December 29, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
279 
job to start first. Besides this, straightly cut, well- 
kept grass edges are of the first importance, adding, 
as they do, such an air of neatness and propriety to a 
garden. The edging tools should be clean and 
sharp, and in using should be held perfectly upright 
so as to ensure a straight and perpendicular edge. 
If the weather keeps mild and open, Magnolias 
and other wall subjects of a similar character that 
have been covered with Russian mats to protect 
them from the possible inclemencies of the weather 
should be exposed to light and air. The coverings 
may therefore be rolled back (a proceeding that will 
not entail a great amount of trouble providing the 
mats have been properly adjusted), returning them 
to their place when frost threatens. This, although 
a simple, is a very necessary operation, for trees of 
this kind cannot fail to sustain injury from the want 
of light if they are placed in enforced seclusion for 
anything like a protracted period. 
If fine frosty weather prevails a little time may 
well be spent in the manure yard, in turning and 
mixing of material that is destined for use in the 
flower garden or pleasure grounds. The application 
of raw or badly prepared manure is a proceeding not 
at all to be recommended. Advantage may also be 
taken at such a time of the hardness of the paths 
and grass to wheel or cart manure to the places 
where it is intended to use it. 
In the event of a fall of snow a sharp eye must be 
kept upon ornamental trees and shrubs, which often 
receive a great amount of damage from their branches 
being broken by the weight of the snow lodging upon 
them. In many cases the loss of a large bough 
means the disfigurement of the tree to a considerable 
extent, a fact which should stimulate the gardener 
to obviate the evil by every means in his power. 
After a heavy snowfall no time must be lost in 
relieving the trees of their burden, or, even if the 
boughs are not broken, they will at least be bent con¬ 
siderably out of shape. The paths, too, should be 
brushed as soon as the snow has ceased falling, at 
least, if it shows any signs of lying for any length of 
time. Besides the assistance thus given to locomo¬ 
tion, the benefit accruing to the paths from the 
sweeping is considerable. They are thus in a com¬ 
paratively dry state when the thaw sets in. 
During periods when work outside is impracticable 
the tools may be looked over occasionally, for if not 
attended to they are extremely liable to rust, a state 
of affairs not particularly desirable. An oily rag 
rubbed over them now and again will keep them 
clean and in workmanlike style without causing much 
extra trouble.— A. S. [G. 
--*•- 
Continue the pruning and nailing of hardy fruit 
trees during favourable weather. It will not be 
possible to prune when the wood is frozen, and 
thus every spare moment must be used to the fullest 
advantage in case of a check presently. We have 
certainly been exceptionally free from severe'frosts, 
at any rate, and, indeed, we may not even be 
troubled much in this respect, but with the glorious 
uncertainty of our climate, we are always face to 
face with all sorts of possibilities which may, or may 
not, present themselves. Under any circumstances, 
therefore, it is best to be prepared for contingencies 
as far as we are able. 
The preparing of the ground on which it is pro¬ 
posed to form new plantations of fruit trees which, 
owiDg perhaps to lack of time, has not before been 
attended to, must be carried on without delay. The 
ground may be broken up to a depth of about 3 ft. 
if the subsoil is of fairly good character. If the 
ground requires draining, this most] important 
operation must be performed first of all, as planting 
on badly-drained ground is the surest way to court 
failure in fruit cultivation. If the soil is not rich 
enough naturally, a heavy dressing of manure may 
be applied and well incorporated with the soil as the 
work of trenching proceeds. This will assist the 
trees to make healthy and vigorous growth. 
Some growers object to a too rich soil for 
fruit growing, on the head that it tendsto cause gross 
and rampant growth, with a relative decrease in the 
fruitfulness of the tree. Should it be found, how¬ 
ever, that the trees are growing too freely, to the 
detriment of their fruiting qualities, a judicious use 
of the pruning knife and the saw must be made, to 
induce them to see the error of their ways.— A. S.G. 
Green Crops. 
It is seldom indeed that green crops have been so 
plentiful up to the end of the year. Cauliflower and 
Autumn Broccoli are still in excellent condition, and 
all others of the Brassica tribe look flourishing. 
There is, however, ample time to have severe 
weather yet, for last winter the weather was mild till 
the new year, then one of the most severe weeks on 
record was experienced. Gardeners should there¬ 
fore be well prepared and have everything in 
readiness to afford protection should it be required. 
All places do not suffer alike in this respect, and 
those who have taken charge of new establishments 
are somewhat placed at a disadvantage, inasmuch as 
they have not become acquainted with the locality 
or the requirements of the establishment. To such 
we would recommend to be on the safe side and take 
timely warning, so that should exceptionally severe 
weather visit us during the next month it may find 
them well prepared. Now many of the early 
Broccolis are very forward, and these would be 
almost sure to suffer; therefore any that may be 
showing the least signs of turning in should have 
the leaves gathered together and tied so as to pro¬ 
tect the hearts. We all know that frost causes the 
outside leaves to fall down, and by so doing exposes 
the very part we wish to protect; but if the pre¬ 
caution be taken to bring the leaves together much 
mischief is prevented. Where there are a goodly 
quantity of cold frames, pits, sheds, or outhouses a 
portion of the most forward should be lifted and 
stored away in them, for by so doing it may be that 
the work of the season will be saved, whereas, if 
left to themseves the probability is they would be 
lost. 
The early kinds of Broccoli are, as a rule, much 
more tender than the late ones, for the simple 
reason that they partake more of the Cauliflower. 
We have frequently pointed out the advantage of 
planting these a good distance apart in order that 
their foliage may be thoroughly developed and the 
tissues of the stems so hardened as to be the better 
able to resist the cold. One stout, robust plant is 
worth more than half a dozen that have become so 
drawn up as to scarcely be able to resist the force of 
the wind, much less than that of a severe frost. 
The Seed Catalogues. . 
Catalogues are again pouring in, and the long lists 
of novelties they contain reminds us once more of the 
enterprise of the leading firms, and the pains taken by 
them to offer the best articles to their customers. 
Messrs. Sutton’s list notwithstanding the misfortune 
that befel the coloured illustrations while passing 
through the press, is full of interest, and contains 
many novelties, and if they surpass those previously 
introduced by that firm, they will indeed be well 
worth growing. Again, in looking over Messrs. 
Veitch“s new list at hand we find they too have 
many good things to offer us. Messrs. Sharpe, Webb, 
Carter and many other firms, too numerous to men¬ 
tion, all favour us with their long lists of improved 
forms of the various specialities they are interested 
in. It is somewhat surprising that the kitchen 
garden, as a rule, receives the most scant attention 
of all the departments. In many places we find the 
same old things grown over and over again, just as 
though it was impossible to improve on them ; but 
if some of these sceptical individuals were to visit 
the large seed farms and trial grounds of some of 
these leading firms, we doubt not but what they 
would be Convinced of their errors. On looking 
through these new lists to hand, we find notes from 
various authorities who have tested the various 
novelties mentioned therein, and there see that some 
of them are spoken of as being far superior to the 
older types, if this be so, then those of us who have 
to look carefully at the cost, would do well to try a 
few side by side with the older forms and prove 
them for ourselves. It is of course to the interest 
of all firms if they can offer something better than 
their neighbours, and as they have a reputation at 
stake it is not at all likely that they would try to 
palm off on their customers worthless or spurious 
articles. 
Let us compare the seed lists of the present day 
with those of thirty years ago, we shall then see what 
an advance there has been made in most things. Of 
course there are many in those lists that would 
stand the test of the present day, still, there are 
others that are superseded in every respect. Let us 
hope that as time rolls on still greater things maybe 
accomplished, and though the season of 1894 bas 
not been all that could be desired in many respects, 
vegetables, as a rule, have been both good and 
plentiful; and if nothing worse happens in the coming 
year, we may look forward to having a time, if not 
of prosperity, one at least of plenty, particularly 
with the Kitchen Gardener. 
©leanings front the iDodti 
of Science. 
A new Fertiliser. —Experiments have been made, 
both in this country and in America, with the view 
of hastening the growth or maturity of vegetables, 
fruits, and other crops, by means of electric light; 
but it appears that a Frenchman of the name of 
Paulin has been using electricity as a fertiliser upon 
various food crops. His method is to fix a resinous 
pole in the ground, it may be 20 ft. to 60 ft. in height 
or more—the higher the better. To this pole a 
galvanised iron rod is fixed and insulated : at the 
top it terminates in five short copper wires that 
radiate in different directions, while at the base it 
communicates with iron wires permeating a given 
area of ground, at distances of 6 ft. apart. These 
wires are buried in the earth at such a depth as not 
to interfere with the operations of cultivation. They 
are arranged in parallel lines, and are all in com¬ 
munication with one another by means of one or 
more wires running at right angles to them. 
Its Method of Working. —The new apparatus is 
termed the geomagnetifer, and requires no dynamo 
and battery for the production of electricity. The 
wires at the apex of the rod collect that which is 
generated in the atmosphere during storms of wind, 
rain, and snow. The whole of the expense in con¬ 
nection with the apparatus consists of the pole, the 
wires, and the cost of fitting and laying down or 
burying the wires It will continue to act so long 
as the wires are not]so much rusted as to fail in con¬ 
veying the electric current. 
Influence upon Potatos. —A geomagnetifer, 
28 ft. high and set up in a field in which Potatos 
were planted, was inspected and reported upon by a 
commission of the Montbrison Society of Agriculture. 
The influence of this comparatively short stemmed 
apparatus, made itself felt over a surface of 65 ft. 
radius, as was evidenced by the extraordinary vigour 
of the Potato stems. The latter were about 5 ft. 
long and £ in. thick in places. Four squares were 
marked off upon the ground, each of 52 square feet; 
two of them were upon that portion influenced by 
the geomagnetifer, and two on the ground beyond 
the influence of the same. The Potatos of the first 
area when dug up weighed 198 pounds, while in the 
latter case they only weighed 134 pounds, or a 
difference of 64 pounds. Upon an acre of ground 
influenced by the geomagnetifer, the produce would 
amount to 30,800, but in the other case only 20,370 
pounds. The variety of Potato grown was by no 
means an abundant bearer, ordinarily, and no special 
manuring was given. If such results can be con¬ 
firmed the discovery must prove a valuable one, 
seeing that profitable returns can be effected without 
the employment of expensive chemical fertilisers. 
Experiments with Spinach— In this case a field 
was sown down with Spinach in the autumn of 1891, 
and in the April following an electrical fertiliser was 
constructed and the wires laid down. By the first 
of May it was evident that the apparatus was 
making its influence felt, for the vigour of the plants 
within the radius of the influence was great and 
indicated the outer line of wires by a straight line. 
On the 14th of the same month a patch of Spinach 
of eighteen square feet was pulled up from the 
influenced and another from the uninfluenced portion 
of the ground. The first lot weighed 53^ lbs., and 
the second 42 lbs., thus showing a difference of 
11J lbs. in favour of the geomagnetifer from that 
small area of ground. Other gatherings were made 
at different times till that on the 27th May showed 
that the excess of produce due to the influence of 
the geomagnetifer was about 4 lbs. for every square 
yard. Various other crops gave equally favourable 
results. 
Deductions. —The value of this discovery will 
depend upon whether it can be used for any length 
of time upon the same ground without deteriorating 
the soil for the same or other crops. The exact effect 
of the geomagnetifer is not yet known. It may only 
bring about the decomposition of the humus in the 
soil and the manure supplied, so as to render them 
soluble at a more rapid rate than under ordinary 
circumstances, and so make them fit for plant food. 
It may stimulate the energies of the plants in a 
wholesome way, thus enabling them to'appropriate 
the food ready to hand, or it may increase the supply 
of nitrogen in some way yet to be solved or 
ascertained. 
