AUGUST. 
251 
The good effects of this, mixed as above stated, upon every kind of 
vegetable, as well as on florists’ florists, are probably not generally 
known to gardeners. When used it must be very largely diluted, or 
it will kill the plants, instead of acting beneficially. It may be said, 
that if water be added to the dried superphosphate that is sold in the 
manure market, and the liquid drawn off after it has been allowed to 
settle, the same solution may be obtained. I grant it may, but not to 
the same extent, nor so pure, containing as it does so large a per 
centage of nearly insoluble matter. Besides, the bought article cannot 
always be depended upon, for, as has been frequently adverted to, and 
proved by the analyses of Professor Way, Dr. Anderson, and others, 
not one-half of what is offered for sale contains a particle of biphosphate. 
The plan I should recommend those to adopt for gardening purposes 
who cannot prepare the article themselves, is to get from a respectable 
manufacturer the liquid separate in jars, and the residue sulphate of 
lime in an evaporated state, without any admixture whatever, which I 
have found to be a valuable application, incorporated with dung, to 
Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Celery, all the Brassica tribe, &c., as well as if 
diffused alone in promoting the appearance naturally of white Clover on 
Grass plots, and greatly improving the colour of the sward. 
Being shaded for a short period the plants did not droop in the 
slightest degree, and as they were again watered several times at 
intervals afterwards with the same composition always very much 
diluted, they not only grew most vigorously, but displayed a vast 
profusion of blossom. In order to prevent the stems from bending 
over these were closely secured to the paling, as they increased in 
length, with tarred line, such as is used for thatching, nailed across 
them, all superfluous and crowding shoots being cut away as they 
appeared, for the purpose of admitting air and sun to the branches 
intended to mature fruit. Each plant was trained in the shape of a 
fan, and in course of time showed an immense quantity of fruit. As 
it was impossible that above a tithe of it could come to perfection, I 
thinned out the smallest from the bunches and removed the extremi¬ 
ties of the shoots when they had reached the top of the paling, 6 feet 
high, in order to throw strength into the fruit. The effect produced, 
first from the numerous flowers, and then from the hanging red Apples, 
was exceedingly beautiful. 
Upon gathering, the following was obtained—from one plant 73, 
another 65, and the third 68, in all 206. The largest measured full 
9 inches in circumference, the smallest about 6^ inches, and the weight 
of the whole amounted to 42 lbs. 9 ozs., a pretty fair return, I think, 
from three plants. The crop, however, did not all ripen at one time, 
some of it having been gathered in September and October, and the 
remainder early in November, before any was damaged by frost. I 
attribute the astonishing vigour and fecundity of these plants in a great 
measure to the application of the guano and soluble phosphate, because 
of two others that I grew also against the paling by way of experi¬ 
ment, one was watered in the same manner and at the same periods 
with merely liquid cow manure, and the other with water alone. The 
former certainly grew as tall, but had not nearly as much fruit upon it 
