184 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 22, 1857. 
white itself, or feels such a sensation from the complementsries, 
as, taken with that of the particular colour seen, makes up the 
complete sensation caused by white light. Let the reader 
watch himself the next time he comes within sight of a “ blaze 
of colour,” either in a garden, or anywhere else; and lie will 
be surprised to find how constantly liis eye turns to some 
white bed or surface, as the case may be, within view, or to 
the sky itself, or, in short, to anything that will give it relief 
from the excitement caused by the colours, and restore its 
tone. Yellow, seen by itself, does not satisfy the eye; but 
place the complementary purple by the side of it, and the 
sensation is then pleasurable in the extreme. What is more 
beautiful than pure yellow Calceolarias by the side of pure 
purple Petunias ? And the same is the case with all contrasts 
of complementary colours. 
Again, the reverse effect is produced by bringing colours 
together which are not complementary. Let the eye rest 
awhile on the flowers of Lobelia ramosoides: they are beautiful 
in themselves, it is true, but the eye seeks for something more ; 
it requires orange, say Calceolarias, in juxtaposition. Place a 
purple Verbena by the side of these Lobelias, arid the eye 
immediately turns away in disgust; and why ? Because the 
purple repeats the blue of the Lobelia, and so does not relieve 
the eye; and the red in the purple is only half of the com¬ 
plementary colour which is wanting; and instead of each 
colour heightening, the one lowers the effect of the other. 
Of this error there is no instance at once so co mm on and 
so glaring (as Mr. Beaton has remarked at the Crystal Palace), 
as the juxtaposition of orange Calceolarias and scarlet Gera¬ 
niums. Here each has an admixture of the other’s colour; 
and, consequently, instead of heightening each other’s effect— 
which is the great object and end of all juxtapositions—they 
lower it amazingly. The Geranium makes its neighbour 
appear less orange, owing to the vivid red with which the eye 
has been saturated, deteriorating the small portion of the 
same colour in the orange. And again, the orange lowers the 
scarlet of the Geranium, owing to its own vivid yellow over¬ 
powering the small quantity of yellow comprised in the 
scarlet. 
It is obvious that if these laws of the juxtaposition of 
colours be rigidly adhered to, (and I scarcely need say that 
no garden can be planted in good taste unless they are), it 
{ becomes a matter of no small difficulty to plant a garden quite 
successfully. Perhaps most people have already found this to 
be the case. And the difficulty woidd be immensely increased 
were it not for the circumstances that the foliage of the plants, 
which Nature almost always harmonises in colour with the 
flowers, and the green grass which usually surrounds them, 
prevent any very inharmonious contrasts. I may observe that 
the green of the grass acts in two ways. With certain 
colours, such as all shades of reds, pinks, &c., it forms a com¬ 
plementary, or nearly so ; and with all other colours which 
are light , such as yellow and orange Calceolarias, very pale 
lavender, and the whites, it produces its favourable effect by 
forming a dark ground. I omitted to mention before that 
both white and black heighten the effect of all colours by 
contrast when in juxtaposition. The only colours which are 
weakened by the green grass are dark ones, such as blues and 
purples ; and this for two reasons, which the careful reader 
cannot fail to see. Hence it follows, that blues and purples 
are the two colours which most of all require attention in 
planting a garden, so as to have tlxcir complementaries in 
j uxtaposition : they should bo near white flowers, or those of 
some orange tint. 
The length of this article warns me to stop ; otherwise the 
subject is an inexhaustible one, and would occupy a volume, 
but I think I have said enough to form a groundwork for 
beginners to work upon.—H. C. IC, Rectory, Hereford. 
Perhaps 1. ought to explain that, when I state that 
“ the eye is naturally disposed to seek white light,” and finds 
relief in turning to it, I do not mean white brilliantly 
lighted up, which, of course, is dazzling in the extreme; but, 
simply, white which is not dazzling. The tones of whites 
■\ ary from a cool grey, which affords the greatest amount of 
repose to the eye, to the brilliant white of the sun itself at 
noon. 
[We shall be very glad to hear further from you.— Ed. C. G.] 
| NEW BOOKS. 
A Treatise on the Potato Disease.* —This is an ex¬ 
traordinarily confused pamphlet of sixty pages; the first third 
of which are occupied with an imperfect history of the 
Potato, and of the distress occasioned in Ireland by its failure. 
As to the disease, the author’s opinion, and the value of that 
opinion, may be gathered from this sentence—“ Ammonia is 
a propagator and conductor, in one way or another, of all 
diseases incidental to vegetable, animal, or human life.” As 
a remedy, he recommends sulphate of lime, caustic lime, “or 
any other article,” “ which will neutralize free ammonia or 
evolve it.” No one but the author woidd say that to neutralize 
and to evolve are the same. Let no one waste their money 
upon such a tissue of ignorance, and irrelevant rubbish. 
Tiie Cultivation of the MusnROOM.f —This is a very 
different production; and is full, from page to page, of sound, 
practice-founded information relative to Mushroom culture. 
Here is a specimen:— 
“ Question. In what condition should the manure be ? 
“ Answer . I care not liow the dung is for the under part of 
the bed, provided there are about six inches of droppings, 
and unheated dung for the surface, all quite dry; if fresh 
dung be trodden very hard, it stops over-heating, and retains 
the heat longer, saving all the ammonia and other salts. 
“ Q. What should the thickness of the dung be ? 
“ A. All my beds are from one foot to one foot six inches 
deep. 
“ Q, How do you let out the heat ? 
“ A. By making holes, six inches deep, and one foot apart, 
in regular rows ; and when the heat is reduced to 80°, these 
holes are filled to within three inches of the surface with 
droppings ; then the spawn is inserted in each hole. 
“ Q. What should be the exact temperature of a Mushroom 
bed? 
“ A. September heat, or about 60° to 70°, on the bed’s 
surface. This heat can always be maintained by hay and 
mats, or otherwise. 
“ Q. How far will a bushel of spawn go ? 
“ A. About one hundred square feet. 
“ Q. Should the bed be moulded at once? 
“A. Not when made up ; but immediately when spawned. 
“ Q- Wliat is the right soil ? should it be dry or wet ? 
“ A. A soft, soapy, loamy, yellow, sandy soil is always best; 
but rich, light, dark-sandy soil does well. Never use clay, or 
chalky, or limy soil. It matters not much whether the soil 
be thy or wet, as it must be made wet to get it very solid 
when finished. 
“ Q. What thickness ought the mould to be when put on to 
the bed ? 
“ A. Four inches, if a loamy soil; and when tins has been 
trodden down and beaten with the back of the spade, it will 
then be about two inches tliick; if light, sandy mould, not 
less than five inches. 
“ Q. When should a bed be first watered ? 
“ A. From six to eight iveeks after formation; but that will 
depend upon the dryness of the dung when made up. Mind, 
as before said, to guard against too much heat and moisture. 
Soft water should be used, never pump water; in winter let 
the chill be taken off it. 
“ Q. How much water should be given at a time, and how 
often P 
“ A. Very difficult to say ; but not less than half a gallon 
to a square yard; liquid manure water, half and half. 
“ Watering I may add, depends much on the situation of 
the bed, as well as the state of the weather.” 
The Rose.J —This is well worth the sixpence charged for 
it. It contains the experience of a Rose cultivator, and is 
abounding in useful information. There is only one omission 
which strikes us—nothing is said about growing Roses on 
their own roots. Now, we believe that no Rose will grow so 
well when budded, either upon a Manetti or Dog-rose stock, 
as it would if supported by its own roots. 
* A Treat ise on the Potato Disease , &c. By Richard Caiess, London. 
+ A Treatise on the Cultivation of the Mushroom. By James Cuthill, 
London, 
t Cultural Directions for the Rose , a calendar of operations, &c., 
By John Cranston, London. 
