THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Apeil 5, 1859. 
9 
and retained most abundantly by a soil which is in the most 
friable state. Professor Schubler found, that 1000 grains of still' 
clay absorbed in twenty-four hours only thirty-six grains of 
moisture from the air ; whilst garden mould absorbed in the same 
time forty-five grains; and fine magnesia seventy-six grains. 
Then, again, pulverising the soil enables it better to retain the 
moisture absorbed. This we demonstrated some years since; and 
tlie reason is, obviously, because a hard soil becomes heated by 
the sun’s rays much more rapidly than one with a loosened tex¬ 
ture. The latter is better permeated by the air, which is one of 
the worst conductors of heat. We are glad to find our opinions 
confirmed by so practical and so intelligent a man as Mr. Barnes, 
gardener to Lady Rolle, at Bioton Gardens, Devonshire. lie 
says ( Gardeners' Magazine, September, 1843), “ I do not agree 
with those who tell us one good weeding is worth two hoeings, 
I say, never weed any crop in which a hoe can be got between 
the plants ; not so much for the sake of destroying weeds and 
vermin, which must necessarily be the case if hoeing be done well, 
as for increasing the porosity of the soil, to allow the water and 
air to penetrate freely through it. I am well convinced, by long 
and close practice, that oftentimes there is more benefit derived 
by crops from keeping them well hoed, than there is from the 
manure applied. Weeds, or no weeds, still I keep stirring the 
soil; well knowing, from practice, the very beneficial effect which 
it has. 
“ Raking the surface fine, I have almost wholly dispensed with 
in every department. By hoeing with judgment and foresight, 
tlie surface can be left even, wholesome, and porous; and three 
hoeings can be accomplished to one hoeing and raking. Much 
injury is done by raking the surface so very much. It is not only 
the means of binding and caking the surface, but it clears the 
stones off as well.* The earth, in its natural state, has stones, &c., 
to keep it open and porous, &c. If the earth is sufficiently 
drained, either naturally or otherwise, and the surface kept open, 
there is no fear of suffering either from drought or moisture.” 
Exposing the soil in ridges during the winter is usually practised 
by gardeners for the purpose of destroying predatory vermin ; but 
it is also beneficial by aiding the atmosphere to pervade its texture, 
which texture is also rendered much more friable by the frost. 
M. Schubler says, that freezing reduces the consistency of soils 
most remarkably ; and that, in the case of clays and other adhesive 
soils, the diminution of this consistency amounts to at least fifty 
per cent. In hoeing clay, he found it reduced from sixty-nine to 
forty-five ot the scale already stated; and in the ordinary arable 
soil from thirty-three to twenty. He satisfactorily explains this 
phenomenon, by observing that the crystals 6f ice pervading the 
entire substance of the frozen soil necessarily separate the particles 
of earth, rendering their points of cont act fewer.—J. 
(To be continued .) 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
EORCED POTATOES FLAGGING. 
Early in January I had a bed of leaves made up for Potatoes, 
about three feet thick, for a three-light frame ; and, on the 26th, 
I put ou about four inohes of soil, then planted the Potatoes— 
Ash-leaved Kidneys, which had sprouted about two inches ; then 
covered them with about three inches of the same soil, which 
was composed of well-decayed leaf mould, some light loam, and 
soil from an old Cucumber-bed, in about equal parts. There was 
a nice bottom heat, about that of new milk, or, say a few degrees 
hotter, and the Potatoes grew well and strong, but not too strong 
for a good produce. About a fortnight since, I earthed them by 
putting a little soil so as to form ridges, and they have con¬ 
tinued to thrive well up to the present time. On Wednesday, I 
observed one top hanging its head as if in want of water, but I 
thrust my hand to the roots, and the soil was neither wet nor 
dry. Yesterday, I saw two more flagging like the other, so I 
1 bought I would give them a little water. I procured two 
large water-cans of water, just warm, and gave it them through a 
rose.; but this day (Friday), there are several more in the same 
drooping state. The water had reached the roots, and I examined 
the stems and can find nothing the matter with them. I expected 
to find rotting, or cankering, but they are sound and well. There 
is still a nice bottom heat, not at all hot. I have given abund¬ 
ance of am, taking the lights off daily, except when the wind has 
* A finely pulverised even surface cakes after rain much more than a 
surface rather rough. 
been too cutting; and, on mild nights, I have tilted the lights a 
little at the back, with the ends of the mats hanging over them. 
I found some tubers about the, size of a small Walnut.”—G. C. 
[We have had Potatoes present the above appearance from two 
causes,—when the bottom heat was rather too much ; and when, 
after dull weather, we have had a very bright sunny day or two. 
In the latter case, a slight sprinkling over the foliage, and a little 
shade made all right. It was the suddenness of the change from 
shade to sunshine. 
You can have each of the covers, if you send the price hi postage 
stamps, with two additional stamps for pre-payment by post.] 
TREATMENT OF AZALEA 1NDICA. 
“ L. P. would feel greatly obliged for some information respect¬ 
ing Indian Azaleas for the conservatory. She had a number of 
plants from the neighbourhood of London, three years ago. The 
first year they flowered very beautifully ; last winter they fell off'a 
little; and this winter they are nearly all without any signs of 
flower. By the advice of a landscape gardener (since dead), they 
were placed under the shade of a wall, after flowering, along with 
Camellias and other greenhouse plants.” 
[Keep them close and warm, and syringe them frequently until 
the young growth is two or more inches in length; then expose 
to all the sun possible, and keep them in the house until you feel 
the points of the shoots getting firm, and not growing more. 
After that, either the house, or a sheltered place out of doors, but 
not much shaded, will suit them. House m good time.] 
FIGS IN A YINERY—GREENHOUSE CLIMBERS. 
“ I am about to erect two new vineries, one for early-forcing 
and the other for late Grapes. The houses are to be lean:to. 
Against the wall, where the houses are to be erected, are Fig trees. 
Can both fruits be successfully grown under one cover ? Also, 
will you give me a fist of the twenty-four best greenhouse 
climbers ? P. Pikdeb. 
[The Figs will thrive against the back wall, provided the roots 
are not stunted by want of room, and each stem of your Vines is 
from four to six feet from its neighbour. If your Vines are closer, 
and there is not an open space in the centre of each light, your 
Figs will grow, but not fruit. 
Climbers strong :—Habrothamnus elegans, Mandevilla suaveo- 
lens, Passiflora ccerulea, P. alata-coerulea, P. Colvillii, P. edulis, 
Tasconia pinnatistipula, T. mollissima, Lapageria rosea, Plumbago 
Capensis, Kennedya nigricans, K. Marryattse. 
Climbers weaker .—Brachysema latifolium, Sollya heterophylla, 
S. linearis, Bignonia Chirere, Jasminum volubile, Kennedya coc- 
cinea, K. rubicunda, K. Comptoniana, K. dilatata, K. heterophylla, 
K. mouophylla, Jasminum grandiflorum.] 
PIT FOR MELONS AND CUCUMBERS. 
“ It is to be heated by dung ; and, as it is not wanted for very 
early work, there is no provision for linings—say the the 1st of 
February, for a start—will there be heat enough ? The pit will 
be six feet deep at the back, and four feet and a half in front, 
by eight feet wide. There are double walls and vacuums to 
prevent radiation; the vacuums to communicate with the in¬ 
terior, which will supply a little top heat. There _ will be six 
inches of wood above the wall at the back, and three in the front, 
to open as ventilators, to prevent the necessity of tilting up the 
sashes. The top of the inner back wall and chamber will form a 
box to plunge pot plants, and the front will also serve for seed- 
pans and small pots.”—A. R. &., Cumberland. 
[The pit is evidently designed upon some of the principles 
lately adverted to ; only the walls are distinct and double, with an 
open space between them. If that space were shut in air-tight, it 
would prevent radiation of heat from within more than a hollow 
wall, because conduction of heat wmuld go on by means of the 
cross-tie bricks. But, in your case, as you have the vacuum between 
the walls partly open, in order that the heat may get into the 
atmosphere, your double walls do not prevent the heat from the 
dung radiating and being conducted too; only you keep it in the 
house more, though part of that heat will also heat the outside wall, 
and thus get into the earth and air that bound it. If the space 
