1 Sepr., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 331 
liquid form. Unless the material is there, and not only there, but in such a 
form that the plant can immediately use it, then the plant suffers. A plant 
may starve in the midst of plenty of food material present in the soil, if that food 
material is not present in such a soluble form that the plant can use it An 
example :—The wheat plant requires silicia in order to exist, but wheat has 
been grown in soils containing a large proportion of this very element and yet 
almost perished for want of it, because the silicia was not present in a soluble 
form so that the plant could drink it in, just as a man might starve in the 
presence of a large quantity of flour, because it would not be food in an 
available form until cooked. “A capital means for the application of manure to 
gardens is in a liquid form. Immense quantities of money’s worth in the shape 
of manure are annually wasted in Queensland, where the valuable town refuse 
is got rid of at considerable expense in a manner that belongs to the pre-historic 
era of sanitation. 
Every gardener who would see his favourites flourish should have a liquid 
manure tank amongst the permanent fixtures on his premises. ‘This, filled up with 
water and a few shovelfuls of manure (preferably sheep manure) thrown in, will 
provide him with a stock of readily available food for his plants at the period 
when their wants are greatest—z.e., in the coming spring weather. It is a 
capital plan to get a piece of rough gunny bag, and to tie up in it a few pounds 
of soot, and throw this into your liquid manure tank. You will be surprised at 
the difference which this will make in the appearance of the leaves of your plants, 
imparting to them a bright glossy appearance, which is the sign of vigorous 
health. 
This month we shall plant out at the Botanic Gardens a good large plot 
of coffee. ‘The plants for this have been getting ready for two years. They 
are now fine, healthy fellows, about 2 feet 6 inches in height, and about 
#-inch through at the base. You would feel tempted, if you had such 
healthy and vigorous plants, to plant them and let them grow on as the 
are, but we shall not do that. We shall “ stump” them. We shall lift them 
very carefully when the nights become warmer, and carefully prune off roots 
which are destitute of the small rootlets so necessary to the health of most 
plants; that is to say, we shall shorten such roots back. The plants have been 
already transplanted, so that they have now a mass of fine fibrous roots, When 
we are planting them we will cut the stems down to within 3 or 4 inches of the 
ground. This is called “stumping.” They will then shoot out, and of the 
shoots thus produced one shall be saved, and will grow with considerable vigour ; 
and this will be our future main stem. ‘This, as it grows, will require “handling” 
in order to make the future tree into a symmetrical and profitable plant. 
Dahlias should be planted this month, care being taken to have the position 
well enriched by the use of manure. Cuttings of all tropical plants should be 
putin. Coleus cuttings should be put in at once. Cuttings of these plants 
are xo easily procured that there is no excuse for the existence of the miserable 
specimens one so often meets with. Bear in mind to disbud roses as they make 
new growth, and keep them trained as you go along. This is much better than 
aying a great pruning and tying-up match once a year. Keep the cultivator very 
busy amongst all borders and beds. If you get the upper hal of weeds now, 
and keep them from seeding, you will be able to keep them in check all the 
year. 
Your chrysanthemums will require to be divided this month early, and it 
will be well to lay your plans as to where you oropose to have the next year’s 
display, for you must get a piece of dialkouwnalye ground to plant the offsets 
into. The chrysanthemum loves generous living, and will brook no starvation, 
so that it will aug resent receiving the leavings of some other plant. Stake 
up all plants which require it, such as gladioli, and do not fix a stake larce 
enough to support a haystack, as some do. Your garden should not look like a. 
fine collection of stakes with a few plants attached. Many bulbous plants will 
