186 
JOURNAL OF UORTICULl URE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 5, 1885. 
shown by the records of certificated plants, for during the 
past year no less than seventy-one species, varieties, and 
hybrids were honoured with certificates, or more than half 
the total number of plants thus recognised, excluding the 
florists’ flowers 
This is remarkable, and shows a great increase over last 
year, when fifty-six were so honoured. It also appears still 
more extraordinary by taking a longer period into considera¬ 
tion.^ For instance, from 1859 to the end of 1871 the Royal 
Horticultural Society only certificated 250 Orchids, while 
from 1872 to 1884 the number was 262. Thus, in a period 
of about a quarter of a century we have had about 500 
Orchids certificated, and the number last year is nearly one- 
seventh of a total of twenty-five years. It is further worthy 
of note that in addition to the certificated Orchids fully as 
many novelties in that family have been figured or described 
in various works or periodicals. 
No more striking evidence of the sustained popularity of 
Orchids could be required than these facts, and if some large 
collections have been sold there must have been some scores 
of smaller ones formed. Around the metropolis and large 
cities in the midlands and the north collections have multi¬ 
plied greatly, and so well are the principles of Orchid culture 
now understood that it is extremely rare to find an ill-grown 
or unsatisfactory plant. Near London especially the 
examples of good culture are very abundant, and many a 
valuable lesson may be learned in suburban gardens where 
tlm speciality is Orchids. In view of the unusual interest 
which these plants will excite this year it is intended to give 
iu these pages notices of Orchid-growing establishments 
in the metropolitan district, and these will convey some idea 
of the enthusiasm they have evoked, and the success which 
has attended the efforts of their cultivators. 
It can only be hoped that all will come forward readily 
and assist in rendering the Orchid Conference of 1885 
memorable in the annals of horticulture as the most won¬ 
derful exhibition of these remarkable plants that the world 
has ever seen. 
CROPPING. 
Ground occupiel with the same kind of crop for several 
consecutive years becomes what is termed “ sick,” and the plants 
do not make profitable growth until some intervening rotations 
have been arranged. The alternation of crops is more important 
in farming than in gardening, from the circumstance that the 
majority of agricultural crops perfect their seeds, which are 
more exhausting to the soil than crops that do not reach the 
flowering stage in many instances, and in most do not get beyond 
the green seed state before they are utilised. For instance, hay 
crops are impoverising, whilst pasture is improving, and Clover, 
cat it may be twice, is not nearly so exhausting as when it is cut 
for seed. Root crops are not so exhausting as cereals. There 
is also great difference in the application of manure to agricul¬ 
tural land and to garden ground. The former may be manured 
twice in a four-course rotation, gardens receive it at least once a 
year and in quantity equal to that given high-class farm land 
in the whole course of rotation, therefore we may dismiss 
agricultural practice as inconsistent with and inapplicable to 
horticulture. 
The theory of rotation has been thought to rest upon the 
following:—That the excretions of the p’ants by their roots 
noison the soil so as to prevent the ground supporting the same 
kind of plant again until the deleterious matter be decomposed, 
or a different crop be taken that would transform or remove the 
injurious substances. This theory is certainly very problematical, 
as we may sometimes see plants grown in the same pot for a 
number of years. I find instances given of this so far back as 
June, 1835, in the Gardeners’ Magazine, notably Peach trees 
grown in pots that had not been repotted for more than twenty 
years, yet they annually ripened a moderate crop of fruit, the 
trees having a dressing round them of decayed manurejat intervals. 
Another instance is given of a double white Camellia, which had 
not been repotted for fifteen years, yet annually made young 
shoots, and produced remarkably fine flowers; and allusion is 
made to Fig trees in pots bearing fruit for several years, the soil 
they grew in not bein^ changed. Further evidence of the defect 
m this theory is given in the case of leguminous plants, in that 
Kidney Beans were grown on the same ground for ten consecutive 
years without any diminution of luxuriance or productiveness. 
Other evidence is adduced ; indeed, every gardener can give many 
facts that would completely upset the theory that barrenness of 
soil arises from the deposition of noxious matter. If the 
poisoning of the soil is effected by excretion, how is it that the 
Vines at Hampton Court and Cumberland Lodge have not died 
long since ? i have known Peas taken on tbe same border for 
not less than fifty years, and Potatoes on another for a like 
period, without anything being farther desired as to crop. 
The necessity of alternation or rotation of crops is also thought 
to be occasioned by the abstraction of the substances contained 
in the soil until it becomes exhausted. This is certainly more 
consonant with practice than the other theory, as certain sub¬ 
stances are essential to plant growth, and these being derived 
from the soil, it follows that if they are not present in sufficient 
quantity or in such a state that they can be absorbed by the roots 
the plants must suffer and the crop prove unsatisfactory. Taking 
the same crop several times from the same ground must decrease 
those portions available as food for plants, and the result is that 
there is not sufficient left, or it does not become solvent quickly 
enough to meet the demands of successive crops. 
Plants differ considerably in their demands for mineral sub¬ 
stances, and it is matter for consideration whether the roots have 
not the power of so acting on tbe soil as to dissolve sufficient by 
the aid of material undergoing decomposition. We know that 
some plants need much lime, others sand or silica, some not 
thriving without a considerable quantity of soda or potash, and 
others do not succeed without phosphoric acid; therefore it is 
evident that it will be beneficial to regulate the crops accordingly. 
Such deductions, however, are sometimes misleading in practice, 
as crops requiring a large amount of mineral food succeed very 
well after others requiring the same substance largely; hence 
this theory, though more satisfactory than the other, is at 
variance with practice and not conclusive. 
Experience indicates that a soil is rendered sterile as regards 
a certain crop by the abstraction of certain mineral substances. 
It is strange, however, that no improvement is effected by the 
application of the mineral substances in such a state as to be at 
once available as food ; but how different is the case if 
we afford an extra dressing of manure and leave out 
the mineral substances. A piece of ground will grow 
the same crop for very many years in succession, which would 
point rather to exhaustion of the decomposing than mineral 
substances, the former only needing to be present to cause that 
solubility or disintegration of the mineral matter as will liberate 
sufficient for every requirement of cultivated plants. Ammonia 
and carbonic acid in the soil are the basis of all rotations of 
crop, and upon their presence or absence depends the fertility or 
sterility of the soil. There are other causes than the exhaustion 
of mineral matter that render a rotation of crops essential to 
successful practice, and some of our most successful vegetable 
growers never apply minerals at all, being careful only to give 
sufficient decomposing matter to insure its continued and in¬ 
creasing fertility. 
Apart from those considerations, the necessity of a change of 
crops is dependant on other facts equally important to those 
stated. Jn cropping much depends on the natural fertility of 
the soil, the manurial matter at command, and the products 
required. The garden crops may be classed under three heads— 
Seed crops, such as Peas, Broad Beans, and Kidney Beans ; root 
crops, as Beet, Carrots, Parsnips, Ac.; and the Brassicas, such as 
Cabbages, Cauliflowers, and Broccoli. Thus plants grown for 
their seeds should not follow each other, but Peas should follow 
root crops. Root crops may succeed Peas; and Brassicas may 
be taken after roots (except those of their own order like Turnips) 
and Peas or Peans. As a rule the cropjjing must be regulated 
as far as possible so that plants of the same family do not follow 
each other. Yet the farmer who is such a stickler for rotation 
of crops without the least compunction follows with Oats after 
grass, and in a similar way the gardener sets at nought the rules 
of rotation, relying more on manuring highly and trenching 
frequently than on any particular system of alternation Good 
cultivation is essential with the gardener, as, guided by that 
best of all tests, experience, he knows that ground cropped 
heavily must be well manured.—G. Abbey. 
(To be continued.) 
GRAPE GROS MAROC. 
When offering some remarks upon this Grape a few weeks ago the 
main object I had in view was to obtain from others who may have been 
more successful than myself some hints in the cultivation of the much- 
lauded Gros Maroc. I invited those who sung its praises to give some 
proof that it really is the grand late-keeping Grape it professedly was sent 
