ally realise the amount you name, especially if you can arrange with a re¬ 
spectable greengrocer to take all your vegetables at a fair price. You seem 
to think that trenching will improve the working of the lower portion of 
your garden, and which is naturally clayey and heavy, whereas the contrary 
would probably be the case. Trenching or bastard trenching improves 
both exhausted and too rich surface soils, and also insures a much deeper 
feeding ground for the roots; but the amount of subsoil, whether little or 
much, that is unavoidably brought to the surface would, in your case espe¬ 
cially, be the means of spoiling its free working for some little time to 
come. Read well what has lately appeared in these papers on the subject 
of trenching, notably by “ J. L. B.,” on page 5, and if you decide to trench 
any part of your ground this season let it be the upper half. Early veget¬ 
ables usually pay best, and we should advise you to crop the sloping ground 
with early Potatoes, Lettuces, early Carrots, early Cauliflowers, Kidney 
Beans and Cabbages, or the first and last-named only. All of these could 
be cleared off in time for a second crop of Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, early 
Broccoli, and winter salading. The heavy land might be cropped entirely 
with Brussels Sprouts, or, if you prefer it, a few rows each of Onions, Beet, 
Savoys, and Celery may be grown. ”VVe can recommend the following sorts 
for your purpose :—Potato Veitch’s improved Ashleaf, Lettuces Paris 
White Cos for summer, and Hicks’ Hardy Cos to stand the winter, Carrot 
Nantes Horn, Cauliflower Early Dwarf Mammoth, Kidney Beans Osborn’s 
Forcing and Canadian Wonder, Cabbage Heartwell Marrow, Savoys Dwarf 
Dim and Drumhead, Broccoli Yeitch’s Autumn Protecting, Snow’s Winter 
White ; and if any are wanted to stand the winter try Leamington and 
Cattell’s Eclipse, Onions White Spanish and Giant Zittau, Beet Dell’s Crim¬ 
son, Brussels Sprouts The Aigburth. The plants of early Cauliflowers may 
be bought in the spring, but the rest we should prefer to raise from seed, 
no frames being necessary for the purpose. You will find useful informa¬ 
tion as to the best times for sowing, &c., in the weekly calendar of this 
paper. We doubt if there is any book that would not perplex as much as it 
would instruct you. First arrange with a greengrocer to purchase your 
produce, and we shall at any time be ready to advise you on the culture 
of the different crops. No doubt, also, you could find a purchaser for 
cut flowers, such as Stocks, Asters, Cloves, Pinks, Wallflowers, and any other 
which grow well in suburban gardens and are profitable. 
Destroying Tree Stumps with Dynamite (T. L.). —Mr. J. Smith has 
described, as follows, the method of destroying tree stumps at Mentmore, 
and which was found cheaper and quicker than destroying them with 
blasting powder :—“ In the park here we have recently been felling trees for 
the purpose of doing away with the hedgerows and crowded appearance of 
this part of the estate, to improve the landscape and allow the trees which 
are left to fully develope themselves. Owing to most of the trees having 
grown in hedgerows they have formed much stronger roots than if they 
had been grown in a wood, therefore more labour and explosive were 
required to take them out of the ground. The tools or implements required 
are of simple description—viz., earth augur, which is similar to an old- 
fashioned wood augur, 2 inches in diameter at the bit end, about 4 feet long, 
and fitted with a slightly hollowed shield or cap, which the man fits against 
his chest when boring—this is used for boring holes between the fangs; 
a crowbar, grafting, and stock axe. These are all the implements that are 
required. The operation is as follows Suppose a large root is to be 
removed out of the ground, a hole is made with the earth augur between 
two of the strongest fangs ; this is put in at an angle so that the bottom of 
the hole is as near under the centre of the root as is possible; the hole is 
then charged with a few cartridges of dynamite according to the size and 
strength of the root. A primer cartridge containing cap and fuse is then 
inserted on the top of the charge, and the whole rammed down with loose 
•earth by a wooden rammer. The end of the fuse is then lighted; this 
explodes the cap, and that in its turn the dynamite, and the whole mass is 
usually blown out, breaking up the root into convenient pieces for loading 
up or burning. The fuse is cut off at sufficient length so as to allow the 
workmen to get out of danger, which is usually from 50 to 100 yards, accord¬ 
ing to the strength of the charge. After the charge has exploded seldom any¬ 
thing remains but a large hole much resembling the bed of a boilei. I took 
particular notice that no damage whatever was done to the surrounding trees. 
We had nearly four hundred roots blown out by this process ; and with two 
of our common labouring men, with one man sent by the agents representing 
the Dynamite Company, Mfssrs. Johnson & Co., Dudley, we have been able 
to remove from twenty-five to thirty per day of roots averaging from 1 foot 
G inches to 4 feet 6 inches in diameter. I find from careful calculations 
made that we have been enabled to remove the roots in a far more expeditious 
manner than hitherto at 50 to GO per cent, less cost.” But it is right that we 
append a warning which followed the publication of Mr. Smith’s experience. 
A gentleman who has used the explosive extensively wrote to us :—“ Mr. 
Smith has perhaps never seen dynamite behave otherwise than well, 
and was not informed by its vendors that it possesses peculiarities 
which make it far from an innocent substance fit to be entrusted 
to any inexperienced hands, otherwise I think he would have mentioned the 
following points, which should be known by all employ it :—1st, Dynamite, 
or rather the nitro-glycerine contained in it, freezes at about 43° Fahr., and 
it is not safe to use it in that condition. 2ndlv, Thawing it should be done 
at a temperature not exceeding that of boiling water ; neglect in this respect 
has caused disastrous explosions. A favourite plan with miners is to put the 
frozen charges into their breeches pockets. 3rdly, Keeping it in the damp 
should be avoided ; moisture tends to make the oily nitro-glycerine exude, 
and this in the free state is highly dangerous. But in supplementing your 
account with this brief warning I have no wish to take away the character 
of what is undoubtedly a most valuable explosive, more especially for blast¬ 
ing in wet ground or undtr water. For the latter purpose I have used some 
tons of it, happily without accident; but I should never allow it either to be 
kept or employed except under an experienced eye. One safeguard, indeed, 
against its adoption for blasting purposes is the difficulty of getting it in 
most places, for railway companies will not carry it at any price.” When 
dynamite cannot be used blasting powder may be employed, placed in deep 
holes made with augurs, cartridges of it with fuses attached to pass through 
clay, which is pressed down over the charges. The fuses should be of 
such a length that the workmen can retire to a safe position before the 
explosion occurs. 
Names of Plants ( Subscriber ).—1, Pinus Lambertiana; 2, Abies 
Smithiana; 3 and 4, varieties of Abies orientalis ; 5, a Taxus, probably 
T. adpressa; 6, Abies Menziesii. (H. Q.). —1, Adiantum assimile ; 2, A. 
concinnum ; 3, insufficient; 4, Pteris serrulata cristata. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— January 14th. 
Market ■well supplied, but business keeps quiet. Best samples of Grapes firm, but 
second quality heavy. Prices as last week. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples. 
h sieve 
2 
6 
to 8 
6 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
4 
0 to 
6 
0 
Chestnuts .. 
bushel 16 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches. 
perdoz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cobs, Kent .. per 
100 lbs. 
55 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Currants, Red 
A sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
2 
0 
6 
0 
„ Black .. 
| sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English., lb. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Figs . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Plums . 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes . 
.. lb. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Strawberries.. .. 
.. lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons .. .. 
.. case 
10 
0 
15 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
. .each 
3 
0 
7 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8 . 
d. 
8 . 
d. 
Artichokes .. .. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
0 
0 to 
l 
6 
Beans, Kidney 
lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red .. .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Broccoli . 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Brussels Sprouts .. 
£ sieve 
2 
6 
3 
0 
Parsnips . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage . 
dozen 
0 
0 
1 
0 
Potatoes . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Capsicums .. .. 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots . 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Rhubarb . 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers .. .. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Salsafy. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Coleworts dcz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale .. .. per basket 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Cucumbers .. .. 
each 
0 
4 
1 
0 
Shallots. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach. 
bushel 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Herbs . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Leeks . 
bunch 
0 
0 
4 
Turnips. 
bunc 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Lettuce. 
dozen 
DAIRY FARMING. 
WINTER. 
Regarded from the home farmer’s point of view, dairy 
farming before all things consists in the maintenance of full 
daily supplies of milk, cream, and butter throughout the year, 
and the management of his herd of cows must be influenced by 
such requirements; and it is therefore peculiar and altogether 
different to that, for instance, of a midland dairy farmer, whose 
cows are almost all dry now, owing to the fact that they are all 
to calve early in spring, when cheese-making will begin, and 
continue in full swing throughout summer and autumn once 
more. In such a dairy there is an annual period of rest, ex¬ 
tending over several weeks in winter, precisely at the best season 
of the year for cessation of cheese or butter-making, preferably 
of the former, for butter rises in price now, while cheese continues 
at its normal value. We, however, must indulge in no such rest, 
and we have therefore to try and manage to have one or two 
