1884.] 
LUCULIA GBATISSIMA.-MUSHEOOMS FOE THE MILLION. 
35 
consist of a monotonous number of curves, 
often painfully abrupt; and wlien all is finished, 
the plantation is as ugly and unnatural as could 
possibly be devised. 
Trees and shrubs form outlines of their own, 
and when clumps of them are not massive and 
compact, the landscape is sadly marred after 
a few years’ growth has been made ; and the 
greater the distance from which the outline is 
seen, the more offensive it appears. Thin, 
narrow belts enclosing parks are particularly 
objectionable, and except there is a special 
reason for entirely enclosing the property with 
trees, such should never be attempted, but 
openings left wide and free, allowing the eye 
to range as far as possible over hill and dale. 
Thus the owner of a comparatively small pro¬ 
perty may enjoy the same advantages as the 
owner of a gigantic park. When systematic 
planting is performed, due consideration should 
be exercised as to what the plants are to be 
when fully grown.—M. Temple, Carron House, 
Stirlingshire. 
LUCULIA UKATISSIMA. 
^HIS plant is a great favourite with the 
ladies. It comes into blossom at the 
dull season of the year, which is one 
good quality. Another great recom¬ 
mendation is that it is of easy cultivation, 
being generally grown along with Camellias, 
under the treatment given to which it grows 
and does well. We find it to grow equally 
well planted against the back wall of a vinery, 
neither the distance from the glass, nor the 
shade, appearing to affect it in any hurtful 
way. During the last few years our plant so 
treated has grown and flowered remarkably 
well, and now (February 1) it is just begin¬ 
ning to unfold its blooms, which will be cut as 
fast as they open. 
The border in which this plant is growing is 
about fifteen inches wide, by eighteen inches 
deep, and consists of nothing but light sandy 
loam, but it receives copious waterings, and a 
good dressing with manure. Whenever the 
vines are being attended to it always comes in 
for a share in the way of manuring and water¬ 
ing ; and it has plenty of the syringe as long 
as the heat is kept on for the vines, but after 
that its use is discontinued, unless it be to 
give an occasional washing with paraffin water, 
to keep it clear of insects. We have not 
pruned the plant since it was planted—no 
further indeed than what it gets by cutting off 
the flowers, and then only a few inches of 
wood are cut with the blossoms.—A. Hendee- 
SON, Thoreslnj. 
MUSHROOMS FOR THE MILLION.^ 
appearance of a second edition of 
this little work within a few weeks of 
its original publication attests the fact 
that it supplied a want which was felt. 
Though indoor culture is not wholly ignored, 
the book may be taken as being mainly a 
guide to the outdoor cultivation of this valu¬ 
able esculent, for which purpose the instruc¬ 
tions afforded are exhaustive. The author 
certainly does his best to prove that the crop 
from outdoor beds of Mushrooms is a highly 
profitable one, and his figures and arguments 
seem to be unimpeachable. One great merit 
of this admirable treatise is its lucidity, both 
as regards the method of producing, and then 
of disposing of the crops. July we are told is 
the best time for novices to begin collecting 
the necessary manure ; in three weeks it will 
be ready for making the beds, and a week later 
these may be spawned ; then after eight weeks’ 
interval Mushrooms will appear, and the bed 
will continue productive for three months. 
As to the profits of growing Mushrooms for the 
market, on the plan laid down in this book, 
Mr. Wright shows from statistics that there 
may be realised a profit per acre of over £850 
per annum, and that a still higher average 
profit—£950—is actually realised in the in¬ 
stance on which his calculations are founded. 
To show the style of the hook we quote a 
page or two on the important subject of pre¬ 
paring the materials for the beds :— 
“ In preparing manure for Mushroom beds, 
two what may be termed extreme practices 
have been more or less generally advocated, 
and one of them has been extensively adopted. 
These practices will be mentioned in order 
that they may be avoided, for both are faulty. 
The first and very common plan is to gather 
horse droppings from the stables daily, 
excluding all straw from them. By this 
mode, if there are few horses, a consider¬ 
able time elapses before sufficient material 
is obtained for a bed. In the meantime 
the droppings are spread as thinly as pos¬ 
sible in a shed, and at least a portion of 
them become so dry that there is little virtue 
left in them ; and even if the mycelium spreads 
^ 3fushvoon7s fov tJiP- JifUlion, IllustTdted. a practical 
Treatise on the cultivation of the most profitahle outdoor 
crop known. By John Wright, Assistant Editor of the 
Journal of Horticulture. London, 1883. pp. 93. 
