178 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 20, 1850. 
Bones and Supekphosphate oe Lime. —Bones are beneficial 
as a manure, because their chief constituent (phosphate of lime) 
is also a constituent of all plants ; and the gelatine which is also 
in bones is, of itself, a source of food to them. The bones of the 
ox, sheep, horse, and pig, being those usually employed, their 
analyses aro here given :—- 
Ox. 
Sheep. 
Horse. 
Pig. 
Fliospliate of lime. 
55 
70 
G8 
62 
Carbonate of lime. 
4 
S 
1 
1 
Animal matter . 
33 
25 
31 
47 
The bones must be applied to the crops in very small pieces, or in 
powder ; and ten pounds, at the time of inserting the seed, are 
enough for thirty square yards, if sown broadcast; and a much 
smaller quantity is sufficient if sprinkled along the drills in 
which the seed is sown. There is no doubt that bone-dust may 
be employed with advantage in all gardens and to all garden 
crops; but it has been experimented on most extensively with 
the Turnip and Potato, and with unfailing benefit. Mixed with 
sulphur, and drilled in with the the Turnip-seed, it has been 
found to preserve the young plants from the fly. Mr. Knight 
found it beneficial when applied largely to stone-fruit at the time 
of planting; and it is quite as good for the Yine. To lawns 
the dust has been applied with great advantage when tho grass 
ivas becoming thin. As a manure for the shrubbery, parterre, 
and greenhouse, it is also most valuable ; and, crushed as well as 
ground, is employed generally to mix with the soil of potted 
plants. Mr. Maund finds it promotes the luxuriance and beauty 
of his flowers. Ono pound of bone-dust mixed with twelve 
ounces of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol), and twelve ounces of 
water, if left to act upon each other for a day, forms superphos¬ 
phate of lime, a wine-glassful of which has been found beneficial 
to Pelargoniums. Applied as a top dressing, mixed with half its 
weight of charcoal dust, it is a good manure for Onions, and may 
be applied at the rate of nine pounds to the square rod. There is 
little doubt of this superphosphate being good for all our kitchen- 
garden crops, being more prompt in its effects upon a crop than 
simplo bone-dust, because it is soluble in water, and, therefore, 
more readily presented to the roots in a state for them to imbibe. 
Bones broken into small pieces are generally used as drainage for 
Pelargoniums and other potted plants. 
Cubic Petee is named by chemists nitrate of soda, being 
composed of sixty-two parts nitric acid, and thirty-eight parts 
soda. It is beneficial when applied to Carrots, Cabbages, Beet¬ 
root, and lawns. Ono pound sprinkled over the surface of thirty 
square yards is a sufficient quantity. Applied as a liquid manure 
to Pinks, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Lettuces, Celery, 
Fuchsias, and Dahlias, it has been found to invigorate them 
highly. For this purpose one pound should be dissolved in twelve 
gallons of water. Nitrate of soda destroys the slugs which it 
touches. 
HOUSE SEWAGE. 
The papers of your correspondent ou this subject have much 
interested me. I live in a house which stands alone, with a large 
garden round it. A tank was built below ground in a field 
hard by some years since, apparently with some such object as 
that recommended in your papers— i.e., utilising the sewage. It 
is closed, and at certain intervals has to be emptied. It over¬ 
flow's naturally, and the overflow runs through a drain formed of 
eartlienware-pipes into an open ditch. Would your correspondent 
in such a case advise us to form a reservoir to catch this over¬ 
flow, and use it ? or w'ould you have us set to work with a pump, 
and pump the contents of the tank into a large water-butt con¬ 
taining a filter formed on the plan explained in your No. 582? 
It has been suggested to me that this tank no w filters itself 
naturally ; but I am inclined to think that there would be but 
little strength for purposes of manure in the present overflow, 
which is probably little better than dirty water. Our gardener 
has looked at it, and this is his opinion :—he thinks this is merely 
the water that comes from the waste of the kitchen-pump ; and 
though it has passed into the tank, it is probably not useful as 
liquid manure.— C. R. 
[Whether the “ overflow ” is merely dirty water, depends 
upon whether the rain from the liouse-roof is allowed to run into 
tho tank, and the overflow is collected in rainy weather. Under 
those circumstances it would be little bettor than dirty water. If 
the rain from the roof does not go into the tank, then the “ over¬ 
flow ” at all times is the most valuable part of the sewage—the 
liquid contains nearly all the fertilising constituents— the black 
sediment, comparatively, is valueless as a manure. This is con¬ 
trary to old opinions; but, nevertheless, it is quite true. 
We would not recommend you to have either a second tank 
or a tub-filter, but merely to place a cinder-sifting wire-sieve 
beneath the mouth of the pipe which delivers the sewage into 
the tank. This sieve will retain all tho insoluble substances, and 
may bo emptied occasionally as it becomes full. Then have a 
common lilting-pump with its gutta-percha hoso, or leaden pipe, 
reaching to within about two feet of the bottom of the tank. If 
tho pump is kept going daily, all the liquid will be of uniform 
strength. The soapsuds and kitchen-sink water are all valuable.] 
THE CANARY AND THE BRITISH FINCHES. 
(Continued from page 99.) 
2nd.—THE HAWFINCH (Loxia coccothraustes). 
French , Le Grosbec. German, Der Kernbeisscr. 
The Hawfinch is tho largest of our English birds of this genus. 
It is about seven inches long and very stoutly made. Tho beak is 
conical in shape, but very thick and large in proportion to the 
bird and exceedingly powerful, of a flesh colour inclining to 
black or dark blue at the point. The general plumage is some¬ 
what of a drab colour, inclining to chestnut on the upper parts, 
greyer beneath. Most of the tail feathers and the large wing 
feathers are black, having a large white spot on the inner vein. 
Some of the wing feathers have a dark blue spot near their 
extremity; at the base of the beak is also a black mark with a 
black spot beneath it. 
The male and female are very much alike, except that the hen 
is rather duller in colour and slightly larger. 
In a wild state they are sliy and not very plentiful. They aro 
said to be found in Epping Forest. I have met with them at 
Bennenden and Chevening, Kent. They feed on beech-mast, 
the seeds of the hornbeam, tho kernels of haws and holly-berries, 
as also many other berries and kernels. In the neighbourhood 
of Epping Forest they are said to be destructive to green peas. 
Bechstein says they do much damage to the cherries, which they 
split open for the kernel; but they are too rare in this country 
to do much damage. While living at Bessels Green I had in my 
garden a fine yellow-berried holly that was visited by about three 
pairs of these birds every winter; aDd I have seen as many as 
eleven in one flight, but I could never induce them to enter any 
trap. 
A cock I had in confinement was very good-tempered and 
docile, and paired with a hen Canary; but, wishing to pair him 
with two hens I had at the same time, I separated him from the 
Canary—a proceeding I have ever since regretted, as I have no 
doubt they would have bred, but I could never afterwards get 
him to pair. 
The two hens, however, which I had at tho same time were 
exceedingly quarrelsome and spiteful. I put them in a large 
corner cage with the cock ; but they beat him so unmercifully I 
was obliged to take him out. Then they attacked each other; 
and one morning I found one almost scalped, her sister having 
broken her wing and bitten off the end of her beak, that I was 
obliged to kill her. 
The song of the cock bird is inferior, though it contains some 
pleasing notes ; but their continual harsh cry of “ itz, itz ” is 
unpleasant to some persons. The nest is often built in a fruit 
tree or in a thick bush, and formed of roots and twigs. The hen 
lays from three to five blunt eggs of a greenish-grey colour, 
