114 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 9, 1893. 
- Manures for Orchards. —Most of the successful attempts 
to renovate old Apple orchards have required large amounts both of 
mineral and stable manures. It is likely that the latter was mainly 
efficient in keeping the soil open and supplied with carbonic acid gas, 
and thus preventing the mineral manure becoming insoluble. When 
vegetable matter is deficient the tree roots cannot get the benefit of 
the mineral fertility that the soil contains. Old orchards often suffer 
thus, and are made productive again by supplies of stable manure that 
has itself very little mineral matter, but makes available what the soil 
already contains. There need be no fear of making the soil around large 
trees in full bearing too rich. If young orchard trees are fertilised or 
cultivated too highly they will run to wood ; but in older trees this extra 
supply of nutriment will, if the trees be properly pruned, be turned to 
the production of a richer and better flavoured fruit than the larger 
specimens which very young trees occasionally produce.— (American 
Cnltivator.') 
- Uncertainty op Broccoli. —It is some years now since I last 
grew Snow’s Winter White Broccoli. The heads were small, very 
uneven in form, and they used to “ turn in ” generally two months 
after the stated time. I tried seed from several sources, but all turned 
out the same. Some may say the seed was sown at the wrong time or 
the cultivation was wrong. 1 generally sow the seed of all Broccoli 
from the middle to the end of March, but in the case of Snow’s a part 
of it was sown a month later as well, the result was just the same. So 
I gave it up the moment I found a superior substitute in Sutton’s 
Mammoth White. For our land we cannot find another sort equal to 
this for giving us clear white good sized heads during January and 
February. Even this variety shows how variable the “turning in’’ 
of varieties are in different seasons. Michaelmas White, which is one 
of our best early Broccolis, was fit for use fully six weeks before its 
proper time, and the same might be said of some other sorts. Therefore 
it is not wise to discard a variety for one year’s trial, but in my case 
I grew “ Snow’s ’’ at least eight seasons and never had really good results 
from it.—E. M. 
- WooLTON Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society.— 
A meeting of the above Society was held in the Mechanics’ Institute, 
Mr. T. Davies, Wavertree Nursery, presiding. The prize essay on 
“ Mushroom Culture,” by Mr. Wm. Disley, was read, and provoked con¬ 
siderable discussion, so much that the paper by Mr. R. G. Waterman 
on “ Soils and their Treatment,” had to be postponed for some future 
date. At the close of the meeting an interesting event took place, viz., 
the presentation to Mr. H. Corlett, The Gardens, Woolton Wood, of the 
beautiful silver medal given by the proprietor of the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture for the best paper on the “Principles of Heating.” In present¬ 
ing it the Chairman made a most suitable speech for the occasion, which 
was replied to by the recipient of the medal. In submitting their 
fourth annual report the Committee had to record a successful year’s 
work. All the papers read have been of a practical description, that by 
E. G. Baillie, Esq., of Chester on “ Vegetarianism ” giving unqualified 
pleasure. The lectures on “ The Geographical Distribution of Plants,” 
by R. J. Harvey Gibson, Esq., M.A., proved most successful, giving as 
they did useful and valuable information to the gardener and all lovers 
of horticulture. Dr. T. L. Bailey’s course on “ The Chemistry of Soils 
and Manures ” would undoubtedly prove of considerable benefit to the 
cultivator, and it is to be hoped that the subject may be continued 
next session. 
- What is the True Shamrock / — Most Irishmen are 
probably of opinion that they can answer the question correctly, but 
unfortunately they do not all give the same reply. Mr. Nathaniel 
Colgan, who has been investigating the subject, collected thirteen 
specimens from the following eleven counties—Derry, Antrim, Armagh, 
Mayo, Clare, Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Queen’s County, and 
Roscommon. Shamrocks were thus secured from northern, southern, 
eastern, western, and central Ireland, Mr. Colgan’s correspondents in 
the various counties taking pains to have each sample selected by a 
native of experience who professed to know the genuine plant. All the 
specimens were planted and carefully labelled with their places of 
origin, and flowering within some two months later gave the following 
results. Eight of the specimens turned out to be Trifolium minus of 
Smith, and the remaining five Trifolium repens of Linnaeus. Cork, 
Derry, Wicklow, Queen’s County, Clare, and Wexford declared for 
Trifolium minus ; Mayo, Antrim, and Roscommon for Trifolium repens ; 
and Armagh and Carlow, each of which had sent two specimens, were 
divided on the question, one district in each county giving T. repens, 
while the other gave T. minus. These results are set forth by Mr. Colgan 
in an interesting paper in the first volume of the “ Irish Naturalist.” 
Elsewhere in the same volume Mr. R. L. Praeger suggests that authentic 
specimens of Shamrock should be obtained from every county in Ireland, 
and he adds that he has no doubt Mr. F. W. Moore would gladly grow 
them at Glasnevin Gardens, if Mr. Colgan did not care to undertake so 
large an order. Mr. Praeger notes that in his own district. North Down, 
Trifolium minus is always regarded as the true Shamrock, but that a 
luxuriant specimen, or one in flower, is generally discarded as an 
impostor.— (Nature.') 
- Broccoli. —It would be very interesting to learn what has been 
general experience this winter in relation to the effect of the recent 
severe weather upon Broccoli plants grown in ordinary loose soil, and in 
that which has not been dug for two or three years, and is in consequence 
very firm if not hard. I observed in several gardens last summer that 
old Strawberry beds from which the plants had been cleared off, but 
had not been dug or otherwise disturbed, had been planted with Broccoli 
plants with the avowed object of having them of a very hardy nature. 
I should now very much like to know whether, as complaints are made 
already of the harm done by the recent frost, the plants on such hard 
soils are uninjured. If they have come out of the hard weather in 
much better condition than have plants on soft summer-dug ground, 
then much is gained. If they have not, then nothing would seem to be 
gained. Then it would be interesting to learn whether early or late 
kinds have so far wintered best. It may be assumed that the early 
section, if not actually tenderer than are the late sorts, is at least in a 
far more active condition of growth in midwinter, hence much more 
likely for that reason to suffer from severe frost. Without doubt 
Broccolis have suffered greatly during the past severe winters, and the 
suggestion of “ W. S.” (page 70) that all the early section be lifted and 
laid in either houses or pits is one that merits every consideration. It 
is useless to plant in the summer if breadths be left, only to be killed by 
frosts in the winter.— Inquirer. 
- Tropical Vegetation.— An American professor, Mr. D. H. 
Campbell, gives in the Botanical Gazette a very vivid description of the 
flora of the Hawaiian Islands. The first thing which struck him on 
reaching Honolulu was the brilliant colouring of the tropical vegetation. 
All possible tints and shades and varieties of green were seen in the bay 
and on the mountain slopes—“areal symphony in green.” Palms are, 
of course, the most prominent feature of the landscape. The Royal 
Palm, “ with its smooth columnar trunk, looking as if it had been 
turned, encircled with regular ring-shaped leaf-scars, and its crown of 
plumy green leaves,” is the grandest of all. Then come the Betel Palm, 
which yields the Areca Nut and the strongly perfumed cachou ; the Wine 
Palm, the sweet sap of which gives wine after fermentation ; the elegant 
Cocoa Palm, the Sugar Palm, and a great variety of Fan Palms. Another 
characteristic feature is the great number of leguminous trees. In our 
climate we chiefly know herbs and some vegetables belonging to this 
tribe, or a few shrubs (the Furze and the Broom), and very few trees 
(like the Acacia tree and the Judas tree), but in Honolulu leguminous 
trees are plentiful, and beautiful too. In the whole vegetable kingdom, 
we are told, there is no more splendid plant than the Poinciana regia, 
one of this tribe : “ A spreading flat-topped tree, perhaps 30 feet high, 
with feathery green foliage and immense clusters of big, flaming scarlet 
flowers which almost hide the leaves, so that the tree looks like an 
immense bouquet.” Another tree of the same family droops great 
bunches of golden yellow flowers and cylindrical pods 3 to 4 feet long, 
and close by it stands the graceful Algaroba, with fine feathery leaves 
and sweetish yellow pods of which animals are fond. Mingled with 
these are many species of Musa, or Banana plants, and a luxurious 
variety of showy flowering shrubs. 
FUNCTIONS OF VINE LEAVES. 
I HAVE no intention of reopening this discussion, because enough 
has been advanced on both sides to enable the numerous readers of the 
Journal to form a definite opinion on the subject ; and even if addi¬ 
tional arguments on my part were required they are in perfect readiness 
at 171, Fleet Street. 
Nor do I intend to cavil with Mr. Iggulden for his extremely acute 
assumption that Mr. W. Baidney’s well-reasoned contribution (page 625, 
last vol.) can be considered to have wholly supported him. What I 
want to draw attention to is the following remarkable sentence on 
page 89 :—“ There is no sense whatever in permitting Vines to expend 
their superfluous energies in the formation of foliage or wood that only 
interferes with their other functions.” I do not remember having seen 
such a practice advocated at any time, certainly I have never advanced it; 
but I have repeatedly advocated, and still believe in, the value of prac¬ 
tising extension and freedom of growth as a means of creating and 
sustaining vigour, fruitfulness, and permanent health. In this there is 
sound sense and logical reason.— H. Dvnkin. 
