4G2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 31, 1883. 
issued by the above firm. For half a century this firm has been 
noted for the excellence of the different educational series issued by 
them, and this new venture should add considerably to their 
reputation. We have carefully read every one of the 340 para¬ 
graphs contained within the substantial cloth binding, and are 
constrained to say that nowhere have we met with a book, elemen¬ 
tary or otherwise, containing so much information in so little bulk, 
and in such simple, easily understood language. Its author, 
W. T. Lawrence, Hereford, has proved himself particularly well 
qualified to reach the most opaque understandings. We can hardly 
think of boys so dull as to be incapable of understanding the 
science of plant-growth as here taught, and we would urge on 
school boards in agricultural districts the desirability of introducing 
this subject as one of the necessary elements as treated in this 
manual. It is well printed, well bound, and low-priced. 
But while bearing in mind, and placing the interest of the country 
first, we are not forgetful of our own readers. Frequently the 
treatment of gardening and farming subject from a scientific stand¬ 
point necessitates the use of terms that make the writer’s words less 
intelligible than is desirable. This is almost always unavoidable 
so long as the readers know little or nothing of the science of agri¬ 
cultural chemistry. Frequently we have been asked to recommend 
books to such, to enable them to master the subject so far as to 
enable them to grasp the meaning of the terms now so largely used 
by many writers. This is a somewhat thankless task, as such works 
are either high-priced or useless, and generally contain an amount 
of matter not wanted that the general reader has not the patience 
to wade through and pick up the grains of knowledge he is in 
search of. To such we can cordially recommend this manual. 
Our intention was to have made several quotations to show how 
simple, terse, yet clear and satisfactory, is the language used, but, 
though we had marked rather a large number of passages, we find 
selection rather difficult. Almost at random we select the following, 
which occurs under the heading “ Properties of Soils.” —“ If you 
were to take three flower pots and fill the first with marbles, the 
second with sand, and the third ■with fine soft powdered earth, and 
then pour water into them, you would find that the water would 
run through the pot filled with marbles almost as soon as you poured 
it in; but that it would take a little longer to run through the one 
containing sand, and still longer to soak through the third. This 
shows that the finer the particles of the substance the longer it will 
hold water : and why P Because small particles lie so much closer 
together than large ones, and the spaces between them are too small 
to let the water run through quickly. Now clay consists of very 
fine particles (finer particles than any other kind of soil), therefore 
it is able to hold water for the use of plants better than any other 
soil. But the fine particles of clay may be pressed together so 
closely when damp that no water is able to get through at all; this 
is not good for plants. A field with an under soil of clay in this 
closely pressed condition would not allow the water to pass down¬ 
wards, but would cause the top to remain soaked with stale water, 
which is poison to plants. Such land is very cold, and also very un¬ 
healthy both for people or animals to live on or near.” Such a plain 
illustration it is impossible not to understand. Equally clear is the 
next paragraph quoted, which is intended to show the capacity of 
soils for manurial matter as the above is to show its capacity for 
water. 
“We took three flower pots for our experiment in last lesson ; we 
will now take two barrels with holes in their bottoms instead this time. 
Let them be set up so that we may be able to catch the water which 
comes through. We will fill the one with sand and the other with 
powdered clay soil well shaken down. We will next take some of 
the dark-brown or nearly black nasty-smelling water that runs 
from a manure heap and pour part of it into each barrel. We shall 
find that it comes through the sand first, but is not so dark in colour 
as it was when poured in. The part that was poured on the clay 
soil take much longer to soak through, but when at length it finds 
its way to the bottom of the barrel it is quite clear and free from 
smell.” Then the reason of this is explained and the value of clay 
in soils made clear, also the rising of water is explained. 
Space will hardly permit more quotations, but we cannot help 
noticing the clear way the action of drains is explained. Draining 
is not a very well understood part of either farming or gardening 
prac'ice, we should be inclined to think from the erratic way drains 
are often laid. Immense sums have been thus misspent. Yet here 
we have the whole matter in a nutshell. After reading what is hero 
said on the subject one can hardly understand a drainer going wrong 
in ordinary cases, or, in extraordinary ones, proceeding at all with¬ 
out proper information, for like all really good books this begets a 
desire for more knowledge. 
The manufacture of superphosphate and its after treatment is not 
well under-food. The action of sulphuric acid is here explained in 
a way that has the merit of simplicity as well as some degree of 
novelty. As we have frequent inquiries on this subject we will 
give our readers the advantage of one quotation more. 
“In this process”— i. e., the making of superphosphate—“the 
bones or mineral phosphates are treated with sulphuric acid (oil of 
vitriol) and the change is produced in the way which is shown in the 
following table :— 
Base. 
/Lime 
Acid. 
^ too 
O c 
h S ■ 
o 2 
r£J 
Lime 
Lime 
+ Phosphoric acid 
a> o 
PQ 
Water 
, Water 
'Lime 
, Sulphuric acid ) 
' Sulphuric acid j 
© . 
r£| a> 
bo 
*-< a 
© cj 
Water 
Water 
+ Phosphoric acid 
u 
Lime 
Lime 
. Sulphuric acid ] 
Sulphuric acid \ 
Salt. 
Tricalcic phosphate. 
-I 
Oil of vitriol (true 
sulphuric acid). 
“ The change is simply this : The phosphoric acid has given up 
two-thirds of its lime to the sulphuric acid and received water in 
return, and the result is a mixture of monocalcic phosphate and 
sulphate of lime.” To this we may add that this monocalcic 
phosphate is only soluble so long as it remains monocalcic, and 
becomes insoluble the moment it meets with lime, as it always does 
in any ordinary soil. When this happens it become plain tricalcic 
phosphate again, but it is none the worse, but in all respects the 
better of the change by the time it has become by reason of its 
solubility well diffused through the soil. But it is quite different 
when this reversion takes place before application, for then the 
value of its solubility is gone; then it fails to diffuse itself through 
the soil, and is then very little, if indeed anything, superior to an 
impalpable powder, while it is considerably dearer. For this 
reason neither lime, nor ashes containing lime or other base, should 
be used to dilute superphosphate. Only sulphate of lime is suitable 
for this. Sulphuric acid displaces phosphoric acid when in com¬ 
bination, but the reverse action never can occur. In conclusion we 
advise all who are interested in the subject—and all cultivators of 
the soil should—to secure the book for themselves. We venture to 
advise the author to prepare a good index for future editions. The 
table of contents is insufficient for quick and ready reference to the 
various parts of the work. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Cream Cheese (R. S .).—This may be made from a quart of cream, to 
which, perhaps, a pint of new milk may be added with benefit. It is warmed in 
hot water to about 90° Fahr., and a tablespoonful of ordinary rennet is added. 
It is let stand till it thickens, then broken slightly with a spoon and placed in a 
frame 8 inches square and 4 inches deep, in which fine canvas cloth or straw has 
been placed, and then it should be pressed slightly with a weight. Let it stand 
for twelve hours, after which it may be lifted out and replaced in a finer cloth, 
over which a little salt has been powdered. It is fit for use in a day or two as a 
household delicacy. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40” N.; Long. 0° 8' 0” W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
1883. 
iw _ 1 
Hygrome- 
0 . 
<4-1 _ 
o +* . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
0 
May. 
otS’- 0 > 
ter. 
Xj 0 
«;r 
perature. 
Temperature. 
cj 
« 
3 iS d 1- ! 
©CQh 
In 
On 
Dry. 
Wet. 
So 
<H 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 21 
30.051 
55.4 
49.2 
w. 
54.4 
60.0 
48.4 
76.6 
44.8 
— 
Mon. 21 
30.202 
561 
54.0 
E. 
53.8 
68.1 
41.3 
101.0 
35.3 
— 
Tues. 22 
30.193 
58.2 
49.7 
W.N.W 
54.1 
74.3 
43.4 
112.8 
36.3 
— 
Wed. 23 
30.151 
6o.2 
57.8 
s.w. 
55.2 
79.1 
48.0 
121.0 
42-5 
— 
Thurs. 24 
8 Ml 8 
64.8 
58.1 
N.W. 
57.2 
79.6 
49.7 
li!l.6 
44.8 
— 
Friday 25 
29.957 
60.3 
55^) 
N. 
58.1 
73.7 
49.4 
103.5 
43.0 
0.023 
Satur. 26 
29.602 
56.9 
54.9 
N. 
58.0 
69.4 
51.2 
83.9 
47.0 
0.299 
30.039 
59.7 
54.1 
55.8 
72.0 
47.3 
102.9 
42.0 
0 322 
REMARKS. 
20th.—Fair, calm, and dull. 
21st.—Calm, cloudy. 
22nd.—Fine, bright, and warm. 
23rd.—Fine, bright, and warm. 
24tli.—Very fine and warm. 
25th.—Cloudy dull morning, fine afternoon and evening. 
26th.—Dull and rainy from 8 a.m. 
Early part and middle of week extremely fine and warm ; cooler, wet, and 
uncomfortable on Saturday. Range of temperature on 22nd, 23rd, and 24th 
averaged 30'6°, and for the whole week averaged 24'7°.— G. J. Symons. 
