December 28, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 591 
On the other hand, the Scotch Champion on my soil appears 
capable of taking up as much manure as a crop of Cabbages, and 
is invariably of the best possible quality, appearances in an un¬ 
cooked state alone excepted, although I frequently see it black or 
hollow in the centre and spotted throughout when grown on light 
soils. Let me parenthetically advise anyone who has a piece of 
ground too heavy to grow other varieties of Potatoes to try Cham¬ 
pions there, planting them at least 30 by 15 inches apart, and he 
may perhaps secure a heavy crop of good Potatoes and improve 
his land at the same time. Couch grass and other troublesome 
weeds are no drawback to this. If the soil is well pulverised 
and the Potatoes get a fair start they will take care the weeds 
are no more trouble. It is a capital cleansing crop for bringing 
neglected corners into cultivation. 
It is remarkable this season that in this neighbourhood all the 
testimony I receive is in favour of the quality of the Champion as 
compared with other varieties, and many people regret they did 
not plant more of it. Now, although I shall continue to grow 
Champions for my main crop, having proved their suitability to 
my soil and to the palates of my employers, I do not advise them 
to be grown largely on light soils, as I attribute it entirely to 
the cold wet season we have had that their quality from light 
soils now is superior to that of other varieties. The same results 
were obtained after the still colder and wetter summer of 1879, 
It is to be hoped we shall not always have summers which are 
cold and wet, and when good seasons do come the Champion on 
soils which are dry or poor will not be of good quality. 
But to the manure question. Is it not possible to apply it in 
spring in such a condition and in such a manner that it may not 
be too rank 1 I should say that when a manure is too rank for a 
given crop it is either because it has been applied in too large a 
quantity, or that its particles have not been sufficiently divided. 
A piece of rank manure as large as a man’s fist is too large to 
place against a Potato set, and does more harm than good, but if 
powdered and distributed through a cubic foot of soil it might 
prove beneficial. I will return to this part of the subject further 
on ; but first let me suggest some of the disadvantages likely to 
follow an autumn or winter application. 
In the case of light soils much of the ammonia is lost during 
winter ; and if this is the case, as there is seldom any difficulty 
about the cultivation of this class of soils in spring, it is certainly 
more economical to defer the application. In heavy soils perhaps 
there is not much loss of ammonia, but the addition of manure to 
them certainly makes them more retentive of water and a better 
harbour for slugs and worms, the cultivation being consequently 
delayed, and the crops run greater risks of damage. The plan of 
wheeling manure on the ground and leaving it in heaps is greatly 
to be condemned in a garden, as it makes it patchy and prevents 
a regular-looking crop being grown for years ; while the other plan 
of spreading the manure over the surface and leaving it there 
must allow some of its valuable constituents to evaporate, and if 
the ground is heavy it will have the effect of keeping it wet, 
preventing aeration and the action of frost. 
Winter-digging on heavy ground is also a great mistake, but I 
cannot enter into that part of the subject now ; and the next ques¬ 
tion is, If the manure is not to be applied in autumn or winter, 
how can it be most economically preserved and applied J This I 
will leave for another paper.—W m. Tayloe. 
[P.S.—Mr. Taylor sends the following supplementary note, 
written after receiving the Journal last week :—“ Please state 
that my paper on manuring was in your hands before that from 
‘Single-handed’ appeared. I am delighted to see ‘Single- 
handed ’ coming out strongly again, and hope he is in a fair 
way for complete recovery. His article so well expresses the 
views I hold that I had to look at it twice before I could be sure I 
had not written it myself.”] 
LAWNS IN WINTER. 
A GOOD lawn is attractive at all seasons, but more especially in 
winter, as then the surroundings are seldom so cheerful or attrac¬ 
tive as in summer. Many parts which might be passed unnoticed 
then become conspicuous now, and good order should be the 
leading feature. It is now too late to try to improve the grass on 
lawns, and all that can be done is to keep them in as fine condi¬ 
tion as they were in summer. 
To sweep or walk much on grass when it is very wet will soon 
disfigure it. Some think they can clean the grass when the 
weather is too wet for working in the kitchen garden, but those 
who follow this plan will never have enjoyable lawns in winter, 
as much sweeping under those conditions destroys the close- 
grown velvety texture of the turf, and gives it a muddy unsightly 
appearance which it will retain until fresh growth commences 
next spring. My advice in wet weather is, “ Keep off the grass.” 
When the surface is dry sweeping can be done quickly and effec¬ 
tively ; then if the roller is run over the grass, the lawns in winter 
will be almost as beautiful and enjoyable as they were when at 
their best in summer.—J. Muir. 
Relative to Laburnums and cattle Mr. James Stott, 
nursery and seedsman, Alnwick, writes:—“I have had a field 
over twenty years with a row of Laburnum trees in it, which seed 
abundantly. Cows, horses, goats, and sheep are pastured in it, 
and have free access to the trees for shade. I have never seen 
any of the cattle eat them. The seed generally hangs on the 
trees till the young leaves appear.” 
- Mr. W. Wells, Redhill, Surrey, sends us flowers of two 
good late white Chrysanthemums, which he finds valuable at 
this time of year. One is named Miss Marchaux, an incurved 
bloom of moderate size but good substance, and pure white. The 
other is unnamed—an open bloom of a semi-reflexed character, 
full, neat, and of a clear pure white, very free, and extremely 
useful for cutting. 
- Relative to the colours of flowers, “ C. M.” writes: 
—“I was much astonished to read in the Journal of Horticulture 
a statement of De Candolle’s that ‘ blue and yellow being the two 
primitive colours of flowers, and always exclusive of each other, 
no blue flower ever changes to yellow, nor yellow to blue ’— (Journ. 
of Hurt ., p. 315, April 20th, 1882). What does the author of the 
article think about the Pansy (Viola tricolor), where you will find 
varieties of bright blue and bright yellow colours ? Of Hyacinthus 
orientalis we see the same phenomenon. We very often find both 
colours in the same flower—for instance, Torenia Fournieri, some 
varieties of Iris, and in several varieties of Pansies, &c.” 
- Relative to fruits and localities an experienced 
gardener observes, and many will agree with him :—“ I do wish 
writers in the Journal would at least name the county they write 
from when recommending fruits. Varieties of Apples and Pears 
which may be good with the writer, but perhaps not even be suit¬ 
able if grown in another county. Something more is wanted than 
the bare recommendation. The time a variety blossoms is in my 
opinion of the greatest importance, and this information would 
give readers of this paper an idea if the same variety would be 
suitable for the locality in which they reside. If those w T bo give 
us the benefit of their practice would give the information sug¬ 
gested and state the character of the soil their remarks would be 
of greater practical value.” 
- Mr. C. Princep of Walsall writes as follows on silica 
AND iron for Vines :— “ The correspondence having reference to 
the Vines at Knowsley Hall is of importance to all those connected 
with Grape-growing. I should be glad to know more of their 
history, border formation, and how supplied, beyond the informa¬ 
tion already given. Acting upon this, a portion of a vigorous and 
well-matured cane was dropped into the crucible, and the ash 
obtained (a portion of which I now forward), which in its fibrous 
state afforded unmistakeable proof of the presence of iron. I 
think ‘ Vitis ’ has lost sight of that which is most important, the 
needful for their successful culture—viz., both silica and iron.” 
- “Where choice white flowers are in demand during the 
winter," writes a correspondent, “ Jasminuh gracillimum will 
be found an invaluable acquisition. It is now to be bought at 
a comparatively cheap rate, and should, and indeed is, rapidly 
