June 9, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 461 
nimal life, fungoid spores and nematode germs, with others of 
ig ler order, by which they are not only kept from injury, but 
converted into direct sources of aliment. It is, however, necessary 
o distinguish between roasting and burning. The roasting or 
arnng is fertilising ; and burning is, as regards the prevailing 
■constituents, impoverishing it by the conversion into ash of the 
animal and vegetable matter, though it may, and does, effect other 
Tt^ n ?f «*hat, froln another point of view, may be compensating. 
It is different in cases of charring soil full of fibre or humus to 
burning clay, as we seek to retain all the manurial value of the 
«<>i , "hilst in burning we seek a change in the soil constituents. 
-I nerefore, in roasting soil for the destruction of animal or 
vegetable, we must keep from burning, in order to retain the full 
manurial value of decaying vegetable and animal matter. A tem¬ 
perature of between 212 3 and 270° is fatal to all, animal and 
vegetable, indeed it hastens the decomposition, and renders the 
matter sooner assimilable. But there is this objection, that 
nowever applicable to soil for pot and other plants under the 
gardener s care, it can never be generally applicable to land, nor is 
u advisable, unless we are prepared to restore the equivalent of 
cnat driven from the soil of assimilated, or existing ready for 
Being in one moulded piece of rubber it is very durable, and not liable 
to crack or tear. The Duplex is made in one useful size, holding about 
half a pint. To use this implement effectually, it is best to hold it as 
figured in the drawing—thumb at the end. By dropping the hand with 
the nozzle end of the ball downwards, and then quickly raising it and 
pressing with the thumb, a thick cloud of powder can be ejected. 
Many experiments made have convinced the manufacturers that the 
balloon-shaped ball is the best form for this purpose. It is not a toy.” 
THOUGHTS ON POTATOES AND “ FADS.” 
I have had a little experience of editors of various kinds in my 
time, and though they differ in some if not in many things they agree 
in one—namely, from some occult reason taking a contributor by 
surprise. I do not mind confessing that many a time I have written 
an elaborate article, as I thought, clothing my ideas, or someone else’s. 
in temptingly ornate language, and sending off the precious budget of 
fine words in the assurance that the production would be honoured with 
big tvpe and a leading position. Vain was the hope, and great my 
surprise to find all my pet paragraphs omitted, only the plain matter-of- 
fact residue being condensed into half a page of small type ; then, on 
Fig, 77.—Insecticide Distributor. 
assimilation, matter —■ i.e., decomposing animal and vegetable 
substances, or manure. Burning clay is very distinct from burn- 
f ing the surface soil of those and loams. Burning clay is very 
beneficiil because of its liberating inert matter, improving the 
texture of the soil, and enabling substances present and applied to 
become sooner assimilable as food for plants by admitting air and 
rain freely. —G. Abbey. 
AN INSECTICIDE DISTRIBUTOR. 
We have had submitted for our inspection by Messrs. Wood and 
■Sons, the useful appliance represented in the engraving. It is called 
the “ Duplex,” because either the perforated nozzle can be used, or the 
larger tube, the powder being driven through this with such force as to 
Teach Vines on the roof of an ordinary sized house ; through the nozzle it 
is diffused as if in a cloud for filling a greenhouse. Any plants infested 
with insects either inside or outside the house can be dressed in a 
■moment, and the appliance will be of service in the Bose garden and for 
fruit trees. It appears to be fairly described in the circular as follows : 
“This distributor spreads a dense cloud of tobacco powder, sulphur, 
thanatos,’ hellebore, or any other insect powder; and, by using the 
tube in place of the perforated nozzle it will eject to a considerable 
distance, thus enabling the operator to reach distant plants and shelves 
or overhanging plants. It can also be used for ejecting fluids or liquids. 
the other hand, some plain narrative of facts, or a series of random 
jottings, that 1 thought might just pass muster, have to my equal 
surprise been brought to the front. But why ! That has often puzzled 
me, and more than once has reminded me of those far past episodes in 
schoolboy life of being “ brought to the front to be whipped.” Teacher 
Iggulden seems to take that view of the case in respect to my article on 
page 367, and hence he whips me. 
Out of this preamble two thoughts arise. The first is this. If a 
young man desires to accomplish anything on which he has set his mind, 
let him cast aside everything he finds an impediment and persevere. If 
he wishes to be a writer, an editor will teach him what to avoid better 
than all the schools ; and if the truth were told I suspect it would show 
that some of the best writers on-gardening are those who have profited 
the most by failures, hence ceased all attempts at grandiloquence of 
expression and resorted to the plain, clear, smooth effectiveness of simple 
English words. So much for that thought. The next is this. In a 
controversy keep a cool head, maintain a good temper, respect your 
adversary, give him the retort courteous if you can, and, above all things, 
never base an argument on an assumption. That is always a mistake, 
and conveys the inference that you are not well grounded in even the 
rudiments of logic, and your opponent takes advantage of the position, 
I think I am gradually creeping up to my critic, who very clearly 
intimates that he is the logician, and I—well, a sort of literary magician, 
who can make him believe that black is white. 1 accept the compliment, 
as I had begun to despair of his believing anything that did not originate 
with himself. - 
With a great deal that Mr. Iggulden writes I cordially agree, but 
