December 31, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
583 
help others, and then may expect some return in his declining years as a 
right, not of charity. Let me close these rambling thoughts by enumerat¬ 
ing one more pleasure a gardener has—at least, I have a special] pleasure, 
and am sure many more have—namely, tbe pleasure of reading the 
Journal every Thursday evening. To its Editor and its many readers I 
wish a happy New Year.—A Working Gardener. 
A USEFUL MANURE. 
I WISH to bring before the notice of your readers a valuable manure too 
often neglected—viz., night soil. When properly prepared I know no 
manure to excel it in effectiveness, not even excepting the famous guano. 
It is more regular in its action than the former, and there is no risk in the 
use of. it, like guano when used as a liquid manure. For Cockscombs, 
Gloxinias, Celosias, and Chinese Primulas it is excellent, and the latter 
seem to be especially at home in whatever soil the manure is mixed with. 
They can be grown easily to 18 to 20 inches span of foliage, producing 
large blooms superb in colour. I find it best to use very little leaf mould 
with this manure for Primulas, a3 they have a tendency to produce too 
much foliage. We grow all our Zonal Pelargoniums in 4-inch pots only, 
and with this manure they do extra well. On such kinds as Rev. A. Atkin- 
sod, Masterpiece, &c., I have had at one time six fully expanded trusses of 
bloom measurins from 15 to 19 inches in circumference, and that con¬ 
tinuously through the season. One plant of Munroe’s Little Heath Melon 
grown in a box containing one pailful of turfy loam and one of this 
manure produced four fruits 14 lbs. in weight ; and one plant of Daniel’s 
Duke of Edinburgh Cucumber produced seven fruits from 244 inches in 
length and 8 in circumference to 274 long and 94 inches in circumference, 
and straight as a ruler, with splendid bloom, and all the former receiving 
pure water only. 
In preparing the material to mix with the night soil proceed as 
follows :—Procure some clay soil as heavy as possible, and let it dry, then 
get as many branches, old pea stakes, or any refuse of that kind, and 
make a good ring of them to begin with ; then put on a layer of earth and 
sticks alternately, keeping the whole well together, leaving only a small 
aperture at the top to allow the smoke to escape and prevent it from 
blazing. If some bog earth be added it will be a benefit to the mixture, 
and when burnt out it may be wa'ered and mixed. It is then ready 
for use in the closet, to which it is conveyed by a tin pipe with two 
stops in it similar to that in a powder flask, for regulating the supply. 
The calcined earth and charcoal, prevents the various gases from 
being dissipated in the atmosphere; the rough portion falling to the 
sides secure the phosphoric acid, potash, &c., contained in the urine. 
Or if having a quantity of night soil on hand, mix it with half the bulk of 
the earth, and leave it in some dry airy place for eight weeks or so. It 
will be found in a condition for mixing in any compost, being minutely 
sub-divided by the action of the earth and perfectly inodorous. I do not 
advance this as anything new, but as a simple means of securing all the 
good contained in so valuable a manure.—J. Swan, Kilmalcolm , 
Renfrewshire. 
Weiting in reference to the note on page 539, Messrs. James 
Caetee & Co. observe that the prizes offered by them are open to all 
amateurs and gentlemen’s gardeners, and that the error pointed out on 
the page quoted was corrected before any great number of copies of the 
“ Vade Mecdm ” had been printed. 
- The Royal Botanic Society’s Exhibitions foe 1886 are 
fixed for the following dates :—Spring Exhibitions March 24th and 
April 14th. Summer Exhibitions May 19th and June 9th. Evening 
I ete June 30th. There will be an exhibition of American plants daily 
during June. Promenades take place every Wednesday from May 
5th to July 28th, except May 19th and June 9th and 30th. Lectures at 
4 p.M. on Fridays May to June. 
The Ancient Society of Yoek Floeists held their annual 
dinner on the 23rd inst. at the White Swan Hotel, York, the City Sheriff, 
Mr. Samuel Wright, presiding. A number of toasts were proposed and 
honoured. Three silver cups, which were given as special prizes at the 
recent Chrysanthemum Show, held under the auspices of the Society, were 
ako presented to the winners. The first—the City Sheriff’s prize—was 
given to Mr. R. F. Jamieson, Hull, for tbe best thirty-six Chrysanthemum 
blooms. The next was the officers of the Society’s prize, awarded to Mr. 
John Fielden, High Sheriff of Yorkshire (gardener, Mr. H. J. Clayton), 
for the best six bunches of Grapes, three varieties. The third prize— 
given by the Mayor of York—was taken by Mr. Robert Baker, of The 
Retreat (gardener, Mr. J. Doe), for the best group of Chrysanthemums. 
- A peoof extract from the annual report of the Meteopolitan 
Public Gaedens Association has been fawarded to us, and from 
it we learn that much good work has been performed during the year. 
Taking the three past seasons tbe following are given as the expenditure 
in improvements of various kinds :—1882-3, £849 3s. 2d. ; 1883-4, 
£1159 11s. 3d. ; 1884-5, £6587 Is. The total being £8595 15s. 5d. It is 
said that to carry out the work in hand about £4000 will be required. A 
considerable sum (£3642 2s. 6d.) was raised to be expended as wages to 
the “ unemployed,” and £864 remains to the credit of the Society, but 
additions are much needed to the General Fund, which is kept separate. 
- Messes. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, send us a large plate 
representing varieties of Double Tubeeous Begonias, of which so 
many greatly improved forms have been obtained in recent years. Some 
of them are most symmetrical in outline, with the petals as evenly 
arranged as in a Camellia or Ranunculus. A variety named Pieoniflora 
with globular drooping flowers is particularly useful for suspending in 
boxes or baskets. 
- The seed'catalogue of a Continental firm gives a description of 
a Semi-double Pelox Drummondi which is said to be “ of dwarf com¬ 
pact growth with double and semi-double flowers. This new variety is 
not yet quite constant, the scarlet colour excepted.” Judging from the 
woodcut the flowers are not unlike those of the double Bouvardia in form. 
- On Thursday evening, the 24th inst., a large and influential 
gathering of gentlemen took place in Carmichael’s Temperance Hotel, 
Bridge of Allan, for the purpose of presenting A testimonial to De. 
Paterson in appreciation of his long and valued services as a doctor in 
Bridge of Allan and neighbourhood. Mr. Laurence Pullar, chief magis¬ 
trate, occupied the chair, and the Rev. Dr. Ross performed the dirties of 
croupier. There were also present—Dr. Haldane, Dr. Rogers, Colonel 
Blair, Messrs. T. Camming, Wm. King, John Henderson, H. Robertson, 
Wm. Reid, R. Greenhorn, Wm. Cousine, Wm. Haldane, J. H. Henderson, 
and many others. In the course of several speeches, Dr. Paterson’s 
services as “ father and founder of Bridge of Allan ” were referred to in 
flattering terms, his experience as a medical man and his knowledge 
as an antiquary and amateur horticulturist also receiving appropriate 
recognition. The presentation consisted of a cheque for £340, enclosed 
in a silver casket, bearing the following inscription :—“ Presented to Dr. 
Alexander Paterson, along with a cheque, given by 260 subscribers over 
the whole country, in testimony of their regard for him as a successful 
physician, a kind friend to the poor, and a public benefactor to the 
inhabitants of Bridge of Allan.” 
- Gardening Appointment. — Mr. W. Swan, who has been 
gardener at Oakley, Followfield, Manchester, for many years, and has 
lately been Honorary Secretary to the Manchester Horticultural Improve¬ 
ment Society, has now left th9 district, having been appointed head 
gardener to E. G. Wrigley, Esq., Howick House, Preston, Lancashire. 
Mr. Upjohn of Worsley Hall Gardens, Manchester, succeeds Mr. Swan in 
the secretaryship of the Society named. 
- The second volume of the Illustrated Dictionary of 
Gardening, published by G. Upcott Gill, 170, Strand, continues the 
subjects in the same manner as in the preceding volume, from Faba to 
Ozothamnus, and contains a great number of illustrations from various 
sources, the majority being good representations of the respective plants. 
A commendable accuracy is observable throughout, and the cul ural 
informatii n is reliable. A coloured plate of Snowdrops forms the frontis¬ 
piece to a neatly printed and substantially bound volume. 
- A correspondent gives the following as the number of Bed¬ 
ding Plants used in Hyde Park during the past seasonOne 
hundred thousand Pelargoniums in over 100 varieties. Amongst the 
favourites were : Henry Jacoby, Rev. Atkinson, Mrs. Turner, and Eury- 
dice; 60,000 Lobelias, 70,000 Alternantheras, 5000 Heliotropes, 5000 
Ageratums, 30,000 Calceolarias, bedding varieties, 60,000 Ecbeverias 
2000 Begonias, single, 1000 Fuchsias, 20,000 Coleus, 20,000 Carnations >' 
Pyrethrum is not much used, but 50,000 Sptrgula aurea, 40,000 Golden 
Creeping Jenny, and 40,000 Cinerarias, besides Celosias, Centaureas, and 
other annuals and varieties of bedding plants. 
- We learn that “ Illustrations” is the title of a threepenny 
monthly magazine which, under the editorship of Mr. Franc's George 
