84 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 1,1?34. 
for these mouths to fill properly, to draw up nouiishment from 
the soil, it must be there if the berries are to be well nurtured 
and become large. What is there in spring will depend on 
that which has been applied to the soil previously, and what these 
roots want first of all is phosphoric acid, then potash—or better^ 
the two together. 0£ course, our friend—the manurer of the 
ground with weeds, who often sows Mustard or Rape after the 
berries are plucked to get something to turn under—has the weeds 
under and in process of conversion into manorial matter, for there 
is nothing like fermenting material for promoting speedy and 
abundant root formation ; but he has something equally important 
ready for them—to wit, phosphoric acid and potash, and says, 
“ that is our weed manurer—soda.” He avows that soda is nearly 
as good, and in some cases better, for berries than potash. It 
means that kainit is cheaper than sulphate of potash, also that the 
grower knows well enough that kainit contains both potash and 
soda, so he is sure to be right. Bush fruits generally require one as 
soon as the other. This is very marked in Strawberries. If the 
soil contain soda liberally the ash reveals a large percentage of 
soda has entered into the composition of the fruit, and it is the 
same as regards potash, these substances being interchangeable. 
But our friend misses a point or two. He does not see that 
hydrochloric acid is one result of the kainit application, and this 
dissolves silica, so that the berry trees build up their structures 
solidly, and do not topple over, as they certainly otherwise would 
Irom the heavy dressing of nitrate of soda, and it is got into 
the berries instead of growth beyond what is needed for future 
bearing. 
To supply the roots with phosphoric acid and potash (I do not 
set much value on soda or salt in any but light and dry soils for 
small or any fruits, for the soil, except in some inland places, 
contains enough), superphosphate and kainit should be given 
before the ground is pointed over in the winter, spreading them 
•over the ground beneath the bushes, and 1 foot further than the 
branches cover, at the rate of IJ lb. each per rod. The best plan 
is to mix the bone superphosphate and kainit together, and use 
lbs. of the mixture per rod and point it in, not forgetting to 
bury the weeds and cleanse the ground of perennial ones. This 
can be done very well without injuring the roots, and one grand 
point gained is a good tilth of fine soil in the spring, which is one 
of the very best preservers of the soil’s moisture, and has no equal 
in catching night dews. Thus drought is in a great measure 
defied, and it is moisture the roots want to draw in with its 
sustaining food. 
Just a word for those sceptical persons who frequently assert 
that the ammonia of the superphosphate will be washed nobody 
knows where by the spring, and the phosphates swept beyond reach 
of the roots. Allow me to assure them that the soil only likes to 
get the chance of holding phosphoric acid, and the clay has a 
strong aflSnity for ammonia. Put these substances into the soil in 
the winter, and then see if the bushes will not produce deep green 
coloured leaves in the spring. As for kainit, the soil holds potash 
indefinitely, and soda is not readily washed away, as everybody 
knows by walks sprinkled with salt long remaining damp afterwards. 
Besides, superphosphate and kainit are like the weeds and the 
stable, farmyard, or town manure, they want converting, and this 
is done by the time the bushes begin to put forth growth, so 
that everything favours the applier of these elements in the 
winter. If the land be open, they may be used in early spring, 
but before the buds begin to swell, otherwise it is better to be 
early rather than late with such substances as phosphates and 
potash. 
In the spring when the buds begin to unfold supply a dressing 
of crushed or powdered nitrate of soda, as advised for the super¬ 
phosphate and kainit mixture, but employ 2 lbs. per rod, or if the 
ground be naturally damp, about half a pound less. Distribute it 
evenly, and leave the rains to do the rest. If the trees are vigorous 
and there is any doubt about a full crop setting it may be well to 
wait until the crop is assured, then apply the nitrate, for it is 
certain that if it is not got into the berries it will get into the wood 
and render it soft. This caution is very important, for unless 
nitrate of soda is applied in the early part of the growing season it 
is much better lef 5 alone as its nitrogen comes too late. But apply 
it at the proper time—just when the plant needs the stimulus— 
and when it will not be washed away before being taken up, then 
no ordinary amount of manure will produce so great an effect, for 
the reason that the plants grow and form their fruit early in the 
season. The nitrate of soda furnishes the plants with nitric acid 
before the nitrogen of manure (assuming it to be applied) can be 
converted into this essential ingredient of plant food. The poorer 
the land the more need to apply superphosphate and kainit in 
the autumn or early winter and point them in, and in the 
following spring—in fact, every spring give a dressing of nitrate 
of soda. 
The effect of nitrate of soda on Strawberries, especially in light 
soils (and it has special significance for chalky, from which 
ammonia soon vanishes) is magical, doubling and trebling the yield. 
If anyone doubts this let them try a large dressing of nitrate of 
soda on an old Strawberry bed, first of all freeing it from weeds 
and grass. Sow it (powdered) broadcast early in the spring, and 
give another dressing a few weeks later. The effect will be to kill 
slugs and other predatory pests that fatten on Strawberries, and 
these will be fine in crop, only keep down weeds and protect the 
fruit from the birds. The best time to apply nitrate of soda to 
Strawberries is when they are commencing growth, and if more 
stimulus is needed supply another dressing after the fruit is well 
set—scatter it between the rows and plants, not on them. It is 
desirable to use superphosphate as well as nitrate of soda on 
Strawberry plantations, for the one tends to the production of 
fruit and the other to swell it to large and handsome pro¬ 
portions. 
Nitrate of soda is equally as good for Raspberries as for Straw¬ 
berries. The larvte of various pests lurking and feeding on the 
roots of these plants, disliking nitric acid, become less troublesome 
in the adult stage, because there are fewer that live to it. The 
nitrate of soda helps the Raspberries to produce abundant crops, 
and sustains them in droughty seasons. On Currants, applied on 
each side of the rows early in the spring, it is productive of large 
fine fruit, and is also effectual on Gooseberries.— G. Abbf.y. 
TEMPERANCE IN TEMPERATURES. 
At first sight a long stretch of imagination is required to 
connect temperatures with temperance, but the great drink question 
has nothing to do with this ; yet if we accept the maxim in toto, 
“ Be temperate in all things,” it must needs come within the pale. 
The one is a burning question for other journals—the question of 
burning I hope is suitable for this, and I think there are times 
when we are a little intemperate in this matter. 
A spell of hard weather inaugurating the new year, and the 
effect of last year’s coal strike still with us, bring up some thoughts 
on the subject, not new ones certainly, and I very much fear not 
orthodox. It may be I am crossing the frontier on to dangerous 
ground, but not alone, for some have had, and do have, the same 
thoughts which I will endeavour to express—viz., to expatiate on 
the evils of those fixed temperatures in our plant stoves and 
forcing houses to attain which, or rather endeavouring to attain it, 
so severe a strain is put on men and the machinery of heating. 
During a spell of hard weather visions of possible breakdowns 
unpleasantly present themselves. It is necessarily at this inopportune 
time our pipes and boilers are put on their trial. It is to them what 
the proving of small arms in the Government office at Birmingham 
is to the guns—some stand the test, and some “ bust ; ” and though 
perhaps in some measure we court disaster yet happily escape the 
calamity, fuel must ever be an important consideration, more so 
when high prices obtain. Could each degree of temperature 
obtained over the outside register be measured by so many pounds 
of coal up to a certain point of comfort and safety for the inmates 
of our tropical houses, it is obvious the consumption must be out 
of all proportion in trying to add on and maintain the few degrees 
