1000 
THE GARDENING WORLD , 
December 10, 1904. 
light) or porous soils, -bub still thiei process of loss is going on 
even in these soils. 
Moreover, thiei more decayed the manure is, the colder and 
heavier it becomes, and the application of such manure® in 
autumn to soils that have a tendency to become. wet and 
'sodden during winter is apt to intensify the evil, and instead of 
such -soils improving under the operation of manuring, they 
really deteriorate' through the application of heavy rich manure 
in aut-umn. 
On the other hand, almost all soils are improved by t-hei 
application of rough half-decayed manure in autumn and early 
winter, but- it will easily be understood that- this must be used 
in. greater quantity than if well decomposed material was used. 
During the process' of decomposition which this rough material 
has to> undergo, fermentation is set up in the soil, which tends 
to keep soil warmer and drier during winter, and, therefore, 
earlier in a workable' condition in; spring. 
Further, the ammonia and other acids given off during de¬ 
composition have iai chemical action upon the soil itself, ren¬ 
dering soluble some of its elements 1 ', and transforming them 
into valuable food for the crop® which are to follow. Again, 
nitrogen being a, product of the ammonia given off during the 
process of decomposition, and where rough, rank manure is 
used, some time elapse® before decay is' complete. It becomes 
evident' that- ground dressed with rank manure ini autumn may 
be richer in nitrogen when cropping season comes round than 
ground similarly treated with manure in which the process 
of decomposition wais almost or entirely completed before it 
was dug in. 
By using rougher material in autumn, the better decayed 
manure will be available in spring for digging in as: winter 
crops are removed, when less' time will intervene between 
digging and cropping. Rougher and fresher manure may with 
advantage be applied to crops which are to occupy the ground 
for some time, treating those which complete their growth 
quickly with the finer and better decayed material. G. F. 
Boronias. 
Among the many beautiful flowering hard-wooded plants' 
which have been introduced from Australia, for the embellish¬ 
ment of our plant, houses, there are few which -are more in¬ 
teresting and useful than, many of the species of Boronia. 
The majority of 1 them partaking of a, dwarf habit render 1 them 
most suitable for pot culture, although magnificent specimens! 
may be obtained if skilfully treated when planted out into a 
border in, a, cool greenhouse. 
The old plants, after flowering, require cutting back rather 
hard, and. it isi most essential to their well-being that the cul¬ 
tivator should pay strict attention to this matter, or else they 
will scon attain an unsightly appearance. 
After this' operation has been performed introduction to a 
little extra, warmth will cause new growths to break away 
readily, and these should be encouraged by occasionally spray¬ 
ing with the syringe, ultimately removing them to a more coo-l 
and airy situation,; but over-exposure to the full effects 1 of the 
solar beat should be guarded against. 
Cuttings of the young shoots obtained) when -about' l i in. 
long, inserted in finely sifted peat and sand, with a bell glass 
placed over them, and 1 subject to a slight bottom heat, will 
root readily. 
Bo-ronias thrive exceedingly well in a, compost consisting of 
two parts peat, one of good fibrous loam, and one of sand, with 
the addition of a little charcoal. Ini such a compost a,s I am 
advocating, the subsequent growths of the plant will become 
morei vigorous than when potted in peat and sand alone, a® 
some cultivators recommend. Careful attention as to water¬ 
ing should at all time® be exercised ; less harm will be done to 
the plants by keeping them on the dry side than to let the soil 
become sour by an overdose of water. With well-established 
plants the occasional use of soot-water will prove most bene¬ 
ficial in keeping them in a robust and healthy condition- 
Of the numerous species of Boronias known to horticulturists 
few of them, are of great merit or commercial value. 
B. elatior is a species introduced from South-western Aus¬ 
tralia., with dark green, pinnate leaves, and producing an 
abundance of rosy-purple flowers. B. heteropliylla is undoubt¬ 
edly one of the best; its narrow, deep green leaves are almost 
hidden by a profusion of carmine-scarlet flowers, which are 
delightfully fragrant. B. megastigma, on account of the sweet 
perfume of its flowers, which are borne on graceful spiral 
shoots, is one of the most highly prized of all the Boronias. B. 
pinmata, -although one of the earliest introductions, is still at 
the present, time a great favourite ; its flowers are- of a rosy- 
purple colour and sweetly scented. B. polygalaefolia produces 
flowers of a beautiful lilac shade, and should not, be omitted 
from the smallest collection of this interesting class of plants. 
F. G. T. 
On the Editor’s Table. 
Climbing French Beans. 
I am sending you sample and bearing growth o-f Veiteh’s 
Climbing French Beans, as these have done remarkably well 
here. The seeds were sown on August 12th, one seed in a 
60-size pot, and potted on, into- 16’s as soon as the small pots 
were fairly filled with roots', filling the pots about- two-thirds 
of their depth, leaving the remaining space for top-dressing 
when the plants commenced bearing. The plants were grown 
in a, temperature from 60 deg. F. toi 65 deg. F. until bearing 
commenced, when, it was increased 5 deg. 
The plants were trained over the trellisi of a span-roofed 
house. -Some of them measure 12 ft. in -length at the present, 
time, and are still bearing. Tire plants have given a continual 
sup-ply since the early part of October. I think this Bean, far 
superior to any of the d-wa-rf kinds', as plants take up less room, 
bear more abundantly, and produce larger' -pods. Perhaps 
some of your readers will give their experience with climbing 
French Beans'. G- Hatch. 
[Our correspondent' sends: us a sample of Beans, the po-ds o-f 
which he ha,si been: gathering for some time past,. The 
stems were 6 ft. to 9 ft', in length, and 1 above a certain 
height every joint- was furnished with a, fruit-bearing 
raceme. The plants were in a, healthy condition and per¬ 
fectly clean, showing that he understands this form of 
vegetable culture at a iSeason of the year when all soft- 
wooded plant® have a difficulty in contending with the short 
days' and feeble -light. The- pods themselves were 6 in. long, 
'smooth,, light- green, and in perfection even for exhibition 
purposes. The pods were also beautifully straight, showing 
that the condition® were perfectly suitable, although he may 
argue that the variety it-self had something to do with t'hear 
beautiful form.— Ed.] 
A Proliferous Plantago major. —At a meeting of the Lin- 
nean Society of London, on November 3rd, the Rev. John 
Gerard, S.J., exhibited specimens of a proliferous 11 ant am from, 
the neighbourhood of Clitheroe, Lancashire. He drew atten¬ 
tion to figures of the plant in Lobel, Pena, and Dodoens. He 
also, stated that the- point of interest seemed to be that the 
proliferous tendency was transmitted by seed, and m illustra¬ 
tion of this statement lie showed a seedling from the original. 
Professor H. Marshall Ward, in the discussion which tools 
place, said that the plant in question offered specially good 
material for experiments as to mutation. We may say also 
that several of the British species of Plantago are liable to 
develop heads of this character, instead of the usual spike ot 
seed This is very liable to happen in rich ground, especially 
if cultivated. We have also found good examples m the case 
of P. lanceolata and P. maritima, the latter being particularly 
good in its natural habitat on the sea coast. The inflorescence 
had branched until it assumed a pyramidal form. 
