106 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ February 5, 1885. 
loam and leaf soil, with a little silver sand and charcoal. Keep 
them in the same house until established, when they can be 
removed to an intermediate temperature. When sufficiently 
rooted transfer them into 5-inch or large 48-pots, in which they 
are to flower. They should be well drained, and the soil consist 
of three parts fibry loam, one part leaf soil, and one part well- 
pulverised horse manure, with an addition of silver sand and 
pounded charcoal. Pot the plants as low as the heart will admit. 
Water carefully with tepid soft water, and when the roots have 
taken to the fresh soil remove the plants to a frame behind a 
north wall, but the position must be light and not much shaded, 
or the foliage will become drawn. Whilst in this position water 
must be applied carefully, for if the soil is kept too moist the 
fine hair-like roots will perish. The plants must be shaded from 
bright sun if needed, and ventilated carefully, as cold draughts 
must be avoided. The plants may remain in this position until 
the end of September, when they can be removed to a house and 
managed under the conditions mentioned at the commencement 
of these notes.—A. Young. 
LIST OF VEGETABLES. 
It is said that “ In the multitude of councillors there is wisdom,” so I 
now give my idea as to a good list of vegetables on which “ B. J. B.” 
can rely. No doubt my seniors can improve on it, but as I try nearly 
every novelty, I can form a judgment by practical experience of the later 
introductions. 
Beans. —Broad : Green Windsor, Johnson’s Wonderful, and for exhi¬ 
bition Webb’s Mammoth Longpod. Dwarf : Osborn’s Forcing and 
Monster Negro. Runners : Old Scarlet. 
Broccoli. —Veitch’s Self-protecting (invaluable), Snow’s Winter White, 
Leamington, and Ledsbam’s Latest of All. 
Beet. —Egyptian, Nutting’s Dwarf, and Omega. 
Brussels Sprouts. —Veitch’s Exhibition. 
Kale. —Dwarf Green Curled. 
Cabbage. —Early Rainham, Daniel’s Defiance, and Allan’s Incom¬ 
parable. 
Savoys. —Dwarf Ulm and Victoria. 
Cauliflower. —Dean’s Snowball and Veitch’s Autumn Giant (invalu¬ 
able). 
Carrot. —Horn, Early Nantes, and James’ Intermediate. 
Cucumber. — Berkshire Champion, and for exhibition Marquis of 
Lome. Cool Frame : Sutton’s Cluster. 
Celery. —Turner’s Solid White and Major Clarke’s Red. 
Leek. —Henry’s Prize. 
Lettuce. —Paris White, Kingsholm, Hicks’ Hardy White, and Veitch’s 
Perfect Gem. 
Melon.- —Gilbert’s Burghley Pet, and Blenheim Orange. 
Onion. —Queen, Giant Rocca, Zittau Yellow. 
Parsnip. —Elcombe’s Improved. 
Peas. —William I., Dr. Hogg, Duke of Albany, Sturdy, and Ne Plus 
Ultra. 
Radish. —Wood’s Frame, Olive Scarlet, and China Rose. 
Turnip. —Early Milan, Early Snowball, and Veitch’s Red Globe. 
Tomato. —Hathaway’s Excelsior, and King Humbert. 
Vegetable Marrow. —Hibberd’s Prolific. 
I trust some of our horticultural giants will give their selections, for I 
aai sure many of your readers would be thankful if they did. I might 
also suggest that some of the novelties be criticised. — H. S. Easty. 
MANURES FOR PLANTS IN POTS. 
There are two systems of supplying the food required by plants 
in pots. One is to continue adding to the soil by repotting into larger 
pots ; the other is to grow the plants in comparatively small pots, and 
to supply concentrated food as required. The first-named system is 
less practised now than formerly because of its clumsiness and gene¬ 
ral inefficiency as compared with the other, and of that I will have 
nothing to say, but will merely confine my attention to noting the 
simplest way to feed plants in small pots. 
The application of animal manures dissolved in water has for a 
long time held sway, and to these have been added solutions of soot 
and guano, wffiich add greatly to the effect of the others. But not 
one of the many forms of liquid manure prepared from animal 
excreta, even when assisted by the other materials named, is capable 
of keeping plants healthy for a lengthened period in pots, the soil in 
which through course of time becomes reduced to a condition merely 
of a mechanical holding for the roots. It may be noted here that 
the simpler the compost employed the more valuable is it as a medium 
for absorbing and presenting manunal aids to the roots. The reason 
why I at first discontinued using liquid manure prepared from drop¬ 
pings was chiefly because of the extra labour involved in its use, not 
so much in preparing it as in carrying and mixing it, especially at 
seasons when time for watering is short. However, for several years 
I have preferred chemical manures on account of their greater 
efficiency as plant foods. That many others have been extending the 
employment of these is evident from the many concentrated manures 
in the market, and which are used almost solely for plants in pots. 
The first to appear—viz , Standen’s manure—has proved very useful. 
When a plant fails to be benefited by an application of this or any 
similar manure the safe plan is not to increase the amount of dressing, 
but to give oftener. A little too much at onetime means injury to 
the plant. Applications at short intervals effect the purpose desired 
without any bad results following. 
To obviate some disadvantages attending the use of artificial 
manures I purchase the materials and mix them myself. The 
materials I use are medium superphosphate of lime, sulphate of 
ammonia, and muriate of potash. A generally effective manure may 
be composed of superphosphate twelve parts, muriate of potash ten 
parts, and sulphate of ammonia nine parts. As much of this mixture 
as will lie on a shilling is sufficient for a 6-inch pot. It is a very 
curious fact—illustrating the necessity of a well-prepared food for 
plants—that not one of these materials applied to a partially ex¬ 
hausted soil is of any benefit. I have seen sulphate of ammonia 
recommended as a good manure for Chrysanthemums. Last autumn 
we had its inefficiency illustrated in this way. Our manure supply 
ran out with the exception of a little guano and some of the sulphate 
of ammonia ; but we had sufficient to dress about three dozen pots 
of Mrs. Rundle, while as many of the same kind had to wait. These 
I ordered to be watered with guano and soot as the best substitute. 
In ten days the difference between the two sets of plants was so strik¬ 
ing that inquiry was made as to the reason, and then I found that the 
guano also had given out and sulphate of ammonia was being given 
as a substitute. The plants were practically starved, and at the time 
of flowering every plant in each set could be picked out with certainty. 
The part that the above material plays when given alone is either to 
quicken other elements into activity that would lie in a state of in¬ 
activity (a condition of action and reaction being set up), or if the 
soil is in a state of comparative exhaustion it does no good whatever. 
I have occasionally employed it to stimulate growth when I knew that 
plenty of other food was present, and with good results. Superphos¬ 
phate sometimes is effective alone, but as a rule it is better to employ 
these in combination. 
Anyone who studies the effects of these manures on plants in pots 
must be struck with the quickness and surety of their operation. If 
we apply chemical manures to the soil we are practically at the mercy 
of the weather. If drought supervenes they lie useless in the soil. 
If we have cold and wet the plants refuse to grow, and the manures 
may be washed downwards without much benefit. With plants in 
pots the case is different. We know exactly the quantity of soil we 
have to fertilise. We have the roots in so small a space that every 
portion receives benefit. Although the fact of the soil and roots being 
subjected to meteorological changes has often been adverted to as 
inimical to the well-being of plants in pots, we have as opposed to 
that absolute control of the atmosphere in cases where the plants are 
grown under glass, and as a consequence know whether roots are 
active or not, and capable of making use of any food we may present 
to them. 
These manures should always be given as surface dressings 
shaken thinly over the soil. It is not necessary to stir the surface 
soil in any way. Under careful routine watering the roots find their 
way to the surface. They may be employed with safety for all kinds 
of plants requiring assistance, no matter what their nature, as they 
supply the elements that plants are always likely to find deficient in 
soils. The only caution necessary is to be sure not to give too much 
at one time.—B. 
STORING APPLES. 
On looking at our Apple store, February 1st, I was surprised to find 
many of the summer kinds yet represented by fair specimens, and noted 
the following :— 
Kitchen. —Old Hawthornden, new ditto, Stirling Castle, Cellini, 
Ecklinville Seedling, The Queen, Warner’s King, Greenup3 Pippin, 
Loddington, Waltham Abbey Seedling, Queen Caroline, Small’s Admirable, 
and Manks Codlin. 
Dessert.— Yellow Ingestrie, Red Quarrenden, Gascoyne’s Seedling, 
Cox’s Pomona, Worcester Peaimain, Summer Strawberry, Kerry Pippin. 
(Lord Suffield, Keswick, Domino, and Lord Grosvenor just past). 
To the best of my recollection very few of the early Apples were 
represented at the Apple Congress (October 6th), and I cast about for the 
reason, as never before have Apples kept with us so well. I believe it 
to be the fact that they were all allowed to remain on the trees until they 
were thoroughly ripe, and thus all the cells were formed and set, as I 
imagine many early soft Apples really decay from shrinking as well as 
from expansion. It frequently happens that the largest fruit cracks, like 
a well-boiled Potato in its skin. This is mere conjecture on my part, but 
next season it can be tested. The Apple store, moreover, is not dark 
having two windows merely shaded with newspaper. The comparatively 
equable temperature of the last two or three months of the year may 
have prevented that “ sweating ” which no doubt induces decay, but it is 
further proof of my theory that fruit from open quarters in the nursery 
taken from trees on the Paradise is much more plump than that from 
