258  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  ^COTTAGE  GARDENER,  September  Xfi,  1897.,. 
early  of  the  first  grade  samples,  and  then  do  all  in  their  power  to 
effect  early  sales ;  that  is,  during  the  autumn  in  preference  to  late  in 
the  spring,  even  thopgh  they  may  have  the  best  of  means  for 
retardation,  or  retaining  the  vitality  in  the  bulbs  to  the  longest 
possible  date.  If  purchasers,  as  a  body,  understood  the  nature  of 
bulbs  as  well  as  experienced  vendors  do,  they  would  take  steps  to 
procure  what  they  intend  to  grow  as  soon  as  they  can  be  supplied, 
Both  in  private  gardens  and  public  parks,  where  displays  of  bulbs 
are  so  magnificent,  the  requisite  kinds  and  quantities  are  ordered  in 
the  summer  for  delivery  as  soon  as  ready.  If  this  were  not  so  there 
could  be  no  such  massive  Hyacinths,  glorious  beds  of  Tulips,  bold, 
strong,  and  lasting  Daffodils,  as  well  as  the  lowlier  kinds,  such 
as  the  sparkling  Winter  Aconites,  pearly  Snowdrops,  and  Crocuses  in 
varied  hues,  as  are  annually  produced.  It  does  not  follow  that 
because  they  are  obtained  early  they  are  planted  at  once.  The 
positions  may  not  be  at  liberty  for  them,  or  beds  and  borders  pre¬ 
pared.  But  beyond  all  question  it  is  of  enormous  advantage  to  have 
the  bulbs  in  hand  ready  for  planting  on  occasions  when  the  soil  and 
weather  are  in  the  best  condition  for  their  reception. 
The  importance  of  having  whatever  may  be  needed  in  the  way  of 
bulbs,  seeds,  or  any  other  garden  requisites  in  advance  of  the  time 
when  they  are  wanted  for  planting,  sowing,  or  using  does  not  appear 
to  be  by  any  means  fully  recognised.  The  habit  of  not  ordering 
things  till  they  are  actually  wanted,  and  then  chafing  because  they 
do  not  come  by  return  of  post  or  the  first  express  train,  is  a  thoroughly 
bad  one.  That  vendors  do  all  in  their  power  to.  clear  off  orders 
quickly  goes  without.saying,  but  they  cannot  do  impossibilities.  The 
delay,  which  might  be  so  easily  averted  by  earlier  action,  has  in 
hundreds  of  instances  resulted  in  lost  opportunities,  the  consequence 
of  adverse  weather  changes,  for  which  there  could  be  no  subsequent 
compensation. 
Not  a  penny  is  saved  by  such  delays  that  are  so  prevalent  in 
obtaining  what  might  be  had  a  month  sooner.  The  amount  is  the 
same  in  both  instances,  but  the  results  are  very  different,  and  all  in 
favour  of  those  of  the  early  bird  order.  In  nothing  is  this  more 
apparent  than  in  the  provision  of  bulbs.  Hundreds  of  practical  men 
must  know  that  this  is  so,  but  a  large  number  of  them  cannot  obtain 
just  what  they  want  and  just  when  they  like. 
All  who  desire  to  have  bulbs  in  the  fullest  strength  and  greatest 
beauty  in  their  conservatories,  homes,  and  gardens — bulbs,  moreover, 
which  under  favourable  conditions  will  increase  and  multiply,  will 
do  the  best  for  themselves  by  looking  out  for  supplies  without  any 
delay  at  this  season.  There  is  plenty  of  choice,  and  those  who  have 
stocks,  by  the  excellence  of  which  they  are  willing  to  be  judged,  take 
care  to  make  the  fact  known,  for  the  advantage  of  those  who  are  as 
prudent  as  themselves  in  seeming  a  share  of  the  first  and  the  best 
consignments  of  the  year. 
Naturally  these  particular  kinds  that  are  required  for  producing  a 
supply  of  flowers  as  soon  as  they  are  obtainable  are  potted  or  planted 
the  first — the  planting  in  this  case  having  reference  to  growing  them 
in  boxes  for  affording  flowers  as  bright  and  pure  as  the  heart  could 
desire  for  cutting.  If  it  could  be  ascertained  how  many  millions  of 
Eoman  Hyacinths,  Due  Van  Thol  Tulips,  and  Daffodils  are  grown 
and  flowered  in  boxes  3  inches  deep  and  less,  the  bulbs  packed  closely 
together,  the  world  would  be  startled.  Such  flowers  are  indisi^ensable 
at  and  before  Christmas,  and  for  having  them  then,  action  must  be 
taken  now.  The  pure,  fragrant,  cheap  Roman  Hyacinths  in  particular 
should  not  be  overlooked. 
Than  the  various  kinds  of  popular  winter  and  spring  flowering 
bulbs  no  plants  are  so  easy  to  grow,  none  so  pertain  to  yield  up 
their  beauty,  none  which  display  their  varied  charms  at  a  time  when 
they  are  more  welcome,  none  more  accommodating  or  more  adaptable 
for  various  positions.  Surely  they  are  worthy  of  the  best  chance  that 
can  be  afforded  them  and  of  prominent  attention.  Bulbs  have  had  a 
long  rest  now,  so  apparently  have  their  admirers,  who  might  if  they 
would  give  of  their  experience  as  to  selection,  association,  and  culti¬ 
vation  for  the  production  of  sweetness  and  beauty  in  the  purest  forms 
during  winter  and  spring. 
NATURAL  VERSUS  ARTIFICIAL  FERTILISERS. 
Being  old  enough  to  remember  when  artificial  manures  were 
almost  unknown  in  gardens,  sole  reliance  being  placed  on  natural 
fertilisers,  and  having  also  tried  most  of  the  “  artificials,”  a  few 
remarks  on  the  relative  uses  of  the  two  in  supplying  food  to  useful 
crops  may  not  be  unacceptable  to  some  of  the  numerous  readers  of  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  at  the  present  time. 
By  the  term  “  natural  ”  manure  is  meant  any  and  every  substance 
of  a  vegetable  or  animal  nature  not  wholly  resolved  by  decay  and 
change  into  chemical  elements  or  compounds  with  metals  or  non- 
metals,  and  to  all  intents  and  purposes  unconverted  into  inorganic 
matter;  or,  in  other  words,  still  moie  or  less  organic  in  composition, 
and  yielding  nitrogen  in  the  form  of  ammonia,  the  process  of  decom¬ 
position  not  being  artificially  accelerated,  but  effected  by  natural  or 
cultural  agency. 
In  contradistinction,  an  “  artificial  ”  fertiliser  is  prepared  by  various 
processes,  chemical  or  otherwise.  Thus,  bones,  half-inch  and  quarter- 
inch,  and  meal,  dried  blood,  rape  cake,  fishmeal,  Peruvian  and  Ichaboe 
guano,  soot,  and  even  beef  and  meat  guanos;  also  the  residue  of 
bats  and  embalmed  Egyptian  cats,  rank  as  artificial  manures.  All, 
however,  including  horns  and  hoofs,  with  every  organic  substance  not 
chemically  treated,  but  used  in  the  natural  form,  contain  organic 
matter,  which  in  process  of  further  decay  evolve  ammonia,  and  in 
presence  of  lime  or  some  other  base  passes  by  the  action  of  certain 
micro-organisms,  feeding  thereon— showing  its  organic  nature — into 
mivite  and  finally  into  nitrate. 
In  “natural”  manure,  in  the  form  of  both  vegetable  and  animal 
substances,  there  exists  a  judicious  blending  of  organic — nitrogenic — 
with  the  inorganic— mineral — elements,  and  on  similar  lines  available 
as  food  as  by  the  artificial  process,  only  the  coune  is  much  slower. 
No  treatment  adds  to,  but  takes  from,  the  organic  substance. 
“Natural”  bones  contain  from  3'57  to  4*11  per  cent,  of  nitrogen; 
artificially  dissolved  bones  contain  from  1'66  to  2‘8fi  of  nitrogen ; 
and  mineral  supeiphosphate  not  any  nitrogen.  A  wnole  bone  takes 
longer  in  decaying  than  a  crushed  one,  half-inch  bones  last  longer 
than  quaiter  incb,  and  bonemeal  yields  both  ammonia  and  phosphoric 
acid  more  slowly  than  vitriolised  bones,  while  these  are  less  quickly 
acting  than  mineral  superphosphate.  The  nearer,  therefore,  to  the 
inorganic  the  speedier  the  action  of  the  manure.  Nitrogen,  as 
ammonia  in  sulphate  of  ammonia,  acts  lesS  piomptly  than  nitrate  in 
nitrate  of  potash  and  soda. 
The  “  artificial  ”  manure,  therefore,  means  a  supply  of  plant  food 
in  its  quickly  available  form — inorganic,  or  finally  reduced  state.  The 
natural  fertiliser,  on  the  other  hand,  implies  a  comparatively  and 
relatively  slow  and,  according  to  some,  uncertain  amount  of  nourish¬ 
ment.  The  process,  however,  as  regards  the  conversion  of  organic 
matter,  remains  the  same.  It  must  pass  by  decay  into  ammonia,  and 
even  when  combined  with  some  base  by  chemical  process,  some  time 
must  elapse  befoie  the  plant  can  take  it  into  its  system. 
In  fresh  stable  or  farmyard  mantire  the  ammonia  comes  out  first, 
then  the  potash,  and  afterwards  the  lime  and  phosphoric  acid.  The 
ammonia  signifies  growth — and  potash,  in  loss  degree  the  same  thing; 
lime  represents  the  bonding  together  of  the  parts,  quickened  by 
sulphur ;  .and  the  phosphate  or  phosphoric  acid — -the  grand  secret  of 
Nature — the  formation  of  the  seed;  with  attendant  magnesia,  for 
perpetuation  or  continuance.  It  is  all  very  simple,  a  plain  thing 
merely  requiring  to  be  looked  into  and  learned  practically.  No  books, 
no  lectures,  no  articles  can  teach  practice.  They  can  only  point  the 
way.  It  is  a  t|uestion  of  woi  k,  the  old-fashioned  gardener’s  principle 
of  “  proving  all  things.”  Then  he  knows  what  he  is  abont,  not 
before,  as  for  instance  : — 
The  cultivator  from  time  immemorial  had  preference  for  thoroughly 
decayed  manure,  and  for  good  practical  reasons,  and  in  recent  years, 
thanks  to  the  c'hemiLt,  proved  sound  in  principle.  In  fresh  manure — 
I  mean  a  blend  of  various  excretse  — the  organic  matter  stands  at 
246'0  parts  per  thonsand,  and  the  nitrogen  at  4  5.  Half-decayed,  with 
its  I92’0  of  organic  matter,  affords  5'0  of  nitrogen.  The  thoroughly 
rotted  containing  but  145  0  of  organic  substance,  possesses  5'8  of 
nitrogen.  The  first  is  raw  and  unavailable,  the  second  has  both 
available  nitrogen  and  potash,  and  the  third  has  all  things  fit,  or  as 
near  as  they  need  be  for  the  use  of  plants. 
The  old-fashioned  gardener  was  not  so  far  behind  the  times  as 
some  “  up  to  date  ”  present-day  savants  attempt  to  make  out.  Indeed, 
the  blend  of  the  old  gardener— his  prime,  sweet,  “natural”  manure  — 
forms  the  standard  of  the  “artificial  ”  fertiliser — food  in  available  form 
to  a  considerable  extent,  with  some  in  store,  most  in  the  “  natural,” 
very  little  in  the  “artificial.”  The  first  lasts  beyond  the  first  year 
and  on  to  the  fourth,  if  indeed  it  ever  loses  fertilising  or  mechanical 
value,  but  the  latter  disappears  with  and  in  the  crop. 
According,  however,  to  present  “advanced”  ideas  at  must  be 
wrong  to  employ  a  horse  and  cart  to  put  on  twelve  to  twenty  loads 
of  farmyard  manure  per  acre  when  the  same  thing  in  crojrs  can  be  had 
by  using  as  many  stones,  easily  carried  on  the  strewer’s  back,  thus 
