38 
THE FLORISTS JOURNAL. 
with snow for several weeks ; but the good sorts in cultivation 
should be nurtured with care and attention, and supplied with 
proper stimulants to bring them to the highest state of perfection 
in which they are exhibited by florists. 
Mr. Sherwood alluded to a paper on Heartsease by a Mr. 
Earl, in which unfermented dung was recommended as pro¬ 
ducing more carbonic acid and ammonia, than if well rotted. It 
was carrying out the doctrine of Sir H. Davy ; but while the use 
of it for Heartsease might be good, it would be productive of 
serious injury to other plants ; therefore the practical gardener 
should not be led astray by any scient fic doctrines, however 
plausible, but to exercise his own judgment and discretion to 
ascertain how far they are applicable, and when they should 
be rejected. 
Mr. Caie observed that the plausible theory promulgated by 
Sir Humphrey Davy, that manure was most nutritive when 
applied in a fresh or undecomposed state to the roots of plants, 
was proved to be erroneous by the practice of all Agriculturists 
and Horticulturists. 
Mr. Keane explained that Sir H. Davy believed the ammonia 
and gases generated by fresh dung would increase the tempera¬ 
ture of the soil, and would be imbibed by the sponglets of the 
roots to nourish the plant. He valued the science of chemis¬ 
try, as far as it tended to teach the gardener the properties 
of soils, by which he would be able to incorporate the different 
ingredients to form the compost best adapted for the culture of 
each particular tribe of plants. 
Mr. Morse concluded the discussion by entering fully into 
the details of his practice, which escaped his notice when writing 
his paper. 
NOTES ON PELARGONIUMS, &c. 
The paper to which H. H. D.’s communication refers, had 
reference to plants which are strictly seasonal ; but it by no 
means follows that all the plants of tropical, or any other lati¬ 
tudes, are of this character. Plants are adapted to places, not 
places to plants,—though in our artificial treatment we must 
adapt the place to the plant. 
