716 
. THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 11,1896. 
microbes are to the vegetative vigour of the 
plant; and also that nitrogen, not being 
artificially supplied, must have been 
acquired from the atmosphere through the 
agency of these microbes, seeing that the 
plants grown in pots had no other means of 
procuring it. These experiments were 
also demonstrated in the field where various 
Leguminous crops such as Beans, Red, 
White and Bokhara Clover, Lucerne, etc., 
have been grown upon the same land for 
the last forty-eight years. The soil here 
has been analysed at various depths from 
9 in. to twelve times g in., in order to 
ascertain what amount of nitrogen it con¬ 
tained. Red Clover was sown twelve times 
in twenty-nine years, and altogether failed 
to grow eight times out of the last ten 
trials. Such being the case other Legu¬ 
minous plants were tried, and produced 
crops of a varying amount according to the 
nature of their root system. Deeper root¬ 
ing kinds were able to grow where the more 
shallow rooting kinds failed. Lucerne does 
not get to its full growth till its fourth, fifth, 
or sixth year, according to the nature of the 
seasons. All this time, the roots of the 
Lucerne are penetrating deeper and deeper 
into the soil, and have been found to pene¬ 
trate to the extraordinary depth of ioo in., 
collecting nitrogen from that and lesser 
depths, and storing it in the root nodules 
near the surface, thereby leaving the land 
richer than it was before the crop was put 
there. The accumulation of nitrogen from 
such depths, by such means, is a new idea 
in the science of cultivation. The best 
manures to apply to Leguminous crops, 
Sir Henry said, were lime first, and potash 
next. The sulphate of potash was the form 
employed for the crops above mentioned. 
From a horticultural point of view, many 
lessons might be deduced with respect to 
crops of Peas, Broad Beans, Scarlet 
Runners, and Dwarf or French Beans, 
both in the matter of manures to apply and 
also in the trenching of the soil, so that the 
roots may be able to penetrate readily and 
vigorously, and thus utilise the nitrogen at 
various depths in the soil. These Legum¬ 
inous crops contain a large amount of 
nitrogen in their tissues, but they are so 
well able to appropriate the nitrogen 
present, and also to fix free nitrogen, that 
applications of manures containing that 
element of plant food are unnecessary and 
practically wasted. After the entire re¬ 
moval of the stems and seed, the roots left 
in the ground render the soil richer in 
surface nitrogen than it was before. 
The experiments with grass pastures also 
proved exceedingly interesting to everyone. 
Mr. Willis explained the results of a long 
series of trials from dried samples in the 
laboratory. Each separate grass was 
singled out from certain areas in different 
years, and the percentage of each to the 
whole of the vegetation carefully tabulated. 
In due course, the party was taken over the 
grass field where the trials are still in pro¬ 
gress by Sir Henry Gilbert. The experi¬ 
ments on permanent grass land have been 
carried on for forty-one years in succession, 
from 1856 to 1896. There are seven acres 
in The Park, divided up into twenty-two 
plots, each of which have been differently 
treated for greater or less periods of time. 
The explanations given of these plots by 
Sir Henry, would be too lengthy to give in 
detail; but several leading facts might well 
be kept in view by those who have the 
making and keeping of lawns, pleasure 
grounds and grass areas coming under the 
care and supervision of gardeners. Nitro¬ 
genous manures produce a luxuriant vege¬ 
tation, but are detrimental to maturation. 
The latter is promoted by phosphatic 
manures. Nitrogen alone is responsible for 
the dark green colour of grass. One plot 
has not received any manure since sometime 
previous to 1856, and here the greatest 
number of plants are found growing in 
association. Whenever manures are applied 
this equilibrium is disturbed according to 
the nature of the fertiliser employed. 
Where nitrogenous manures are persistently 
employed, the grasses pr certain species of 
them are more highly favoured than others, 
and gradually choke down their congeners ; 
while at the same time the Clovers die out 
entirely. The greatest weight of hay is 
obtained from those plots which are 
fertilised with mixed mineral manures 
(consisting of superphosphate, and sulphates 
of potash, soda and magnesia) and 
ammonium salts ; and from mixed mineral 
manures, silicates and ammonium salts. 
These heavy crops generally, however, 
consist of coarse grasses of indifferent feed¬ 
ing value. Mineral manures, including 
potash in the form of kainit give an increase 
of Leguminous plants, and nitrogen gives 
and increase of grasses. Where ammonium 
salts were given and no minerals, much of 
the grass died out, and there was no Clover 
whatever. Mineral manures applied for 
forty years gave fifty-five per cent, of 
nitrogen in the crop ; and this was brought 
about by the application of potash which 
favoured the growth of Leguminous plants : 
hence the result. Mineral manures and 
ammonium salts gave ninety-nine per cent, 
of grasses and a good crop. These are only 
a few of the facts detailed by Sir Henry, 
but they are sufficient to show that a 
gardener or other cultivator has it within 
his power to regulate not only the quantity 
of herbage that may grow upon a given 
area of ground but also its quality and the 
kind of plants, by the intelligent use of 
certain kinds of manure. 
The present crop of Potatos is the 
twenty-first in succession upon the same 
piece of ground. The soil consists of a 
gravelly clay with flints, and is by no means 
the most suitable for this crop; but the 
idea was to ascertain the effect of certain 
manures. The Bruce is the variety of 
Potato grown. The crop is very light 
where no manure has been applied for the 
last twenty-one years, and heaviest last 
year, where fourteen tons of farmyard 
manure to the acre have been used 
annually since 1883. Dung is very essential 
to Potatos, though they utilise less of it 
than any other crop. Nitrogen in some 
form or other is of the greatest importance 
to the Potato crop. Many other experi¬ 
ments with Wheat, Barley, Mangold 
Wurzel, Sugar Beet, &c., were detailed at 
considerable length; but space forbids 
further mention of them here. In describ¬ 
ing the rain guages, Sir Henry said, that 
analysis proved that about five pounds of 
nitrogen more or less, but never more than 
ten pounds, were obtained per acre, per 
annum, from the atmosphere, the rest being 
produced in the soil by oxidation of the soil 
and its contents. The drainage water of 
the wheatfield being collected and analysed 
proved that the loss of soil nitrogen in the 
drainage, consisted chiefly or wholly of 
nitric acid. 
- - — 
The Queen is fond of Orchids, but objects to 
strongly-scented species. 
English Strawberries are said to be so plentiful this 
year that they are ousting foreign fruit from the 
London markets. 
Novel distribution of Potatos.—A few days ago a 
Potato grower of Crowland, Lines., sent the town 
crier round to inform the public that anyone could 
have a load of Potatos free upon application. The 
space they occupied was more valuable than the 
tubers themselves. There are other growers who 
have quantities of last year’s stock still on hand. 
A Fir-Tree half-way between wood and coal was 
recently found embedded in clay about 5 in. below 
the surface of the submerged forest at Whitburn 
Bay, Sunderland. 
A Peach record for Kent.—It may be of interest to 
you to know that I gathered Early Alexander Peach 
on the 2nd inst., on a South Wall, without any pro¬ 
tection whatever. Is this not nearly a record even 
for Kent?— A. Methuen, Bayham Abbey Gardens, 
Lamberhurst, Kent. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, July 14th, in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Westminster, from 1 to 5 p.m. 
Special prizes will be offered for Roses. At 3 o'clock 
a lecture will be given by the Rev. J. H. Pemberton 
on “ New Roses.” 
Carnation and Picotee Shows.—I know the dates of 
two only of the Carnation shows, namely, the 
Midland Carnation and Picotee Society’s show to 
be held at the Edgbaston Botanical Gardens, 
Birmingham, on Wednesday and Thursday. July 
29th, and 30th, 1896; and the National Carnation 
and Picotee Society’s show, at the Crystal Palace, 
on July 22nd, 1896. I heard that the Northern 
Society had an idea of altering the date; but I 
have had no confirmation of this rumour. It is 
held at Manchester. Mr. W. W. Bentley, Stake Hill 
Works, Castleton, Manchester, is the secretary.— 
James Douglas. 
Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland.—The annual 
Rose show of this society was held in Lord Iveagh's 
Grounds, Harcourt Street, on the 2nd inst. The 
weather was unfavourable, and against a good 
attendance. The Roses, if not so numerous as on 
former occasions, were fully up to the average in 
quality. A certificate was awarded to a hybrid Tea 
Rose, named Ethel Richardson, and shown by 
Messrs. Dickson & Sons, Newtownards. Another 
new one was named Countess of Caledon. Roses 
were shown by Lord Ashtown, and Lord Ardilaun in 
fine form. Messrs. Richard Hartland & Sons, 
Lough Nursery, Cork, had a fine display of tuberous 
Begonias. Lord Ashbrook secured the first prize for 
Begonias in the amateurs’ class, after a severe com¬ 
petition. Fine foliage plants were sent from the 
Botanical Gardens. Strawberries, Cherries, Grapes, 
and vegetables were also shown in grand condition. 
Gardeners’ Royal Orphan Fund. — The sum of £7 10s. 
was taken at the ‘‘Rose Fair,” in aid of the Royal 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund last Wednesday, held in 
connection with the flower show at Croydon. The 
expenditure will not exceed ros. The tent was lent 
by Mr. John Unite, and flowers were generously 
sent by T. B. Haywood, Esq. (Treasurer to the 
Fund), A. H. Smee, Esq. (Trustee), Messrs. F. Sander 
& Co., Hugh Low & Co., J. Cheal & Sons, J. Peed 
& Sons, W. Stevens, C. Lane, and Mr. Simmonds, 
and the following exhibitors : E. M. Bethune, Esq., 
H. V. Machin, Esq., Ed. Mawley, Esq., Dr. 
Shirland, and the Corporation of Croydon. Mrs. W. 
Gunner, wife of the popular Chairman of the Horti¬ 
cultural Society, again kindly presided over the 
Sale, assisted by several young ladies, and Mr. and 
Mrs. Dart. The arrangements were admirably car¬ 
ried out by Mr. W. T. Toogood in the place of 
G. W: Cummins. 
Examination in Horticulture.—We note by the 
examiner’s report of the examination held under the 
auspices of the Royal Horticultural Society, that of 
the sixteen, who passed first class, eight of them 
were Essex students from the Central Laboratory, 
Chelmsford, where they studied under Mr. D. 
Houston, F.L.S., staff-teacher in biology to the 
Essex County Council. Four others in the first 
class studied at the Horticultural College, Swanley ; 
and the remaining four came from various places. 
Fifty-three students passed in the second class, in¬ 
cluding eighteen from the Horticultural College, 
Swanley, four from the Central Laboratory, 
Chelmsford, and the rest from various parts of 
Great Britain. Forty-nine passed in the third class, 
including ten of the Swanley students, four from 
Chelmsford, two from Dudley, two from Salisbury, 
and the rest from different parts of the country. The 
highest number of marks out of a possible 300 were 
255, obtained by Mr. E. T. Hearn, Central Labora¬ 
tory, Chelmsford. 
