December 20, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
559 
cuticles, and are filled with air, so as to act promptly in case of 
favouring atmospheric conditions by way of evaporation and 
elaboration, and quite as effectively in the opposite direction in 
case of unfavourable circumstances arising, for the cold contracts 
the cells and forces the juices more from the surface, completely 
closing the stomata. Something else also occurs—the concentration 
of forces, for the higher the elaboration the stouter the tissues—■ 
the cell walls and the epidermis, while the more watery the juices 
the thinner are the internal and external cell membranes, that is, 
the leaves are flabby and the growths succulent. This means 
cuticular cells laden with organised (more or less) matter—food for 
fungi, gaping stomata, and faint resistance of parasites. These 
always come from without, never from within the plant. What 
morbid condition of the plant will produce the spore of a fungus ? 
A living organism. 
Let us look at the constituents of the Carnation in its several 
stages of growth. This we are enabled to do through the pains¬ 
taking and ill-appreciated labour of the scientist, which I think is 
worthy of the fullest recognition by cultivators. The analysis 
represent the ash (mineral) components of the Clove Carnation 
(Dianthus caryophyllus), and our indebtedness and thanks are due 
for the same to M. Rudolph Andreasch, Graz. 
Mineral Constituents op the Carnation-asu Analysis ( Anireasch .') 
Elements. 
Root. 
Stem. 
Leaves. 
Flower. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Pure ash 
5*64 
5-26 
4-44 
5 59 
Potash 
23-33 
23-00 
35-51 
49-41 
Soda .. 
0-85 
Lime. 
45-26 
45-16 
27-69 
5-85 
Magnesia 
4-13 
5-43 
8-27 
3-68 
Oxide of iron.. 
3-83 
7-95 
6-12 
7-19 
Oxide of manganese 
Alumina 
2-.56 
Traces, 
Good traces. 
Good traces. 
Phosphoric acid 
11-22 
10-23 
10-91 
14-84 
Sulphuric acid 
2-59 
C-46 
4-59 
4-04 
Silica 
5-34 
C-81 
371 
4 25 
Sodium chloride 
0-59 
0-44 
0-71 
2-35 
Potassium chloride 
0-65 
2-16 
8-39 
lOO-OO 
lOO 00 
100-00 
100.00 
The analyses of the roots and stems were taken about the 
middle of March, just when the new leaves were put forth, 
the roots being one-tenth to three-tenths inch in diameter and the 
stems 5 to 6 inches high, and the leaves and flowers at the beginning 
of June. 
The data show what the plant contains at the commencement 
of growth, and may be taken as a fair index of the constituents of 
the soil or of those abstracted and needed by the plant. Potash, 
lime, magnesia, iron, alumina, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, and 
silica figure conspicuously, while the chlorides of sodium and 
potassium indicate the importance of chlorine, which is seen in 
the comparatively large amounts of silica and lime for ^ 
herbaceous plant. Chlorine, of course, has nothing to do with the 
formation of lime, but it has everything to perform in the render¬ 
ing silica soluble and available for the plant. It is not a plant 
food, but plants must have it for their stability, and they usually 
place it in the epidermal tissues, ft is a hard substance, flint and 
no fungal germ can pierce a thin wall of it without first emitting a 
solvent substance, and then it is only the roots (haustoria) of the 
fungi that can do that. But the germ tubes of certain fungi 
possess a sort of haustoria-like penetration of the cells, their 
contact vith the cuticle having a solvent action, which so weakens 
the external cell walls as to allow them to pierce those and so gain 
access to the internal tissues without the trouble of searching for 
and entering by the stomata. What is it but the smell of food that 
attracts the germ tube of a fungus spore to a stomata ? 
Remember, the cuticle—the bark—is the plant’s armour, and 
that it is mainly composed of silica, lime, and iron. For that 
reason plants are seldom attacked by bacteria, and wild far less 
than cultivated by parasitic fungi, while the effects are less pro¬ 
nounced on the former than on the latter. The Potato fungus is a 
poor thing on the Woody Nightshade (Solanum Dulcamara) ; it 
produces epidemics in Potatoes. The rust on wild Mallows makes 
little havoc, but it sweeps Hollyhocks off wholesale, and Wheat mildew 
has little effect on Couch Grass, but it lessens the value of the Wheat 
crop £1 10s. to £2 per acre annually. It is much the same with 
Carnation fungi. They gain a hold on certain plants, and to these 
they cling with astounding tenacity. This generally happens where 
the plants are cr have been produced in the greatest number and in 
the highest excellence, for wherever the food be thither will the 
organisms living thereon be gathered together. 
Later on in its growth the Carnation needs chlorine more of 
potassic than of sodic. At least, so says the analysis, but that may 
be because the plant analysed was supplied with potassium salt, for 
these substances are to a certain extent interchangeable, and it is 
manifest that to obtain due supplies of this element it must be 
applied to the soil in advance of its requirement by the plant. 
Potash is double in the leaves to that in the stem and roots, but 
there is a strange falling off in the per-centage of lime in both 
leaves and flowers as compared with that in the other parts of the 
plant. Magnesia comes out prominently as an ingredient of the 
leaves, also iron and silica. Phosphoric acid is less pronounced in 
the flower than might be expected, but that is a characteristic of 
the seed rather than the petals, and there is a diminution in both the 
leaves and flowers as compared with the stem. 
Looked at from every point there is a need for large supplies of 
potash, lime, magnesia, iron, phosphorus, sulphur, silica, and 
chlorine by the plants. Any good, strong, calcareous loam would 
supply all the potash, lime, magnesia, iron, phosphoric acid, and 
sulphuric acid needed by the Carnation. This, of course, would 
depend on the feeding, for no cognisance is taken of the element 
nitrogen, and that means proportionate increase of all the other 
substances. That is where the error (if one be committed) in 
Carnation culture comes in. It is the unadvisable practice of 
making plants grow without providing material for the building up 
of their structures solidly and healthfully, that invites attacks of 
fungi and renders their work easier and more malignant. There is 
not enough lime, magnesia, iron, and silica in the stems and leaves. 
It is all potash—a watery element, phosphate, sulphate—a pushing 
substance, and ammonia or nitric acid, the plants are crammed 
with, little or no regard being bad to the other constituents of their 
structures. This is a mistake ; for though it is certain that most 
soils contain ample supplies of the minor constituents of plants for 
ordinary purposes, and that it is only necessary to supply nitrogen, 
po'ash, lime, and phosphoric acid in order to secure profitable 
agricultural crops, there must needs be a great lack of the minor 
plant foods under the high culture of the horticulturist. There¬ 
fore, instead of such stimulating food as superphosphate and 
nitrate, corresponding proportions of the other elements should be 
provided. 
Thus our chief formulas comprise only superphosphate, nitrate 
of potash and sulphate of lime—that is, ammonia, phosphoric acid, 
nitric acid, potash, sulphur, and lime. These are grand elements, 
and absolutely essential ; but that is no reason why the plant should 
be left to supply itself as best it can from the limited amount of 
soil in a pot with magnesia, iron, and chlorine. Perhaps there may 
be sufficient of the two first, but where is the chlorine to come 
from ? Cultivators meet that difficulty and supply salt, about half 
a small teaspoonful about every ten days or a fortnight during the 
active growth of the plant, especially when it is throwing up the 
flowering parts, and thus chlorine is got into the leaves and flowers. 
Without that the plants give a large per-centage of “ deaf ” pods, 
not in all, but in many cases, and not a few wonder why. The salt 
is only finely powdered, sprinkled on the soil, and worked in. The 
chlorine, of course, renders the sand in the soil soluble, or some of 
it, and it gets into the plant and is placed in the epidercnal tissues—■ 
a barrier against fungi. So is it with the lime in the phosphate 
and the iron taken from the soil. Whether it is worth while to use 
the following formulie growers must determine for themselves, for 
the soil will supply a portion of them, and an excess may do n® 
good, but possibly harm. 
ozs. or lbs. 
Bone superphosphate 
Nitrate of potash 
Sulphate of lime 
Sulphate of magnesia 
Chloride of soda 
Sulphate of iron 
8 
G 
4 
U 
l" 
parts 
J 1 
Mix and apply about half a teaspoonful to a G-inch pot every 
ten days and wash in. Larger plants may be given a propor¬ 
tionately larger quantity, the ingredients being made as fine as 
possible and sprinkled evenly on the soil in the pot, but not quite 
close to the stem. In using the salt keep it from the stem, and do 
not give it too often nor in large quantities.—G. Abbey. 
A BOTHY MYSTERY. 
“ To be, or not to be.” Bather more than a score of Christmases 
have come and gone since this question was raised by three in a bothy. 
It was finally settled that it might at least be attempted. We could 
but try, and failing, the secret should remain buried in three bosoms, 
whilst the organic lemains could be hidden elsewhere. One, compara¬ 
tively fresh from home, had fairly good ideas on the matter, but three 
heads were better than one, so due counsel was taken together. Such 
literature as our neat little bothy contained threw no light on the 
matter, not even the Joiunial of Tloriciilture had aught to say on the 
subject, so it was more by good luck than sound theory or practice our— 
Christmas pudding turned out a success. 
Laugh noc, ye gardeners of England, who sit at home at ease (on 
