■September 39,1S59. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
237 
S OME time ago a correspondent, I forget who he was or when he 
wrote (but that is immaterial), said he failed to see how 
liquid manure given to fruit trees in the -winter could be of any 
Sienefit, as the roots were then in a dormant state. In the first 
place they are not in a dormant state after the leaves fall, though 
-they do not imbibe nutriment from the soil to anything like the 
same extent as in summer ; and in the second place they do not 
imbibe what they need either in summer or at any other time 
when the food for which they are hungering and thirsting is not in 
the soil. That is the condition of thousands of trees in summer 
and winter. They have been planted for years or generations, and 
manure may or may not have been placed round their stems from 
time to time. Be that as it may, the roots have deprived the soil 
•of all that was good for the trees, and gone further and deeper in 
search of more—seeking, but finding not that which is necessary for 
their sustenance. They have lived but not prospered, and never 
•can prosper mitil the impoverished food store (the earth) is 
replenished—supplied with matter which is essential to their health. 
Unquestionably this may be given with great advantage in 
summer if obstacles do not forbid its application then, and in no 
other way can it be so quickly effective as in a liquid state. At no 
period are the roots of fruit trees of all kinds, including Yines, 
so active as now, and at no period can so much nutriment be 
imbibed from the soil in a given time when the earth is in a fit 
state for its reception. It is not in a fit state when it is dry, and I 
have no hesitation in saying that the best of liquid manure that 
■can be procured does immeasurably less good applied in summer, 
when the soil, in which the roots are situated or trying to move, is 
<dry, than in winter, when it is moist—not waterlogged, but moist 
■enough for absorption, while at the same time permitting of free 
percolation, for where water passes through the soil air follows, 
and there can then be no stagnation. The earth, then, to be in the 
best condition for the reception of liquid manure, must be moist, 
yet sufficiently drained naturally or artificially. 
During the summer months and at the present moment the 
•earth may appear moist, and is moist, it may be, to a foot or so in 
•depth, even under and near long planted, large, yet enfeebled trees ; 
but below the moist layer in which there are few or no roots, we 
find on digging the earth is as dry as powder, and it is in this dry 
under stratum that the chief of the roots are established. This 
should be thoroughly moistened with clean water, then, and not till 
then, following with liquid manure. But it is often most difficult, 
and may be impracticable, to make the impoverished soil moist at 
this season of the year, in which the roots of starving trees are 
■established ; and beyond question the autumn rains and winter 
snows do the important work more effectively and cost nothing- 
Then is the time to empty cesspools and pour the contents into the 
ground ; of course, when the surface is in a moderately dry state. 
At that season of the year the liquid can be given of twice the 
strength it would be safe to apply it when the roots are in an active 
state ; in fact, it is not easy, I suspect, to give it too strong in 
winter. Some of the virtues may pass away, but the bulk will be 
retained by the moist soil, and be imbibed by the roots to the 
certain benefit of the trees. 
I have used thousands of gallons of the contents of cesspools 
that could only be emptied in winter with the most striking benefit 
to all kinds of fruit trees and bushes which only needed sustenance 
to render them bearers of excellent fruit ; as I gained courage 
from experience ths liquid was less and less diluted, and the 
stronger it was the more marked was the effect beneficially on the 
ti’ees. If the soil is moist now liquid manure may be given with 
advantage to fruit trees that obviously need support ; but the very 
strong may need to be somewhat diluted. It is worse than useless 
applying it to dry soil, as it drains down, leaving little of its virtues 
behind, and may in passing do injury to some of the roots ; but 
apart from that the practice is wasteful, and therefoi'e should be 
avoided. 
When travelling in Lincolnshire in August I had the pleasure 
of calling on an ardent gardener and Journal reader, a clergyman 
and son of the late Canon Hodgson of Hythe. I had known the 
old espalier and other trees in his garden for years. Many of them 
had the appearance of being worn out, and most persons of an 
improving turn of mind, with the means of carrying out their ideas, 
would have destroyed the old trees and planted young. Some were 
planted but the old were retained and nourished. I was somewhat 
astonished to see the change they had undergone since last year, 
thick deep green leaves in place of the pale and thin ; stout short 
jointed, well-fed wood in place of the weak ; large fruit in place of 
the small, clear and rosy in place of the speckled and sickly hued. 
This rapid renovation had been effected by liquid manure given 
strong and plentifully in the winter. 
I had exactly similar experience in year3 gone by, and in the 
same village. Whether the vicar came to hear of this I know not, 
or whether he remembered something he had read on the subject* 
or whether it was a question of wasting the sewage or not, and so 
he ventured to try it on the old ti'ees, not minding much if he 
cooked them, I am not able to say, but the fact remains he did 
pour the strong stuff into the ground when it was naturally wet in 
winter and the trees leafless, then when the spring came and the 
summer advanced the sturdy shoots and thick dark leaves, the bold 
buds, and good fruit told plainly that the food in solution given in 
winter when the trees were resting was not lost, but retained and 
appropriated. In no other way could the enfeebled trees have been 
improved so quickly, decidedly, and cheaply. 
It is nearly thirty years since some cesspools on the premises of 
a gentleman could only be emptied in the winter. The contents were 
applied to old ti’ees in an orchard, completely saturating the ground, 
and there was no mistaking the effect of the application. It was 
then used in the garden, being given to trees of various kinds near 
walls and in the open that appeared to need extra support ; also to 
Gooseberries, Currants, Strawberry beds, and Raspberry plantations, 
with the most satisfactory results ; indeed, for seven years they had 
no manure beyond the sewage, and this was only given in winter. The 
owner of the trees and bushes, and all else who knew them, were 
satisfied that they became much more healthy and grew far better 
crops of fruit after being thus treated than they had ever done 
before, and canker wounds healed freely in some apparently worn 
out Apple trees that were invigorated in the manner described. 
To be effectual the application must be thorough, surface driblings 
being of little use.—J. Wright. 
CHINA ASTERS. 
For garden decoration, to yield a supply of flowers, as plants 
in pots, and for exhibition, few annuals can approach these in use¬ 
fulness and beauty. They come at a season when many other 
plants in the flower garden are rapidly losing their attractions ; the 
more fragile annuals provided for an early summer display are 
usually over, especially if the weather has been hot and dry, and 
where successional sowings have not been made to provide for the 
later season flowers are becoming scarce. China Asters have many 
admirers, and at most of the early autumn horticultural shows 
No. 482 .—Vol. XIX., Third Series. 
No. 2133.— Vol. LXXXI., Old Series. 
