August 3, 1882.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Ill 
but that No. 9 should be so very backward—the chloride so gene¬ 
rally favoured—myself no exception in the belief, was unaccount¬ 
able. 
“ On arriving at the station the four chloride plots were visible 
at a distance ; the plants were not only small and sickly but 
almost blanched or chlorinated, if I may use the term, for the 
well-known bleaching action of chlorine appeared evident. The 
two plots of Peas and two of Turnips were all suffering similarly, 
while the neighbouring plots were all healthy. . . . Talking the 
matter over while on a visit to Hassock’s Gate with a member of 
the Aberdeenshire Association, Mr. Macdonald, factor on the 
Cluny estates, he suggested our repeating the experiment on the 
adjoining black sandy soil overlying the white sand in which the 
injurious action was experienced. Although the season was far 
advanced I carried this out. Six plots were opened up.” It may 
be explained here that this black sand w T as the surface mould 
which had been removed in the case of the other experiments— 
black because of the decayed vegetable matter contained in it. 
For comparison some were treated with sulphate, others with 
chloride, others had no potash. The result at the end of the 
season was 4 tons 4 cwts. where no potash was applied, 5 tons 
16 cwts. where the chloride was given, and 6 tons 5 cwts. where 
sulphate was given. 
“ To what was this difference due ? The surface sand was 
derived from the sand below ; the one was black the other white— 
in other words, the one contained decaying organic matter, the 
other none or only traces. Chemical analysis revealed no other 
difference, except that the food ingredients were rather less 
scarce.” 
From this Mr. Jamieson concludes that the chloride of potash 
may be used with safety on land rich in organic remains. He 
also considers that the ill effects may be neutralised by the em¬ 
ployment of nitrate of soda. He says —“ But we had heavy crops 
of healthy Turnips in the phosphate series on the white sand. 
What form of potash was used ? It may be difficult to realise 
that it was the chloride.” The nitrogen in this case was supplied 
by nitrate of soda, in the other by bone. Mr. Jamieson considers 
that in this case the soda seized the chlorine, forming common 
salt. We have seen Mr. Jamieson’s conclusions termed hypothesis, 
but the facts are these :—When chloride of potash was applied to 
soil containing no organic matters the effect was disastrous ; when 
organic matter was present it proved harmless. The same 
happened when along with the potassic chloride sodic nitrate was 
given. 
The effect of potash on Peas was more marked than on Turnips. 
The plots treated with carbonate produced nearly one-third more of 
total produce, and fully a third more of Peas than the no-potash 
plots. The sulphate gave much more straw than the carbonate, 
but the yield in Peas was a fourth less ; in this it was equal to the 
nitrate, but the latter produced still more straw. The phosphate 
gave about the same amount of straw as the sulphate, but the 
yield of Peas was actually less than when no potash salt at all 
was given, while, as before stated, the chloride gave nothing ex¬ 
cept instruction. It ought to be stated, however, that rooks spoilt 
a portion of the Peas, so that the experiments can hardly be con¬ 
sidered reliable. 
The space at our disposal will hardly allow of our culling more ; 
but before closing the report we would like to call attention to 
the experiments with Oats. As in the case with certain of the 
Turnip plots, plots were dressed with a mixture containing every 
essential ; while others, for comparison, bad one kept out from 
each plot. The result proves so far that no one ingredient can 
be withheld without the plant thereby suffering. When all was 
withheld the produce over the series was 92 lbs., when nothing 
was withheld it amounted to 118 lbs. Curiously enough, when no 
phosphate was given the gross weight was 119 lbs., a fact hardly 
according with the ideas held of phosphates for cereals. The 
produce of the grain was rather less, however, confirming the 
opinion that phosphates fill the ear. The withholding, however, 
of potash, magnesia, and nitrogen seemed to be more felt by the 
plants than the withholding of phosphate. It would thus seem 
that nitrogen alone for cereals and phosphates alone for Turnips 
is a mistake. 
The per-centage of water in Turnips is often greatly altered by 
the kind of manure applied. Dissolved phosphates and nitrogen 
tend greatly to increase it, and it has been found that the increase 
caused by the employment of the latter is only water, the dry 
produce remaining the same. As solid Turnips keep much better 
than watery ones the use of nitrogen may thus prove a double 
loss, first the money spent, secondly the Turnips lost. 
It has been asserted that chloride salts, magnesia especially, 
possess the power of producing watery Potatoes. Possibly they 
may have similar effects on Turnips. Mr. Jamieson seems just 
the right man in the right place for ascertaining whether there 
be any truth in such an assertion, and of showing whether part 
of the effect attributed to dissolved phosphate and nitrogen may 
not be due to the chloride of potash. We would suggest the 
desirability of clearing up this point; for, having shown that we 
may now employ chloride of potash freely in rich garden soils 
without fear of mischief, it would be of much value to know what 
form of potash is most favourable not only for producing large 
crops of Potatoes but good tubers. 
The main facts worth remembering are that 1 ton of ground 
coprolite and bone flour, which cost about the same as a ton of 
superphosphate, is yet worth twice as much ultimately, though 
hardly so effective at the first growth. That superphosphate tends 
to produce disease. That chloride of potash is not quite safe on 
land very deficient in organic matter, but when that is present, or 
when used along with nitrate of soda, it may be used without lear 
(some say newly slaked lime makes it safe). That artificial ma¬ 
nures may take the place of farmyard manure, but are better when 
used along with it. That on very poor soils all the essentials had 
better be supplied, thus confirming the opinions of the older 
chemists. That the best way to analyse soil is to experiment with 
manures (properly compounded) containing every essential, and 
to compare the results with other manures from which each one 
in turn is excluded. By this means we may soon find out whether 
we can dispense with phosphates, or potash, nitrogen, sulphur, 
magnesia, &c., in our own particular case, or whether we can dis¬ 
pense with any. In this way we may all become chemists and 
arrive at results not attainable in the laboratory. What we want 
now is not so much experiments there, but experiments in the 
field and the garden. We need hardly recommend agricultural 
experiments. The country is getting alive to their importance. 
What man, or body of men, with means sufficient will do for hor¬ 
ticulture what our Jamiesons are doing for agriculture ? 
W0RKjW HE WEEK,. 
a 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Sow Cabbage seed for the main crop about the 6th to the 8th of 
August, suitable kinds being Ellam’s Early Dwarf, Hill’s Incompar¬ 
able, and Nonpareil Improved, which are sufficiently large for private 
gardens ; but if larger varieties are required for market Enfield Market 
and Battersea or Fulham are suitable. See that the earlier-sown 
Cabbage do not lack the needful attention in thinning and pricking- 
out as soon as they are fit, the time occupied in that operation being 
compensated for by the sturdier condition of the plants. Sowing 
Tripoli Onions should be attended to about the 10th of August, giving 
them rich soil well firmed in an open situation. Winter or Prickly 
Spinach should be attended to in sowing at the same date, giving 
this esteemed winter vegetable a distance of 18 inches between the 
rows, so that it can develope and be cleaned and gathered without 
injury. 
Where Carrots are grown outside for use in spring now is the time 
to sow the seed, the Horn or Intermediate section being the best for 
this purpose, sowing in drills about 9 inches apart in a sheltered 
position where the soil is of a friable character, giving a good dressing 
of soot. 
A breadth of Turnip seed should now be sown for winter and 
spring use, choosing an open situation and rich firm soil, suitable sorts 
being Yeitch’s Red Globe, Orange Jelly, and Chirk Castle Black Stone. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apricots will in most localities be ripening, and will need to be 
protected against predatory vermin. Ants are generally the most 
troublesome, the remedy for which is drawing a line of gas tar at the 
base of the wall and renewing it when it becomes dry. Guano sprinkled 
over their nests and haunts will cause them to migrate. Wasps 
should be trapped in soda-water bottles about a third filled with 
sweetened beer, or hexagon netting may be suspended in front of the 
trees so as to exclude them. Plums of the early varieties, such as 
Early Prolific, Czar, July Green Gage, and Sultan, are ripening, and 
must also be protected from insects and small birds. The early 
