442 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 31, 1883. 
that the Onions are treated of great benefit in securing 
strong forcing crowns. To this crop it should he 
applied not later than the middle of June, in order that 
excitement of the plants may not be unduly prolonged 
in autumn. A dressing at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre 
is of great advantage to Celery. We have found the 
best way to secure crisp and sound Celery not liable to 
produce flower stems, is to grow the crop as quickly as 
possible. Late sowing may safely be indulged in when 
means are taken to make the growth rapid in June, 
July, August, September, and October, according to the 
time the crop is wanted, and nothing secures this 
result so well as a dressing of this sulphate. If dry, 
water before and after dressing as advised for seed beds. 
It is better not to apply to late crops—those for use 
during February to May. 
Dressings of this manure are of no use to such crops 
as Peas, Lettuces, Turnips, Artichokes, Potatoes, and 
fruit crops generally. Young Rhubarb may be prolonged 
indefinitely by two or three dressings throughout the 
season. Fine-foliage plants in the flower garden are 
benefited provided the beds are kept in good heart.—B. 
MUSHROOM-GROWING IN SPHAGNUM OR PEAT 
MOSS. 
Tn compliance with the Editor’s foot-note to the article by 
“ J. H.” in the Journal for May 3rd on Mushroom culture, I 
have pleasure in supplementing the notice therein alluded to 
which appeared some time ago, by detailing my experience in 
growing Mushrooms in sphagnum or peat moss. In order 
that there shall be no misunderstanding about the material used, 
I would first state that it is what is usually imported from 
Holland and Germany, and sold as peat moss for bedding pur¬ 
poses in lieu of straw. Last autumn, on account of the 
scarcity of straw, the above-mentioned material was purchased 
for stable use here, where in consequence of its absorbent 
qualities it becomes thoroughly saturated with the liquid 
portion of the manure made by the horses, and retains much 
of the ammonia and other valuable qualities that cannot be 
taken up so well by the usual straw litter. 
On receipt of a few bales of the moss I examined it with a 
view of judging of its utility after it had been used and turned 
out of the stables, and came to the conclusion that it would be 
very valuable not only as ordinary manure, but as a medium 
for the artificial propagation of Mushrooms. As soon as there 
was a sufficient quantity ready I prepared it by turning and 
drying in the usual way, and made up a bed in a cold shed 
which I spawned on the 23rd September. The bed fully con¬ 
firmed my opinion of its merits, for the young Mushrooms 
quickly began to appear all over the bed, and I commenced 
gathering them on the 26th October, a little over one month 
from the day of inserting the spawn, and they continued to be 
produced in abundance until the end of January last. At that 
period the temperature of the shed fell very low, as I could 
not use fermenting materials to keep up the heat in conse¬ 
quence of the carriage house being immediately above it. 
From that date the crop rapidly declined, although the bed was 
by no means exhausted. Had I been able to apply a little 
heat to it I have no doubt but that it would have yielded a 
supply of Mushrooms for a much longer period. 
On breaking up the bed I found it full of healthy spawn, 
and used the materials for planting Potatoes in, hoping to have 
a good harvest of Mushrooms in the Potato patch. In April 
I examined the ground and found it full of spawn, but fear 
that the recent heavy rains and very low temperature will have 
destroyed it. About the middle of October I made up a 
second bed in a warm cellar, where the temperature is kept up 
to about 55°. Like the first one this bed soon showed an 
abundance of young Mushrooms, which were ready for gather¬ 
ing a month after the bed had been spawned, and it also pro¬ 
duced freely for more than five months a crop of Mushrooms 
of first-rate quality. 
I think my experiments fully justify me in recommending 
the use of this moss for Mushroom beds. It comes into bear¬ 
ing quickly, yields a good crop (the flavour of which is equal 
to, if not better, than those grown in the beds made up of 
ordinary stable litter), and is very durable, the latter quality 
being, I believe, due to the quantity of ammonia that it con¬ 
tains after passing through the stable. 
The box mentioned by “ W. K. W.” in the Journal of 
December 28th made up of the moss that had not been used 
in the stables did not prove so durable as the beds made up of 
it after the material had been used. I made the latter trial 
merely as an experiment, in order to test what could be done 
with the moss ; but even had the result been as good as my 
other trials I should not recommend it, because it would bo 
wasting good material to take the moss before it had been fully 
utilised, when it is as good or better after having answered a 
useful and economical purpose.—J. Walker. 
GARDENIAS FOR THE MILLION. 
I read with pleasure Mr. Luckhurst’s description on page 398 
of Gardenias planted out at Maresfield, and so well grown by 
Mr. Thomas. I, too, have something to record about Gar¬ 
denias. Those who would like to see 200 blooms on a plant 
may imagine themselves with me one dull hazy morning, the 
wind east, entering a house 100 feet long by 30 feet wide. We 
start with astonishment, and exclaim, “ What! snow got through 
this bad glazing! Glazing without putty will not do for Sussex 
and East Grinstead.” Snow? No; they are Gardenias for 
the million and Tuberoses, to travel north, east, south, and 
west by the thousand. Such is the case at Messrs. Roberts 
Brothers & Arnold, East Grinstead. The house is in two 
divisions, 50 feet long by 30 wide. There are twenty- 
eight plants in the first division, which measure upwards of 
6 feet through, or 19 feet circumference, and are 5 feet 
high. These were planted in October, 1881. In the second 
house twenty-five plants were placed four months later—that 
would be February, 1882, or fifteen months since, and they 
measure 4 feet 6 inches through or 14 feet in circumference, and 
are 4 feet high. To give some idea of the snow-like appear¬ 
ance, I take a few figures from Messrs. Roberts’ accounts of 
blooms sent away during seven weeks. Commencing with the 
week ending March 24th, 202 dozen ; March 31st, 67 dozen ; 
April 7th, 190 dozen ; April 14th, 285 dozen ; April 21st, 
202 dozen ; April 28th, 204 dozen ; and May 3rd, 209 dozen 
blooms, or a total of 1357 dozens, or 16,284 blooms in seven 
days ! 
I saw the plants a few days after they were bought, in, I 
believe, 7 or 8-inch pots, by the able manager, Mr. Badman, 
who said, “ We are going to grow these, and are building a 
house for them, in which they are to be planted out." A 
square heap of peat was cut in turfs, made very similar to 
an Orchid basket, 3 feet square and 2 feet deep, in equal 
distances, on the ground floor of the house, two rows on each 
side.. . Some fine peat, cow dung, and a handful of Clay’s 
Fertiliser were added and well incorporated, and the plants 
were placed in. In a few weeks the roots were visible, soon 
forming a compact mass. The growth advanced rapidly like 
Laurel bushes, which they very much resemble, with foliage 
6 inches long by 2f inches wide. Hundreds of the flowers 
were 3 inches in diameter. They are kept in health by liberal 
support. Mr. Badman states that he always keeps “ something 
strong" in the house, though he wears the “ bit of blue.” Thus 
are grown “Gardenias for the million." —Samuel Jenks, 
Brambletye. 
APRICOT BRANCHES DYING. 
{Continued from page 398.) 
The stock (notwithstanding the generally received axiom—viz., 
“ the scion overruleth the stock quite ”) exercises considerable 
influence on the health and longevity of the tree. The stock is 
raised from roots or layers, which are grown until they have a 
stem double or more in diameter than that of the shoot from which 
the Apricot bud is taken, and the growth of half a dozen years 
perhaps is concentrated by the heading-down of the stock upon a 
