211 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 26, 1859. 
gravity, and, therefore, is not so bulky; and contains much 
less water. On mixing it with water a much higher tempera¬ 
ture is obtained, which conduces to the dissolving of the 
bones. But, above all, we find that in the trials which have been 
made, bones dissolved in muriatic acid have been found some¬ 
what less beneficial than others dissolved in sulphuric acid.” Mr. 
Spooner’s conclusions, after lengthened experience, are— 
1. That superphosphate of lime is the essential maaure for 
Turnips, and particularly for Swedes. (We can add, that it is 
most excellent for every kind of Cabbage, Broccoli, and Cauli¬ 
flower.) That with it alone a good crop can be raised; but 
without it the Turnip will not thrive, however rich the manure 
may otherwise be. 
2. In preparing the mixture, the bones should be in as fine a 
state as possible. 
3. That sulphuric acid, from its greater strength and cheap¬ 
ness, is preferable to muriatic acid. 
4. That water, in the proportion of one-half the weight of the 
acid, should be first sprinkled over the bones. 
5. The proportion of sulphuric acid most economical to 
employ should not be less than one-third, nor more than one- 
half the weight of the bones, and that probably the medium 
between these two quantities is most advantageous. 
6. That the mixture can be applied either with the addition of 
a considerable quantity of water, or with ashes, by means of an 
ordinary drill. That though mixed with water it may be more 
speedy in its effects, yet when mixed with ashes it can be more 
conveniently applied, and has the advantage of admitting the 
addition of a large quantity of ashes. 
7. That vitriolized bones may be used either alone or with 
other manures ; and that when the latter are at hand, it is more 
advantageous to use the former in combination with them. 
Mr. Spooner remarks that, in his experiments with super¬ 
phosphate of lime applied at the time of sowing seeds, these in¬ 
variably sprouted more quickly than other seeds sown without 
the addition of the phosphate. It seems to have the power 
generally of hastening the progress of vegetation ; and the fol¬ 
lowing from Mr. R. White shows its effect upon the Rose tree. 
“ In the autumn of 1845 I transplanted about twenty Rose 
trees ; and in consequence of seeing this substance mentioned as 
one to.be used with advantage in such a case, I tried the ex¬ 
periment on eight out of that number, by sprinkling about a 
handful on and about the roots at the time of planting. Early 
in March of this year the difference was very perceptible; the 
eight plants in question were in leaf, and quite as forward as 
those which had not been removed, while the remainder (with 
one exception) had not then started into growth. I think this 
may be taken as a proof that superphosphate of lime has a bene¬ 
ficial influence in causing the more ready formation of roots.”— 
( Gardeners' Chronicle.) 
Bone manure, whether merely ground bones or those dissolved 
in sulphuric acid, is not only beneficial to Cabbages and Turnips, 
but to all garden crops and flowers. We have noticed very great 
benefits ourselves from applying it to Peas, Beans, Asparagus, 
and Strawberries. 
Mr. Cuthbert Johnson, in his essay “ On the Uses of Bones as 
a Manure,” observes, “ There is yet another source from whence 
the phosphate of lime might be obtained in large quantities for 
the use of the farmer, viz., the fossil bones, or native phosphate of 
lime, which is found in various districts of this country in very 
considerable quantities, and would only require crushing or 
powdering to render it nearly as useful to the farmer as the recent 
bones ; for that the cartilage, or oily matter of the bone, does not 
constitute the chief fertilising quality is shown by the fact, that 
the farmers who use bone dust will as readily employ that which 
has first been used, and all its fatty portion extracted by the 
preparers of cart-grease, as they will the unused fresh bones. 
The mineral substance called the apatite, found in the Cornish 
tin mines, is nothing but phosphate of lime; 100 parts being 
composed of— 
Phosphoric acid ....... 45 
Lime ......... 55 
“ The phosphate of lime is also found in many parts of the 
north of England, in Hungary, and in immense beds in Spanish 
Estremadura, where it is said to be so common in many places, 
that the peasants make their w-alls and fences of it. One hundred 
parts of this substance, called by mineralogists the phosphorite, 
contain— 
Parts. 
Phosphoric acid and lime . 
• • 
. 93.0 
Carbonate acid .... 
• 
. 1.0 
Muriatic acid . . , , . , ,0.5 
Fluoric acid.. , 2.5 
Silica ..2.0 
Oxide of iron.1.0 
“ The inquiry as to the quantity in winch this native phosphate 
of Spain exists, having engaged the attention of the Royal Agri¬ 
cultural Society of England, Dr. Daubeny and Captain Widdring- 
ton were induced, in 1845, to make a voyage into Spain to 
examine it, and they have since published the result of their in¬ 
quiries.—( Journal Royal Agricultural Society , vol. v., p. 406.) 
They found the phosphorite rock existing in large masses a short 
distance from Logroson, a considerable village about seven 
Spanish leagues to the south-east of Truxillo, in Estremadura. 
It forms ‘ a rock varying from seven to sixteen feet in breadth, 
traceable for nearly two miles along the ground, and extending 
into the earth to a great, though as yet an unascertained, depth.’ ” 
Some specimens, analysed by these highly usefully employed 
voyagers, consisted per cent, of— 
Silica ........ 1.70 
Peroxide of iron.3.15 
Fluoride of calcium (fluor spar) ; . , 14.00 
Phosphate of lime.81:15 
How much phosphate of lime is required by our common 
garden crops, may be estimated by the following results of some 
of the experiments of various chemists:— 
100,000 1P)S. of 
Phosphoric acid, 
lbs. 
Lime. 
lbs. 
Potatoes contain . 
. . . . 40 ... 
33 
Beans 
)) * 
». . . . 292 ... 
165 
Peas 
* 
. . 190 ... 
58 
Cabbage 
» * 
. . . . 436 ... 
1822 
Beet 
» • 
. . . . 167 ... 
285 
Turnips 
JJ • 
. 73 ... 
127 
Carrots 
)> * 
. . 395 ... 
505 
Even the most delicate of our flowering stovo plants contain 
phosphate of lime; for in 10,000 grains of a Catasetum bulb Mr. 
Solly found 183 grains of earthy phosphates, and 222 grains in a 
bulb of a Bletia.— J. 
(To le continued.) 
A GOSSIP ABOUT THE BEGONIA. 
In the whole vegetable world there is not a single family which 
repays the care and attention of the cultivator so well as the 
Begonia. There is not a single genus which combines so many 
good qualities ; not one which, as our German neighbours would 
say, is so “grateful” for the pains bestowed upon it. The 
facility with which they can be propagated (for anybody can 
strike a Begonia cutting), their cheapness, generally speaking, 
and the simplicity of the treatment they require, render them 
general favourites. To write a loDg essay upon their cultivation 
would be simply an absurdity-—almost amounting to an insult to 
the reader. . All they require is a good, rich, open soil, aud a 
warm, moist place to start them in—they do not care if it is a 
hotbed or a stove—and a snug greenhouse in which to flower. 
Give them these and they are satisfied—at least the greater part 
are so. 
Some 350 species are known to botanists, but only about a 
third of the best of them are in cultivation. Some of these are 
remarkable for their graceful habit, such as B.fuchsioides and 
B. Putziesii; some for their delicious fragrance, as B. odorata; 
some for the time they remain in flower, opening one cluster 
after another continuously. I have known one plant of B. nitida 
which had two or three cymes of flowers altvays open, and some¬ 
times more, for upwards of three years ; and, for aught I know 
to the contrary, it may be in flower to this day. One cluster 
always remained till a new one was ready to take its place, Some 
species, like B. manicata and B. urophylla, produce a mass of 
flowers at one time; and as that time is early in the spring, these 
plants are very valuable for decorative purposes, or for cutting 
from for bouquets. 
B. octopetala , which was one of the best in the whole family 
for winter blooming, has, I fear, been lost; at any rate I have 
inquired for it in all the London nurseries and public gardens 
without success. It may, perhaps, still be grown in some private 
garden; and if any person has really got it he would do good 
service to the country by placing it in the hands of some one who 
would propagate it to the utmost. It is a tuberous-rooted herba¬ 
ceous species (like the old discolor or the splendid diversifolia ); 
