JOURNAL  OF  HORriCULrURE  , AND  ^COTTAGE  GARDENER.  51 
July  J8,  1895. 
that  both  organic  compounds  and  ammonium  compounds  soon  give 
ri»e  to  nitrates  in  the  soil,  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  plants  absorb 
or  take  up  their  nitrogen  from  nitrates,  and  seeing  that  nitrate  of 
lime  is  most  abundant  in  the  soil  it  is  concluded  that  this  substance 
is  the  main  source  of  nitrogen  for  plants. 
“  Student’s  ”  difficulty  lies  in  the  assumption,  or  statement,  that 
nitrate  of  lime  is  taken  into  the  plant  as  such — that  is,  without  any 
change.  If  this  were  true  we  should,  as  he  remarks,  expect  to 
find  the  lime  (neglecting  the  other  bases,  potash,  soda,  and  magnesia), 
and  nitrogen  in  something  like  the  same  chemically  equivalent 
proportions  as  met  with  in  nitrate  of  lime.  This  is  found  not 
to  be  the  case.  There  is  an  excess  of  nitrogen  and  a  deficiency  of 
lime,  as  seen  in  the  analysis  quoted,  and  this  has  led  to  “  Student’s” 
query  and  suggestion  that  the  nitrogen  must  have  been  obtained 
from  other  sources  than  nitrates.  The  latter  view  has  been  amply 
refuted  by  most  careful  experiments,  and  the  explanation  of  the 
apparent  discrepancy  is  that  the  nitrate  of  lime  is  split  up  and 
decomposed  at  the  very  threshold  of  entry  into  the  plant — i.e., 
in  the  root-hairs  and  in  the  roots  which  are  not  included  in  the 
analyses  given,  which  soon  dry  up  and  remain  in  the  soil.  The 
lime  is  thus  separated  and  practically  left  in  the  soil,  while  the 
nitrogen  enters  jinto  new  combination,  and  helps  to  build  up 
various  more  or  less  complex  organic  compounds.  The  ratio  of 
the  lime -and  other  bases  to  the  nitrogen  in  different  plants  grown 
even  upon  the  same  soil,  and  thus  having  equal  access  to  nitrates, 
varies  much. 
The  details  of  the  chemical  changes  which  nitrogen  undergoes 
after  entering  the  plant  and  where  these  changes  take  place  are 
practically  unknown  yet.  The  changes  are  slow  compared,  for 
example,  with  those  undergone  by  carbonic  dioxide,  and  difficult  to 
follow.  Different  kind#  of  plants,  growing  with  equal  access  to. 
nitrates  in  the  soil,  show  very  different  results  as  regards  their 
method  of  taking  up  and  utilising  these  compounds.  In  some 
cases  the  nitrates  can  be  readily  detected  as  such  in  all  parts  of  the 
plant  ;  in  others  only  in  the  stem,  or  perhaps  only  in  the  root,  or 
in  no  part  at  all. — John  Percival. 
WORKING  WHILST  WAITING. 
In  connection  with  and  in  conclusion  of  the  subject  previously 
promulgated  under  the  headings  “  How  Gardeners  are  Made  ” 
and  “  Facing  the  Fact,”  an  endeavour  will  now  be  made  to  formu¬ 
late  a  scheme  for  the  amelioration — a  complete  cure  can  hardly  be 
hoped  for — of  the  existing  evil.  Admitting  the  relevancy  of  the 
proverb,  “  Desperate  diseases  require  desperate  remedies,”  to  the 
case  in  question,  the  necessity  of  submitting  a  powerful  specific  is 
alone  worthy  of  consideration.  Yet  it  is  that  in  the  strength  of  a 
measure  or  boldness  of  a  scheme  weakness  sometimes  lays,  and 
such,  I  reluctantly  feel,  may  apply  in  this  case. 
Criticism  I  would  rather  court  than  shun,  and  should  readers 
take  it  up  and  writers  throw  it  down,  to  be  thrashed  out,  not  of 
the  Journal  of  horticulture,  but  in  its  pages,  provided  that  from 
the  debris  something  more  practical,  perhaps  less  visionary,  is  con¬ 
structed,  then,  indeed,  will  at  least  one  end  be  attained,  and  neither 
time  nor  space  be  wholly  barren  of  results.  Some,  at  least,  may 
be  warned  in  time  to  pause  and  consider  ere  they  rush  in  where 
too  many  eagerly  look  for  the  means  of  a  dignified  exit.  In  view 
of  a  possible  arbitrary  condemnation,  unjustified  by  the  advance¬ 
ment  of  a  better  plan,  have  I  ventured  on  this  digression  ;  and, 
being  fully  conscious  of  the  magnitude  of  this  self-imposed  task, 
I  am  further  emboldened  to  ask  the  indulgence  of  those  who  may 
see  more  clearly  yet  not  feel  it  more  keenly  than  myself. 
The  primary  consideration  is  the  employment  of  that  dreary 
time  of  waiting  for  those  who  are  “  out  ” — the  bridging  over  of 
that  rude  break  in  the  course  of  a  gardener’s  life,  weighing  far 
more  heavily  on  a  man  than  the  busiest  of  busy  seasons.  It  is 
good  for  a  man  that  he  should  not  have  the  time  to  brood  in  silence 
over  his  troubles  ;  and  it  is  good  for  the  world  at  large  that  it 
should  still  have  the  benefit  of  his  matured  experience  through  a 
temporary  channel — a  channel  from  which  the  storm-tossed  one 
shall  still  keep  in  sight  his  land  of  promise — a  permanent  situation. 
Such  relief  I  can  only  see  in  the  formation  of  an  association,  or, 
more  properly  speaking,  an  horticultural  company,  and  it  may 
perhaps  economise  space  and  more  clearly  express  the  idea  by 
roughly  outlining  a  prospectus  of  what  I  shall  term  the  Horticul¬ 
tural  Company,  Limited.  This  company  to  be  formed  with  a 
capital  of,  say,  £50,000  in  shares  of  £1  each.  The  objects  of  the 
company  being ; — 
1,  For  the  temporary  employment  of  head  gardeners  of 
practical  experience  with  unimpeachable  testimonials  as  to 
character  and  ability. 
2,  For  the  purchase  or  renting  on  lease  of  suitable  land  and  the 
erection  of  glass  houses,  if  desirable,  for  the  culture  of  such  high- 
class  produce  as  may  find  a  ready  market ;  to  be,  as  far  as  possible, 
non-competitive  with  local  trade  or  market  growers  ;  the  chief  aim 
of  the  company  in  its  business  relations  being  to  supply  from  its 
establishment  or  branches  such  produce  as  there  is  a  demand  for, 
or  may  be  created,  amongst  the  masses  of  our  densely  populated 
cities.  Also  for  the  supply  of  such  things  as  the  existent  demand 
draws  a  considerable  percentage  of  its  supplies  from  foreign 
growers,  if  it  is  reasonably  supposed  that  the  highest  skill , 
combined  with  prudent,  management  can  successfully  compete 
with  them. 
3,  That  head  gardeners  of  the  United  Kingdom  shall  be  invited 
to  co-operate  by  taking  shares  in  the  company,  and  shall,  as  share¬ 
holders,  have  the  preference  in  availing  themselves  of  the 
temporary  occupation  it  would  give  with  the  facilities  afforded  for 
a  reinstatement  into  permanent  situations.  , 
4,  That  a  board  of  directors  be  appointed  from  amongst,  our 
leading  horticulturists  with  practical  men  as  managers,  and  aU 
means  be  employed  in  advertising  for  permanent  situations  or 
otherwise,  and  charged  to  the  working  expenses  of  the  company., 
5,  That  all  profits  (if  any)  after  paying,  say,  5  per  cent.,  to  be 
applied  to  the  benefit  of  the  temporary  employes  in  such  way  as 
may  be  deemed  advisable,  or  to  the  further  extension  of  the 
scheme.  * 
Having  given  but  the  briefest  outline  of  this  scheme,  and  that 
but  imperfectly  drawn,  though  not  hastily  conceived,  there  is  bat 
little  to  add  beyond  the  many  and  various  details  requisite  to  fill 
it  in.  Given  these,  by  those  qualified  to  do  so — which  I  am  not — 
the  stern  fact  has  to  be  faced,  will  the  public  at  large  put,  their 
pounds  into  such  or  a  similar  scheme,  a  scheme  so  comparatively 
dull  to  the  glitter  of  a  diamond  mine  or  gold-prospecting  com¬ 
pany,  and  one,  too,  which  is  handicapped  by  a  soupcon  of  philan¬ 
thropy  attached  to  it  ?  Probably  not.  Anyway,  that  dire, 
necessity  for  prompt  action  is  not  felt  by  them  ;  it  is  so  far  as  they 
are  concerned  a  cipher,  whereas  to  us  it  is  the  most  prominent 
factor,  indeed  the  only  one  which  has  prompted  this  crude  attempt 
to  deal  with  it,  for  having  worn  the  shoe  which  pinches  I  may 
here  say  that  I  have  no  other  interest  in  the  matter  beyond  that 
fellow  feeling  for  fellow  sufferers  which  is  all  sufficient. 
Truly  it  may  be  said  of  us — gardeners — that  when  we  cannot 
dig,  to  beg  we  are  ashamed.  Sympathy  may  be  accepted,  but 
charity  will  never  be  sought  for.  The  very  suspicion  of  such  a 
thing  in  any  shape  or  form  would  be  most  offensive.  Congenial 
and  active  employment  to  carry  one  over  the  chasm  of  “  out  ’’  is 
wanted — urgently  wanted.  Is  there  any  other  means  of  providing 
this,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  the  man  of  middle  age  who  has 
occupied  a  good  position  can  have  it,  and  still  retain  that  dignity 
he  is  entitled  to  ?  I  think  not,  only  in  co-operation. 
In  conclusion,  we  have  on  the  one  hand  men  of  skill  and 
experience  capable,  under  organisation,  of  producing  the  many 
things  which  the  teeming  masses  of  Ironopolis  would  gladly  avail 
themselves  of.  Fruits,  flowers,  vegetables,  plants  ;  are  the  Irono- 
polites  glutted  with  these  things  ?  I  think  not,  and  have  fain  to 
be  content  with  the  dregs  of  the  market.  Truly,  they  have  so 
little  or  know  so  little  that  ignorance  is  bliss — in  a  degree  ;  but 
they  have  the  inherent  tastes  for  better  things,  and  are  waiting  to 
be  educated  up  to  them .  See  that  workman,  black  from  the  forge, 
how  tenderly  he  tucks  a  Creeping  Jenny  under  his  arm,  bought 
from  the  barrow,  and  note  his  knowledge  of  hardy  plants  is 
practically  confined  to  this  specimen,  or  the  thousand  and  one 
things  we  could  give  him  which  he  has  not,  and  the  work  he  could 
give  us  which  we  (those  out)  are  waiting  for.  So  might  (may,  I 
trust)  the  Horticultural  Company,  Limited,  be  the  means  of  com-, 
munication  to  the  mutual  benefit  of  those  concerned. — Invicta. 
SOWING  SEEDS  OF  HARDY  FLOWERS. 
By  the  judicious  expenditure  of  a  few  shillings  on  flower  seeds, 
it  is  really  surprising  how  beautiful  our  flower  gardens  and 
shrubberies  may  be  made,  provided  due  care  and  attention  is 
bestowed  upon  the  management  of  the  young  seedlings.  I  add 
this  latter  “  saving  danse  ”  because  many,  especially  our  amateur 
friends,  seem  to  think  that  when  once  the  seeds  are  sown  but  little 
further  trouble  is  necessary  in  order  to  transform  their  garden 
plot  into  a  veritable  paradise  of  flowers.  Alas  !  no  greater  mistake 
could  be  made,  for  instances  abound  in  which  a  small  amount 
expended  in  seeds  has  produced  infinitely  better  results  than 
have  been  obtained  in  others  where  the  outlay  has  been  thrice  as 
great. 
This  disparity  between  opportunity  and  result  may  frequently 
be  accounted  for  solely  by  the  amount  of  skill  and  attention 
bestowed  on  the  management  of  the  young  plants.  I  therefore 
wish  to  particularly  emphasise  the  importance  of  paying  due  care 
'  to  this  part  of  the  work.  Seed- sowing  is  work  which  claims  some 
