THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
| September in. 
I female, from the collection of Mr. Dale. The species 19 of 
1 considerable interest, having been regarded- by Curtis 
and Stephens as Trichopterous, whilst Mr. Westwood 
regards it as Lepidopterous. The last-named member 
j stated, that he had been informed by a correspondent, 
| that the crop of White Mustard seed, near Ely, was at 
present infested by a small blue beetle, Phaxlon Be tula 
which attacked it in myriads, gnawing the rind off the 
stems and seed-pods, and then injuring the seed. He 
also exhibited drawings cf a species of Accirus, which 
had been found in great masses at the foot of a recently 
made hay-rick, re-appearing ngain after having been 
cleared away; likewise specimens of a species of 
Ckelifer, which he had received from a correspondent, 
by whom they had been found in considerable numbers 
upon Melons growing in frames, and which had, conse¬ 
quently, been regarded as injurious to the fruit. Messrs. 
Curtis and Walker, however, considered that their object 
was to feed upon other insects infesting the plants, and 
ought rather to be considered as beneficial. 
Mr. Walkeys communicated a note in which the 
common Wasp was stated to have been observed gnaw¬ 
ing off the outsides of the dried stalks of nettles; and 
W. E. Smith stated, that he had had a nest of Vespa 
rufa for two or three months, the workers of which 
were repeatedly observed gnawing off the outside of his 
deal store-boxes in order to obtain materials for their 
nests, which are thus evidently not always formed of 
fungoid matter, as has recently been asserted by several 
members of the Microscopical Society. 
Mr. G. F. Wilson communicated some seeds from 
Ceara, of the Gopernicia cerifcra, or wax palm of the 
Brazils (from which is obtained the Carnahuba wax), 
the interior of which had been devoured by the larvae 
of Caryopcmon Badris, a large species of Bruchidae, a 
family allied to the Weevils, having similar habits to 
those of the Pea-Weevil, Bruclius Pisi. 
MANURES—THEIR USE AND ABUSE. 
It may seem rather strange, at first sight, to enter 
into a discourse on Potatoes as a preliminary to an ex¬ 
amination of the question which stands here for discus¬ 
sion, but before I have concluded the little advice I have 
to offer, I hope some meaning will attach to this seem¬ 
ingly erratic course. 
It is really lamentable, when we look around 11 s, 
to observe the misconceptions that exist with regard 
to the application of manures. Writers who cater for J 
the gardening public, and who, in doing so, of course, 
examine into every question with a critical eye, as in 
duty bound, sometimes deem it necessary to recom¬ 
mend the use of high stimulants, and then, forsooth, 
turn round and talk about checks, about the necessity 
of subduing luxuriance or grossness. Such will, very 
naturally, appear to “ blow hot and cold ” to those who 
have not had the same chance of penetrating nature’s 
secrets. They, perhaps, recommend a liberal use of 
liquid-manures; they may point to guano as a most 
convenient and powerful combination of most of those 
elements which are eminently qualified to give strong 
impulses to vegetation in a needy state, and almost 
before their ink is dry, they may glance over some 
account of a most gross misapplication of stimulating, 
471 
enough to causa them to dread tho responsibility of 
having written so strongly. And what shall we say? 
Perhaps quote the old saying, “Children should not play 
with edge tools.” I hope, however, the apparent rude¬ 
ness of this quotation may he pardoned for the sako of 
the object in view. We are all excessively ignorant of 
something, and we must bear to be taught on that sub¬ 
ject, and now and then to receive a home thrust or two. 
After all the pros and cons about Potato culture, 
necessarily much modified by the altered position of this 
root, all the world now, I believe, agrees that late sorts of 
Potatoes, and late planting, must ho repudiated in the 
most decisive way. As to early planting, it is equally well 
known, that for main crops Potatoes should not break 
ground before the second week in May. Here, then, are, I 
conceive, the two points on which the Potato case turns. 
Now, it is quite manifest, that since the disease has an¬ 
nually visited us about the middle of July, the Potato 
has a very limited period in which to spring from the 
soil, become a strong plant, and mature a crop of tubers ; 
it is evident, therefore, that no time may be lost when 
the Potato rises above the soil. These things admitted, 
it becomes us to ask, what kind of manure, compost, or 
culture, is best adapted to attain the end in view. And 
this brings me to the point I wish to direct attention to, 
viz., the vast difference between a slow and long-acting 
manure, and one that is more sudden in acting, and, by 
consequence, sooner exhausted. Such a manure as the 
latter I have abundant proofs of in guano ; ordinary 
horse manure, or, indeed, that of any cattle containing 
much organic matter in a somewhat raw state, is of the 
former character. 1 have before stated, in these columns, 
I believe, that guano, if good, has been found to accom¬ 
plish the prime objects of Potato culture as here sug¬ 
gested, and has proved itself, in a majority of cases, 
much safer than farm-yard manure. It has been found, 
that crops principally stimulated by guano made a 
strong plant in less time than by ordinary manure, and 
that this'precocity extended to the tubers; that the 
haulm, moreover, does not continue to ramble so late in 
the summer, or, in other words, that a crop of good- 
sized Potatoes come earlier to hand. 
Now, from this a hint maybe taken as to other crops; 
for it must be admitted, I suppose, as a principle, that 
every one who has to do with garden or field crops, 
should so calculate his matter as that any given crop 
should have the right amount of the right kind of 
manure; and that time requisite for the perfecting 
of the crop be taken fully into consideration. Thus, a 
gardener is preparing beds for Asparagus; he wishes his 
beds to bo of a permanent character, and he buries 
manure, in various stages of decomposition, to a con¬ 
siderable depth; knowing full well, that although he 
may lose a little quality through the soluble portions, 
the plants not being fully prepared to appropriate it, 
yet, that the slowly-decomposing character of the organic 
matter will, for years, furnish at least a kind of humus, 
which will prove of abiding utility. But what would 
be thought of the same person if I 10 were found making 
the same preparation in March for a bed of summer 
Spinach, one of the most ephemeral of our garden 
crops? Why, any one acquainted with crops, and the 
capabilities of manures, would, in true Beatonian style, 
pronounce him “ daft.” This, by way of illustration, 
and in order to pave the way to a perception of the 
subject; for these things, we may bo assured, are but ill- 
understood by the million. Certainly, if any man, a 
complete master of his profession, so manures and crops 
a given plot of ground, as that by a well-judged fore¬ 
cast he can foresee the capabilities of this dressing to 
carry out a given rotation, all very well; but not every 
man has this skill, which is the result of long ex¬ 
perience, for I grieve to say science has done but little 
for us as yet. 
