September 14,1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 245 
sically for his purpose) was judicious. Dr. Yoelcker’s opinion is 
that the high value put upon earth-closet manure by market gar¬ 
deners and others, a value varying from £1 to £3 per ton, did 
“ not rest on any solid foundation,” and it is clear that this opinion 
is expressed irrespective of the quantity that may be used in this 
or that case. Now, as “ J. B. K.” states that the value of the 
manurial addition to a ton of soil is only 2s., there would appear 
to me to be no difference between Dr. Yoelcker’s opinion and his 
own on this point, nor any question between “ J. B. K.’s ” opinion 
and mine. At all events, so long as market gardeners, and espe- 
cially growers of Grapes, are made aware that whether they want 
to employ half a ton per acre or 100 tons, they are purchasing a 
manure worth only from one-tenth to one-thirtieth of the sum 
which it has generally been esteemed by the practical man to be 
worth, the object of my inquiry will be fully answered and the 
necessity for it be justified. 
I must, however, be allowed to ask “ J. B. K.” two questions 
before leaving the subject. Dr. Voelcker's statement, be it re¬ 
membered, is that “ the earth of an earth-closet manure, after it 
has been once used ” (the condition in which Mr. Taylor has 
employed it), “ is not more valuable for manuring purposes than 
in its original dry and sifted condition.” 
1st, Is it the intention of “ J. B. K.” to affirm that a good 
garden soil can be enriched in nitrogen, or potash, or phosphoric 
acid, or in any other constituent of plant life, by admixture with 
a manure which is more deficient in these elements than itself ? 
I can scarcely imagine so. 
2nd, Does “ J. B, K.” consider that earth-closet manure is 
really superior to that prepared by Messrs. Arnold & Co., for 
instance, for manuring Vines ? We will suppose, of course, that 
the manure is, if necessary, to be mixed wiih a sufficiency of earth 
to prevent any possible ill-consequences of using artificial manures 
of fair strength. 
In reply to Mr. Taylor’s last letter on this subject (p. 200), I 
can assure him that nothing was further from my intention than 
to take an unfair advantage of anything that he had written ; 
still less should I think of attempting to hold such a man up to 
ridicule, and I am grieved that he should think it possible. I did 
not suppose that any such deduction could have been drawn 
from what I had written ; and I must, in self-defence, remind Mr. 
Taylor that “ Single-handed ” having written, “ Perhaps the 
most valuable part of Mr. Taylor’s experiments was his attempt 
to do without lime,” he (Mr. Taylor), in replying to my first 
letter on earth-closet manure, adds to his answer, “ I wish to 
tender my thanks to ‘ Single-handed ’ for his papers on manur¬ 
ing. I hope your readers will turn his advice to good account.” 
I can assure Mr. Taylor that it had never entered my head that 
he could have overlooked such a fact as that the Vine, or any 
other plant, could prosper if lime were excluded absolutely from 
the soil as well as from the manure employed ; nor did I quote the 
mistake which he had made with any other object than to prove 
to him, that as on his own showing he at least could not be con¬ 
sidered infallible, I might be pardoned if I ventured to doubt the 
value of his recommendation as to the best mode of manuring 
Vines. 
I have only further to add, May I always be as ready to confess 
my mistakes, and they are not a few, as Mr. Taylor’s treatise 
proves him to be, and may they carry with them as useful lessons 
to others as “his attempt to do without lime” as a manure ! 
May I also show myself less sensitive about those I commit to 
friendly criticism !—Inquired. 
EDGE HALL. 
Mr visit lasted nearly four hours, and yet it was nothing more 
than a peep, for so great is the multitude of plants under the foster¬ 
ing care of Mr. Wolley Dod and his gardeners that each can only 
have a mere glance in time so short. 
Edge Hall is the quiet and happy home of a host of plant gems, 
both curious and handsome—some in a marvellous state of develop¬ 
ment, and in nearly all cases they are doing well. The great variety 
and arrangement is particularly appreciable. There is what Mr. Dod 
calls “ his long border,” and a wonderful border it is, mainly filled 
with quite hardy flowers, a few half-hardy plants being intermingled 
with them, such as single Dahlias, Pelargoniums, &c., and the effect was 
such as could scarcely be equalled. The great variety and blendings 
of the flowers are simply charming, and is likely to continue until the 
frost puts an end to all flowers ; and with the aid of early-flowering 
bulbous plants, which are now in a dormant condition, there has been 
a rich display of flowers in this border ever since March. There are 
masses of Carnations, Phloxes, Sunflowers, Fuchsias, Japanese Ane¬ 
mones, Coreopsises, Polemoniums, Rudbeckias, &c., flowering most 
profusely, and can only be fully appreciated when seen. Remarking 
upon Sunflowers reminds me of a beautiful variety of the common 
large annual species, which was very plentiful. The colour was clear 
yellow and very striking. 
There are other borders and beds of various forms and sizes ; very 
numerous, too, they are, and all filled. One circular bed on the lawn 
filled with Salvia patens in full bloom was well worth seeing, and 
rarely have we seen it in such state ; and what a grand plant it is 
when well done, and how sad it is that it is employed so sparingly in 
our gardens ! Close by this bed is one of Lobelia cardinalis and 
fulgens, the former with its green leaves and the latter with its deep 
crimson foliage surrounding it. What a picture is this bed, with its 
long spikes of deep crimson flowers, rarely equalled in floriculture ! 
The same plant was happily employed in pots, with Marguerites, to 
decorate the entrance to the front door of the Hall. 
The rockeries, of which there are several, are all well stocked with 
plants, alpine and others, a large number of which are in beauty ; 
they will be showy for a long time to come, and possessing enough of 
interest to please most people. The last rockery Mr. Dod constructed 
is noteworthy on account of the method of arranging the stones, so 
that they interlock and support each other This rockery is planted 
with many very choice and rare species, and it has a new appearance 
about it, as the plants have not nearly covered the rock ; in fact, I 
really think Mr. Dod has too much stone exposed, as many of the 
plants will be a great number of years covering them, which, in my 
opinion, is undesirable, and the primary object of the rockery is lost 
sight of. 
Amongst the great variety of plants in flower notes were made of 
the following, as being very pretty and useful for the hardy flower 
garden. Veronica longifolia subsessilis, with its long spikes of deep 
blue flowers, was very plentiful. It is easily increased from cuttings, 
and is extremely showy. Asteriscus maritimus, a Spanish plant 
which Mr. Harper Crewe informed me grows very near the sea, is 
very dwarf and spreading, with golden-yellow leaves about 2 inches 
across, similar in form to a Gazania. It is not quite hardy, but cut¬ 
tings are easily rooted at this season of the year, and they should be 
kept in store pots in a cool house through the winter, then planted 
out in a warm position in gritty soil. It is a most effective rock 
plant, flowering very freely. Helenium pumilum is also showy, with 
bright yellow flowers. Geranium argenteum grows more freely than 
ever I saw it; on the new rockery it was very fine with its silvery 
foliage and light pink flowers. A well-drained position suits it well. 
Physostegia speciosa, though tall-growing, is a good plant with light 
rosy-purple flowers. Bupthalmium salicifolium is also a showy Com¬ 
posite, with narrow leaves and yellow capitula about 1£ or 2 inches 
across. Veronica tenuifolium, or sometimes called parviflorum, is 
particularly handsome. It has a bushy habit, about 18 inches high, 
freely branching, with very numerous racemes of light pink flowers. 
For the rockery, border, or even table decoration this is a most 
charming plant, and when seen must be appreciated. Salvia Pitcheri 
has sky-blue flowers very freely produced. Among the Sunflowers 
were Helianthus cucumarifoiia, decapetalus, maliflorus (single and 
double-flowered forms), rigidus (Harpalium rigidum), doronocoides, 
tfcc., all of which are very ornamental and effective. The latter is 
particularly useful for cutting. Among the Coreopsises were C. lan- 
ceolata, or grandiflora as it is frequently called, auriculata, and 
tenuifolia, the former two of the best border plants possible to have, 
and the latter a much more slender-growing and dwarfer plant with 
linear leaves and small flower heads, is very suitable for the rockery. 
Achillea Filipendula is one of the best Millfoils, with elegant foliage 
and broad heads of canary-yellow flowers, about 2 feet high. 
Mr. Dod has succeeded in establishing the capricious Tropasolum 
speciosum against a north wall; it is flowering freely, and a lovely 
plant it is ! Campanula haylodgensis, a hybrid raised by Mr. Ander¬ 
son Henry, is very handsome and free-flowering; but at Edge Hall 
the foliage turns brown, which is not the case in other places where I 
have seen the plant growing. A very old plant is Tournefortia helio- 
tropoides, but not quite hardy, with, as its name implies, cymes of 
Heliotrope-like flowers. The single-flowered variety of Spiraea Fili¬ 
pendula is much more elegant than the double form so frequently 
seen, and certainly more serviceable for floral work. The true Vero¬ 
nica corymbosa is very charming. What a number of V. corymbosas 
there are ! As at Malpas, it is of dwarf and spreading habit, with 
branched spikes of sky-blue flowers, most profusely borne, with wiry 
stems. It is a very pretty rock plant, and if Mr. Dod will strike the 
young shoots in spring it may be more frequently seen in future. 
Cyananthus lobatus seems to thrive remarkably, as there are several 
strong plants in flower, and I understood it had ripened seeds this 
season. It is a charming plant, with sky-blue funnel-shaped flowers 
on trailing stems. Montbretia Pottsii, with its orange-scarlet spikes 
of flowers, is very showy. Epilobium Fleischeri is very like E. Do- 
donia, and I think they are identical. Dwarf in habit and very flori- 
ferous, it is just the plant for the rockery or front portion of the 
border, with pinkish-purple flowers. Senecio pulcher and S. niveus 
are both fine plants, the former well known, the latter with silvery 
foliage and cymes of yellow flowers. It is rather rambling in growth, 
but if planted in a hot and dry position it is very pretty. The old 
Phygelius capensis is very pleasing with its scarlet tubular flowers, 
and it was in full bloom. Arnebia echioides was well in flower for 
the second time this season. It is a very handsome and interesting 
plant, and may be increased by seeds or cuttings taken off with a 
heel and rooted in a cold frame. Prunella Webbiana is very striking 
with reddish-purple flowers. Hypericum empetrifolium is a charming 
i ■ 
