Oct. 18th, 1884. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
109 
seeded from Adam, or President, crossed with Xavier 
Olibo. I have been trying all I can to get another 
seedling from the same cross, but without success. Per¬ 
haps it may interest your readers to know on authority 
that ‘ William F. Bennett ’ will, in all probability, be in 
commerce in May, 1885, as, at the request of so many 
of my correspondents, wishing to possess this rose, 
I think it only right to withdraw the restriction. The 
matter is now in Mr. Evans’ hands, as to the price and 
time of distribution. I have been growing Sunset and 
Perle des Jardins under precisely similar circum¬ 
stances, and they appear identical in growth and 
habit, but the blooms of Sunset are not quite so full, 
which I think is an advantage. It is almost sure to be 
a popular rose. Perle des Jardins is not a profitable 
rose under glass, with me. I can always get the 
second batch of William F. Bennett before I can cut a 
single bloom of Perle les Jardins.” 
The Double Black Auricula. —Can any one 
give me the origin of this ? I know of no single 
Auricula of the same character and colour from which 
I can conceive it can have sported. The flowers are 
small, and produced on somewhat weakly stems, but 
they are fully double and symmetrical. But it falls 
much behind some of the fine double varieties I have 
obtained from the Continent, such as Delicata, 
Hercules, Lilacina, Violetta, and Portia. I am 
hopeful that I shall be able to exhibit a collection of 
these in the spring. It takes some time to work up 
a collection, and having now a few good strong plants 
of each, I think I shall be able to show them in good 
form. It would be interesting to know also when and 
where the old double yellow originated. Sometimes a 
raiser of seeds of Alpine Auriculas gets a double flower 
somewhat unexpectedly. Two cases have come to my 
knowledge during the last two or three years; one of 
them was very fine, and quite distinct from anything 
I have in my collection.—if. D. 
- 0 -■ 1 -^ * 
THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENE¬ 
VOLENT INSTITUTION. 
May I ask you to allow me to announce in reply to 
numerous inquiries that the collection for this year in 
aid of the Pension Augmentation Fund will close on 
the 30th of November next ? 
The Committee are determined if possible to 
increase the amount of the pensions, but they do not 
consider it safe (and this has been frequently stated) 
to make this large increase of expenditure (over £400 
a year) until the reserve fund has reached £20,000, 
thus placing the question beyond doubt that the 
annuities can always be met. 
I have grave doubts whether many of your readers 
are aware of the fact that a nameless, but generous, 
gentleman has promised (and he spoke to me on the 
subject again but a few days ago) to give the sum of 
£500, provided the amount of £1,750 be secured by 
the 31st December next, thus making the £20,000, 
which, invested in 3 Per Cent. Consols, would bring in 
an income of £600 per annum. 
By the strenuous exertions of the Committee we are 
within a reasonable distance of attaining the desired 
object, but it depends upon the' gardeners themselves 
now whether we do so or not. To complete the sum 
of £20,000 we require about £420, but I regret to say 
that, so far as I can at present see, there is little 
chance of it being obtained. It is a curious fact that 
many gardeners and others who have been persistent 
in urging the increase of the pensions, and stating 
what they would do in the event of it taking place, 
will not in the slightest degree assist the Committee. 
I am sure you will agree with me that it will be a 
lasting disgrace to the profession that throughout the 
length and breadth of Old England, where over 20,000 
gardeners are employed, the paltry sum of £420 cannot 
be raised. True (as a rule) gardeners do not receive 
large wages, if they did there would hardly be a 
necessity for this Institution; but there are many 
gardeners holding good positions to whom a trifle, say 
10s. or 20s., could not and would not be an object; 
and if these would only combine together in one 
common cause (viz., to assist their distressed brethren), 
and sink then' objections to this rule and that rule, 
the object of the Committee would be easily attained, 
and they would have the satisfaction of knowing that 
they had contributed to assist in their old age many 
who from various circumstances had been unable to 
provide for themselves. 
Why the gardeners withhold support to the Institu¬ 
tion I, after an experience of forty-two years, am at a 
loss to understand. They are as a rule known to be 
charitable and a good and intelligent class of men, but 
somehow they fail to see the benefits of, and support, 
the Institution. How often has it been my unpleasant 
experience to see a man who has lived all his life and 
served with fidelity in one family, have the misfortune 
to see that family die out, and the estate to pass into 
the hands of a stranger, who knows nothing of, and 
cares less for, the old servant. Such men are dis¬ 
charged without any provision, and having probably 
but little in the way of savings, have to apply to this 
Institution for assistance. 
If he has been a subscriber for fifteen years and 
upwards (which I am sorry to say is not a common 
occurrence), and he complies with the rules, he is, 
at the first opportunity, placed upon the list of 
pensioners without the slightest trouble or election, 
and in one year he receives back nearly all that he has 
paid to the institution. As an example I would 
state that one pensioner who had subscribed eighteen 
years was placed on the list in 1860, he has received 
the sum of £384, and he is still living ; surely this is 
placing money out to very good interest. If a gardener 
has not so subscribed he has to stand the chance of an 
election, and that may, and it usually does, extend 
over many years, and we all know the old proverb 
“ that hope deferred maketh the heart sick.” 
Under these circumstances I venture to appeal to 
the good feeling which should, and I believe does, 
exist throughout the gardening community. It now 
remains with the gardeners, and gardeners alone, 
to determine whether the pensions shall be raised 
during the ensuing year. Gentlemen, employers of 
labour, and others interested in horticulture have 
done then- part, and, as I said before, it depends 
now upon gardeners if the comforts of their poor 
professional brethren in their old age and days of 
distress are to be increased. 
One word in conclusion. I am sure, that if the 
gardeners, as a body, will only show their willingness 
to assist the Institution, there are many gentlemen 
who will come forward with their money and influence; 
and one thing is certain, that any gardener who may 
lend us a hand, with no matter how small an amount 
(for a man can only give in proportion to his means) 
he will never regret his generosity, and will sleep none 
the less soundly for having assisted to the best of his 
ability in this work of charity.— Ediv. R. Cutler, 
14, Tavistock Row, Covent Garden, JV.C. October 15th. 
-— 
HOME MANURES FOR THE 
GARDEN. 
(Continued from p. 85.) 
Pig-dung varies in character probably more than 
that of any of our domestic animals, for pigs are of 
all creatures the most indiscriminate in their diet, 
and their excrements must, on that account, vary 
much, according to the kind of food they may happen 
in any particular case to obtain. Their digestive 
organs are, moreover, very powerful, and we may, 
therefore, suppose that they abstract more nourishing, 
and consequently more manuring, matters from their 
food than other animals. The dung of the pig is soft 
and compact, and generally consists of about three 
parts of water, and it is only when the animals are 
highly fed with Beans, Peas, Barley-meal, or similar 
invigorating foods for the purposes of fattening that 
the excrements become of superior value. 
Containing so much water and so little nitrogen 
the dung, like that from cows, but slowly undergoes 
decomposition in the soil, and is, therefore, regarded 
as one of the “ cold manures.” In consequence also 
of the immense quantity of fluid usually consumed 
by pigs in the course of feeding, they discharge a 
correspondingly large amount of urine, which acquires 
in putrefaction the most intolerable odour, occasioned 
by a peculiar volatile substance, which renders 
piggeries of the greatest nuisance when placed in the 
vicinity of dwelling-houses. 
Pig-manure, when applied to gardens, will be found 
generally to encourage the accumulation of slugs, 
snake-millepedes, and other noxious insects, it should, 
therefore, not be used, if it can be avoided, for the 
growth of Potatos, Celery, Carrots, Beans, Peas, or 
other of the more delicate vegetables, but should 
rather be employed for the grosser-feeding plants, 
such as Cabbage, Broccoli, Turnips, Brussels Sprouts, 
Beet, Parsnips, Onions, Leeks, and Bhubarb, or it 
may be dug in around fruit-trees with good effect. 
If pig-dung is used too frequently on the stiffer 
classes of land, the soil will be found to acquire a wet 
and tenacious character, and on such soil the manure 
often imparts an unpleasant flavour to Potatos and 
Celery. 
Neither cow nor pig-manure is suitable for the 
flower-garden. 
Sheep-dung contains somewhat less water than the 
solid excrements of cows or oxen, a circumstance 
which the appearance alone of sheep-dung, being less 
soft and pulpy, would lead us to expect. This manure 
possesses more of the easily-decomposable substances, 
containing nitrogen and phosphoric acid, than that of 
horses or cows, but less than rich pig-dung ; but if we 
consider that sheep-dung, although compact, consists 
of finely divided parts—as sheep in eating chew then- 
food most minutely—we shall readily understand how 
it happens that this manure comes sooner into action 
as plant-food than that of cattle, and whence it arises 
that on its putrefaction (when lying in heaps) it 
generates so much heat; the more so since the usual 
mode of treatment in which it is suffered to remain in 
the feeding-stalls, and being kept continually moist by 
the mine usually causes decomposition to commence 
before its removal on to the land. 
The admixture with urine must, of course, essen¬ 
tially increase the effect of the independently very 
powerful dung of sheep, and from the great quantity 
of ammonia developed may be explained its remarkable 
effect on every kind of soil and description of plant. 
If the solid excrements of sheep are dissolved in 
rain-water the liquid will be found extremely useful 
for watering Strawberryplants.Baspberry canes, Boses, 
Chrysanthemums, Coleus, and Caladiums, and if 
diluted with a larger quantity of water will be found 
very effective for watering weakly plants in pots. If 
used too strong for flowering-plants, it is apt either to 
burn the plants or to produce an over-abundant yield 
of leaf, with a corresponding smaller proportion of bloom. 
Poultry-dung is one of the most invigorating of our 
home manures, and is therefore worthy of greater 
consideration than is often bestowed upon its collection, 
especially as it soon decomposes and consequently 
loses so much ammonia or valuable plant-food by the 
escape of its gases into the air, and it would lose a 
still greater quantity did the excrements not dry 
quickly, and thus prevent further decomposition. 
The strongest fertilizer is that obtained from pigeons 
and domestic fowls—a fact easily explained by the 
circumstance of these animals living chiefly upon 
grain, insects, and worms ; while geese eat grass also, 
and ducks drink such a vast quantity of water. That 
we may lose none of the valuable manurial ingredients 
developed during the putrefaction of poultry-dung, it 
would be well to strew the yard and houses in which 
they are kept with soil abundant in humus matter, 
and leaf-mould mixed with ashes and gypsum, com¬ 
monly known as Plaster of Paris. 
As poultry-dung is very rich in powerfully manuring 
substances easily soluble in water, it should be applied 
only in moderate quantities at a time, and not be dug 
too deeply into the soil. 
It may be mixed with charcoal-dust, soot, or cinder- 
siftings, and applied to the vine borders; and in 
France its effects have been extolled when applied 
to the roots of Orange Trees, the Olive, Mulberries, 
and the Vine. In Belgium the farmers employ it 
particularly for manuring then- flax, and calculate 
the annual value of the dung of 400 or 500 head of 
pigeons at between £5 and £6. 
Like all manures containing much ammonia, the 
dung of poultry soon destroys moss, so that an 
occasional dressing to a lawn infested with these 
troublesome species of plants will be found beneficial. 
Care, however, must be taken not to overdo the 
nitrogenous manuring of a lawn, or the coarser 
growing grasses, such as Cocks-foot (Dactylis glome- 
rata), -will soon begin to push themselves too forward, 
and the surface will present an uneven and conse¬ 
quently unsightly appearance. 
(To be continued.) 
