THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 21. 
302 
the soil in the pot afforded confirmation strong that 
something more than a solution of triple M had been 
given to them. The solution had been so long applied, 
and so many waterings had been given afterwards, that 
the only hope I could give, not of recovering the plants 
during the present season, but of saving the stock, was 
by advising the taking off the cuttings directly, and 
then shaking away the strongly-manured soil, and re¬ 
potting in poor sandy earth, after washing the roots, 
and keeping them in a close place until fresh roots were 
freely forming. So strong, however, did the soil smell 
of ammonia, that 1 must add, the chief bopo was 
founded in getting new plants from the cuttings, as the 
young shoots seemed less influenced than the older 
parts of the plant. 
There are few things in which young amateurs make 
more mistakes than thus supposing that their plants 
cannot have too much of a good thing. We know that 
even Prussic acid is useful for medical purposes, but we 
also know how small a portion will destroy the most 
robust constitution. Guano is valuable to the gardener 
as well as to the farmer for its stimulating and nutritive 
properties; but its very concentrated richness renders j 
' it necessary to use it upon tender plants with great 
caution. Even those with considerable experience 
will, at times, make a mistake with it when they 
least expect it. I lost two or three line Fuchsia plants ! 
from this cause this season. I was setting some large 
plants of these, and other things, in a veranda, where 
it was unadvisable to use much manure-water, as the 
smallest drop spilled would be seen on the white 
stone pavement. I resolved, therefore, before moss¬ 
ing the surface of the pots, to scatter just a pinch i 
of Guano on the soil, considering that each water¬ 
ing would dissolve some of its nourishing proper- 
J ties. I took a little between my thumb and two fingers, 
j in fact, the quantity was not more than I have seen 
many a devotee of tobacco-dust sniff up into bis nos- 
I trils at one pinch, and the result, on the majority of the 
i Fuchsias, has been quite equal to my expectations. But 
] either these two or three plants were less able to bear 
j this treatment, or, inadvertently, I had sprinkled over 
j their soil twice, which is not unlikely; or some young 
experimentalist, who, when the result is unfavourable, 
generally belongs to the wonderful family of “ nobody,” 
had been imitating my example. Bo this as it may, 
the plants, the day after being watered, dropped a 
number of their best leaves, and appeared as if they 
would lose more. Suspecting the cause, an attempt 
| was made to keep the plants healthy by means of the 
syringe, and to give little water, until the Guano, inti- 
, mately blended with the surface soil, had lost part of 
i its strength by exposure. This, persevered in, might 
I have saved the plants; but as they formed no agreeable 
contrast to those other plants beside them in luxuriant 
health, they were removed, and then two or three good 
waterings thoroughly finished them. This fact will 
miss its aim if it does not lead to the practice of using 
; all manorial solutions in a weak state. 
In the case, of good Guano, one ounce will make a 
strong-enough solution for four gallons, to be used for 
! the generality of soft-wooded plants, and half of that 
quantity will do for hard-wooded ones. In making up 
| repeated solutions in the same vessel, if the grounds are 
retained a less quantity must be used each time. 
I Double the above quantity may be used safely of super- 
| phosphate of lime ; and that, too, is one of the safest of 
i all the artificial manures for top-dressing a pot plant, as 
j it is a long time before the water from a watering-pot 
! washes its virtues into the soil. As much as a common- 
| sized hand can take comfortably between the thumb 
| and the two first fingers may be spread on the surface 
! soil of a pot, six to eight inches in diameter, containing 
I any soft-wooded plant it is desirable to grow with great 
rigour. Rhododendrons in pots, Camellias, &c., should 
have about half that quantity; Azaleas and Epacris, j 
when making their wood, about one-fourth as much, j 
One quart of fresh soot, and a pint of lime, will make a 
beautiful clear solution for thirty-six gallons, and half 
the quantity for the next filling; and this will do ad¬ 
mirably, now and then, for Geraniums, Calceolarias, 
Fuchsias, &c., with alternate clear water waterings, but 
at that strength it would ruin most hard-wooded plants. 
In fact, the most of them prefer something cooler*—as a 
weak solution of one-year-old cow dung. All excre¬ 
ments of animals must be used in solution with great 
care, and after they have had time to ferment and clear 
themselves when in a fresh state. There is less danger 
when using them several months old. 1 mention the 
case of these unfortunate Fuchsias as a warning, as, 
though using manure-waterings largely, 1 have not been 
i caught for many a day previously. I would, therefore, 
! strongly advise all young beginners to err on the side 
of weakness. In the place of manure-waterings, a top¬ 
dressing of from six months to one-year-old cow dung, ; 
horse dung, deer dung, or sheep dung, may be used j 
with advantage by the timid. According as the pot 
ranges from six inches to twelve, the dressing may be j 
from a quarter to one-half, and two-thirds of an inch in j 
thickness. This will do admirably for all soft-w r ooded 
quick-growing plants, and during the growing season 
the top-dressing may be renewed in six weeks or two | 
months. In the case of such plants, and also with i 
Strawberries, Cucumbers, &c., I often combine this sur 
face-dressing with weak manure-waterings. 
One word more. Just like animals, fast-growing plants 
like a change of food. I find, therefore, that it is ad 
visablc to change often the liquid-manure imparted. If ! 
attention to weakness is given, a small quantity of the j 
artificial kinds will serve a large establishment for a 
twelvemonth. 
PROTECTING GREENHOUSE PLANTS OUT-OF- 
DOORS. 
“ I have several large plants of Azaleas, Camellias, and 
Rhododendrons, which 1 am obliged to set out-of-doors in 
summer. I am aware that the pots and tubs would be 
better plunged, but then the trouble and the bother are ; 
so great. Cannot I let the heads have sunlight, and j 
keep the roots from being roasted by any other means ? ” j 
Yes; but not, as one of our friends advises, by having j 
the pots painted of a slate-colour. This would only 
make matters worse. The red pot occupies a middle 
place, as an absorber and a radiater of heat. The dark t 
colour of the slate makes it both a first-class absorbent, I 
and a first-class radiater of heat. Hence, we should not j 
consider slate-tubs the best things in the world for 
growing tender plants in out-of-doors. We should be 
afraid that the roots close to the side would endure 
something like scorching in warm days, and something 
almost amounting to freezing in cold nights. Had we 
orange-trees in slate-tubs, that we were obliged to expose 
to an unshaded sun, I should be inclined to change the 
dark colour to a light one, by painting the outside with 
a stone-colour, and making it resemble stone, by throw¬ 
ing on silver sand whilst the paint was wet. The vessel 
would thus so far be changed into a reflector, instead of 
an absorbent of heat. A similar plan might be adopted 
with large plants in pots. Those in wooden boxes 
would take no harm. Where painting was considered 
troublesome, a better plan still would be to cover the pot 
on the sides exposed to sun and light, or even all round, 
with a piece of light-coloured cloth. Anything would 
do; a piece of old mat; a wrapper of hay or straw- 
bands; a piece of turf placed round it; but the piece 
of cloth would be as effectual as any, and the lighter 
* By cooler is meant, less stimulating, owing to there being less am¬ 
monia present. 
