596 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 28, 1882. 
any rate avoid planting such gross-feeding and comparatively 
permanent crops as Violets, Strawberries, Parsley, and herbs 
generally on these borders. The former, especially when planted 
at the foot of the walls, are very injurious, as they impoverish the 
border to a great depth ; and a herb border near the walls inevit¬ 
ably impoverishes the land, yet both cases are by no means rare. 
Quick-growing crops, such as Potatoes, Cauliflowers, Kidney 
Beans, Turnips, and Lettuces, are not so objectionable, especially 
seeing how frequently the ground for early crops of these is 
favoured with regard to heavy dressings of manure. The manure 
is very beneficial to well-established fruit trees ; but unfortunately 
the frequent diggings have the effect of driving the roots of the 
trees down into the subsoil, and this, it is almost needless to 
repeat, is quite in the wrong direction. Under the system at 
present pretty generally in vogue, and which I must admit to a 
certain extent unavoidably prevails here, we may look in vain 
for the valuable fibrous roots. 
The roots of most trees, and more especially, I think, of Pears, 
require but little disturbance to induce a downward tendency, 
and if active steps are not taken to prevent the misfortune be¬ 
coming intensified the decadence of the tree will soon be seen. 
Not only have the wall trees under my charge rooted down into 
the cold subsoil, but the pyramids are in the same plight. Fruit 
trees of any kind with several roots 2 inches in diameter deep 
down into clay, and with but few if any surface roots, are certain 
to produce crops of cracked worthless fruits. In our case I should 
say the Strawberries, Gooseberries, Violets, and Parsley I found 
planted about the trees were the primary cause of this deep¬ 
rooting. These have been cleared off as much as possible, and 
according as we are able these gross roots are severally shortened, 
the trees raised, much clay cleared out, fresh soil added, and all 
medium-sized roots brought nearer to the surface. There I hope 
to be able to keep them, and eventually be able to point to crops 
of fruit equally as fine as those grown on trees and in the gardens 
at Ashton Court, which were treated in a very similar manner by 
Mr. Austin, the well-known practical gardener in charge. 
It is really a blunder to begrudge a good Apple, Pear, Plum, 
Teach, Nectarine, Cherry, or Apricot tree a few feet of border 
room, say half the square feet of wall or ground the tree covers. 
If we gave it a thought we should remember the crop of one tree 
is oftentimes worth more than all the vegetables obtained from a 
considerable length of border. Eight dozen fair-sized fruits from 
a fully grown tree of either Peaches or Pears is not a particularly 
heavy crop, yet these are or were worth to the proprietor this 
season at least 325., and would find a ready market at 245. We 
should have to market a considerable quantity of vegetables to 
realise that amount. I say, Give the roots of the trees fair play 
and mark the result. 
That the sheltered wall borders prove extremely or rather com¬ 
paratively profitable vegetable quarters must be admitted. But I 
am under the impression if other open sunny spots were as well 
managed they would produce vegetables quite as early and equal 
in quality. Where are the earliest vegetables in any quantity 
grown that are sent to the London markets ? Certainly not in 
walled-in gardens, but in the open fields. The designers of the 
majority of kitchen gardens make a radical mistake by forming 
the wall borders much too narrow, and this materially affects the 
system of cropping. Instead of being 10 or 12 feet wide (they 
are often narrower) they should be 20 feet wide, and of this a 
width of 5 feet at the very least ought to be devoted exclusively 
to the fruit trees. Under such circumstances the roots would be 
encouraged to remain near the surface, where the freely formed 
fibres would revel in the liberal top-dressings of manure they 
ought to receive when the trees were in full bearing. These 
favourable conditions would result in better ripened growth, more 
frequent crops of fruit of the best quality, and much less necessity 
for frequent replantings in order to replace trees prematurely 
dead or dying.—W. Iggulden, Marston. 
MUSHROOM-GROWING IN SPHAGNUM MOSS. 
Thebe are now in full bearing at “ Broomfield,” Sheffield (the 
residence of B. P. Broomhead, Esq.), several Mushroom beds, 
which for quantity and quality of the produce I have not before 
seen equalled, except in the case of Mr. J. Barter’s outdoor beds, 
which were figured in the Journal of May 4th, this year, page 359. 
Mr. Walker, the able gardener at Broomfield, tells me that the mate¬ 
rial of which these beds are composed consists solely of sphagnum 
moss imported from Germany, where it has been artificially dried 
and afterwards compressed by hydraulic power into cakes or bales 
of about 1 cwt. each, and which are sold as a patented bedding 
material for horses, Sec. Mr. Broomhead purchased a quantity for 
use in his stables, where its merits are appreciated, as it speedily 
and readily absorbs all the drainage and ammonia, and keeps the 
stable free from all unpleasant smells. Thinking it would be a 
good material for Mushroom-growing, Mr. Walker made up some 
beds with it, which have succeeded beyond his expectations. He 
says he has never before had beds which have been so quick in 
coming into bearing or so lastingly productive. He commenced ga¬ 
thering Mushrooms in five weeks from the making-up of the beds, 
and when I saw them he had been gathering from them every day for 
five weeks, and the beds then were quite covered with fine Mush¬ 
rooms, which are very thick and solid. He also showed me a box 
which by way of experiment he had filled with moss which had 
not been used in the stables, but which he had saturated with 
stable drainage from a tank where it is collected. This upon 
being made up into the box heated very strongly, so that he had 
to wait a number of days for the heat to subside before spawning, 
but when I first saw it the spawn had run through it and Mush¬ 
rooms were appearing apparently as thickly and as freely as upon 
the other beds. On a subsequent examination there was no doubt 
the experiment was a great success, as the box was crowded with 
splendid Mushrooms.—W. K. W. 
INSECTICIDES. 
Under the above heading in a recent issue of the Journal I 
read with considerable interest the able contribution signed 
“ Hortus.” I beg, however, to differ from him as to the appli¬ 
cation of sulphurous acid in the manner indicated. Brimstone I 
have detested in any form from childhood upwards, when it was 
used internally, externally, and threatened eternally ; and, in my 
opinion to subject Abutilons, Coleuses, Poinsettias, and other choice 
softwooded plants to the influence of an atmosphere charged with 
sulphurous acid fumes for twelve hours means sudden death. 
Sulphurous acid contains 9 2 per cent, of gas in suspension, hence 
I caution experimenters to first sponge themselves with the acid 
(which will soon evaporate), and note the condition of their 
respiratory organs. This simple process will, I believe, be con¬ 
ducive to plant-longevity. As to Dalmatian powder, it is a most 
valuable insecticide ; but, again, I differ from your correspondent 
“ Hortus” as to its application. Let us trace its origin and see 
wherein its energies exist as an insecticide. It is prepared by 
grinding to powder the dried and expanded florets of a composite 
plant which grows freely in the sandy plains of Persia and Asia 
Minor, possessing when freshly prepared a pungent, aromatic, 
characteristic odour, and herein lies its power. It acts more as a 
repellant than a poison, and should be used like snuff—dry. 
I have grown the plant and find the flowers inert, not possess¬ 
ing the qualities for which the exotic ones are noticeable ; and I 
find negative results from its use in solution as suggested by 
“Hortus;” indeed, a more effective solution can be prepared 
from any of our indigenous composite plants, such as Camomile 
or Tansy. 
But if may be asked what practical suggestions I have to offer 
on the subject of insecticides ; and although I am not entitled to a 
blue ribbon I shall place first and foremost water, and to satisfy 
readers of a bucolic tendency we will occasionally have it hot— 
say 140° Fahr., for some plants. Next I place tobacco, which I 
have diligently employed ever since I escaped parental control. 
But my object in writing is more especially to draw the attention 
of practical men to the employment (as insecticides) of the juices 
of plants of an acrid or poisonous nature. 
It is notorious that certain plants are injurious to insect 
life. Take, for instance, the common Elder (Sambucus nigra), 
the Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), while the whole order Ranun- 
culacem, inclusive of Aconites, Crowfoots, Hellebori, and Delphi¬ 
niums, possess acrid properties fatal to insect existence. Why not 
utilise these remedies ? 
Take, again, the immunity from attack enjoyed by the Scotch 
Fir and all the Cedar tribe of forest trees. From these we obtain 
wood tar and turpentine, so fatal to insect life and so invaluable 
to the entomologist. Would not an infusion of the bark of the 
Pinus palustris (P. australis) aid us ? The seeds of the Delphi¬ 
nium Staphisagria have been used for centuries in the form of 
decoction to destroy lice in cattle, also rats ; and quaint old 
Gerarde states that they were some time used in apophlegmatisant 
gargles, so with this character it is needless for me to refer farther 
to the power of the Stavesacre seed beyond saying that it is cheap. 
As to Mr. Speed’s remedy for American blight, may I suggest 
to him the use of wood tar in preference to gas tar ? My process 
is this for standard fruit trees : First slake a peck of lime with 
water to the consistence of cream, and whilst still hot add one 
pint of the brown oil of tar. This when mixed forms a tar soap 
or emulsion, which annihilates the American bug wherever em¬ 
ployed. Colour with soot if you like. 
