Nov. 22nd, 1884. 
THE HARDENING WORLD 
183 
suitable for the trees, and a sprinkling of that may, 
with advantage, be given, but on no account should 
leaf-mould be made use of, or dung, as the former is 
almost sure to breed fungus, and the latter drive the 
wood in an unruly and rampant condition. 
In the selection of trees those trained one year are 
the most preferable, and these should be picked out 
with good clear stems, free from knots or suckers, as 
when they have such robbers they never do well. All 
that is necessary at planting is to trim the mangled 
or bruized points of the roots, but the heads of the 
trees should remain untouched, as to cut them back 
is the most mischievous thing that can be done, for 
the severing of the tops throws the plants back at 
least a year, as when they have made a summer’s 
growth they are just about at the same stage as 
before, and yet how few there are who ever think of 
this, but go on in the old track, mutilating the plants 
and reducing them to the merest stumps.— Alpha. 
NOTES ON GARDENS. 
Heckfield Place.— These gardens are always 
attractive. It would, indeed, be difficult to pay a 
visit to Heckfield and partake of the genial hospitality 
of Mr. Wildsmith, without being shown some fresh 
feature of interest as well as learning some practical 
lesson from the high-class culture there displayed in 
all branches of the profession. At the time of our 
latest visit the flower-garden (now become quite 
famous for its unique arrangement and excellent 
keeping) was being stripped in a partial measure of 
its summer dress, and re-clothed throughout all the 
beds with suitable shrubs for the winter season. 
This happy combination of many hardy plants that 
are suited to either season of the year leaves no 
great amount of extra material to be needed in order 
to complete the beds, either with tender plants for the 
summer time or hardier types for the winter months. 
The groundwork of nearly all the beds remain 
intact, the necessary additions being chiefly dot plants 
wherewith to complete the designs for the time being. 
The terrace-walk next the mansion being several feet 
higher than this garden, affords an excellent view of 
all the beds; each design and set of beds are thus 
seen to the best possible advantage. The dwarfed 
forms and varied hues of the Retinosporas, the 
variegated Euonymus, golden and silver Hollies, 
Cotoneaster microphylla, Mahonia aquifolia, with 
several other sffiiilar and suitable subjects, all help to 
form a most cheerful and attractive arrangement for 
this season. The variegated variety of Iris foetidissima 
was also to be used, and this struck us as being a 
most promising" - addition to the already excellent 
selection of plants employed. Where any extra 
carpeting in the beds is needed, a free use is made of 
a dwarf-growing form of Heather that abounds in the 
locality. 
At the time of our visit the long central walk was 
still most effectiv^pvith some of the best forms of 
single Dahlias arranged in one long line on either 
side, and next to a beautifully-grown hedge formed 
of Cupressus Lawsoniana. This struck us as being 
the best system we had yet seen of growing this type 
of the Dahlia, forming as it were a second hedge from 
which the many coloured hues of the freely produced 
flowers were seen to the very best advantage. Near 
to the lakes are the beds more specially devoted to 
sub-tropical plants, and a more suitable spot could 
not well be chosen for these ornamental subjects. 
The Eucalyptus globulus and other species of the 
Blue Gum of Australia, Acacia lophantha, Ricinus 
Gibsoni, Wigandia caracasana, the best of the Cannas 
and ornamental leaved Solanums, were here growing 
most luxuriantly. Arundo conspieua (the feathery 
Arundo, or, as it might be appropriately termed, “ the 
summer-flowering Pampas Grass”) had also thrown 
up numbers of its graceful spikes that were reflected 
in the water with pleasing effect. The paths in all 
parts of the pleasure grounds are kept in the best 
possible order, and models of what paths should be ; 
in fact all the walks in every department of these 
extensive gardens are maintained in the best condition. 
Excellent gravel is procured in the neighbourhood, 
and Mr. Wildsmith knows well how to make the best 
use of it. 
The kitchen-garden crops all evinced that their 
■wants were thoroughly well studied, deep trenching 
being an important factor in obtaining these results. 
After such a season of remarkable drought as we have 
experienced, such practice as this is of all things the 
most essential in vegetable culture. 
The latest of the Peaches had been gathered, good 
crops having been borne throughout, and the wood 
ripening off well and full of promise for another 
season. Mr. Wildsmith speaks in high terms of the 
Nectarine Peach as a late variety, we have 
ourselves proved the Sea Eagle to be an excellent 
late kind, and those who do not possess either one or 
the other may advantageously add them to their 
collections. 
Heckfield is always famous for its Grapes, and the 
high position they have taken at this season’s 
exhibitions is sufficient proof that the vines have 
lost none of their vigour. Lady Downes’ Seedling 
was a splendid crop, fine in bunch and berry, the 
latter being covered with that deep blue-black bloom 
that is characteristic of the variety when well finished. 
As a proof of the estimation in which Gros Maroc 
is held at Heckfield, it suffices to say that a newly- 
erected vinery is to be almost entirely devoted to this 
variety. Lord Eversley, who is himself an excellent 
judge of Grapes, thinks highly of this handsome 
variety. 
Strawberries in pots were unusually robust and 
healthy, ripening off their crowns well and promising 
for an excellent return in due time. Yicomtesse Heri- 
cart de Tliury and President are the two kinds chiefly 
relied upon. Long may the noble owner of Heck¬ 
field be spared to further appreciate the productions 
of his garden and the able services of his gardening 
chief.— Grapho. 
— r — 
HOME MANURES FOR THE 
GARDEN. 
(Concluded from p. 167.) 
Conversion of Refuse into Compost. —The high 
value of compost manures to the gardener ought to 
make him more than usually careful to collect and 
prepare all materials suitable for conversion into 
soluble plant-food. 
Wherever there is matter which can supply vegeta¬ 
tion with a single organic or inorganic ingredient, 
there is a manure, and it ought not to be wasted. All 
animal or vegetable matters, or then' remains— 
whatever purposes they may have served, or however 
valueless they may appear—and all materials which 
contain any of the constituent elements of plants, 
however worthless they may be for other purposes, 
are not valueless to the gardener, and are in fact 
manures commanding the greatest care. 
The materials for the preparation of compost may 
be considered under four heads :— 
I. Earthy refuse, such as ashes, building rubbish, 
clay, quicklime, gas-lime, scrapings of roads, mud 
from ditches, ponds, or sluces. 
II. Vegetable refuse, comprising all fallen and 
decaying leaves, whether of trees, shrubs, or kitchen 
vegetables; sea-weed, Potato haulms, trimming’s of 
hedges and trees, peat-rubbish, mowings of lawns 
and trimmings of garden-paths, weeds, moss, heather, 
sawdust, soot, and stray rubbish in general. 
III. Animal refuse, including blood, dead animals, 
feathers, bones, night-soil, and slaughter - house 
refuse of all kinds. According to Boussingault, 
30 lbs. of blood, 32 lbs. of blood, 64 lbs. of bone, or 
29 lbs. of cow-hair, contains as much nitrogen as 
half a ton of stable-dung. 
IV. Liquid refuse from dwelling-houses, soap-suds 
and wash-water, drainings from stables, cow-houses, 
and piggeries ; and gas-liquor. 
In fact, whatever contains the constituents of 
which the living fabric of plants is composed will 
be found useful to promote future plant-life, and is 
therefore deserving of attention. In plain words, the 
compost heap should be regarded by the gardener as 
his savings bank, upon which he can draw in all 
times of manurial-needs. 
Animal matters extremely rich in nitrogen, phos¬ 
phoric acid, potash, carbonic acid, &c., and the 
earthy and vegetable refuse of a garden generally, 
have in them both organic and inorganic food of 
plants, that may be employed, if not as a direct food, 
yet as absorbents for liquid manure, or for admixture 
with other highly nitrogenized bodies which are apt 
to ferment too rapidly. Hence it is for the purpose of 
making compost with liquid and other fertilizing 
matters that even the coarsest vegetable matters, 
such as dead leaves, sawdust, heather, peat, and 
moss, are most useful; saturated with urine and 
liquid drainings they form a manure of no incon¬ 
siderable value. 
The practical gardener, as we have already shown 
when speaking upon liquid manures (p. 119), will 
find that liquids act more readily alone than when 
combined with solid matters ; and if applied to light, 
sandy soil they will be especially valuable by 
improving the mechanical condition of such soils, 
making them firmer and more capable of retaining 
moisture. 
Also in dry, hot weather surface-watering becomes 
absolutely necessary, as the gardener frequently finds 
to his cost. If weak liquid manure can be used for 
this purpose so much the better. 
Compost matter employed for mulching trees, rows 
of Peas, Beans, and Strawberry plants will have the 
effect of retaining the surface-waterings for a greater 
length of time than if the ground was left unprotected 
to the scorching rays of the sun. 
The value of a well-constructed compost heap 
arises from the fact that it, like stable-dung, contains 
all the elements of plant nutrition, and being in a 
deeompiosed and soluble condition, furnish the crops 
to which it is applied with ready-formed and con¬ 
sequently quickly digestible food. 
Heavy tenacious soils will be benefited by a good 
addition of compost manure, supplying as it does 
abundance of carbonic acid. 
The utility of intermixing quicklime, gas-litne, 
gypsum, ashes, and soils in compounding compost 
heaps consists in the fact that their addition not only 
promotes decay both of vegetable and animal refuse 
not otherwise easily decomposable; but they become 
actually necessary if the materials added to these 
mixtures are previously strongly imbued with acids, 
as is the case with peat moulds, fresh pond mud, &c. 
That vegetable and animal substances must be 
moist in order to ferment is taught by daily 
experience. Iron will not rust without moisture. 
Hence it is evidently necessary to have compost heaps 
copiously watered with liquid manure, or gas-liquor, 
if we wish to produce a rapid decomposition ; taking 
care, however, not to overdo the watering so that the 
liquids run out at the sides and bottom. If mould or 
mildew is found in any portion of the heap, it is a 
sign that that particular part is not moist enough. 
Dr. Stockhardt, in his Agricultural Chemistry, says, 
“ In long-continued winter cold when a compost heap 
is cooled dowm below the freezing point, so that it 
becomes hard and solid, all further decomposition is 
arrested; it only recommences when the heap is 
thawed again, and rises vigorously and rapidly in 
proportion to the increase of heat. The internal heat 
developed in the fermenting mass itself during decom¬ 
position is of more importance than the external heat 
of the atmosphere; and it is particularly important 
during the first period of fermentation, in which the 
firmness of the fibre of the refuse-materials has to be 
overcome, and thus rendered soft and rotten, which 
only takes place rapidly and completely when the 
fermentation and heating are in full working condition. 
For this reason it is advisable during the first months 
to beat the compost heap into a solid mass after each 
moistening, since the dense packing of the heap and 
the prevention of the circulation of air will cause the 
heat to be kept in, better than when the former is 
loose and has many interstices. When the process of 
fermentation has advanced to that point of rottenness 
where the fibrous materials have become soft and 
crumbly, it will be advantageous to fork over the heap 
frequently, and to let it lie in a looser condition; as 
during the first half period, which may be termed the 
time of putrefaction, the access of air is injurious; 
while in the latter half, which constitutes the period 
of decay, atmospheric air is useful. 
Whether a compost is active or inert depends 
entirely upon the quality of strong manuring sub¬ 
stances added to the bulk, therefore plenty 'of 
urinous liquids should be poured in, night-soil and 
large sprinklings of soot also added to each layer. 
In laying the foundation of the heap care must be 
taken that none of the liquids can drain away into the 
earth which forms the bed. It is equally plain that 
earth, mud, ashes, Ac., should be sifted previously, so 
as not to add stones, slag, &e., to the mass, as 
unnecessary ballast. 
There is scarcely any crop or plant to which good 
compost manure may not be applied with advantage. 
