Ootober 7, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
817 
hand, these close, compact, retentive clays when disintegrated by 
mechanical force, aided by tie introduction of drains, lime, cinders, and 
farmyard manure, are rendered much warmer and more porous, the latter 
condition facilitating the free passage of air, and consequently in dry 
seasons rapid capillary attraction, and thereby reducing the necessity for 
mulching. I quite agree with your correspondent that injudicious trenching 
has much to answer for, but surely that is no reason why he should 
■denounce its principle. Trenching does not always imply complete rever¬ 
sion of the two spits, and we should imagine no sensible man would treat 
land similar to that at Marston on the reversion principle. He would 
rather keep the soil at the top and thoroughly break up the clay subsoil, 
woiking among it at every opportunity such powerful mechanical disin¬ 
tegrators as cinder ashes and old mortar, together with farmyard manure 
and wood ashes, until in process of time the subsoil had been sufficiently 
improved to warrant its being worked in with the soil. This, I know, is a 
■question of time, and therefore will not find favour with those who believe 
in present rather than ultimate gain, but in the end the deeper tilth will 
prove the most advantageous. As a set off against the value of trenching 
at Marston, Mr. Iggulden states that trenched soil in dry seasons produces 
root crops far boo large to be serviceable, whilst those on untrenched 
ground are apparently everything that could be desired. Judicious appli¬ 
cations of lime would in the first case have corrected the tendency to 
grossness in the dry seasons, and in the wet ones prevented cohesion of 
the clay particles, neutralised the acidity, facilitated the free ingress of 
air and the formation of nitrates, and likewise produced increased warmth 
’in such a soil. If trenching such soil be conducted on this principle, 
there need be no fear of a superabundant amount of moisture 
present. 
Not a couple of miles away from here there is a vegetable garden 
exactly similar in regard to soil to that at Marston, and which for years 
prior to the present gardener taking charge of it, had been worked on the 
“ tickle surface” plan with anything but favourable results. The present 
gardener, however, happened to be an advocate of good honest trenching, 
and he at once set to work to trench it three spits deep, not throwing the 
top spit to the bettom, but keeping it still at the top ; in fact, the three 
spits were simply broken up and turned in their previous respective 
positions. Coal ashes and old mortar were freely worked among the 
bottom spit, and farmyard manure in abundance between the latter and 
middle and upper spits, whilst in tbe following spring a liberal dressing 
of lime was applied over and foiked into the surface. Now this man has 
every reason to be proud of his soil and his crops, and I know that no 
amount of argumental anti-trenching theories will convince him that 
trenching land properly is injudicious. 
Surface cultivation, non-trenching, or whatever term you may apply 
to this method, will never become popular, because owing to the immense 
amount of manure required to prevent exhaustion of the soil, the latter 
eventually becomes surcharged with sour humus to such an extent as to 
render it imperatively necessary at no distant date to resort to trenching 
and liming to render it suitable f r crops of any kind. 
I stilt repeat that, not only in my own case but in that of my 
neighbours also, were the Peas thriving far more satisfactorily on trenched 
than on untrenched ground. In a large garden not far from here I saw 
the other day the finest crops of Ne Plus Ultra Peas growing in deeply 
trenched clayey loam that I have yet seen this season. 
With all due respect to Mr. Iggulden, I am still of opinion that, 
contrary to his usual practice, he has jumped too quickly at conclusions 
on this subject, and has not allowed himself a sufficient length of time to 
try the effects of judicious trenching at Marston. He may be able for a 
time to find his system answer, but we have yet to await the results of a 
few more years’ trial ere we can believe in its fallibility. 
As to the question of Strawberries doing better on untrenched ground 
I do not think that the vigour of the plants mentioned is due to the 
latter so much as to the effects of the probably heavy and rich mulching. 
I will gladly give my opinion of the reason why Kidney Beans and 
Lettuce thrive so much better on Celery ridges than on the level ground 
during hot weather. It is a problem by no means so difficult to solve as 
appears at first sight. A Celery ridge, for instance, owing to its elevatioo, 
possesses the advantage of having its sides as well as top exposed to heat, 
consequently this body of earth absorbs two-thirds more of the latter than 
it would be able to do were the ground level. A Celery trench is 
necessarily of a very moist character, and this, too, receives the vertical 
rays of the sun. Now, the effect of this absorption of heat on parallel 
sides, as well as the upper surface, with moisture below, is an increased 
amount if internal heat, causing rapid capillary attraction during day 
and heavy deposits of dew by night, thus imparting to the soil a greater 
amount of warmth and moisture than would be obtained on the ordinary 
level. After the sun recedes from its vertical position the rays impinge 
the sides at a more or less acute angle, thus causing a shadow on the 
opposite side of the trench, which has the effect of preventing the radiation 
of the heat and enabling it to be imparted to the soil. 
Both the vegetables mentioned have long tap roots, and in the case of 
the Bean exceptionally so, as well as being a plant requiring a great 
amount of heat to enable it to grow freely ; and the tap roots, encouraged 
by the extra warmth and humidity of the soil at the bottom of the ridge, 
descend and avail themselves of it. It will be noticed especially that 
Kidney Beans grow much more rapidly on these ridges than when planted 
on the level ground. It must be patent to all who are acquainted with the 
laws of heat that the greater the absorption of heat the great r the 
capillary attraction and deposit of dew by night. Vegetable Marrows 
will also grow freely planted on high ridges without water after once 
established. I have frequently had similar examples come under my 
notice, and have given the subject no small amount of thought. What has 
Mr. Iggulden to say to this theory ?—A Kentish Gardener. 
October seldom brings such warm weather as that now being 
experienced in the neighbourhood of London, Monday and Tuesday 
this week having been remarkable for the intense heat. In several places 
in the suburbs thermometers have registered 75° to 80° in the shade, and 
on Tuesday the temperature was 65° at 7 p.m, A splendid rain followed 
on Wednesday morning. 
-The Committee of the Portsmouth Chrysanthemum So¬ 
ciety have decided to increase the prize money in the challenge 
cup class of thirty-six blooms, eighteen each, of Japanese and incurved 
varieties, distinct, which will now be as follows :—First prize, silver 
cup, value £25, and £6. Second prize, £5. Third prize, £2 10s. 
Fourth prize, £1. Entries must be sent to the Secretary on or befoie 
November 1st, the Exhibition opening on November 11th. 
- “F. H. G-.” writes, “I this day cut two or three blooms of 
Rose Madame Gabrielle Luizet, H.P., and took care to note, with 
‘ T. W. G.’s ’ letter in Journal in my mind, that they were from shoots 
springing from about the middle of shoots which had already borne 
blooms in the summer. I have more blooms coming on. Madame 
Gabrielle Luizet is therefore a Rose Remontante. It is much to be 
wished it were as ‘ perpetual ’ a bloomer as the Quatre Saisons 
Rose.” 
- We have had under trial for some time samples of Maignen’s 
Anti-CALCAIRe for softening hard water, and the results justify our 
recommending it as an article if comfort and usefulness in homes and 
gardens where soft water is not otherwise attainable. That a little of 
this powder softens water is beyond a doubt, and renders it on that 
account the more agreeable to use for domestic purposes. Many inquiries 
have reached us from time to time on the best method of softening water 
for plants. Anti-calcaire will effect this object quickly, cheaply, safely, 
and well. It can scarcely fail to be of distinct service for softening 
water for, or in, boilers for preventing furring. The precipitation of 
calcareous matter in boilers and pipes in garden structures is often a very 
serious, as it is undoubtedly a common evil, leading when in its mildest 
form to an excessive consumption of fuel, more and more being required 
to heat the water as the furring increases, until a practical or actual 
stoppage and breakdown occurs. We strongly suspect that by the use of 
this powder inconvenience and loss of the nature indicated would be 
averted. 
- The Cultivation of Tobacco. —We learn that Tobacco has 
been cultivated at Messrs. Webb & Sons’ Kinver seed farms in the past 
season sufficiently to embody two distinct experiments : first, to ascertain 
whether the growth of Tobacco can be made remunerative to farmers in 
this country, and secondly, to show what kinds of the Tobacco plsnt are 
likely to promote that object best. About twenty kinds have been giown, 
including all the best varieties that are cultivated in America, such as 
Big Frederick, Can’s Seed Leaf, Virginia, Yellow Prior, Broad Leaf, 
Yellow Orinoco, &c. 
-A new Golden Elder named Sambucus aurea Dixoni is 
described as a very distinct variety obtained after several years’ careful 
selection from the best coloured types of the Golden Elder. “ It has a 
splendid foliage, of an evenly diffused deep set golden colour, and is a 
very robust and rapid grower, forming large, handsome, symmetrically 
shaped bushes in less time than almost any other shrub, and is seen to 
grand effect when dotted along carriage drives, or mixed with other 
shrubs at the back of borders or shrubberies. It will thrive equally well 
in almost any soil or situation, but its fine golden colour is best produced 
when placed in a sunny position.” The ordinary Golden Elders are all 
very handsome in shrubberies where they colour well, but are not so 
generally plaated as might be expected. 
- Autumn Bedding.— “ S. C. ” writes that “ The dry weathe r 
