151 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 23, 1883. 
tables—nay, even in such allied animal substances as eggs 
and milk, are always associated with phosphates. Nitrogenous 
compounds and phosphates are always linked together, non- 
nitrogenous substances—fit for food—and potash. 
While, therefore, phosphates and potash are largely 
demanded by plants grown for food, ornamental plants 
demand these in notably smaller quantities. Dracaenas, 
Lobelias, Cyclamens, Heliotrope, Primula, Fuchsia, Acacia, 
Aralia, Ficus, Grevillea, Yucca, Liliums, Hydrangea, Coleus, 
Yerbena, Aloysia, Petunia all contain less than 30 per cent, 
in their ash, and most of them considerably under 20. 
Potash is found in much greater abundance (from three to 
four times as much) in the white of variegated leaves than in 
the green parts. Potting soils and flower beds, therefore, 
require less potash than fruit borders or vegetable quarters. 
In fact only the poorest soils will need special provision in 
this respect when flowers are in question. 
SOURCES OF POTASH. 
Where urine can be had—and it ought to be forthcoming 
wherever animals of any kind are kept in houses—a plentiful 
supply of potash in the best form for all special purposes is 
at hand. Every ton provides from 30 to 40 lbs. of potash 
salts, or a great deal more than an equal weight of produce. 
It contains nitrogen equal to ammonia in about equal 
quantity, and both in an available form. In winter it may 
be freely applied among plantations of trees, bushes, Straw- 
beiries, &c., in a pure state, and in summer when plentifully 
diluted with water. It then forms a manure water of un¬ 
surpassed excellence for assisting the swelling-off of fine 
fruits and the production of succulent, juicy, highly digestible, 
and enhancedly nutritious vegetables. Indeed, it improves 
vegetables in every desirable way. 
Failing urine much may be made of garden and other 
rubbish. There is not a stick or a twig, an old mat or a 
Cabbage stump, that does not contain potash as well as other 
necessary mineral plant foods. While we are against the 
burning of all soft leaves, straw, &c., which readily decom¬ 
pose (because thereby the precious nitrogenous matter is 
dissipated in the air), we approve of the burning of sticks 
and twigs (which when buried frequently spoil the soil with 
the fungus they produce), and thereby securing a more or 
less plentiful supply of potash, lime, and phosphoric acid. 
In suburban districts no great supply can be thus obtained ; 
but on large landed estates large quantities are frequently 
to be had. It ought also to be remembered that the more 
vegetables remove from the soil, the more will the same 
vegetables—or the waste parts—return if used as manure. 
Failing either of these sources there is nothing for it but 
to go into the market; but where stable-yard manure with 
every scrap of vegetable matter is economised this extreme 
step will not be necessary, unless for very particular purposes 
or on very poor soils. This will be necessary when artificial 
manures are chiefly depended on, and everywhere—failing 
the two former-named sources—for such special objects as 
fruit-cultivation. In straining after perfection it is best to 
make sure that nothing is wanting ; and though the soil be 
ever so good, it takes such a small quantity of potash annually 
to prevent the store from decreasing, that in the case of a 
Vine or Peach border, or for trees in pots, that the question 
of expense—a matter of primary importance to the farmer— 
is hardly worth naming. In ordinary farmyard manure 
potash is present to the extent of from 03 to 0 - 5 per cent. 
For applying on a large scale kainit is largely used. It is 
almost always used for Potatoes at from 1 to 4 cwt. per acre. 
Where manure is scarce and hardly enough can be afforded 
a half-manuring of ordinary manure, supplemented by 1 cwt. 
of kainit and 1 cwt. of superphosphate, will frequently give 
results equal and sometimes surpassing a full application of 
ordinary manure alone. From 2 to 3 cwts. are as much as 
should ever be given even in the absence of any other manure. 
There is a danger in using too much because of the presence 
of magnesium salts in the kainit. 
Potassic sulphate, or, as it is more generally called in the 
trade, sulphate of potash, is the potash salt on which the 
value of kainit (kainite or kianite) depends, and should be 
present to the extent of 24 per cent. There is generally 
30 per cent, of common salt, 14 of magnesic chloride, and 
13 of magnesic sulphate, with some calcic sulphate and 
other matters present. 
In rectified samples the potassic sulphate amounts to 
50, 72, and 80 per cent. Of ordinary commercial kainit it 
takes 800 lbs. to yield 100 lbs. of potash, or about two-thirds 
as much as is removed from the soil in an acre in a good crop 
of Potatoes. The 50 per cent, grade should give 100 lbs. 
for 364 of the material bought, the 72 for 250 lbs., and the 
80 for 228 lbs. For garden purposes the purer it is the 
better. These purer salts are known as sulphate of potash. 
What is known as muriate or chloride of potash (potassic 
chloride) is more commonly employed as a potash salt, 
especially by experimentalists. 200 lbs. of it should be equal 
to 100 lbs. of potash. These figures will enable anyone to 
calculate how much potash is being applied. On soils quite 
deficient in humus Mr. Jamieson found that this salt proves 
destructive when applied by itself. With nitrate of soda, 
however (which seemed to neutralise it), or where humus was 
present, it was perfectly harmless. Gardeners have seldom 
to do wflth soils in which no humus is present; still, it is 
well to sound the warning note. Ville, in France, seems not 
to have discovered its hurtful qualities, yet Reused it in the 
same way as Mr. Jamieson. 
Though potash is necessary very small quantities are 
perfectly sufficient. For dressing vinery or other borders 
half an ounce to the yard is all that should be given as an 
annual dressing of the chloride and higher grade of the 
sulphate, and only that when there is reason to suspect a 
deficient supply. When absent Ville found that Vines pro¬ 
duced no fruit and scarcely could be kept alive. It is best 
applied during winter, when it should be very lightly forked 
in. 
If lime is present, if phosphates are present, if plenty of 
nitrogen is given, and abundance of water supplied, and no 
sourness exists, and if still Vines grow weakly, bear inferior 
fruit, do not throw out laterals vigorously and persistently 
during summer, and the leaves are light-coloured and given 
to fall prematurely, then suspect the want of potash and 
supply it, unless red spider is the cause of the mischief. 
When potash is deficient, so is chlorophyll, and little plant 
food is elaborated in the leaves. When plentiful the foliage 
should be dark, the chlorophyll dense, and an abundant 
supply of food be elaborated. Boussingault was of opinion 
that potash favoured the growth of the Vines, phosphates 
the production of Grapes. 
Potash generally has a very beneficial effect on members 
of the Leguminosas; Peas, Beans, and Clover benefiting 
largely from applications of the sulphate, the chloride, but 
especially the nitrate. The nitrate is very dear, and can on 
that account only be used on a small scale. When a little 
bonemeal is mixed with potting soils liquid manure made 
with nitrate of potash is very effective, and no better can be 
recommended for those in search of a smell-less stimulant 
for room or conservatory plants. Some dispute the place 
assigned to the chloride, asserting the sulphate to give 
superior results, but as the concensus of opinion is the other 
way it may be regarded as the superior form.— Single- 
handed. 
STRIKING PELARGONIUMS. 
Now that the time for propagating the desired number of 
the different varieties of Pelargoniums for the flower garden 
next year has arrived, a few remarks on the subject will probably 
be of assistance to not a few of your amateur readers, whose 
numbers are being annually increased by fresh devotees to the 
fair goddess Flora. We propagate all our bedding Pelargoniums 
excepting the bicolor and tricolor sections (the cuttings of 
which are inserted singly in 3-inch pots), in boxes. These, to 
economise space, are made of uniform size—about "2 feet 6 inches 
long, 9 inches wide, and 4 or 5 inches deep. A few holes made 
