September 12 , 1896 . 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
19 
O RCHIDS of the highest quality, every 
plant guaranteed true to name, from 2/6 each, Please 
send for free list.—P. McARTHUR, The London Nurseries, 
4, Maida V ale, London, W. __ 
Primula, The Lady. 
ERTAINLY no PRIMULA of recent 
c 
v_> years has given such satisfaction as this. It is the only 
one in the Sinensis class highly appreciated for cut flower. Will 
last a week in water. Plants in 6o's, 4s. 6d. per doz., plants by 
Dost, 2S. 6d. per doz. . 
P H. CAN NELL & SONS, SWAN LEY. 
Primulas, Cinerarias, and Calceolarias. 
H CANNELL & SONS have these in 
. just the condition to give the greatest satisfaction and 
together with our perfection of variety, what a life and charm 
they would give wherever well grown. Seedlings, 2S. per doz.; 
in pots, 4s. per doz. SWAN LEY. 
Blaze of Flower. 
I T has frequently been said, if I could 
grow Zonals like Mr. Canned, I would have a glare like 
him all the winter. We are sending free, full particulars and a 
list of varieties, with prices Just what to do. Now is the 
time to commence. 8s. per doz.; in 5 in. 12s. per doz. 
H. CANNELL & SONS, SWANLEY. 
GHRYSANTHEM 
THE RYECROFT SET OF DRESSING 
INSTRUMENTS. 
Three pairs of Forceps, Brush and Case complete, 10/6 ; 
Large Forceps, for pulling centres 3/9; Smaller ditto for 
Dressing, 2/9. Free for cash. 
The BEST CUPS and TUBES are— 
THE BECKETT. —Ail sizes, both for Japanese and 
Incurved, at 9/- per dozen ; or, with additional tube for raising 
the bloom 3 inches higher than the ordinary one, 12/- per doz. 
THE SPRINGTHORPE. — For Japanese and In¬ 
curved, all sizes, 9/- per dozen. 
W All Free for Cash with Order, 
H. J. JONES, 
Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, LEWISHAM. 
SPECIALITIES. * * * 
Begonias (Single & Double). 
Finest Collection in Scotland. 
Cannas (New Dwarf Named). 
For Pot Culture. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants. 
Trees of all descriptions. 
JOHN DOWNIE, 
Nurseryman and Seedsman, 
EDINBURGH. 
Telegraphic Address : "DOWNIE, EDINBURGH.” 
CINERARIA 
Grandiflora, prize medal strains, flowers 2 ins. 
across. Strong Seedlings 1/- per doz. 
PRIMULA Seedlings, 2/- per doz. 
CYCLAMEN Seedlings, 2/- per doz. 
SMILAX Plants, good stuff in pots, 3/- per doz. 
YOUNG & DOBINSON, 
Holmesdale and Highfield Nurseries, 
STEVENAGE, HERTS. 
GRAPE VINES and ROSES. 
JOHN COWAN & CO. have this season a 
large and splendid Stock of Grape Vines suitable 
for fruiting in pots and planting vineries. 
Also a large and splendid Stock of Tea and other 
Roses in pots. 
Descriptive and priced catalogue post free on 
application to the Company. 
THE VINEYARD & NURSERIES, 
Garston, near Liverpool. 
CUTBUSH’S MILLTRACK MUSHROOM SPAM. 
Everyone can readily grow Mush¬ 
rooms, and by using this Spawn will 
ensure success. All growers speak 
in high praise of the quality. Numer¬ 
ous testimonials. None genuine 
unless In sealed packages and printed 
cultural directions enclosed, with oar 
Signature attached. Price 6s. per 
bushel, is extra for package, or is. 
per cake, free per parcels post. 
WM. CUTBUSH & SON, 
Nurserymen and Seed Merchants, 
Highgate Nurseries, London, N., & Barnet, Herts. 
Well Ripened and Heavy Bulbs of 
Roman Hyacinths, Early White, from 5 
to 5! in. in circumference, 12/6 and 15/ per 100. 
Paper White Narcissus, from 5 to 6 in. in 
circumference, 6/- per 100. 
Double Roman Narcissus, from 5 to 6Jjin. 
in circumference, 6/- per 100. 
Liiium Candidum, Pure White, extra strong. 
Early orders solicited. 15/- per 100. 
Liiium Harrisii, very fine bulbs, 6/-, 7/6, io/6, 
and 12/- per doz. 
VICTORIA ANO PARADISE NURSERIES, 
UPPER HOLLOWAY, LONDON, N. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon, 
Edited by J. FRASER F.L.S. 
SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 12 th, 1896. 
NEXT WEEK’S ENGAGEMENTS 
Monday, September 14th.—Sales of Bulbs by Messrs. Protheroe 
& Morris. & Mr. J. C. Stevens, 
Trade Sale at Dyson's Lane Nursery, by Messrs. Protheroe 
& Morris. 
Tuesday, September 15th.—Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co.’s 
Centenary Show at Maidstone (2 days). 
Trade Sale at Burnt Ash Lane Nurseries by Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris. Sales of Bulbs by Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris, & Mr. J. C. Stevens. 
Wednesday, September i6tb.—Trade Sale at the Nurseries, 
South Woodford, by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. 
Sales of Bulbs by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. & Mr. J. C. 
Stevens. 
Thursday, September 17th.—Trade Sale at the Brimsdown 
Nursery, by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. 
Sales of Bulbs by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris & Mr, J. C. 
Stevens. 
Friday, September 18th.—Trade sale at the Longland’s 
Nursery, by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris. 
Saks of Orchids and Bulbs, by Messrs. Protheroe & 
Morris, and of Bulbs by Mr. J. C. Steyens. 
J Potato Experiments in Berkshire.— 
5 An extensive series of experiments on 
the manuring of Potatos has been carried 
out on the Trial Grounds of Messrs. Sutton 
& Sons, Reading, by Mr. Douglas A. 
Gilchrist, Director of the Agricultural 
Department of the University Extension 
College, Reading, in collaboration with Mr. 
A. W. Sutton. The experiments were 
divided into seven sets, all determined by 
the kind of manure employed,and the time it 
was applied, except in the seventh set 
where spraying experiments were recorded. 
A large party of about eighty agriculturists 
and otheis interested in Potato culture met 
at Reading to inspect the trials ; but pre¬ 
vious to this inspection they were most 
hospitably entertained to luncheon by the 
Messrs. Sutton, in the Abbey Hall, Read¬ 
ing. All the partners of the firm were pre¬ 
sent, supported by the Mayor of Reading, 
the Principal and the Director of the Agri¬ 
cultural Department of the College, and Mr. 
Owen Thomas (The Queen’s Gardener), as 
well as other well-known gentlemen. 
From the Abbey Hall, the party were 
driven in breaks to the Trial Grounds, and 
fortunately the weather kept fine till the 
inspection had almost been completed. The 
Potato most largely employed in these 
experiments was The Sutton Ilourball, a 
relatively new, round, red, disease-resisting 
variety for field culture and of excellent 
table quality. The first set of ten plots had 
been manured in 1895 but not in 1896. 
Plot 1 had not been manured in either of 
the years, but gave a total weight of 6 tons 
10 cwt. 20 lbs. Plot 2 received 20 tons of 
farmyard manure per acre, in 1895, at a 
cost of £5, and gave a total weight of 7 tons 
10 cwt. 60 lbs. A similar weight of farm¬ 
yard manure together with complete artifi¬ 
cials, applied to the third plot, gave a very 
singular result, inasmuch as the total 
weight of tubers (6 tons 9 cwt. 52 lbs.) was 
less than from the first plot that received 
no manure at all. Complete artificial 
manure alone gave precisely the same 
result. The artificial manures actually 
employed were 2 cwt. each of nitrate of 
soda and superphosphate, and cwt. of 
sulphate of potash. A double dressing of 
complete artificial manure alone raised the 
weight to 8 tons 8 cwt. 4 lbs per acre. 
Complete artificials with a half-dressing of 
nitrate gave 8 tons 17 cwt. 16 lbs. A double 
dressing to plot 7, reduced the total crop to 
7 tons 19 cwt. 12 lbs. which was certainly 
singular. In plot 8, the potash was omitted 
and the crop rose to 8 tons 9 cwt. 72 lbs. 
When phosphates only were omitted (plot 
9), the weight was 8 tons n cwt. 28 lbs. 
When nitrogen alone (plot 10) was omitted, 
the crop was reduced to 8 tons 6 cwt. 68 lbs 
The results from plots 8, 9, and 10, would 
therefore indicate that nitrogen is the most 
important of the artificial manures for 
Potatos, and that potash comes next in 
order of value. This, of course, is quite in 
agreement with our previous convictions. 
The above ten plots belong to the first set 
of the experiments. No manure has been 
applied since 1895, so that a second crop 
has been harvested from the same ground. 
The heavy weight of produce in all cases 
except in plots, 1, 3, and 4, show that the 
beneficial effect of artificial manures is 
carried over more than one season. In the 
case of nitrate at least, the dry summer of 
1895 and the dry winter following it, had 
the effect of economising the manure in the 
soil, so that the crop just dug up has 
benefitted by the same. All these are 
important considerations. 
The second set of ten plots was manured 
both in 1895 and 1896. The result was 
that the weights per acre were considerably 
increased, but scarcely sufficient in the 
majority of cases to warrant the double 
expenditure for manures. The best results 
accrued in plots 5 and 7 where the heavy 
dressings of nitrate clearly accounted for 
the increase. It is difficult to explain the 
remarkable decrease in plot 10, otherwise 
than by the omission of nitrate. The 
manures actually applied were 2 cwt. super¬ 
phosphate, and i-J cwt. sulphate of potash, 
and the return was 5 tons .16 cwt. 88 lbs. 
Here again the importance of nitrogen to 
the Potato crop becomes apparent. All the 
manures employed were applied early in 
January with the exception of the readily 
soluble nitrogen. Set three was initiated 
this year and treated as in the second set. 
The results show lower weights in a con¬ 
siderable number of cases, the weakest 
being in plot 1, where no manure at all was 
applied. This would seem to show that the 
ground was poorer from not being manured 
in 1895. The next lowest weight was 
harvested from plot 10, where nitrogen had 
been omitted from the otherwise complete 
artificial manure. The heavy dressings of 
nitrate again gave excellent results, the 
heaviest weight being 9 tons 5 cwt. on plot 
7, which had a complete artificial manure 
with a double dressing of nitrate. 
Set 4 was devoted to spring manuring, 
that is, the applications were made when 
the Potatos were planted between April 17th 
and 22nd. Here the figures have been 
radically altered, for the heaviest crop 
(9 tons 4 cwts. 72 lbs.) was obtained where 
farmyard manure only, at the rate of 20 
tons per acre, was applied. The second 
