April 15, 1893. 
517 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
loose so much by flagging that they rarely ever re¬ 
gain their original vigour and freshness, and they 
will sometimes turn yellow and drop. When the 
ball of a plant is dry right through, cast all theories 
as to the order of baptism to the winds, and at once 
immerse it in a pail of water for a few minutes. You 
may as well try to teach guinea pigs geometery as to 
imagine you can thoroughly saturate a ball of dry 
soil by pouring water upon the surface—the very act 
of becoming dry causes the soil to contract, and in¬ 
stead of the water that is poured upon the soil sink¬ 
ing into it and gradually pervading it, it runs away 
between the soil and the sides of the pots where 
there is a vacuum, and is practically useless. 
There is a difference in the requirements of plants 
which is a fact taught by experience. There are 
topers among them, subjects that drink heavily, not 
from a tendency towards inebriation, but because it 
is in their nature[to imbibe freely. It is a necessity 
of healthy development. A free-growing healthyPelar- 
gonium in a 48-size pot that is full of roots requires 
frequent drinks. A Cactus, which is the living embodi¬ 
ment of a teetotaller in vegetable life, can exist for days 
in an atmosphere of dryness that would appal a sup¬ 
porter of the Veto Bill. The season of the year has 
also to be considered. At one time plants are active, 
needing much water ; at another time they are at 
rest, and require only enough to sustain life. A 
heavy, close compost is also more retentive of 
moisture than a light one, and this sets up another 
consideration necessitating a judicious answer, How 
often must I give this plant water ?— R.D. 
_ _ 
OLEARIA GUNNIANA. 
There are someihing like eighty-five species of 
Olearia, all natives of Australia, New Zealand, and 
the adjacent islands, yet few of them are in cultiva¬ 
POTATO PLANTING. 
An enterprising and highly successful Midlothian 
farmer,Mr. William Park, of BrunstaneFarm, has this 
spring been putting into practice a rather novel idea 
in regard to Potato planting, which has been very 
favourably commented on by many of the leading 
Potato growers in the Lothians. The system of 
manuring the green-crop break on the stubble is 
being more extensively adopted year by year, par¬ 
ticularly in the stiffer kinds of soil, as it saves a good 
deal of labour and materially relieves the congestion 
of work in the spring, besides having a very bene¬ 
ficial effect on the stiffer soils through opening them 
to the pulverising influence of the winter's frosts. 
This system is now all but invariably followed as far 
side—so that all the soil in the bottom and at the 
sides of the drill is thoroughly loosened up, while 
behind these side teeth is a central tooth with a still 
broader scoop-point, which not only loosens up the 
soil in the bottom of the furrow, but also leaves a 
hollow in the centre of the drill into which the seed 
can be safely deposited. Mr. Park has followed this 
plan with the greater part of his Potato break this 
year, and approves highly of it ; but, like the practi¬ 
cal experimentalist he is, he has planted a few on the 
old system in the bottom of the unharrowed drill, in 
order to compare the results of the old system and 
the new when the crop is grown. This plan has 
also been highly approved by many of the other 
Potato growers in Midlothian, some of whom have 
Olearia Gunniana. 
tion, notwithstanding the great beauty of a number 
of them. Some of them are hardy while ethers are 
scarcely so, and that is, no doubt, the reason why 
they are not introduced extensively. That under 
notice flowers naturally in September, but has 
already proved an excellent subject for forcing and 
utilising in the greenhouse or conservatory during 
March and April. Its value for this purpose was 
amply demonstrated at the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on Tuesday, where it was 
exhibited in fine condition by Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea. Our illustration will give an idea of 
the wealth of white flowers it is capable of producing. 
It forms a neat-habited and bushy shrub, 1 ft. to 3 ft. 
high, bearing small leaves to a great extent hidden 
when the plant is heavily flowered, 
as possible on the rich soils around Edinburgh, on 
which Potatos are largely grown. But by this 
system, as well as by the older system, in which the 
manure is spread in the drills, the Potatos are 
planted in a furrow in which the soil his been 
hardened by the weight and pressure of the drilling 
plough, as well as by the feet of one of the horses 
tramping in the furrow when the drill alongside it 
is being made. 
By way of obviating this disadvantage, and assur¬ 
ing that the Potato seed shall be planted in soil 
where its fibres shall have the fullest freedom for 
growth, Mr Park conceived the idea of loosening 
the bottom of the drill with a drill harrow previous 
to planting the seed. The harrow employed for this 
purpose has four scoop-pointed teeth—two at each 
adopted it. Doubtless the plan will commend itself 
to all Potato growers who have to do with the stiffer 
class of soils. — '.lorth British Agriculturist. 
-- 
A WEST INDIAN ISLE. 
The roads in Jamaica are excellent, and quickly and 
easily a general idea of the character of this part of 
the island can be obtained. The way is for the most 
part not shady, but there is luxuriant foliage on 
either hand. Great Silk Cotton trees, in girth some¬ 
times rivalling the California giants,_are frequent, 
and the wild and ragged Gwango, and the dry 
Woman's Tongue rattling in the breeze. Here are 
flowering trees, too, chiefly the blue Lignum Vitae, 
and dyewoods, above all the Logwood. And then 
