April 13, 1882. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
307 
Peas, fair Potatoes, Asparagus, and Carrots. Mr. Potter, gardener to 
Mrs. Laidlay, Seacliffe, North Berwick, was a close second. Por three 
Broccohs Mr. Paterson secured first place with extra good produce ; 
Mr. Potter being second, the variety in both cases being Gordon’s 
Niddrie Late Protecting. Por six Leeks Mr. James Forrest, Tyning- 
hame, Prestonkirk. was first with large and fine samples. Por a col¬ 
lection of salads Mr. R. Ferguson was first with a full collection. 
This exhibitor also secured a first prize for a fresh brace of Telegraph 
Cucumbers. 
Extra prizes were awarded to Mr. It. McFarlane, market gardener, 
East Linton, for a table of plants, conspicuous in which were some 
well-grown Ferns, Auriculas, Azaleas, Primula viscosa in quantity, 
the old double crimson Primrose and others, two dozen blooms 
Camellias, two dozen boxes of fine Pelargonium trusses, and a 
bouquet of fine Orchids ; Messrs. Gordon & Sons, Coltbridge, for a 
bright arrangement in which decorative Pelargoniums predominated, 
the front of the table being edged with Primula viscosa nivea; to 
Mr. Taylor, Hermitage, Leith, for fine plants of Spircea japonica, 
Azaleas, and Lily of the Valley; to Mr. Robertson Munro for table 
of hardy plants ; to Mr. G. Sinclair, East Linton, for a mixed collec¬ 
tion of Primroses in great variety and other spring flowers ; and to 
Di. Paterson, Bridge of Allan, a cultural commendation was awarded 
for a basket of Orchids. 
Messrs. Ireland & Thomson had a large table of flowering plants, 
comprising several large specimens of loosely trained Azaleas, small 
Palms, Anthurium Andreanum, several good Orchids, and many 
other useful plants. Amongst them were the new white hybrid 
Rhododendron Thomsoni and flowers of a seedling Abutilon, bright 
yellow in colour, the plant being dwarf and floriferous. Mr. Muir, 
gardener at Margarn Park, South Wales, was the raiser, and Messrs. 
Ireland ife Thomson intend distributing the plant during the present 
spring. It is named Waverley. Messrs. Dickson &, Co. had a large 
table of Cinerarias, fair in quality but unequally grown. Messrs. 
Drummond Bros, showed beautiful wedding bouquets, a floral cross, 
and a pretty wreath. The Lawson Seed and Nursery Company 
grouped some graceful foliage plants amongst Lilies of the Nile and 
Spiraeas, edged with Aralia Sieboldi. Messrs. Downie & Laird con¬ 
tributed a group of Azaleas, which were even more effective than the 
plants in competition. 
EEVIEW OF BOOK. 
Easter Ardross Experimental Station: Report for 1880-81. By J. 
Macdonald Cameron. 
One of the most curious, and at the same time valuable, facts 
established by chemistry is that certain families of plants have 
different requirements in the matter of plant food. The Legu- 
minosas and Solanaceas delight in carbonate of potash, Onions and 
Leeks in potash and sulphuric acid, and most members of the Cruci¬ 
fer® in phosphates. These, however, are only general truths with 
which advanced cultivators and chemists are not satisfied. In the 
spirit of further inquiry great numbers of experiments have been 
made in America, on the Continent, and in this country in order to 
ascertain the effects of different compounds on different plants in 
different situations. The report before us bearing the above title is 
an account of a scientific attempt to ascertain the relative effects of 
soluble and insoluble phosphates on the Turnip. The report is most 
elaborate, and it is impossible for us, in the space at our command, 
to follow Mr. Cameron into the minute details so carefully given. 
We shall, therefore, merely point out the more prominent features of 
it, as just now the country seems awakening to the importance of 
such experiments. 
Although it is quite settled that the Turnip crop is specially bene¬ 
fited by phosphates, it is a moot point whether it is more profitable to 
apply these dissolved or undissolved. Some years ago the Aberdeen¬ 
shire Agricultural Association instituted a series of experiments with 
a view to settling the question. We have seen no report of that 
Association since that in 1877 appeared, but the results of the experi¬ 
ments made by it were succinctly summed in the following words, 
which we quote from a contemporary. 
“ The experiments of this and preceding seasons show that the 
Turnip crop is decidedly benefited by phosphates of lime, whether 
of animal or mineral origin, but that there is no great difference as 
regards effect between soluble and insoluble phosphates ; that nitro¬ 
genous manures alone have little effect on Turnips, but when com¬ 
bined with insoluble phosphates they increase the crop ; that if 
combined with soluble phosphates the increase is not noted ; that 
it is immaterial whether nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia be 
used to supply the requisite nitrogen ; that fineness of division of the 
phosphatic manure seems nearly as effective in assisting the braird 
and increasing the crop as the addition of nitrogenous manures. In¬ 
soluble phosphates ground to an impalpable powder are therefore the 
most economical manure for Turnips. The results of the experiments 
made in 1877 confirm those of 187G. Soluble phosphates have the 
advantage over the insoluble ones of greater distributive powers and 
greater assistance to the braird. The application of nitrogeneous 
manures to Turnips is shown to increase the proportion of water to 
the detriment of the solid nourishment. Soluble phosphates have a 
tendency to decrease, insoluble ones to increase, the albuminoid or 
flesh-forming matter; the decrease in albuminoids caused by the 
soluble phosphates is accompanied by an increase of sugar, usually 
regarded as a heat-producer and fat-former.” 
We have been induced to make the above rather lengthy quotation, 
for the experiments were made, partly at least, with a view to testing 
the results obtained by the Aberdeenshire Association, and because 
the results are in some instances, different. 
In the experiments at Easter Ardross, phosphates in the form of 
ground coprolite, bone ash, and bone powder were used. The nitro¬ 
gen was furnished by sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, and rape 
dust. Por a basis of comparison some plots were dressed with the 
mineral manures alone, two were unmanured, and two manured with 
“ Fimus.” In all cases the amount of phosphoric anhydride was the 
same, and the amount of nitrogen the same, except in the case of the 
“ Fimus,” which, being rich in nitrogen, was applied in one instance 
in quantity, affording an equal amount of nitrogen with the others, 
thus causing the plot so dressed to have only half the amount of 
phosphoric anhydride as the other plots. Another plot to which the 
“ Fimus ” was applied in quantity sufficient to provide an equal 
amount of phosphoric anhydride had, in consequence, an excess of 
nitrogen. 
The land having been prepared, the manure carefully applied, and 
the Turnip seed sown, the results were carefully noted from time to 
time. Five weeks after sowing time the plants on the ground dressed 
with the dissolved manure had shot ahead of the others. Curiously, 
however, the plots dressed with rape dust in addition seem to have, at 
this stage, lagged behind even those dressed with dissolved coprolite, 
dissolved bone ash, and bone powder alone. Those dressed with Fimus 
were then most advanced of all. A week later this was even more 
marked. In the earlier stages the plots that had the nitrogen applied 
in the form of sulphate of ammonia seem to have had the best of it, 
and to have held their own all along. 
Space forbids us entering more deeply on the subject, but we quote 
the following from the final results. These show the superiority of 
dissolved over undissolved phosphates, at least in this instance. We 
agree with Mr. Cameron in saying that what may be a reliable guide 
in one district may not be so in another, and that it will be a happy 
day for our agriculture when experimental stations are established in 
every county. 
In the unmanured sections the crop was at the rate of 8 tons 
10 cwts. per acre ; from the whole undissolved series 15 tons 3$ cwts., 
or 78^ per cent, of an increase. The dissolved series gain a crop at 
the rate of 20 tons 18£ cwts. per acre, or an increase of 14G per cent, 
over the unmanurei portion. The plot dressed with Fimus in quan¬ 
tities sufficient to afford the same nitrogen as the other plots, but 
with only the half of the phosphoric anhydride, gave 22 tons 13J cwts., 
or an increase over the unmanured plots of 1GG£ per cent.; the other 
Fimus plot—with an equal amount of phosphoric anhydride, but an 
excess of nitrogen—gave 26 tons 13^ cwts., or an increase of 213^ per 
cent, over the unmanured portion. 
In examining some of the details, we notice that the largest crops 
next to that given by the Fimus plots were produced by dissolved 
bone ash and nitrate of soda. It was at the rate of 24 tons 10 cwts. 
The plots dressed with dissolved coprolite and sulphate of ammonia 
approached it very closely, however, yielding a crop at the rate of 
24 tons Gf cwts. The largest crop given by the undissolved series 
came from the plots dressed with ground coprolite and sulphate of 
ammonia. In this series the sulphate of ammonia showed better 
results than the nitrate of soda, though coupled with the same 
phosphates. 
These experiments are very interesting and very valuable. Every 
scientific experiment on original grounds tends to let in more light 
on a subject of which we know much, and yet are very ignorant. 
Interesting as they are, they are by no means conclusive. It is only 
when large bodies of such facts shall have been accumulated that a 
sound foundation on which to rely shall be laid. We welcome all 
additions such as this to the general store, and it augurs well for the 
future of our country to find private gentlemen such as Mr. Kenneth 
Mathieson, the establisher of this station, giving their means and their 
leisure to ascertain facts that must, by-and-by, enable us to realise our 
national assets. It augurs well when enthusiasts in their profession 
devote their best efforts to the elucidation of truth in this direction. So 
far as it goes the work seems to have been well done. Other countries 
have regularly endowed agricultural stations, but only in Great 
Britain are such men to be found as our Lawes, our Gilberts, our 
Churchs, Johnstons, Mathiesons and Camerons. It is a pity that 
we have no Minister of Agriculture, no regularly endowed agricul¬ 
tural schools, no Government experimental stations ; but what other 
governments have done well elsewhere, private gentlemen have done 
better here. May tbe outcome and the end be the establishment of 
our agriculture on a basis so firm that no foreign competition can 
either shake or harass it. 
Our readers may wonder what Fimus is. It is an ammoniacal 
phosphate of magnesia manufactured from sewage by “ Scott’s 
process.” Whether the particularly favourable results noted above 
depend upon the magnesia associated with the phosphoric anhydi'ide 
and ammonia, or to the other matters it contains, has not been ascer¬ 
tained ; but for Turnips and other Cruciferous crops it seems an ex¬ 
cellent manure, and well worthy of a trial by those who have a 
difficulty in procuring ordinary manure in sufficient quantities. 
The following is a copy of the analysis of “ Fimus ” by J. Mac¬ 
donald Cameron. 
