570 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 5, 1900. 
From the Dell Garden, mentioned in our last issue, 
we were driven by a heavy April shower, made fierce by 
a strong gale that would have been more seasonable in 
March. Taking shelter in the greenhouse, we noted 
a collection of zonal Pelargoniums grown for the sake 
of cut flower. Other flowering subjects at their best 
were Astilbe japonica, Spiraea Aruncus astilboides, 
Calceolarias, and Lily of the Valley. The Climbing 
Niphetos Rose was also doing well. 
The Tomato house contained a batch of Earliest of 
All and Winter Beauty, grown in pots side by side, 
and alternately to test their relative earliness. The 
seeds were sown in December, and Earliest of All 
had well coloured fruits on the lowermost bunches, 
while those of the other variety were still quite green. 
On the staging beneath them were early batches of 
Gloxinias and tuberous Begonias. Amorphophallus 
Rivieri was flowering, having turned up in a batch of 
Lily bulbs from Japan. Here also were Abutilon 
megapotamicum and seedlings of many plants for 
bedding out, including Nasturtiums, Castor Oil 
plants, Phlox Drummondi, “^enecio elegans, Mari¬ 
golds, single and cactus Dahlias, Salpiglossis, Gail- 
lardias, Dianthus Heddewigii, &c. 
The stove contained Acalypha Sanderi, Thyrsa- 
canthus rutilans. Golden Ring, and other Crotons for 
house decoration, Cypripediums and various Den- 
drobiums, Pandanus Veitchi, and flowering speci¬ 
mens of Pancratium fragrans. Acalypha marginata, 
A. macrophylla, and Exacum affine will all find their 
uses presently. 
The Melon house was fully occupied with Melons 
and Cucumbers. Amongst the latter were Every 
Day, a model Cucumber of fine shape. The Roch- 
ford is a heavy cropper, with a thick fruit, but 
having a defect in its long handle. Pride of the 
Market is a longer fruit, and the base is not con¬ 
tracted into a handle. Brook’s Seedling is a variety 
derived from The Rochford crossed with Blair. 
Melons included Best of All, Perfection, three 
seedlings under number for trial, and Superb, a green 
fleshed variety of great merit. A collection of Cala- 
diums was coming on in this house, including such 
handsome varieties as Silver Cloud, Oriflamme, 
Marguerite Gilimer, Candidum, &c. 
The Vines in the earliest house were expanding their 
flowers. Beneath them was a varied and interesting 
batch of seedling Coleuses, suggesting the possibility 
of raising them annually for decorative purposes, 
instead of continuing the troublesome method of pre¬ 
serving them by frequent propagation from cuttings. 
Scarcely two were alike, and a large percentage of 
the seedlngs had really handsome foliage. 
In the second early vinery some new staging has 
been erected for plants which are being increased to 
meet the greater demands of the establishment. 
Primula sinensis is grown in considerable variety and 
amongst the plants we noted a Fern-leaved Star 
Primula, which makes, we believe, an addition to 
the race. Petunia Rose Queen is a choice single 
variety for pots or open-air culture. Pyramidal 
Fuchsias are been brought along for planting in tubs 
for the Dell Garden. Strawberries are staged near 
the front glass. The Vines in the third house had 
only made short shoots, though healthy and vigorous. 
Bedding stuff was plentiful here also. A beautiful 
and interesting curiosity was that which commenced 
flowering as a blue Primrose, presently developing 
into a Polyanthus, and then showing an inclination 
to produce whorled scapes of flowers. This furnishes 
something more than a suggestion that the garden 
Polyanthus is only an evolved Primrose, bearing an 
umbel of flowers on the elongated common foot¬ 
stalk. 
Frames were occupied with Cauliflowers, Lettuces, 
Radishes, &c. in successive batches, on beds of fer¬ 
menting manure. Forced Asparagus had just been 
finished. A collection of Chrysanthemums may also 
be mentioned. 
The whole end of one of the vineries is covered 
with a vigorous specimen of the Rose W. A. 
Richardson. Peaches on walls are protected by 
glass, hung from the coping. 
Many and varied lessons can be gleaned in the 
kitchen garden though this also is only in the process 
of development. The earliest Peas had been sown 
in boxes and planted out in furrows for shelter. 
Others were just coming through the soil, including 
Early Giant and May Queen. Cauliflowers in the 
open included Sutton's First Crop, Magnum Bonum 
and Universal, later^than.Magnum Bonum. Amongst 
early Potatos the favourites were Sutton’s Ashleaf, 
Ringleader and Early Border, just coming through 
the soil. Windsor Caslle is preferred to any other 
variety for the main crop. Exhibition, Long Pod, 
Giant Windsor and Green Giant Beans are the 
favourites here. Early Turnips are supplied by 
Early Red Milan and White Milan. Carrots for 
early use are Sutton’s Inimitable Forcing and Cham¬ 
pion Horn. A sowing of the latter made in autumn 
in an open border is now supplying roots as tender 
as those forced on hotbeds. 
Pyramidal Pear trees are planted round the bor¬ 
ders of the vegetable quarters. Behind them are 
autumn-sown Onions such as Ax, Ailsa Craig and 
Giant Leviathan. Spring-sown varieties include Ax, 
Sutton’s Perfection, Sutton’s Globe, Sutton’s 
Selected Ailsa Craig, Sutton’s Long Keeping and 
Sutton’s Improved Queen. Another lot, sown under 
glass to bring them along, includes Selected Ailsa 
Craig, Ai and Perfection. Of main crop Carrots, 
New Red Intermediate, Scarlet Intermediate and 
Sutton's Early Gem, have all been sown in holes 
filled with prepared soil; for the flint pebbles so 
abundant everywhere in the soil of this upland 
plateau make this a necessity. Tender and True 
Parsnip (the only variety grown), and Blood Red 
and the Sutton Globe Beet have been treated in the 
same way. 
A useful object lesson was furnished by a plant¬ 
ation of two varieties of Rhubarb, covered with 
Seakale pots and fermenting manure. The Sutton 
is a pale variety with stout, clean-looking and tempt¬ 
ing stalks, notwithstanding their pale colour. Read¬ 
ing Ruby is the greatest favourite here, for the 
stout stalks have a dark red skin and the hue is 
continued to the very centre even after being cooked, 
and whether the stalks have been grown under 
natural conditions in the open or forced. While 
handsome in appearance the cooked article is of 
excellent quality. A collection of fifteen varieties 
has been planted by way of a trial in order to deter¬ 
mine their respective merits. The varieties are 
Linnaeus, Crimson Queen, Prince Albert, Fox’s Early 
Red, Mr. Keep’s variety (which is said to grow in 
winter without forcing), Prince of Wales, Victoria, 
Buckley’s Crimson, Royal Albert (a forcing variety), 
Stott’s Monarch, Early Scarlet, Champagne, Early 
Red Raspberry, Reading Ruby, and The Sutton. 
This collection should be sufficient to meet the wants 
of any private establishment. 
A new French variety of Asparagus of large size 
has been planted in a single row along a trench. The 
sticks will be earthed up gradually as they grow till 
covered with a foot of soil to blanch them. Three 
plantations of winter Cabbages are all of different 
ages for a successive supply. The variety is The 
Gem, a conical headed Cabbage of dwarf habit. The 
earliest plantation is now in use. 
At the south-western corner of the estate is a piece 
of sloping ground with a sunny aspect, and which 
has been laid out as an orchard. Bush and stan¬ 
dard trees, all young ones, to the number of 250 have 
been planted, and will presently become fruitful and 
profitable. A large proportion of them is laden with 
flower buds. All the leading and best modern varie¬ 
ties are planted, including Apples, Pears, Plums and 
Cherries. Raspberries grow strongly. Asparagus 
and other vegetables are planted between the young 
trees. 
Pieces of ground have been set apart for plantations 
of Mangles and Thousand Headed Cabbages, the 
latter being meant as shelter for game. In the same 
hollow, out of sight of the mansion and pleasure 
grounds, are some farm stock, including some beauti¬ 
ful Jersey cows. Altogether this rural establishment 
is very representative, instructive, and probably 
unique for many miles around. 
-—- 
CHEMISTRY FOR THE GARDEN. 
IX.— Mineral Food. 
Magnesia.— This is the oxide of magnesium, and its 
only oxide. It can be obtained on a small scale, by 
the ignition of small strips of the metal in the air. 
The magnesium burns with a brilliancy equal to 
electric light. The residual ash is the oxide and 
substance magnesia. In many respects magnesia is 
not unlike lime with which it invariably is found in 
nature. 
Magnesian limestone, dolomite, and serpentine 
rocks have a large quantity of magnesia in their 
composition. All cultivated soils contain magnesia 
also, and it is doubtless a most essential food for 
plants. 
It is said to be specially beneficial for the pro¬ 
duction of fruit. One of the leading lecturers on 
chemistry in Edinburgh informed us a few years ago 
that where applications of this substance were made 
to old exhausted orchards, the results were a much 
larger percentage of fruit. 
Magnesia can be supplied,among others, to the soil 
in a very convenient form, by applications of bones, 
as tbey contain phosphate of magnesia, as well as 
phosphate of lime. The well known medicinal 
Epsom Salts are a combination of magnesia and 
sulphuric acid—sulphate of magnesia. 
Soda. —Sea plants contain this substance in 
greater abundance than those of inland cultivation. 
It is said that in an insular country such as ours that 
sufficient soda is carried in the atmosphere, to meet 
the needs of plants, without making any additions 
artifically at all. Therefore the plant’s need for soda 
would apparently appear to be very small. 
Still experience teaches that some plants are 
immensely improved by some combinations of soda. 
Asparagus revels in a good dressing of salt, 
which is a combination of soda and chlorine 
gas. Onions, it is said, will use up salt 
till they actually taste salt. There is no doubt what¬ 
ever but Onions do well with a fair quantity of 
salt. We, however, cannot vouch for their partiality 
for salt being so great as to partly convert them into 
pickles before they leave the gardener or amateur’s 
hands. 
On large continents where the fiercest storms are 
impotent to carry soda from the sea inland, the 
necessity for this mineral becomes greater, and its 
character being so similar to that of potash, perhaps 
in such circumstances it would act as a very good 
substitute. 
Soda is the oxide of the metal sodium, which, like 
its relative potassium, has a violent affinity for 
oxygen. Whenever it touches water it is ignited and 
decomposed into soda. Hence to preserve these 
metals from oxidation it is essential to put them into 
naphta. Exposure to the air for a short time will 
accomplish oxidation also. 
Sulphur is found in plants, perhaps chiefly in the 
albumen. It is taken up in the form of sulphuric 
acid. The Brassica family use a fairly large per¬ 
centage of sulphuric for their proper development. 
As this tribe has also a strong predilection for potash 
it follows that a combination of potash and sulphuric 
acid would still greater meet with favour. 
Iron—Ferric and Ferrous Oxides. —Iron, as has 
already been hinted,performs similar functions in the 
plant to that which it does in the animal structure. 
Plant and animal require but an infinitively small 
quantity for the maintenance of their health, yet 
were this withdrawn they would soon show symptoms 
of failing health. In the human species the want of 
iron is known by a peculiar paleness of the face, and 
in the plant it is somwhat the same—an unhealthy 
pale green familiar to every gardener. Perhaps after 
all the chromogenic bacteria have something to do 
in both cases with the coloration of blood add chloro¬ 
phyll. Whether or not it is bacteria or plant that 
actually need iron (probably both) it is well known 
that salts of iron are indispensable for plants’ healthy 
growth. There are two oxides of iron found in the 
soil. One of these is extremly injurious to vegetation, 
the other is a most valuable plant food. The former 
is known as ferrous oxide, the latter as ferric oxide. 
By being exposed to the air it becomes oxidised and 
changed into the valuable red, ferrous oxide. It is 
the presence of the red oxide which gives turf loam 
that nutty colour, so well known to the gardener and 
so indicative of fertility. 
Iodine is confined to seaweed and plants growing 
more in the sea than on the shore. 
Chlorine is found in the form of clorides in many 
plants. In its pure state chlorine gas perhaps is 
about the deadliest poison in existence. One snuff 
of this, unadultrated, is said to cut off respiration at 
once. Therefore the preparation of chlorine is dan¬ 
gerous for beginners. Yet how harmless this gas 
in common salt, 581bs of which has 35J of chlorine 
in its composition.— Oxygen. 
(To be continued.) 
-•§*- 
German Sugar Production.—The German sugar 
industry has rather fallen off than incressed during 
the present year. Beet roots to the extent of 
12,144,291 tons have been used. 
