476 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  9, 
deductions,  for  it  is  not  so  common  a  practice  now  as  formerly  to 
consider  expensively  made  Vine  borders  necessary  for  the  production  of 
good  Grapes,  or  the  complicated  composts  of  the  faddist  for  the  growth 
of  superior  plants.  The  market  growers  who,  through  the  keen  com¬ 
petition  of  modern  times,  have  found  it  necessary  to  make  every 
shilling  go  as  far  as  possible,  soon  found  out  that  their  working  expenses 
could  be  enormously  reduced  by  using  simple  soils  well  stored  with 
fertility,  in  preference  to  mixtures  at  one  time  thought  essential,  and 
which  were  pedantically  termed  “  properly  proportioned  combinations 
of  the  elements  necessary  for  the  support  of  plant  life.”  A  plentiful 
supply  of  good  turfy  loam  may  be  essential  for  the  successful  cultiva¬ 
tion  of  many  plants  in  pots,  but  I  have  proved  conclusively  that  quite 
as  good  results  may  be  obtained  without  it  in  growing  the  majority  of 
softwooded  kinds.  Its  great  value  lies  in  the  fact  that,  as  the  fibre 
decays  slowly,  it  gives  up  its  elements  of  fertility  by  degrees,  and  is, 
in  consequence,  not  quickly  exhausted,  and  also  prevents  the  compost 
becoming  pasty  and  sour  after  the  first  year.  In  bygone  days,  when 
gigantic  plants  were  more  generally  grown  than  they  are  at  the  present 
time,  fibrous  loam  and  peat  w’ere  almost  exclusively  used  for  pot  plants, 
doubtless  because  observant  cultivators  and  successful  exhibitors  found 
that  large  specimens  could  be  kept  in  health  and  vigour  for  a  long 
time  by  using  only  soil  of  that  description,  hence  it  became  the  practice 
to  use  such  for  small  as  well  as  large  plants. 
When  any  particular  practice  is  pursued  by  a  successful  culti¬ 
vator,  there  is  generally  no  lack  of  others  ready  to  follow,  I  might 
say  blindly,  the  same  course,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  it  may  not 
be  the  most  suitable  one  in  all,  or  even  the  majority  of  instances. 
Turfy  loam  is  really  not  required  for  plants  which  are  kept  in  the 
same  pots  for  a  year  or  so,  and  then  shaken  out  and  repotted.  I  will 
even  go  farther,  and  say  that  many  softwooded  plants,  such  as 
Pelargoniums,  Fuchsias,  and  Marguerites,  which  are  intended  for 
flowering  in  5  and  6-inch  pots,  wfill  grow  more  quickly,  and  prove 
quite  as  satisfactory  in  other  respects,  if  good  garden  soil  is  used  to 
pot  them  in.  There  is  naturally  a  great  difference  in  the  texture  of 
soils  in  various  localities,  and  in  preparing  them  for  potting  purposes 
they  must  be  treated  according  to  their  condition.  Let  us  take,  for 
example,  a  rather  strong,  or,  to  put  the  matter  more  plainly,  stiff 
loam.  If  a  little  lime  rubble  or  wood  ashes  is  added  to  it,  as  well 
as  some  partially  decayed  manure,  it  is  brought  into  the  right 
mechanical  condition,  and  is  rich  enough  to  grow  almost  any  soft¬ 
wooded  plant  well.  Such  a  compost  should  be  fairly  dry  at  the  time 
it  is  used  for  potting,  and  will  not  need  pressing  quite  so  firmly  as 
when  a  lighter  soil  is  used,  A  good  waterer  will  also  observe  that 
until  the  roots  of  a  plant  have  thoroughly  perpieated  such  a  compost, 
watering  must  be  done  sparingly ;  but  this  is  an  advantage,  as  the 
less  water  a  plant  requires  to  keep  it  healthy  and  vigorous,  the  greater 
is  the  saving  of  labour  effected. 
Now  let  us  consider  the  case  of  a  good  loamy  garden  or  field  soil, 
neither  too  heavy  on  the  one  hand,  nor  too  light  on  the  other.  Such 
is  admirably  adapted  for  the  growth  of  jjlants  in  pots,  and  often  needs 
but  little  addition.  In  districts  where  such  soil  abounds  it  is  often 
slightly  deficient  in  lime.  It  is  therefore  obvious  that  a  quart  of  lime 
to  a  barrowload  of  soil  will  make  it  richer  in  plant  food.  Such  soils, 
when  taken  from  land  which  has  been  freely  manured  for  years,  often 
do  not  need  any  other  addition,  as  when  the  plants  need  stimulating 
food  such  can  easily  be  given  in  the  form  of  liquid  or  chemical  manures. 
Again,  in  some  instances  the  soil  of  the  district  is  somewhat  light,  not 
poor,  except  in  the  sense  that  in  dry  seasons  it  does  not  retain  moisture 
well.  A  load  of  clay  kept  in  a  shed,  and  pounded  to  powder  when 
dry,  if  mixed  with  ten  or  fifteen  loads  of  the  light  soil  above  described, 
will  make  it  quite  suitable  for  the  growth  of  plants  in  pots  if  a  little 
chemical  manure  is  added ;  and  such  a  compost  is  far  cheaper  than 
obtaining  turfy  loam  from  a  distance,  and,  moreover,  answers  the 
purpose  equally  well.  These  are  matters  of  vital  importance  in 
connection  with  commercial  horticulture,  as  the  man  who  can  make 
the  best  use  of  the  materials  at  command  may  often  conduct  business 
in  a  profitable  way  when  others,  under  similar  circumstances,  fail, 
through  following  too  closely  the  “  beaten  track.” 
Tomato  growing  has  now  become  quite  a  national  industry,  and 
although  under  favourable  conditions  it  is  one  of  the  most  easily 
grown  plants,  yet  we  hear  perhaps  more  complaints  about  attacks 
of  disease,  and  partial  failures,  than  in  connection  with  any  other 
indoor  crop;  but  I  am  bold  to  say  that  there  are  two  causes  which 
contribute  more  than  all  others  to  want  of  success  in  Tomato  culture  ; 
these  are  iesufficient  ventilation,  and  omission  to  plant  in  sweet 
fresh  soil.  The  idea  that  the  “Love  Apple”  requires  good  turfy  loam 
to  grow  it  to  perfection  is  quite  a  fallacy.  Any  fresh  garden  soil  not 
too  rich  will  answer  the  purpose  quite  as  well  as  the  most  complicated 
mixture  formed  by  dabblers  in  the  science  of  chemistry.  Good  growth, 
not  too  strong,  is  then  secured,  and  when  a  fair  quantity  of  fruit  is  set 
it  is  an  easy  matter  to  feed  as  much  as  is  necessary  with  natural 
liquid  and  chemical  manures.  What  Tomatoes  abhor  is  to  be  planted 
year  after  }'ear  in  the  same  soil  ;  it  is  then  only  a  question  of  time 
before  they  begin  to  show  signs  of  disease  or  refuse  to  grow  altogether. 
“  Yes,”  but  some  growers  on  a  large  scale  will  say,  “  but  how  are  we  to 
constantly  provide  fresh  soil  for  them  ?  ”  The  matter  is  simple  enough 
where  practicable — namely,  secure  a  field  near  your  Tomato  houses,, 
and  each  year  remove  the  top  spit  of  soil  from  the  Tomato  borders, 
replace  it  with  a  thickness  of  8  inches  from  the  field,  and  fill  up 
the  hollows  thus  made  with  the  soil  from  the  Tomato  houses.  The 
land  will  then  continue  to  grow  good  crops  of  vegetables,  and  serious 
Tomato  troubles  will  practically  cease.  Some  cultivators  might  urge' 
that  such  a  proceeding  would  not  pay,  but  as  it  pays  to  do  it  on  a 
small  scale,  I  am  quite  certain  it  may  be  made  remunerative  on  a 
large  one.  Enormous  sums  of  money  have  before  now  been  wasted 
in  carting  turfy  loam  from  a  distance  for  Tomato  growing,  when 
plenty — which  wmuld  have  answered  the  purpose  equally  well — could 
have  been  obtained  a  few^  yards  from  where  fequired. 
The  horticulture  ot  the  future  must  inevitably  be  conducted  on 
strictly  economical  lines,  and  in  the  matter  of  soils  for  pot  plants. 
Vines,  and  Tomatoes  there  is  plenty  of  room  for  practising  a  more 
rigid  economy.  I  have  sufficient  faith  in  what  I  write  to  practise  it 
myself,  and  have  this  season  planted  2000  Tomatoes  in  ordinary  garden 
soil,  rather  lighter  than  I  should  prefer.  The  results  promise  to  be  a 
great  success  in  every  way,  as  heavy  crops  are  swelling  fast,  and  in 
the  early  houses  the  fruit  is  beginning  to  colour. — H.  D.,  Leicester. 
[Perhaps  our  able  correspondent  knows,  though  he  does  not  say, 
that  the  interchange  of  soil  advocated  is  the  established  practice  of 
the  most  extensive  growers  of  Cucumbers,  Tomatoes,  and  various  kinda 
of  market  plants  in  the  kingdom  ;  w'hile  in  the  production  of  Grapes 
by  the  ton  the  clever  producers  simply  make  the  best  of  the  natural 
soil  of  the  site  and  immediate  surroundings  of  their  operations,  whether 
the  predominating  factor  be  clay  or  sand.  The  results  would  astonish 
numbers  of  gardeneis  who  have  not  seen  them,  and  are  altogether 
gratifying  and  encouraging.] 
FLOWERS  OF  THE  SEASON. 
With  the  garden  full  of  flow^ers,  of  dazzling  or  of  softest  gentlest, 
beauty,  it  seems  hard  to  leave  it,  even  to  take  pen  in  hand  to  tell  of 
its  charms.  More  pleasant  is  it  to  sit  or  work  among  the  flowers, 
delighting  the  while  in  the  garden’s  sights  and  sounds.  When  Tulips 
open  their  cups,  to  be  filled  with  the  radiant  sunlight ;  when  Alyssums 
shine,  resplendent  with  its  glow  ;  when  hosts  of  flowers  of  all  colours, 
with  their  tints  brightened  by  its  magic  power,  meet  the  eye,  it 
requires  an  effort  to  tear  ourselves  from  them,  to  put  pen  and  ink  to 
paper,  to  strive  to  give  even  a  feeble  idea  of  the  beauty  of  the  time. 
From  the  sky,  dappled  with  fleecy  clouds,  none  large  enough  or 
dense  enough  to  obscure  the  glory  of  the  sun,  to  the  meanest  flower 
which  carpets  the  earth,  all  Nature  seems  glorified  by  the  spirit  of  the 
season.  The  mountain  side  is  green  with  young  verdure,  the  belts  of 
foiest  near  its  base  vivid  as  at  ho  other  time.  Where  the  streams 
fall  over  its  grey  rock  faces,  they  shine  like  polished  silver.  The 
meadows  are  exquisitely  green,  save  where  spangled  with  Daisies  or 
Buttercups.  The  young  Oats  have  covered  the  fields,  so  short  a  time 
ago  brown  or  black  with  bare  earth.  The  very  air  is  alive  with  the 
energy  of  the  time.  Butterfly  and  bee — nay,  insect  life  of  all  kinds 
abounds,  and  their  hum,  as  they  fly,  mingles  with  the  song  of  birds. 
The  life  of  the  Daffodils  is  nearly  over  for  the  year ;  their  time  of 
rest  is  at  hand.  Though  we  shall  miss  them  we  cannot  be  forlorn 
with  the  glory  of  the  Tulips  before  our  eyes.  Very  beautiful  are  they. 
