286 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 10, 1898. 
Hop fields, with which he had had to do, had been 
manured in the usual fashion over a considerable 
number of years. Dung, wool, and shoddy had been 
dug in in considerable quantities, and he was not sur¬ 
prised to find that no appreciable benefit resulted 
from the application of nitrogenous matter. When 
manures rich in phosphates were given, however, the 
best results were obtained ; the purely phosphatic 
manures giving much better returns than when 
mixtures of nitrogen, phosphates, and potash were 
given. 
With regard to potash Mr. Hall stated that there 
was always plenty of potash in the soil and it was 
never necessary to add any more. The direct 
influence of potash upon the economy of the plant 
was not known. 
The lecturer had a surprise in store for his 
audience when he stated most emphatically that it 
was not known what was the best manure for 
particular crops. This definite knowledge, moreover, 
could only be obtained by extensive experiments 
systematically conducted and tabulated, and these 
experiments had not yet been carried out. The 
opinion was held by many people that by analysing 
the ash of plants, and finding out what materials it 
contained, and in what relative proportions they 
were present, it was to easy to find out what foods 
the plant needed. The lecturer pointed out, however, 
that the ash of plants was not a true index to the 
needs of the plants, as had been proved by various 
experiments. For instance, Swedes absorbed a 
great deal of nitrogen from the soil, but no farmer 
thought of applying pitrogenous manures to a Swede 
crop. 
With regard to the quantities of manure that 
would constitute an effective dressing, the lecturer 
stated that, of nitrogenous manures, i oz. to the 
square yard, or 3 cwt. to the acre, was the absolute 
maximum, and that in many cases half this quantity 
would be better. Phosphatic manures might be used 
heavily without harm resulting, as the pbpsphates 
would lie in the soil until wanted. 
When giving artificial manures to pot plants it was 
necessary to be very careful to avoid overdosing. 
The guanos, for instance, when too deeply used, 
were very injurious to the tender roots if they came 
into direct contact with them. It was advised to 
dissolve all manures in water and to apply them in 
tbe soluble state. Most artificial manures were 
soluble, more or less readily, in water. One ounce 
Of chemical manure dissolved in three gallons of 
water was the maximum, and here again half an 
ounce would be better. 
In the discussion which followed, Mr. A. Dean 
differed from Mr. Hall on several points, and asked 
how it was that although phosphatic manures had 
been freely experimented with in various parts of 
Surrey during the past year, the results had been 
absolutely nil. This was subsequently answered by 
Mr. Hall, who said that the lack of moisture during 
the past summer had undoubtedly been chiefly 
responsible ; moreover, there were many parts of 
Surrey in which the soil was peculiarly unsuitable 
for dressing with phosphates. 
Mr. Berry, of Sittingbourne, Kent, said that as a 
large market grower he was disappointed to hear that 
it was not known what special manure was best for 
each crop. In his ignorance he had adopted the 
practice of giving his crops a mixture, hoping that 
they would find something in it to suit them 
Dr. Masters strongly condemned this system of 
quackery, as he called it. He endorsed Mr. Hall’s 
recommendation to gardeners not to use manures of 
which they did not know the composition. 
--—- 
The Chrysanthemum on the Dinner Table. — Whilst 
admitting the decorative value of the Chrysanth¬ 
emum in other respects many people are not in love 
with it for purposes of table decoration. This is 
what an American florist says in a recent number of 
the Weekly Florists' Review. —“Many may despise 
the 'Mum, but it makes the finest table decoration if 
properly used. Use only one colour, and don't mass 
them too thick ; have your flowers reach down to the 
c'oth, and the best to face your guests. Don't have 
them formal ; fix one a little above the other, and it 
will be all the better if the space occupied is not too 
acute in regularity. Let a good flower or two stray 
out here and there, and let them have for company a 
spray of Japan Maple, or a vine of well coloured 
Ampelopsis.’’ The hints contained in this paragraph 
are well worthy the consideration of florists on this 
side of the water. 
Hardening ^iscellany. 
BRAMBLE WINE. 
The flavour of well made Bramble wine is quite sug¬ 
gestive of port wine, with the distinct advantage of 
cheapness, says the Irish Farming World. To make 
the wine the fruit should be ripe, but not over ripe, 
and it is better to have ripened dry. Put it into a 
deep, wide-mouthed, earthenware dish, and cover 
with water, when it will soon begin to ferment. Let 
it work for a week, and then slightly heat it over a 
fire to soften the berries. Press it through a flannel bag, 
and to each gallon of juice add 2 lb. of granulated 
sugar, stirring frequently until the latter is dissolved. 
Pour into an earthenware vessel with a narrow neck, 
leaving it uncorked. Let it stand until the ferment¬ 
ing process is completed, and then bottle, adding a 
wineglassful of rum to each bottle of wine. The 
spirits help to preserve the wine from any tendency 
to become sour or acid. Bramble wine should be 
kept for at least six months before it is opened, by 
which time it will have developed a remarkab’e 
richness and mellowness. 
FISH GUANO. 
Fish guano is simply a powder obtained by pulveris¬ 
ing the body of the fish from which the oil has been 
extracted by pressure. A Canadian chemist, Mr. F. 
T. Shutt, analysed a great many samples; in one, for 
example, he observed, 2691 per cent, moisture; 
57 04 per cent, of organic and volatile substances; 
and 16 05 per cent, mineral substances; there was also 
478 per cent, of phosphoric acid ; and 4 04 per cent, of 
this acid soluble in a solution of citric acid at 1 per 
cent.; then 1032 per cent, of nitrogen. In this 
sample the amount of moisture fell to 519 per cent. 
These variations are perfectly explained by the mode 
of manufacture, which varies much in different 
countries. Mr. Shutt insists on this fact that this 
guano is a rich fertiliser easily utilised ; it is power¬ 
ful, the action rapid, and fermentation easy in the 
soil. To obtain the best possible profit from it one 
must mix it with wood ashes, muriate of potash, &c., 
for it contains little or no potash. It is frequently 
employed on the surface of the soil, but it is better 
to bury it by a light harrowing. It is particularly 
valuable for cereals and generally gives superior 
yields in light, hot soils. It can also be made into a 
compost by mixing it with black soil or turf.— La 
Nature, October 1st, 1S98. 
PELARGONIUM HERMOINE. 
It would seem that the cultivation of zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums for winter flowering is extending. I have 
met with some very notable instances of successful 
cultivation recently; and noticing that the double 
white Hermoine stands out very conspicuously in 
some of them for floriferousness and purity of colour, 
I venture to draw attention to it as being a desirable 
variety to add to the collections of those who do not 
know it. I may add that it is only semi-double, and 
that the few inner petals lay very flat on the outer 
ones. Being semi-double it follows that it is not so 
liable to damp as those varieties baviDg more fully 
developed double flowers. I have not seen it bedded 
out, but think it extremely likely that it will prove a 
first-rate bedder. There is none of that green about 
it which is a great drawback to most of the white 
zonals— W. B. G. 
POTATO SYON HOUSE PROLIFIC. 
Of the very numerous varieties of Solanum tubero¬ 
sum, this is, undoubtedly, one of the best. In 
appearance it is oval, but rather flat in shape, large, 
clear-skinned, shallow-eyed, and of regular form ; in 
fact, a handsome tuber, either for the exhibition or 
the domestic board. When cooked it is white and 
flowery, and in every respect a desideratum for 
culinary purposes. It received an Award of Merit 
from the R.H S. in 1895, and was highly commended 
by the same body the following year. It may be 
described as a main or late crop variety, wonder¬ 
fully prolific and free from disease. It emanates 
from Syon House, Brentford, and is, perhaps, the 
best variety which Mr. Geo. Wythes has yet raised. 
An opportunity of testing its qualities was afforded 
the other day when Mr. A. Pentney, Worton Hall 
Gardens, Isleworth, exhibited a large basket of its 
handsome tubers at a meeting of the Ealing and 
District Gardeners’ Society.— C. B. G., Acton, W. 
CRANBERRY TART. 
The following is a recipe for making Cranberry tart; 
—Take 1 lb. of flour, and rub into it 4 oz. of butter, 
and 4 oz. lard. Add ij tabiespoonfuls of sifted 
sugar, and put sufficient water to make the whole 
into a firm dough. Knead this out, roll two or three 
times and it is ready for use. Get a tarllet pan and 
line it with part of the paste, making various designs 
with any of the paste that may be left for ornament¬ 
ing purposes. Bake in an oven until lining and 
ornaments are done, take the dish out, and fill with 
Cranberry jam, or Cranberries stewed with plenty of 
sugar and very little water. Decorate with the orna¬ 
ments, to add a finished appearance to the tart. 
DEUTZIA CO RYMBI FLORA. 
According to the Index Kewensis the Deutzia corym- 
bosa of R. Brown is D. parviflora of Bunge, and the 
D. corymbosa of Lindley is D. staminea. M. 
Maurice Vilmorin seems to think that the plant in 
the nursery establishment of Boucher, of Paris, is 
distinct. It was raised from seeds received in 1895 
from the missionary, Abate Farges, who sent it from 
western Sse-Tchuen, in China. The seeds germi¬ 
nated well, and a flowering plant was exhibited in 
April, 1897, at a meeting of the National Horticul¬ 
tural Society of France, being presented under the 
name of D. corymbosa. To obviate confusion in the 
matter, the plant under notice has been named D. 
corymbiflora by M. Lemoine, of Nancy, under the 
impression that it is quite distinct from D. parvi¬ 
flora, the true name of the older introduction. Tne 
November number of the Bulletino della R. Societa 
Toscana di Orticultura gives a full page illustration of 
a large plant, handsomely flowered. 
-•*-- 
SOCIETIES. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM. — December 6 th, 
yth and 8 th. 
The early winter exhibition of this society, which is 
the last one of the Chrysanthemum year, was held on 
the above dates at the Royal Aquarium. On this 
occasion the exhibits were accommodated on the 
floor of the hall, and not in the galleries as hitherto. 
Chrysanthemums were well shown, considering the 
advanced state of the season, but there was a con¬ 
siderable falling off in plants, the fine tables of 
Cyclamen and groups of foliage plants being only 
represented by one or two exhibits. 
Cut Blooms. —In the open classes for cut blooms 
there were six entries forthcoming for twenty-four 
Japs., in eighteen varieties. The first prize fell to 
the lot of Mr. T. Lunt, gardener to Archibald 
Stirling, Esq., Keir House, Dunblane, N.B., who had 
a stand that would have done him credit at a Novem¬ 
ber show. M. Gruyer, Mrs. H. Weeks, Simplicity, 
Matthew Hodgson, Oceana, Mary Molyneux, 
Dorothy Seward, Louise, Duchess of York, and 
Khama were the best of Mr. Lunt’s varieties, and 
they represented some first-rate flowers Mr. R. 
Renyon, gardener to A. F. Hills, Esq., Monkbams, 
Woodford Green, was second, showing capital 
simples of Etoile de Lyon, Graphic, Madame 
Carnot, Phoebus, Joseph Brooks, M. Chenon de 
Lecbe, Papa Veillard, and J. R Upton. Mr. Wm. 
Slogrove, gardener to Mrs. Crawford, Gatton 
Cottage, Reigate, was third. 
There were five entries for twenty-four bunches of 
any varieties, the first award going to Mr. W. 
Howe, gardener to Sir Henry Tate, Bart., Park 
Hill, Streatham Common, who had a clean and 
bright lot of flowers. Mr. Norman Davis was second, 
some large blooms of G. J. Warren and Madame 
Carnot being the chief feature. Mr. S. J. Cook, 
gardener to A. N. Stephens, Esq., Holmbush, 
Hendon, was third. 
There was a brisk competition for twelve Japanese, 
distinct, no fewer than nine competitors staging. Mr, 
T. Lunt scored another notable success here. He 
had capital samples of Graphic, Simplicity, M. 
Gruyer, Louise, Matthew Hodgson, and Khama. 
Mr. R. C. Notcutt, Wood’s Nursery, Woodbridge, 
was second ; Mr. F. King, gardener to A. F. Perkins, 
Esq., Oak Dene, Holmswood, Surrey, was third ; 
and Mr. R. Kenyon, fourth. 
. Eight stands of six Japanese, distinct, competed, 
the first prize being carried off by Mr. J. Sandford, 
gardener to G. W. Wright-Ingle, Esq., Woodhouse, 
Finchley, N.; the second by Mr. T. Lunt, and the 
third by Mr. George Eden, gardener to J. W. Benson, 
Esq., The Oaks, Walton-on-Hill, near Epsom. 
