204 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 4,1 90. 
of lime. These are removed with crops, hence arises the necessity 
of affording new supplies. The principal sources of phosphates 
are bones and coprolites. They would not be soluble in soils if 
these did not contain acids, whereby the bones and coprolites or 
other mineral phosphates are slowly decomposed. The quantity 
rendered soluble is not such as to meet (unless the phosphates 
abound in large quantity) the requirements of plants grown for 
their crops. For special purposes ground bones and coprolites 
answer, also partly broken, crushed, or other descriptions of bones 
answer for fruit borders, but these forms, though lasting, are hardly 
up to the times. Indeed so uncertain is the supply of phosphoric 
acid by the use of whole or ground bones and coprolites, that to 
prevent waste in the plants having to liberate it by their roots 
or the acid they give off, that it is desirable to afford this sub¬ 
stance, for economic and certain supplies, in a soluble form. This is 
effected by converting the phosphates into superphosphates by an 
acid, usually sulphuric, which readily dissolves in water, and plants 
obtain it in quantities suited to the current requirements. 
The principal matter on which the application rests is that in 
superphosphate the plants are immediately provided with calcium, 
sulphur, and phosphorus. All are of the greatest value to plants, 
especially fruit trees. Phosphorus, however, is the great factor to 
be reckoned with in their health and fruitfulness. Applied to the 
soil, its first important business is to encourage root action, especially 
surface roots. These soon show the result in the leaves. They do 
not send up matter which causes the leaves to become larger as 
from potassic, sodic, and ammonic applications to the soil, but they 
transmit the living substance, the building up principle, the leaves 
become stouter, harder in texture, and enlarge the useful part or 
fruit, not the least of the benefits being the acquiring by the leaves 
of the colouring matter or chlorophyll, which the plant seems 
capable of storing in the wood. By some unascertained process 
the chlorophyll, in the ripening of fruits, give them their mature 
colour as well as that they have up to the iipening period, the finish 
of all fruits depending as regards colour on the amount of chloro¬ 
phyll stored in the plant or present at ripening, and available for 
conversion from the intensest green into the glowing purple of 
G-ros Colman, or the rich amber of Muscat Grapes. 
On these grounds phosphatic manures seem best suited to the 
requirements of fruit trees, and are advised as remedial of ill health 
and sterility.—G-. Abbey. 
ACACIAS. 
These are among the most easily cultivated of greenhouse 
plants. Some have a tendency to make long straight shoots ; these 
are very suitable for training up pillars or upon rafters in conserva¬ 
tories, where they form grand ornaments in the late winter or early 
spring months. The most handsome in this respect of all the 
species is, perhaps, A. Riceana. Its graceful slender growths, 
depending like a Weeping Willow, rendering it singularly effective 
for training to a pillar or arch in a conservatory. Its pale yellow 
flowers produced in long solitary spikes from the axils of the 
growths in spring are very distinct, the foliage being deep green, 
linear, whorled, or scattered, so that whether in or out of flower it 
is a very effective plant—indeed one of the finest for pillar, arch, 
or roof covering in conservatories. The next for pillar and roof 
covering that I have seen has the name of A. mica, which, however, 
I cannot find enumerated in any list of plants. It makes somewhat 
slender growths, glaucescent, and produces pale yellow flowers in 
racemes very abundantly, having a very handsome appearance in 
spring. A. olesefolia elegans also is a good pillar plant, and A. longi- 
folia magnifica, with its deep yellow spikes of bloom, is one of the 
best for the same purpose. A. juniperina and A. pubescens may 
be mentioned as useful for low pillars. Occasionally the straight 
branched kinds, as A. lophantha, A. dealbata, &c., are seen trained 
to roofs, which is quite unsuited to them. In no place do the tall 
spreading Acacias appear so well as where they can display their 
growth—the foliage being really handsome m these last enumerated 
—as a position in a winter garden or conservatory planted out. 
But these plants have one great defect—their closing their leaflets 
at night, which is fatal to their employment in some conservatories. 
Most of the species, however, are suitable for growing in pots, 
or large specimens may be grown in tubs as bushes or pyramids. 
Acacias are very floriferous, but they need full exposure to 
light to insure the thorough solidification of the growth. Plants 
kept under glass through the summer, where they necessarily have 
to make their growth under the shade of climbers or a shaded roof, 
are not nearly so satisfactory as those placed outdoors from early 
or mid-June up to mid or late September. Without this accom¬ 
modating nature they are hardly suitable for small houses, for 
whatever may be their heights described in lists, the plants generally 
much exceed the proportions accorded them. A. pulchella 
described as growing 2 to 3 feet high. I have had it make fully 
that amount of growth in one season. There is one thing, however, 
about Acacias that renders them more accommodating than other 
plants, and that is their bearing cutting well, and this means their 
being kept young and fresh-looking in moderate-sized specimens. 
The best time to prune Acacias is immediately after flowering. 
The principle, however, to be adopted is laying a good foundation 
by pinching and attention to pruning in the early stages, which, 
as most of the plants are raised from seed, requires an effort, as the 
ambition of most growers is to get a large and early flowering 
plant as soon as possible. The plant must be headed early if it is 
to have a well-furnished base. The strong growth will monopolise 
all the sap, and so much so as to impoverish the weaker growths, 
whilst usually the most floriferous succumb. This must be pre¬ 
vented by cutting back the strong growths and so equalise or 
distribute the sap, causing, as far as practicable, an equality of 
growth. The pruning may be to the old wood, but the growth 
will neither be so free nor desirable as from growths of the pre¬ 
vious year. In fact, when an Acacia becomes old, bare, and tall, 
it is best to discard it altogether, and others should be grown to 
supplant it. The pruning in most instances will be confined to 
shortening strong growths and irregularities, and cutting out weakly 
and dead wood, so as to have a compact, sturdy, well furnished 
specimen. This if done as the plants cease flowering will keep 
them in useful form for a number of years. They should be kept 
rather drier after pruning, and when fresh growth is being pushed 
they may be potted, merely loosening the sides of the ball, and 
transferring to pots a couple of inches larger, draining well, and 
in potting making the soil as firm as the ball. Three parts turfy 
loam of a friable nature, with a third of leaf soil or fibrous peat 
and a free admixture of sand, will grow them well. Water care¬ 
fully, and damp overhead morning and afternoon until the roots 
have taken to the fresh soil, when as the growth advances they 
will require more copious supplies of water. 
In June, as before stated, the plants may be placed outdoors 
in a position fully exposed io the sun, but sheltered from winds. 
The pots should be stood on a concreted bottom or a good thick¬ 
ness of ashes, and be plunged to a little of the rim in that or similar 
material, allowing space between the plants for * the free access of 
light and air. Copious supplies of water will be necessary, never 
allowing them to lack it, nor giving any until it is required, always 
affording it so that the soil is moistened to the drainage. In these 
quarters they will make clean healthy growth, ripening the wood 
perfectly, and that when that is effected a full amount of bloom 
may be expected. In hot weather a good syringing in the evening 
will be useful in cleansing the foliage and preventing attacks of 
red spider. The plants should be housed at the end of September 
or early in October, assigning them a light airy position in a 
house with a temperature of 40° as a minimum, and 45° to 50° as a 
maximum from artificial hea f , in which they will flower in due 
season. An effective display will be assured of what are at least 
showy plants, and though not as durable as many the sprays are 
useful in a cut state, the yellow balls or spikes, as the case may be, 
enlivening otherwise formal arrangements. They are also brilliant 
for decorative purposes indoors, and are in no way injured, even 
where there is gas, by a brief sojourn in corridors, halls, &c ; of 
course they cannot well be used in places that have a pale white 
or yellow ground, but they tell well against a ground of green or 
blue. 
Acacias, though of the freest and easiest culture, cannot bear 
water-logging. If ever the soil gets sodden and sour the plant will 
lose its roots, and it will seldom if ever recover. A oleaefolia 
elegans is one of the most difficult in this respect. A. Drummondi 
may also be mentioned as one that does not endure a sodden con¬ 
dition of the soil. 
Propagation is readily effected by seeds, which are best sown as 
soon as ripe, or they may be kept until spring, using fibrous loam 
with a third leaf soil or peat, or the seeds may be sown in sandy 
peat. Cover about a quarter of an inch deep, more or less according 
to the size of the seeds, their diameter being a proper depth, and 
place in a house with a temperature of 55° to G0° artificially, and 
when up keep close to the glass to prevent drawing. Pot the 
plants when they are showing the second leaves, and keep in the same 
temperature well up to the glass until established ; then remove 
to a cooler house or pit, where the plants can be grown sturdily. 
Shift into larger pots as required, but avoid overpotting, and 
pinching-in irregularities bushy flowering plants may be had in 
about three years. 
The freer-growing species, or those grown in quantity for sub¬ 
tropical work, as A. lophantha, grandis, and dealbata, make fine 
decorative plants the first year if sown early in February, grown 
on in gentle heat, and planted out early in June, and in good rich 
soil. Those grown under glass being shifted into larger pots as 
< required, and not suffered to lose the lower leaves through lack of 
